1 Maccabees 6

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 King Antiochus, meanwhile, was making his way through the Upper Provinces; he had heard that inPersia there was a city called Elymais, renowned for its riches, its silver and gold,	1 About that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;
2 and its very wealthy temple containing golden armour, breastplates and weapons, left there byAlexander son of Philip, the king of Macedon, the first to reign over the Greeks.	2 And that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there.
3 He therefore went and attempted to take the city and pil age it, but without success, the citizens havingbeen forewarned.	3 Wherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof,
4 They resisted him by force of arms. He was routed, and began retreating, very gloomily, towardsBabylon.	4 Rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.
5 But, while he was stil in Persia, news reached him that the armies which had invaded Judaea hadbeen routed,	5 Moreover there came one who brought him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put to flight:
6 and that Lysias in particular had advanced in massive strength, only to be forced to turn and flee beforethe Jews; that the latter were now stronger than ever, thanks to the arms, supplies and abundant spoils acquiredfrom the armies they had cut to pieces,	6 And that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:
7 and that they had pul ed down the abomination which he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem, hadencircled the sanctuary with high wal s as in the past, and had fortified Beth-Zur, one of his cities.	7 Also that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.
8 When the king heard this news he was amazed and profoundly shaken; he threw himself on his bedand fel sick with grief, since things had not turned out for him as he had planned.	8 Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.
9 And there he remained for many days, subject to deep and recurrent fits of melancholy, until herealised that he was dying.	9 And there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.
10 Then, summoning al his Friends, he said to them, 'Sleep evades my eyes, and my heart is cowed byanxiety.	10 Wherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care.
11 I have been wondering how I could have come to such a pitch of distress, so great a flood as thatwhich now engulfs me -- I who was so generous and wel -loved in my heyday.	11 And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.
12 But now I recall how wrongly I acted in Jerusalem when I seized al the vessels of silver and goldthere and ordered the extermination of the inhabitants of Judah for no reason at al .	12 But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.
13 This, I am convinced, is why these misfortunes have overtaken me, and why I am dying of melancholyin a foreign land.'	13 I perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.
14 He summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and made him regent of the whole kingdom.	14 Then called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made ruler over all his realm,
15 He entrusted him with his diadem, his robe and his signet, on the understanding that he was toeducate his son Antiochus and train him for the throne.	15 And gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the end he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom.
16 King Antiochus then died, in the year 149.	16 So king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.
17 Lysias, learning that the king was dead, established on the throne in succession to him his sonAntiochus, whom he had brought up from childhood -- and styled him Eupator.	17 Now when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.
18 The people in the Citadel at the time were blockading Israel round the sanctuary and were takingevery opportunity to harm them and to support the gentiles.	18 About this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.
19 Judas decided that they must be destroyed, and he mobilised the whole people to besiege them.	19 Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.
20 They assembled and laid siege to the Citadel in the year 150, building batteries and siege-engines.	20 So they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and other engines.
21 But some of the besieged broke through the blockade, and to these a number of renegades fromIsrael attached themselves.	21 Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:
22 They made their way to the king and said, 'How much longer are you going to wait before you seejustice done and avenge our fellows?	22 And they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?
23 We were content to serve your father, to comply with his orders, and to obey his edicts.	23 We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;
24 As a result our own people will have nothing to do with us; what is more, they have kil ed al those ofus they could catch, and looted our family property.	24 For which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance.
25 Nor is it on us alone that their blows have fal en, but on al your territories.	25 Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against their borders.
26 At this moment, they are laying siege to the Citadel of Jerusalem, to capture it, and they have fortifiedthe sanctuary and Beth-Zur.	26 And, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.
27 Unless you forestall them at once, they wil go on to even bigger things, and then you wil never beable to control them.'	27 Wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do the greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.
28 The king was furious when he heard this and summoned al his Friends, the generals of his forcesand the marshals of horse.	28 Now when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse.
29 He recruited mercenaries from other kingdoms and the Mediterranean islands.	29 There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.
30 His forces numbered a hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand cavalry and thirty-twoelephants with experience of battle conditions.	30 So that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.
31 They advanced through Idumaea and besieged Beth-Zur, pressing the attack for days on end; theyalso constructed siege-engines, but the defenders made a sortie and set these on fire, putting up a braveresistance.	31 These went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.
