1 Maccabees 7

1In the hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from the city of Rome, and came up with a few men into a city of the sea coast, and reigned there.

2And it came to pass, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized upon Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them unto him.

3And when he knew it, he said: Let me not see their face.

4So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom:

5And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: And Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest.

6And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and he hath driven us out of our land.

7Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him go, and see all the havock he hath made amongst us, and in the king’s lands: and let him punish all his friends and their helpers.

8Then the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends that ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him,

9To see the havock that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge upon the children of Israel.

10And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Juda: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully.

11But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they were come with a great army.

12Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes to require things that are just:

13And first the Assideans that were among the children of Israel, and they sought peace of them.

14For they said: One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come, he will not deceive us.

15And he spoke to them peaceably: and he swore to them, saying: We will do you no harm nor your friends.

16And they believed him. And he took threescore of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word that is written:

17The flesh of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.

18Then fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made.

19And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of them that were fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit.

20Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king:

21But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood.

22And they that disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Juda into their power, and did much hurt in Israel.

23And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and they that were with him, did to the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles.

24And he went out into all the coasts of Juda round about, and took vengeance upon the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country.

25And Alcimus saw that Judas, and they that were with him prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes.

26And the king sent Nicanor one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.

27And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brethren deceitfully with friendly words,

28Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come with a few men to see your faces with peace.

29And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: and the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force.

30And the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with deceit: and he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more.

31And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas near Capharsalama.

32And there fell of Nicanor’s army almost five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David.

33And after this Nicanor went up into mount Sion: and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king.

34But he mocked them and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly,

35And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage.

36And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said:

37Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for thy name to be called upon therein, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people.

38Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer.

39Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Bethoron: and an army of Syria joined him.

40But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said:

41O Lord, when they that were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand:

42Even so destroy this army in our sight today, and let the rest know that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him according to his wickedness.

43And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle.

44And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain, they threw away their weapons, and fled:

45And they pursued after them one day’s journey from Adazer, even till ye come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals.

46And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one.

47And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem.

48And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy.

49And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar.

50And the land of Juda was quiet for a short time.

1Anno centesimo quinquagesimo primo, exiit Demetrius Seleuci filius ab urbe Roma, et ascendit cum paucis viris in civitatem maritimam, et regnavit illic.

2Et factum est, ut ingressus est domum regni patrum suorum, comprehendit exercitus Antiochum et Lysiam, ut adducerent eos ad eum.

3Et res ei innotuit, et ait: Nolite mihi ostendere faciem eorum.

4Et occidit eos exercitus. Et sedit Demetrius super sedem regni sui.

5Et venerunt ad eum viri iniqui et impii ex Israël: et Alcimus dux eorum, qui volebat fieri sacerdos.

6Et accusaverunt populum apud regem, dicentes: Perdidit Judas et fratres ejus omnes amicos tuos, et nos dispersit de terra nostra.

7Nunc ergo mitte virum, cui credis, ut eat, et videat exterminium omne quod fecit nobis, et regionibus regis: et puniat omnes amicos ejus, et adjutores eorum.

8Et elegit rex ex amicis suis Bacchidem, qui dominabatur trans flumen magnum in regno, et fidelem regi: et misit eum,

9ut videret exterminium quod fecit Judas: sed et Alcimum impium constituit in sacerdotium, et mandavit ei facere ultionem in filios Israël.

10Et surrexerunt, et venerunt cum exercitu magno in terram Juda: et miserunt nuntios, et locuti sunt ad Judam et ad fratres ejus verbis pacificis in dolo.

11Et non intenderunt sermonibus eorum: viderunt enim quia venerunt cum exercitu magno.

12Et convenerunt ad Alcimum et Bacchidem congregatio scribarum requirere quæ justa sunt:

13et primi, Assidæi qui erant in filiis Israël: et exquirebant ab eis pacem.

14Dixerunt enim: Homo sacerdos de semine Aaron venit; non decipiet nos:

15et locutus est cum eis verba pacifica, et juravit illis, dicens: Non inferemus vobis malum, neque amicis vestris.

16Et crediderunt ei: et comprehendit ex eis sexaginta viros, et occidit eos in una die, secundum verbum quod scriptum est:

17Carnes sanctorum tuorum, et sanguinem ipsorum effuderunt in circuitu Jerusalem, et non erat qui sepeliret.

18Et incubuit timor et tremor in omnem populum: quia dixerunt: Non est veritas, et judicium in eis: transgressi sunt enim constitutum, et jusjurandum quod juraverunt.

