1 Maccabees 3

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 His son, Judas, known as Maccabaeus, then took his place.	1 Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.
2 Al his brothers, and al who had attached themselves to his father, supported him, and they fought forIsrael with a wil .	2 And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3 He extended the fame of his people. Like a giant, he put on the breastplate and buckled on his warharness; he engaged in battle after battle, protecting the ranks with his sword.	3 So he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.
4 He was like a lion in his exploits, like a young lion roaring over its prey.	4 In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
5 He pursued and tracked down the renegades, he consigned those who troubled his people to theflames.	5 For He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.
6 The renegades quailed with the terror he inspired, all evil-doers were utterly confounded, anddeliverance went forward under his leadership.	6 Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.
7 He brought bitterness to many a king and rejoicing to Jacob by his deeds, his memory is blessed forever and ever.	7 He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.
8 He went through the towns of Judah eliminating the irreligious from them, and diverted the Retributionfrom Israel.	8 Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:
9 His name resounded to the ends of the earth, he rallied those who were on the point of perishing.	9 So that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.
10 Next, Apollonius mustered the gentiles and a large force from Samaria to make war on Israel.	10 Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.
11 When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him and routed and kil ed him. Many fell wounded, andthe survivors took to flight.	11 Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.
12 Their spoils were seized and the sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, who used it to fight withthroughout his life.	12 Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.
13 On hearing that Judas had raised a mixed force of believers and seasoned fighters,	13 Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;
14 Seron, commander of the Syrian troops, said, 'I shall make a name for myself and gain honour in thekingdom if I fight Judas and those supporters of his who are so contemptuous of the king's orders.'	14 He said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king's commandment.
15 He therefore launched another expedition, with a strong army of unbelievers to support him in takingrevenge on the Israelites.	15 So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.
16 He had nearly reached the descent of Beth-Horon when Judas went out to confront him with a handfulof men.	16 And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:
17 But as soon as these saw the force advancing to meet them, they said to Judas, 'How can we, few aswe are, engage such overwhelming numbers? We are exhausted as it is, not having had anything to eat today.'	17 Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?
18 'It is easy', Judas answered, 'for a great number to be defeated by a few; indeed, in the sight ofHeaven, deliverance, whether by many or by few, is al one;	18 Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:
19 for victory in war does not depend on the size of the fighting force: Heaven accords the strength.	19 For the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host; but strength cometh from heaven.
20 They are coming against us in ful -blown insolence and lawlessness to destroy us, our wives and ourchildren, and to plunder us;	20 They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:
21 but we are fighting for our lives and our laws,	21 But we fight for our lives and our laws.
22 and he will crush them before our eyes; do not be afraid of them.'	22 Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.
23 When he had finished speaking, he made a sudden sal y against Seron and his force andoverwhelmed them.	23 Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him.
24 Judas pursued them down from Beth-Horon as far as the plain. About eight hundred of their men fel ,and the rest took refuge in the country of the Philistines.	24 And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.
25 Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and alarm seized the surrounding peoples.	25 Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:
26 His name even reached the king's ears, and among the nations there was talk of Judas and hisbattles.	26 Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
27 The news of these events infuriated Antiochus, and he ordered mobilisation of al the forces in hiskingdom, a very powerful army.	27 Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.
28 Opening his treasury, he distributed a year's pay to his troops, telling them to be prepared for anyeventuality.	28 He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them.
29 He then found that the money in his coffers had run short and that the tribute of the province haddecreased, as a result of the dissension and disaster brought on the country by his own abrogation of laws thathad been in force from antiquity.	29 Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;
30 He began to fear that, as had happened more than once, he would not have enough to cover theexpenses and the lavish bounties he had previously been accustomed to make on a larger scale than hispredecessors on the throne.	30 He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.
31 In this grave quandary he resolved to invade Persia, there to levy tribute on the provinces and soaccumulate substantial funds.	31 Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
32 He therefore left Lysias, a nobleman and member of the royal family, to manage the royal affairsbetween the River Euphrates and the Egyptian frontier,	32 So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt:
33 making him responsible for the education of his son Antiochus, until he should come back.	33 And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.
34 To him Antiochus made over half his forces, with the elephants, giving him instructions about what hewanted done, particularly with regard to the inhabitants of Judaea and Jerusalem,	34 Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and Jerusalem:
35 against whom he was to send a force, to crush and destroy the power of Israel and the remnant ofJerusalem, to wipe out their very memory from the place,	35 To wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;
36 to settle foreigners in al parts of their territory and to distribute their land into lots.	36 And that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
37 The king took the remaining half of his troops with him and set out from Antioch, the capital of hiskingdom, in the year 147; he crossed the River Euphrates and made his way through the Upper Provinces.	37 So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.
38 Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, with Nicanor and Gorgias, influential men from among theFriends of the King,	38 Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends:
39 and, under their command, despatched forty thousand foot and seven thousand horse to invade theland of Judah and devastate it, as the king had ordered.	39 And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
40 The entire force set out and reached the neighbourhood of Emmaus in the lowlands, where theypitched camp.	40 So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.
41 The local merchants, hearing the news of this, arrived at the camp, bringing with them a large amountof gold and silver, and fetters as wel , proposing to buy the Israelites as slaves; they were accompanied by acompany from Idumaea and the Philistine country.	41 And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.
42 Judas and his brothers saw that the situation was going from bad to worse and that armies werecamping in their territory; they were also well aware that the king had ordered the people's total destruction.	42 Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;
43 So they said to each other, 'Let us restore the ruins of our people and fight for our people and oursanctuary.'	43 They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary.
44 The Assembly was summoned, to prepare for war, to offer prayer and to implore compassion andmercy.	44 Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
45 Jerusalem was as empty as a desert, none of her children to go in and out. The sanctuary wastrodden underfoot, men of an alien race held the Citadel, which had become a lodging for gentiles. There was nomore rejoicing for Jacob, the flute and lyre were mute.	45 Now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.
46 After mustering, they made their way to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, since Mizpah was traditional y aplace of prayer for Israel.	46 Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.
47 That day they fasted and put on sackcloth, covering their heads with ashes and tearing theirgarments.	47 Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes,
48 For the guidance that the gentiles would have sought from the images of their false gods, they openedthe Book of the Law.	48 And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.
49 They also brought out the priestly vestments, with first-fruits and tithes, and marshal ed the Naziriteswho had completed the period of their vow.	49 They brought also the priests' garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had accomplished their days.
50 Then, raising their voices to Heaven, they cried, 'What shal we do with these people, and where arewe to take them?	50 Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away?
51 Your holy place has been trampled underfoot and defiled, your priests mourn in their humiliation,	51 For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy priests are in heaviness, and brought low.
52 and now the gentiles are in al iance to destroy us: you know what they have in mind for us.	52 And lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest.
53 How can we stand up and face them if you do not come to our aid?'	53 How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O God, be our help?
54 Then they sounded the trumpets and raised a great shout.	54 Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.
55 Next, Judas appointed leaders for the people, to command a thousand, a hundred, fifty or ten men.	55 And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
56 Those who were in the middle of building a house, or were about to be married, or were planting avineyard, or were afraid, he told to go home again, as the Law al owed.	56 But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, according to the law.
57 The column then marched off and took up a position south of Emmaus.	57 So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus.
58 'Stand to your arms,' Judas told them, 'acquit yourselves bravely, in the morning be ready to fightthese gentiles massed against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.	58 And Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:
59 Better for us to die in battle than to watch the ruin of our nation and our Holy Place.	59 For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people and our sanctuary.
60 Whatever be the wil of Heaven, he wil perform it.'	60 Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.