1 Maccabees 1

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Alexander of Macedon son of Philip had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius king of thePersians and Medes, whom he succeeded as ruler, at first of Hel as.	1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,
2 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings todeath.	2 And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth,
3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth, plundering nation after nation; the earth grew silent beforehim, and his ambitious heart swel ed with pride.	3 And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.
4 He assembled very powerful forces and subdued provinces, nations and princes, and they became histributaries.	4 And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.
5 But the time came when Alexander took to his bed, in the knowledge that he was dying.	5 And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.
6 He summoned his officers, noblemen who had been brought up with him from his youth, and dividedhis kingdom among them while he was stil alive.	6 Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.
7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.	7 So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died.
8 Each of his officers established himself in his own region.	8 And his servants bare rule every one in his place.
9 Al assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasingevils on the world.	9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.
10 From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once ahostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th year of the kingdom of the Greeks.	10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,'they said, 'let us al y ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from themmany misfortunes have overtaken us.'	11 In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.
12 This proposal proved acceptable,	12 So this device pleased them well.
13 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise thegentiles' observances.	13 Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:
14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,	14 Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:
15 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willingslaves of impiety.	15 And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
16 Once Antiochus had seen his authority established, he determined to make himself king of Egypt andthe ruler of both kingdoms.	16 Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.
17 He invaded Egypt in massive strength, with chariots and elephants (and cavalry) and a large fleet.	17 Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,
18 He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned back and fled before his advance,leaving many casualties.	18 And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.
19 The fortified cities of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the country.	19 Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.
20 After his conquest of Egypt, in the year 143, Antiochus turned about and advanced on Israel andJerusalem in massive strength.	20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,
21 Insolently breaking into the sanctuary, he removed the golden altar and the lamp-stand for the lightwith all its fittings,	21 And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,
22 together with the table for the loaves of permanent offering, the libation vessels, the cups, the goldencensers, the veil, the crowns, and the golden decoration on the front of the Temple, which he stripped ofeverything.	22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.
23 He made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures andseized them	23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
24 and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered wordsof extreme arrogance.	24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.
25 There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:	25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;
26 Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered achange;	26 So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.
27 every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.	27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,
28 The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.	28 The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
29 Two years later the king sent the Mysarch through the cities of Judah. He came to Jerusalem with animpressive force,	29 And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,
30 and addressing them with what appeared to be peaceful words, he gained their confidence; thensuddenly he fell on the city, dealing it a terrible blow, and destroying many of the people of Israel.	30 And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.
31 He pil aged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wal ,	31 And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.
32 took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.	32 But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.
33 They then rebuilt the City of David with a great strong wal and strong towers and made this theirCitadel.	33 Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.
34 There they installed a brood of sinners, of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it,	34 And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.
35 storing arms and provisions, and depositing there the loot they had collected from Jerusalem; theywere to prove a great trouble.	35 They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:
36 It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for Israel at all times.	36 For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.
37 They shed innocent blood al round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.	37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
38 The citizens of Jerusalem fled because of them, she became a dwelling-place of strangers; estrangedfrom her own offspring, her children forsook her.	38 Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.
39 Her sanctuary became as forsaken as a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbathsinto a mockery, her honour into reproach.	39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.
40 Her dishonour now ful y matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief.	40 As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
41 The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that al were to become a single people,each nation renouncing its particular customs.	41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
42 Al the gentiles conformed to the king's decree,	42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
43 and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.	43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.
44 The king also sent edicts by messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them to adoptcustoms foreign to the country,	44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,	45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,	46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,	47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:
48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to al kinds of impurity and abomination,	48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:
49 so that they should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.	49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to be put to death.	50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.
51 Writing in such terms to every part of his kingdom, the king appointed inspectors for the whole peopleand directed al the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice city by city.	51 In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.
52 Many of the people -- that is, every apostate from the Law -- rallied to them and so committed evil inthe country,	52 Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;
53 forcing Israel into hiding in any possible place of refuge.	53 And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.
54 On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of thealtar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah	54 Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
55 and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets.	55 And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.
56 Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.	56 And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.
57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, theking's decree sentenced him to death.	57 And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death.
58 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.	58 Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.
59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month, sacrifice was offered on the altar erected on top of the altar ofburnt offering.	59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.
60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death according to the edict	60 At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.
61 with their babies hung round their necks, and the members of their household and those who hadperformed the circumcision were executed with them.	61 And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.
62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.	62 Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.
63 They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, andthey were executed.	63 Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.
64 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.	64 And there was very great wrath upon Israel.