The Second Book of Maccabees

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

The purification of the temple and city. Other exploits of Judas. His victory over Timotheus.

Then Maccabaeus and those who were with him, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city.

They pulled down the altars that had been built in the marketplace by the foreigners, and also the sacred enclosures.

Having cleansed the sanctuary, they made another altar of sacrifice. (a)Striking flint and starting a fire, they offered sacrifices after they had ceased for two years, burned incense, lit lamps, and set out the show bread.

When they had done these things, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might fall no more into such evils; but that, if they ever did sin, they might be chastened by him with forbearance, and not be delivered to blaspheming and barbarous heathen.

Now on the same day that the sanctuary was profaned by foreigners, upon that very day it came to pass that the sanctuary was cleansed, even on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which is Chislev.

They observed eight days with gladness in the manner of the feast of tabernacles, remembering how (b)not long before, during the feast of tabernacles, they were wandering in the mountains and in the caves like wild animals.

Therefore carrying wands wreathed with leaves, and beautiful branches, and palm fronds also, they offered up hymns of thanksgiving to him who had successfully brought to pass the cleansing of his own place.

They ordained also with a public statute and decree, for all the nation of the Jews, that they should observe these days every year.

Such were the events of the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.

Now we will declare what came to pass under Antiochus (c)Eupator, who proved himself a son of that ungodly man, and will summarize the main evils of the wars.

For this man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to be chancellor and supreme governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia.

For Ptolemy who was called Macron, setting an example of observing justice toward the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, endeavored to deal with them on peaceful terms.

Whereupon being accused by the king’s (d)friends before Eupator, and hearing himself called traitor at every turn because he had abandoned Cyprus which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had withdrawn himself to Antiochus Epiphanes, and (e) failing to uphold the honor of his office, he took poison and did away with himself.

But when Gorgias was made governor of the district, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept up war with the Jews.

Together with him the Idumaeans also, being masters of important strongholds, harassed the Jews; and received those who had taken refuge from Jerusalem, they endeavored to keep up the war.

But Maccabaeus and his men, having made solemn supplication and having implored God to fight on their side, rushed upon the strongholds of the Idumaeans.

Assaulting them vigorously, they took control of the positions, and kept off all who fought upon the wall, and killed those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand.

Because no fewer than nine thousand had fled into two very strong towers having everything needed for a seige,

Maccabaeus, having left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and those who were with him, a force sufficient to besiege them, departed himself to places where he was most needed.

But Simon and those who were with him, yielding to covetousness, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and receiving seventy thousand drachmas, let some of them slip away.

But when word was brought to Maccabaeus of what was done, he gathered the leaders of the people together, and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.

So he killed these men for having turned traitors, and immediately took possession of the two towers.

Prospering with his weapons in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.

Now Timotheus, who had been defeated by the Jews before, having gathered together foreign forces in great multitudes, and having collected the cavalry which belonged to Asia, not a few, came as though he would take Judea by force of weapons.

But as he drew near, Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled dirt on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God,

and falling down upon the step in front of the altar, implored him to become (f)gracious to them, and (g)be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares.

Rising from their prayer they took up their weapons, and advanced some distance from the city. When they had come near to their enemies, they(h) halted.

When the dawn was now breaking, the two armies joined in battle, the one part having this, beside virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the fight.

When the battle became strong, there appeared out of heaven to their adversaries five splendid men on horses with bridles of gold, (i)and two of them, leading on the Jews,

and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while they shot arrows and thunderbolts at the enemies. For this reason, they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment.

Twenty thousand five hundred were slain, beside six hundred cavalry.

Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of great strength, (j)where Chaereas was in command.

Then Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress for four days.

Those who were within, trusting in the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and hurled out impious words.

But at dawn of the fifth day, certain young men of Maccabaeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall with masculine force and with (k)furious anger, and cut down whoever came in their way.

Others climbing up in the same way, while the enemies were distracted with those who had made their way within, set fire to the towers, and kindled fires that burned the blasphemers alive, while others broke open the gates, and, having given entrance to the rest of the band, occupied the city.

They killed Timotheus, who was hidden in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes.

When they had accomplished these things, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, blessing him who provides great benefits to Israel and gives them the victory.

Footnotes

(a)10:3 Gr. firing.

(b)10:6 Or, not long before they kept the feast of tabernacles by wandering

(d)10:13 See 2 Maccabees 8:9

(e)10:13 The Greek text here is corrupt.

(f)10:26 Gr. propitious.