19Et movit Bacchides castra ab Jerusalem, et applicuit in Bethzecha: et misit, et comprehendit multos ex eis qui a se effugerant: et quosdam de populo mactavit, et in puteum magnum projecit.

20Et commisit regionem Alcimo, et reliquit cum eo auxilium in adjutorium ipsi. Et abiit Bacchides ad regem:

21et satis agebat Alcimus pro principatu sacerdotii sui:

22et convenerunt ad eum omnes, qui perturbabant populum suum, et obtinuerunt terram Juda, et fecerunt plagam magnam in Israël.

23Et vidit Judas omnia mala quæ fecit Alcimus et qui cum eo erant filiis Israël, multo plus quam gentes:

24et exiit in omnes fines Judææ in circuitu, et fecit vindictam in viros desertores, et cessaverunt ultra exire in regionem.

25Vidit autem Alcimus quod prævaluit Judas et qui cum eo erant, et cognovit quia non potest sustinere eos: et regressus est ad regem, et accusavit eos multis criminibus.

26Et misit rex Nicanorem, unum ex principibus suis nobilioribus, qui erat inimicitias exercens contra Israël: et mandavit ei evertere populum.

27Et venit Nicanor in Jerusalem cum exercitu magno, et misit ad Judam et ad fratres ejus verbis pacificis cum dolo,

28dicens: Non sit pugna inter me et vos: veniam cum viris paucis, ut videam facies vestras cum pace.

29Et venit ad Judam, et salutaverunt se invicem pacifice: et hostes parati erant rapere Judam.

30Et innotuit sermo Judæ quoniam cum dolo venerat ad eum: et conterritus est ab eo, et amplius noluit videre faciem ejus.

31Et cognovit Nicanor quoniam denudatum est consilium ejus: et exivit obviam Judæ in pugnam juxta Capharsalama.

32Et ceciderunt de Nicanoris exercitu fere quinque millia viri, et fugerunt in civitatem David.

33Et post hæc verba ascendit Nicanor in montem Sion: et exierunt de sacerdotibus populi salutare eum in pace, et demonstrare ei holocautomata, quæ offerebantur pro rege.

34Et irridens sprevit eos, et polluit: et locutus est superbe,

35et juravit cum ira, dicens: Nisi traditus fuerit Judas et exercitus ejus in manus meas, continuo cum regressus fuero in pace, succendam domum istam. Et exiit cum ira magna.

36Et intraverunt sacerdotes, et steterunt ante faciem altaris et templi, et flentes dixerunt:

37Tu, Domine, elegisti domum istam ad invocandum nomen tuum in ea, ut esset domus orationis et obsecrationis populo tuo:

38fac vindictam in homine isto et exercitu ejus, et cadant in gladio: memento blasphemias eorum, et ne dederis eis ut permaneant.

39Et exiit Nicanor ab Jerusalem, et castra applicuit ad Bethoron: et occurrit illi exercitus Syriæ.

40Et Judas applicuit in Adarsa cum tribus millibus viris: et oravit Judas, et dixit:

41Qui missi erant a rege Sennacherib, Domine, quia blasphemaverunt te, exiit angelus, et percussit ex eis centum octoginta quinque millia:

42sic contere exercitum istum in conspectu nostro hodie: et sciant ceteri quia male locutus est super sancta tua: et judica illum secundum malitiam illius.

43Et commiserunt exercitus prælium tertiadecima die mensis Adar: et contrita sunt castra Nicanoris, et cecidit ipse primus in prælio.

44Ut autem vidit exercitus ejus quia cecidisset Nicanor, projecerunt arma sua, et fugerunt:

45et persecuti sunt eos viam unius diei ab Adazer usquequo veniatur in Gazara, et tubis cecinerunt post eos cum significationibus:

46et exierunt de omnibus castellis Judææ in circuitu, et ventilabant eos cornibus, et convertebantur iterum ad eos, et ceciderunt omnes gladio, et non est relictus ex eis nec unus.

47Et acceperunt spolia eorum in prædam: et caput Nicanoris amputaverunt, et dexteram ejus, quam extenderat superbe, et attulerunt, et suspenderunt contra Jerusalem.

48Et lætatus est populus valde, et egerunt diem illam in lætitia magna.

49Et constituit agi omnibus annis diem istam tertiadecima die mensis Adar.

50Et siluit terra Juda dies paucos.

1In the one hundred and fifty-first year, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, departed from the city of Rome, and he went up with a few men to a maritime city, and he reigned there.

2And it happened that, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, the army captured Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him.

3And the matter became known to him, and he said, “Do not show me their face.”

4And so the army killed them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom.

