2 Maccabees 13

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the hundred forty and ninth year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,	1 In the year one hundred and forty-nine, Judas and his men learned that Antiochus Eupator was invading Judea with a large force,
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 and that with him was Lysias, his guardian, who was in charge of the government. They led a Greek army of one hundred and ten thousand foot soldiers, fifty-three hundred horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.
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 Menelaus also joined them, and with great duplicity kept urging Antiochus on, not for the welfare of his country, but in the hope of being established in office.
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 But the King of kings aroused the anger of Antiochus against the scoundrel. When the king was shown by Lysias that Menelaus was to blame for all the trouble, he ordered him to be taken to Beroea and executed there in the customary local method.
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 There is at that place a tower seventy-five feet high, full of ashes, with a circular rim sloping down steeply on all sides toward the ashes.
6 And whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him unto death.	6 A man guilty of sacrilege or notorious for certain other crimes is brought up there and then hurled down to destruction.
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 In such a manner was Menelaus, the transgressor of the law, fated to die; he was deprived even of decent burial.
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 It was altogether just that he who had committed so many sins against the altar with its pure fire and ashes should meet his death in ashes.
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 The king was advancing, his mind full of savage plans for inflicting on the Jews worse things than those they suffered in his father's time.
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 When Judas learned of this, he urged the people to call upon the LORD night and day, to help them now, if ever,
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 when they were about to be deprived of their law, their country, and their holy temple; and not to allow this nation, which had just begun to revive, to be subjected again to blasphemous Gentiles.
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 When they had all joined in doing this, and had implored the merciful LORD continuously with weeping and fasting and prostrations for three days, Judas encouraged them and told them to stand ready.
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 After a private meeting with the elders, he decided that, before the king's army could invade Judea and take possession of the city, the Jews should march out and settle the matter with God's help.
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 Leaving the outcome to the Creator of the world, and exhorting his followers to fight nobly to death for the laws, the temple, the city, the country, and the government, he pitched his camp near Modein.
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 Giving his men the battle cry "God's Victory," he made a night attack on the king's pavilion with a picked force of the bravest young men and killed about two thousand in the camp. They also slew the lead elephant and its rider.
16 And at last they filled the camp with fear and tumult, and departed with good success.	16 Finally they withdrew in triumph, having filled the camp with terror and confusion.
17 This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help him.	17 Day was just breaking when this was accomplished with the help and protection of the LORD.
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 The king, having had a taste of the Jews' daring, tried to take their positions by a stratagem.
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 So he marched against Beth-zur, a strong fortress of the Jews; but he was driven back, checked, and defeated.
20 For Judas had conveyed unto them that were in it such things as were necessary.	20 Judas then sent supplies to the men inside,
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 but Rhodocus, of the Jewish army, betrayed military secrets to the enemy. He was found out, arrested, and imprisoned.
22 The king treated with them in Bethsum the second time, gave his hand, took their's, departed, fought with Judas, was overcome;	22 The king made a second attempt by negotiating with the men of Beth-zur. After giving them his pledge and receiving theirs, he withdrew
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 and attacked Judas and his men. But he was defeated. Next he heard that Philip, who was left in charge of the government in Antioch had rebelled. Dismayed, he parleyed with the Jews, submitted to their terms, and swore to observe their rights. Having come to this agreement, he offered a sacrifice, and honored the temple with a generous donation.
24 And accepted well of Maccabeus, made him principal governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerrhenians;	24 He approved of Maccabeus and left him as military and civil governor of the territory from Ptolemais to the region of the Gerrenes.
25 Came to Ptolemais: the people there were grieved for the covenants; for they stormed, because they would make their covenants void:	25 When he came to Ptolemais, the people of that city were angered by the peace treaty; in fact they were so indignant that they wanted to annul its provisions.
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 But Lysias took the platform, defended the treaty as well as he could and won them over by persuasion. After calming them and gaining their good will, he returned to Antioch. That is how the king's attack and withdrawal went.