(g)10:26 See Exodus 23:22 .

(h)10:27 Gr. were by themselves.

(i)10:29 Some authorities read and leading on the Jews; who also, taking.

(j)10:32 See ver. 37.

(k)10:35 Gr. passion as of wild animals.

The purification of the temple and city. Other exploits of Judas. His victory over Timotheus.

Now Maccabeus and his company, the Lord guiding them, recovered the temple and the city:

But the altars which the heathen had built in the open street, and also the chapels, they pulled down.

And having cleansed the temple they made another altar, and striking stones they took fire out of them, and offered a sacrifice after two years, and set forth incense, and lights, and shewbread.

When that was done, they fell flat down, and besought the Lord that they might come no more into such troubles; but if they sinned any more against him, that he himself would chasten them with mercy, and that they might not be delivered unto the blasphemous and barbarous nations.

Now upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on the very same day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day of the same month, which is Casleu.

And they kept the eight days with gladness, as in the feast of the tabernacles, remembering that not long afore they had held the feast of the tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts.

Therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms unto him that had given them good success in cleansing his place.

They ordained also by a common statute and decree, That every year those days should be kept of the whole nation of the Jews.

And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes.

Now will we declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of this wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the wars.

So when he was come to the crown, he set one Lysias over the affairs of his realm, and appointed him his chief governor of Celosyria and Phenice.

For Ptolemeus, that was called Macron, choosing rather to do justice unto the Jews for the wrong that had been done unto them, endeavoured to continue peace with them.

Whereupon being accused of the king’s friends before Eupator, and called traitor at every word because he had left Cyprus, that Philometor had committed unto him, and departed to Antiochus Epiphanes, and seeing that he was in no honourable place, he was so discouraged, that he poisoned himself and died.

But when Gorgias was governor of the holds, he hired soldiers, and nourished war continually with the Jews:

And therewithal the Idumeans, having gotten into their hands the most commodious holds, kept the Jews occupied, and receiving those that were banished from Jerusalem, they went about to nourish war.

Then they that were with Maccabeus made supplication, and besought God that he would be their helper; and so they ran with violence upon the strong holds of the Idumeans,

And assaulting them strongly, they won the holds, and kept off all that fought upon the wall, and slew all that fell into their hands, and killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

And because certain, who were no less than nine thousand, were fled together into two very strong castles, having all manner of things convenient to sustain the siege,

Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus also, and them that were with him, who were enough to besiege them, and departed himself unto those places which more needed his help.

Now they that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were persuaded for money through certain of those that were in the castle, and took seventy thousand drachms, and let some of them escape.

But when it was told Maccabeus what was done, he called the governors of the people together, and accused those men, that they had sold their brethren for money, and set their enemies free to fight against them.

So he slew those that were found traitors, and immediately took the two castles.

And having good success with his weapons in all things he took in hand, he slew in the two holds more than twenty thousand.

Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had gathered a great multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a few, came as though he would take Jewry by force of arms.

But when he drew near, they that were with Maccabeus turned themselves to pray unto God, and sprinkled earth upon their heads, and girded their loins with sackcloth,

And fell down at the foot of the altar, and besought him to be merciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declareth.

So after the prayer they took their weapons, and went on further from the city: and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by themselves.

Now the sun being newly risen, they joined both together; the one part having together with their virtue their refuge also unto the Lord for a pledge of their success and victory: the other side making their rage leader of their battle

But when the battle waxed strong, there appeared unto the enemies from heaven five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold, and two of them led the Jews,

And took Maccabeus betwixt them, and covered him on every side weapons, and kept him safe, but shot arrows and lightnings against the enemies: so that being confounded with blindness, and full of trouble, they were killed.

And there were slain of footmen twenty thousand and five hundred, and six hundred horsemen.

As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very strong hold, called Gawra, where Chereas was governor.

But they that were with Maccabeus laid siege against the fortress courageously four days.

And they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and uttered wicked words.

Nevertheless upon the fifth day early twenty young men of Maccabeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall manly, and with a fierce courage killed all that they met withal.

Others likewise ascending after them, whiles they were busied with them that were within, burnt the towers, and kindling fires burnt the blasphemers alive; and others broke open the gates, and, having received in the rest of the army, took the city,

And killed Timotheus, that was hid in a certain pit, and Chereas his brother, with Apollophanes.

When this was done, they praised the Lord with psalms and thanksgiving, who had done so great things for Israel, and given them the victory.