1 Maccabees 9
1 Furthermore when Demetrius heard
that Nicanor and his host were slain in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus
into the land of Judea the second time, and with them the chief strength of
his host: 2 who went forth by the way
that leadeth to Galgala, and pitched their tents before Masaloth, which is in
Arbela, and after they had won it, they slew much people.
3 Also the first month of the hundred
fifty and second year they encamped before Jerusalem:
4 from whence they removed, and went
to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen.
5 Now Judas had pitched his tents at
Eleasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:
6 who seeing the multitude of the
other army to be so great, were sore afraid; whereupon many conveyed
themselves out of the host, insomuch as there abode of them no more but eight
hundred men.
7 When Judas therefore saw that his
host slipt away, and that the battle pressed upon him, he was sore troubled in
mind, and much distressed, for that he had no time to gather them together.
8 Nevertheless unto them that remained
he said, Let us arise and go up against our enemies, if peradventure we may be
able to fight with them. 9 But they
dehorted him, saying, We shall never be able: let us now rather save our
lives, and hereafter we will return with our brethren, and fight against them:
for we are but few.
10 Then Judas said, God forbid that I
should do this thing, and flee away from them: if our time be come, let us die
manfully for our brethren, and let us not stain our honour.
11 With that the host
of Bacchides removed out of their tents, and stood
over against them, their horsemen being divided into two troops, and their
slingers and archers going before the host, and they that marched in the
foreward were all mighty men.
12 As for Bacchides, he was in the
right wing: so the host drew near on the two parts, and sounded their
trumpets. 13 They also of Judas'
side, even they sounded their trumpets also, so that the earth shook at the
noise of the armies, and the battle continued from morning till night.
14 Now when Judas perceived that
Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, he took with
him all the hardy men, 15 who
discomfited the right wing, and pursued them unto the mount Azotus.
16 But when they of the left wing saw
that they of the right wing were discomfited, they followed upon Judas and
those that were with him hard at the heels from behind:
17 whereupon there was a sore battle,
insomuch as many were slain on both parts.
18 Judas also was killed, and the
remnant fled.
19 Then Jonathan and Simon took Judas
their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers in Modin.
20 Moreover they bewailed him, and
all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying,
21 How is the valiant man fallen,
that delivered Israel! 22 As for the
other things concerning Judas and his wars, and the noble acts which he did,
and his greatness, they are not written, for they were very many.
23 Now after the death of Judas the
wicked began to put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and there
arose up all such as wrought iniquity.
24 In those days also was there a
very great famine, by reason whereof the country revolted, and went with them.
25 Then Bacchides chose the wicked
men, and made them lords of the country.
26 And they made enquiry and search
for Judas' friends, and brought them unto Bacchides, who took vengeance of
them, and used them despitefully.
27 So was there a great affliction in
Israel, the like whereof was not since the time that a prophet was not seen
among them.
28 For this cause all Judas' friends
came together, and said unto Jonathan,
29 Since thy brother Judas died, we
have no man like him to go forth against our enemies, and Bacchides, and
against them of our nation that are adversaries to us.
30 Now therefore we have chosen thee
this day to be our prince and captain in his stead, that thou mayest fight our
battles. 31 Upon this Jonathan took
the governance upon him at that time, and rose up instead of his brother
Judas. 32 But when Bacchides gat
knowledge thereof, he sought for to slay him.
33 Then Jonathan, and Simon his
brother, and all that were with him, perceiving that, fled into the wilderness
of Thecoe, and pitched their tents by the water of the pool Asphar.
34 Which when Bacchides understood,
he came near to Jordan with all his host upon the sabbath day.
35 Now Jonathan had sent his brother
John, a captain of the people, to pray his friends
the Nabathites, that they might leave with them their carriage, which was
much. 36 But the children of Jambri
came out of Medaba, and took John, and all that he had, and went their way
with it.