32 At this, Judas left the Citadel and pitched camp at Beth-Zechariah opposite the royal encampment.	32 Upon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king's camp.
33 The king rose at daybreak and marched his army at top speed down the road to Beth-Zechariah,where his forces took up their battle formations and sounded the trumpets.	33 Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.
34 The elephants were given a syrup of grapes and mulberries to prepare them for the battle.	34 And to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.
35 These animals were distributed among the phalanxes, to each elephant being al ocated a thousandmen dressed in coats of mail with bronze helmets on their heads; five hundred picked horsemen were alsoassigned to each beast.	35 Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.
36 The horsemen anticipated every move their elephant made; wherever it went they went with it, neverquitting it.	36 These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.
37 On each elephant, to protect it, was a stout wooden tower, kept in position by girths, each with itsthree combatants, as well as its mahout.	37 And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.
38 The remainder of the cavalry was stationed on one or other of the two flanks of the army, to harassthe enemy and cover the phalanxes.	38 As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.
39 When the sun glinted on the bronze and golden shields, the mountains caught the glint and gleamedlike fiery torches.	39 Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.
40 One part of the royal army was deployed on the upper slopes of the mountain and the other in theval ey below; they advanced in solid, wel -disciplined formation.	40 So part of the king's army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.
41 Everyone trembled at the noise made by this vast multitude, the thunder of the troops on the marchand the clanking of their armour, for it was an immense and mighty army.	41 Wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.
42 Judas and his army advanced to give battle, and six hundred of the king's army were killed.	42 Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king's army six hundred men.
43 Eleazar, cal ed Avaran, noticing that one of the elephants was royal y caparisoned and was also tal erthan al the others, and supposing that the king was mounted on it,	43 Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,
44 sacrificed himself to save his people and win an imperishable name.	44 Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:
45 Boldly charging towards the creature through the thick of the phalanx, dealing death to right and left,so that the enemy scattered on either side at his onslaught,	45 Wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.
46 he darted in under the elephant, thrust at it from underneath, and kil ed it. The beast collapsed on topof him, and he died on the spot.	46 Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.
47 The Jews however realising how strong the king was and how ferocious his army, retreated ahead ofthem.	47 Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.
48 The royal army moved up to encounter them outside Jerusalem, and the king began to blockadeJudaea and Mount Zion.	48 Then the king's army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount Sion.
49 He granted peace terms to the people of Beth-Zur, who evacuated the town; it lacked store ofprovisions to withstand a siege, since the land was enjoying a sabbatical year.	49 But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.
50 Having occupied Beth-Zur, the king stationed a garrison there to hold it.	50 So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.
51 He besieged the sanctuary for a long time, erecting batteries and siege-engines, flame-throwers andballistas, scorpions to discharge arrows, and catapults.	51 As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.
52 The defenders countered these by constructing their own engines and were thus able to prolong theirresistance.	52 Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.
53 But they had no food in their stores since it was the seventh year, and because those who had takenrefuge in Judaea from the gentiles had eaten up the last of their reserves.	53 Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)
54 Only a few men were left in the Holy Place, owing to the severity of the famine; the rest had dispersed and gone home.	54 There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.
55 Meanwhile Philip, whom King Antiochus before his death had appointed to train his son Antiochus forthe throne,	55 At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,
56 had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had accompanied the king, and was planningto seize control of affairs.	56 Was returned out of Persia and Media, and the king's host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs.
57 On hearing this, Lysias at once decided to leave, and said to the king, the generals of the army andthe men, 'We are growing weaker every day, we are short of food, and the place we are besieging is welfortified; moreover the affairs of the kingdom demand our attention.	57 Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:
58 Let us offer the hand of friendship to these men and make peace with them and with their wholenation.	58 Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;
59 Let us grant them permission to fol ow their own customs as before, since it is our abolition of thesecustoms that has provoked them into acting like this.'	59 And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.
60 The king and his commanders approved this argument, and he offered the Jews peace terms, whichthey accepted.	60 So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.
61 The king and the generals ratified the treaty by oath, and the besieged accordingly left the fortress.	61 Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.
62 The king then entered Mount Zion, but on seeing how impregnable the place was, he broke the oathhe had sworn and gave orders for the encircling wall to be demolished.	62 Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.
63 He then hurriedly withdrew, making off for Antioch, where he found Philip already master of the city.Antiochus gave battle and captured the city by force of arms.	63 Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.