5And there came to him iniquitous and impious men from Israel. And Alcimus was their leader, who wanted to be made a priest.

6And they accused the people to the king, saying: “Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends, and he has scattered us from our land.

7Now, therefore, send a man, whom you trust, and let him go and see all the destruction he has done to us and to the regions of the king. And let him punish all his friends and their helpers.”

8And so the king chose, from among his friends, Bacchides, who ruled across the great river in the kingdom, and who was faithful to the king. And he sent him

9to see the destruction that Judas had done. Moreover, he appointed the wicked Alcimus to the priesthood, and he commanded him to take revenge on the sons of Israel.

10And they rose up and came forth with a great army into the land of Judah. And they sent messengers, who spoke to Judas and his brothers with words of peace, in deceitfulness.

11But they did not heed their words, for they saw that they arrived with a great army.

12Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides, a congregation of scribes, to seek just terms.

13And first, the Hasideans, who were among the sons of Israel, also sought peace from them.

14For they said, “A man who is a priest from the offspring of Aaron has arrived; he will not deceive us.”

15And he spoke to them peaceful words, and he swore to them, saying, “We will not carry out any evil against you or your friends.”

16And they believed him. And he captured sixty of their men and killed them in one day, according to the word that is written:

17The flesh of your saints, and their blood, they have poured out all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them.

18Then fear and trembling hovered over all the people. For they said: “There is no truth or judgment among them. For they have transgressed the agreement and the oath that they swore.”

19And Bacchides moved the camp from Jerusalem, and he took up a position at Bethzaith. And he sent and captured many of those who had fled from him, and some of the people he killed in sacrifice, and he threw them into a great pit.

20Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and he left behind troops with him to assist him. And so Bacchides went away to the king.

21And Alcimus did what he pleased by means of his leadership of the priesthood.

22And all those who disturbed the people assembled before him, and they obtained the land of Judah, and they caused a great scourging in Israel.

23And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and those who were with him, did to the sons of Israel, even more than the Gentiles did.

24And he went out into all the parts surrounding Judea, and he took vengeance on the men who had rebelled, and they ceased to go forth into the region any longer.

25But Alcimus saw that Judas, and those who were with him, prevailed. And he knew that he was not able to withstand them. And so he returned to the king, and he accused them of many crimes.

26And the king sent Nicanor, one of his principal noblemen, who was a cultivator of hostility against Israel. And he commanded him to overthrow the people.

27And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and his brothers words of peace, with deceitfulness,

28saying: “Let there be no fighting between me and you. I will come with a few men, to see your faces with peace.”

29And he came to Judas, and they greeted one another in turns, peaceably. And the enemies were prepared to abduct Judas.

30And the plan became known to Judas, that he came to him with deceit. And so he became very afraid of him, and he was no longer willing to see his face.

31And Nicanor knew that his plan had been exposed, and he went out to meet Judas in battle near Capharsalama.

32And there fell of the army of Nicanor nearly five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David.

33And after these events, Nicanor ascended to mount Zion. And some of the priests of the people went out to greet him in peace, and to show him the holocausts that were offered for the king.

34But he mocked and despised them, and he defiled them. And he spoke arrogantly,

35and he swore with anger, saying, “Unless Judas and his army have been delivered into my hands, when I return in peace, I will burn this house.” And he went out with great anger.

36And the priests went in and stood before the face of the altar and the temple. And weeping, they said:

37“You, O Lord, have chosen this house so that your name may be invoked in it, so that it may be a house of prayer and supplication for your people.

38Accomplish vindication with this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and do not allow them to continue.”

39Then Nicanor departed from Jerusalem, and he positioned his camp near Bethhoron, and an army of Syria met him there.

40And Judas took a position in Adasa with three thousand men. And Judas prayed, and he said:

41“O Lord, when those who were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed against you, an angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand of them.

42Just so, crush this army in our sight today, and so let the others know that he has spoken evil against your sanctuary. And judge him according to his wickedness.”

43And the armies were sent into battle together on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And the camp of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was among the first slain in the battle.

44So then, when his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw away their weapons and fled.

45And they pursued them for one day’s journey from Adasa, even until one comes into Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals.

46And they went forth from all of the towns all around Judea. And they herded them with the horns, and they turned back again to them, and they were all felled with the sword, and there was not so much as one of them left behind.

47And they took their spoils like a prey, and they cut off the head of Nicanor, and his right hand, which he had extended arrogantly, and they brought it, and hung it up opposite Jerusalem.

48And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day in great joy.

49And he established that this day should be kept every year, on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar.

50And the land of Judah was quieted for a brief time.