1 Maccabees 16

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 John then went up from Gezer and reported to his father Simon what Cendebaeus was busy doing.	1 Then came up John from Gazera, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done.
2 At this, Simon summoned his two elder sons, Judas and John, and said to them, 'My brothers and I,and my father's House, have fought the enemies of Israel from our youth until today, and many a time we havebeen successful in rescuing Israel.	2 Wherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said unto them, I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have ever from my youth unto this day fought against the enemies of Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
3 But now I am an old man, while you, by the mercy of Heaven, are the right age; take the place of mybrother and myself, go out and fight for our nation, and may Heaven's aid be with you.'	3 But now I am old, and ye, by God's mercy, are of a sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go and fight for our nation, and the help from heaven be with you.
4 He then selected twenty thousand of the country's fighting men and cavalry, and these marchedagainst Cendebaeus, spending the night at Modein.	4 So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war with horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus, and rested that night at Modin.
5 Making an early start, they marched into the plain, to find a large army opposing them, both infantryand cavalry; there was, however, a stream-bed in between.	5 And when as they rose in the morning, and went into the plain, behold, a mighty great host both of footmen and horsemen came against them: howbeit there was a water brook betwixt them.
6 John drew up facing them, he and his army and, seeing that the men were afraid to cross the stream-bed, crossed over first himself. When his men saw this, they too crossed after him.	6 So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he saw that the people were afraid to go over the water brook, he went first over himself, and then the men seeing him passed through after him.
7 He divided his army into two, with the cavalry in the centre and the infantry on either flank, as the opposing cavalry was very numerous.	7 That done, he divided his men, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: for the enemies' horsemen were very many.
8 The trumpets rang out; Cendebaeus and his army were put to flight, many of them fal ing mortal ywounded and the rest of them fleeing to the fortress.	8 Then sounded they with the holy trumpets: whereupon Cendebeus and his host were put to flight, so that many of them were slain, and the remnant gat them to the strong hold.
9 Then it was that Judas, John's brother, was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebaeusreached Kedron, which he had rebuilt.	9 At that time was Judas John's brother wounded; but John still followed after them, until he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus had built.
10 Their flight took them as far as the towers in the countryside of Azotus, and John burnt these down.The enemy losses amounted to ten thousand men; John returned safely to Judaea.	10 So they fled even unto the towers in the fields of Azotus; wherefore he burned it with fire: so that there were slain of them about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into the land of Judea in peace.
11 Ptolemy son of Abubos had been appointed general in command of the Plain of Jericho; he owned agreat deal of silver and gold,	11 Moreover in the plain of Jericho was Ptolemeus the son of Abubus made captain, and he had abundance of silver and gold:
12 and was the high priest's son-in-law.	12 For he was the high priest's son in law.
13 His ambition was fired; he hoped to make himself master of the whole country and thereforetreacherously began to plot the destruction of Simon and his sons.	13 Wherefore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the country to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against Simon and his sons to destroy them.
14 Simon, who was inspecting the towns up and down the country and attending to their administration,had come down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas, in the year 172, in the eleventh month, the monthof Shebat.	14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he came down himself to Jericho with his sons, Mattathias and Judas, in the hundred threescore and seventeenth year, in the eleventh month, called Sabat:
15 The son of Abubos lured them into a smal fortress cal ed Dok, which he had built, where he offeredthem a great banquet, having previously hidden men in the place.	15 Where the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a little hold, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great banquet: howbeit he had hid men there.
16 When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men reached for their weapons, rushed onSimon in the banqueting hall and killed him with his two sons and some of his servants.	16 So when Simon and his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemee and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and certain of his servants.
17 He thus committed a great act of treachery and rendered evil for good.	17 In which doing he committed a great treachery, and recompensed evil for good.
18 Ptolemy wrote a report of the affair and sent it to the king, in the expectation of being sentreinforcements and of having the cities and the province made over to him.	18 Then Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him the country and cities.
19 He also sent people to Gezer to murder John, and sent written orders to the military commanders tocome to him so that he could give them silver, gold and presents;	19 He sent others also to Gazera to kill John: and unto the tribunes he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give them silver, and gold, and rewards.
20 and he also sent others to seize control of Jerusalem and the Temple mount.	20 And others he sent to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
21 But someone had been too quick for him and had already informed John in Gezer that his father andbrothers had perished, adding, 'He is sending someone to kil you too!'	21 Now one had run afore to Gazera and told John that his father and brethren were slain, and, quoth he, Ptolemee hath sent to slay thee also.
22 Overcome as John was by the news, he arrested the men who had come to kil him and put them todeath, being forewarned of their murderous design.	22 Hereof when he heard, he was sore astonished: so he laid hands on them that were come to destroy him, and slew them; for he knew that they sought to make him away.
23 The rest of John's acts, the battles he fought and the exploits he performed, the city wal s he built,and all his other achievements,	23 As concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and worthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he made, and his doings,
24 from the day he succeeded his father as high priest, are recorded in the annals of his pontificate.	24 Behold, these are written in the chronicles of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.