The Second Book of Maccabees

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The king’s great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.

In the hundred forty and ninth year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,

And with him Lysias his protector, and ruler of his affairs, having either of them a Grecian power of footmen, an hundred and ten thousand, and horsemen five thousand and three hundred, and elephants two and twenty, and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.

Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation encouraged Antiochus, not for the safeguard of the country, but because he thought to have been made governor.

But the King of kings moved Antiochus’ mind against this wicked wretch, and Lysias informed the king that this man was the cause of all mischief, so that the king commanded to bring him unto Berea, and to put him to death, as the manner is in that place.

Now there was in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had a round instrument which on every side hanged down into the ashes.

And whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him unto death.

Such a death it happened that wicked man to die, not having so much as burial in the earth; and that most justly:

For inasmuch as he had committed many sins about the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.

Now the king came with a barbarous and haughty mind to do far worse to the Jews, than had been done in his father’s time.

Which things when Judas perceived, he commanded the multitude to call upon the Lord night and day, that if ever at any other time, he would now also help them, being at the point to be put from their law, from their country, and from the holy temple:

And that he would not suffer the people, that had even now been but a little refreshed, to be in subjection to the blasphemous nations.

So when they had all done this together, and besought the merciful Lord with weeping and fasting, and lying flat upon the ground three days long, Judas, having exhorted them, commanded they should be in a readiness.

And Judas, being apart with the elders, determined, before the king’s host should enter into Judea, and get the city, to go forth and try the matter in fight by the help of the Lord.

So when he had committed all to the Creator of the world, and exhorted his soldiers to fight manfully, even unto death, for the laws, the temple, the city, the country, and the commonwealth, he camped by Modin:

And having given the watchword to them that were about him, Victory is of God; with the most valiant and choice young men he went in into the king’s tent by night, and slew in the camp about four thousand men, and the chiefest of the elephants, with all that were upon him.

And at last they filled the camp with fear and tumult, and departed with good success.

This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help him.

Now when the king had taken a taste of the manliness of the Jews, he went about to take the holds by policy,

And marched toward Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was put to flight, failed, and lost of his men:

For Judas had conveyed unto them that were in it such things as were necessary.

But Rhodocus, who was in the Jews’ host, disclosed the secrets to the enemies; therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.

The king treated with them in Bethsum the second time, gave his hand, took their’s, departed, fought with Judas, was overcome;

Heard that Philip, who was left over the affairs in Antioch, was desperately bent, confounded, intreated the Jews, submitted himself, and sware to all equal conditions, agreed with them, and offered sacrifice, honoured the temple, and dealt kindly with the place,

And accepted well of Maccabeus, made him principal governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerrhenians;

Came to Ptolemais: the people there were grieved for the covenants; for they stormed, because they would make their covenants void:

Lysias went up to the judgment seat, said as much as could be in defence of the cause, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, returned to Antioch. Thus it went touching the king’s coming and departing.

Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The king’s great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.

In the one hundred forty-ninth year, news was brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with multitudes against Judea,

and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, each having a Greek force of one hundred ten thousand infantry, five thousand three hundred cavalry, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.

And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great hypocrisy encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he thought that he would be set over the government.

But the King of kings stirred up the anger of Antiochus against the wicked wretch. When Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king commanded to bring him to Beroea, and to put him to death in the way customary in that place.

Now there is in that place a tower that is fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all around it a (a)circular rim sloping steeply on every side into the ashes.

Here one who is guilty of sacrilege or notorious for other crimes is pushed down to destruction.

By such a fate it happened that the breaker of the law, Menelaus, died, without obtaining so much as a grave in the earth, and that justly;

for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sins (b) against the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.

Now the king,(c) infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had been done in his father’s time.

But when Judas heard of these things, he commanded the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, if ever at any other time, so now to help those who were at the point of being deprived of the law, their country, and the holy temple,

and not to allow the people who had just begun to be revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen.

So when they had all done the same thing together, (d) begging the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should join him.

Having consulted privately with the elders, he resolved that before the king’s army entered into Judea and made themselves masters of the city, they should go out and decide the matter by the help of (e)God.

And committing the decision to the (f)Lord of the world, and exhorting those who were with him to contend nobly even to death for laws, temple, city, country, and way of life, he pitched his camp by Modin.

He gave out to his men the watchword, “VICTORY IS GOD’S”, with a chosen force of the bravest young men he attacked by the king’s pavilion by night, and killed of his army as many as two thousand men, and (g)brought down the leading elephant with him who was in the (h)tower on him.

At last they filled the (i)army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success.

This had been accomplished when the day was just dawning, because of the Lord’s protection that gave (j)Judas help.

But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made strategic attacks on their positions,

and on a strong fortress of the Jews at Bethsura. He advanced, was turned back, failed, and was defeated.

Judas sent the things that were necessary to those who were within.

But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made secrets known to the enemy. He was sought out, arrested, and shut up in prison.

The king negotiated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse,

heard that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless, was confounded, made to the Jews an overture of peace, submitted himself and swore to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered sacrifice, honored the sanctuary and the place,

showed kindness and graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even to the (k) Gerrenians,

and came to Ptolemais. The men of Ptolemais were displeased at the treaty, for they had exceedingly great indignation against the Jews. They desired to annul the articles of the agreement.

Lysias (l)came forward to speak, made the best defense that was possible, persuaded, pacified, gained their good will, and departed to Antioch. This was the issue of the attack and departure of the king.

Footnotes

(a)13:5 Gr. contrivance or machine.

(b)13:8 Gr. about.

(d)13:12 Gr. and implored.

(e)13:13 Some authorities read the Lord.

(f)13:14 Some authorities read Creator.

(g)13:15 The Greek text here is probably corrupt.

(h)13:15 Gr. house.

(i)13:16 Gr. camp.

(j)13:17 Gr. him.

(k)13:24 The form of this word is uncertain. Compare Girzites(or Gizrites), 1 Samuel 27:8 . One manuscript reads Gerarenes.

(l)13:26 Gr. came forward to the tribuneor judgment seat.