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Lunedi, 6 maggio 2024 - San Pietro Nolasco ( Letture di oggi)

2 Maccabees 13


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KING JAMES BIBLEDOUAI-RHEIMS
1 In the hundred forty and ninth year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,1 When these covenants were made, Lyslas went to the king, and the Jews gave themselves to husbandry.
2 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.2 But they that were behind, namely, Timotheus and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and besides them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to live in peace, and to be quiet.
3 Menelans 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.3 The men of Joppe also were guilty of this kind of wickedness: they desired the Jews who dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats, which they had prepared, as though they had no enmity to them.
4 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.4 Which when they had consented to, according to the common decree of the city, suspecting nothing, because of the peace : when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no fewer than two hundred of them.
5 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.5 But as soon as Judas heard of this cruelty done to his countrymen, he commanded the men that were with him: and after having called upon God the just judge,
6 And whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him unto death.6 He came against those murderers of his brethren, and set the haven on fire in the night, burnt the boats, and slew with the sword them that escaped from the fire.
7 Such a death it happened that wicked man to die, not having so much as burial in the earth; and that most justly:7 And when he had done these things in this manner, he departed as if he would return again, and root out all the Joppites.
8 For inasmuch as he had committed many sins about the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.8 But when he understood that the men of Jamnia also designed to do in like manner to the Jews that dwelt among them,
9 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.9 He came upon the Jamnites also by night, end set the haven on fire with the ships, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.
10 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:10 And when they were now gone from thence nine furlongs, and were marching towards Timotheus, five thousand footmen and Ave hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon them.
11 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.11 And after a hard fight, in which by the help of God they got the victory, the rest of the Arabians being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising to give him pastures, and to assist him in other things.
12 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.12 And Judas thinking that they might be profitable indeed in many things, promised them peace, and after having joined hands, they departed to their tents.
13 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.13 He also laid siege to a certain strong city, encompassed with bridges and walls, and inhabited by multitudes of different nations, the name of which is Casphin.
14 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:14 But they that were within it, trusting in the strength of the walls, and the provision of victuals, behaved in a more negligent manner, and provoked Judas with railing and blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken.
15 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.15 But Machabeus calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without any rams or engines of war threw down the walls of Jericho in the time of Josue, fiercely assaulted the walls.
16 And at last they filled the camp with fear and tumult, and departed with good success.16 And having taken the city by the will of the Lord, he made an unspeakable slaughter, so that a pool adjoining of two furlongs broad seemed to run with the blood of the slain.
17 This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help him.17 From thence they departed seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to Characa to the Jews that are called Tubianites.
18 Now when the king had taken a taste of the manliness of the Jews, he went about to take the holds by policy,18 But as for Timotheus, they found him not in those places, for before he had dispatched any thing he went back, having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold :
19 And marched toward Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was put to flight, failed, and lost of his men:19 But Dositheus, and Sosipater, who were captains with Machabeus, slew them that were left by Timotheus in the hold, to the number of ten thousand men.
20 For Judas had conveyed unto them that were in it such things as were necessary.20 And Machabeus having set in order about him six thousand men, and divided them by bands, went forth against Timetheus, who had with him a hundred and twenty thousand footmen, and two thousand five hundred horsemen.
21 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.21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of the coming of Judas, he sent the women and children, and the other baggage before him into a fortress, called Carnion: for it was impregnable and hard to come at, by reason of the straitness of the places.
22 The king treated with them in Bethsum the second time, gave his hand, took their's, departed, fought with Judas, was overcome;22 But when the first band of Judas came in sight, the enemies were struck with fear, by the presence of God, who seeth all things, and they were put to flight one from another, so that they were often thrown down by their own companions, and wounded with the strokes of their own swords.
23 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,23 But Judas was vehemently earnest in punishing the profane, of whom he slew thirty thousand men.
24 And accepted well of Maccabeus, made him principal governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerrhenians;24 And Timotheus himself fell into the hands of the band of Dositheus and Sosipater, and with many prayers he besought them to let him go with his life, because he had the parents and brethren of many of the Jews, who, by his death, might happen to be deceived.
25 Came to Ptolemais: the people there were grieved for the covenants; for they stormed, because they would make their covenants void:25 And when he had given his faith that he would restore them according to the agreement, they let him go without hurt, for the saving of their brethren.
26 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.26 Then Judas went away to Carnion, where he slew five and twenty thousand persons.
27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed these, he removed his army to Ephron, a strong city, wherein there dwelt a multitude of divers nations: and stout young men standing upon the walls made a vigorous resistance: and in this place there were many engines of war, and a provision of darts.
28 But when they had invocated the Almighty, who with his power breaketh the strength of the enemies, they took the city; and slew five and twenty thousand of them that were within.
29 From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem.
30 But the Jews that were among the Scythopolitans testifying that they were used kindly by them, and that even in the times of their adversity they had treated them with humanity:
31 They gave them thanks exhorting them to be still friendly to their nation, and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks being at hand.
32 And after Pentecost they marched against Gorgias the governor of Idumea.
33 And he came out with three thousand footmen, and four hundred horsemen.
34 And when they had joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews were slain.
35 But Dositheus, a horseman, one of Bacenor's band, a valiant man, took hold of Gorgias: and when he would have taken him alive, a certain horseman of the Thracians came upon him, and cut off his shoulder: and so Gorgias escaped to Maresa.
36 But when they that were with Esdrin had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to be their helper, and leader of the battle:
37 Then beginning in his own language, and singing hymns with a loud voice, he put Gorgias' soldiers to flight.
38 So Judas having gathered together his army, came into the city Odollam: and when the seventh day came, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the sabbath in the place.
39 And the day following Judas cam with his company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their fathers.
40 And they found under the coats o the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth the Jews:
41 Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.
42 And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.
43 And making a gathering, he twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection,
44 (For if he had not hoped that the that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,)
45 And because he considered that the who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them.
46 It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
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90 that all plainly saw, for this cause they were slain.