37 After this came word to Jonathan
and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri made a great marriage, and
were bringing the bride from Nadabatha with a great train, as being the
daughter of one of the great princes of Chanaan.
38 Therefore they remembered John
their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the
mountain: 39 where they lifted up
their eyes, and looked, and, behold, there was much ado and great carriage:
and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and brethren, to meet them with
drums, and instruments of music, and many weapons.
40 Then Jonathan and they that were
with him rose up against them from the place where they lay in ambush, and
made a slaughter of them in such sort, as many fell down dead, and the remnant
fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils.
41 Thus was the marriage turned into
mourning, and the noise of their melody into lamentation.
42 So when they had avenged fully the
blood of their brother, they turned again to the marsh of Jordan.
43 Now when Bacchides heard hereof,
he came on the sabbath day unto the banks of Jordan with a great power.
44 Then Jonathan said to his company,
Let us go up now and fight for our lives, for it standeth not with us to day,
as in time past: 45 for, behold, the
battle is before us and behind us, and the water of Jordan on this side and
that side, the marsh likewise and wood, neither is there place for us to turn
aside. 46 Wherefore cry ye now unto
heaven, that ye may be delivered from the hand of your enemies.
47 With that they joined battle, and
Jonathan stretched forth his hand to smite Bacchides, but he turned back from
him. 48 Then Jonathan and they that
were with him leapt into Jordan, and swam over unto the farther bank: howbeit
the other passed not over Jordan unto them.
49 So there were slain of Bacchides'
side that day about a thousand men.
50 Afterward returned
Bacchides to Jerusalem, and repaired the strong
cities in Judea; the fort in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Bethhoron, and Bethel,
and Thamnatha, Pharathoni, and Taphon,
these did he strengthen with high walls, with gates,
and with bars. 51 And in them he set
a garrison, that they might work malice upon Israel.
52 He fortified also the city
Bethsura, and Gazara, and the tower, and put forces in them, and provision of
victuals. 53 Besides, he took the
chief men's sons in the country for hostages, and put them into the tower at
Jerusalem to be kept.
54 Moreover in the hundred fifty and
third year, in the second month, Alcimus commanded that the wall of the inner
court of the sanctuary should be pulled down; he pulled down also the works of
the prophets. 55 And as he began to
pull down, even at that time was Alcimus plagued, and his enterprizes
hindered: for his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he
could no more speak any thing, nor give order concerning his house.
56 So Alcimus died at that time with
great torment.
57 Now when Bacchides saw that
Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king: whereupon the land of Juda was in
rest two years. 58 Then all the
ungodly men held a council, saying, Behold, Jonathan and his company are at
ease, and dwell without care: now therefore we will bring Bacchides hither,
who shall take them all in one night.
59 So they went and consulted with
him. 60 Then removed he, and came
with a great host, and sent letters privily to his adherents in Judea, that
they should take Jonathan and those that were with him: howbeit they could
not, because their counsel was known unto them.
61 Wherefore they took of the men of
the country, that were authors of that mischief, about fifty persons, and slew
them.
62 Afterward Jonathan, and Simon, and
they that were with him, got them away to Bethbasi, which is in the
wilderness, and they repaired the decays thereof, and made it strong.
63 Which thing when Bacchides knew,
he gathered together all his host, and sent word to them that were of Judea.
64 Then went he and laid siege
against Bethbasi; and they fought against it a long season, and made engines
of war. 65 But Jonathan left his
brother Simon in the city, and went forth himself into the country, and with a
certain number went he forth. 66 And
he smote Odonarres and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their
tent. 67 And when he began to smite
them, and came up with his forces, Simon and his company went out of the city,
and burned up the engines of war,
68 and fought against Bacchides, who
was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore: for his counsel and
travail was in vain. 69 Wherefore he
was very wroth at the wicked men that gave him counsel to come into the
country, insomuch as he slew many of them, and purposed to return into his own
country.
70 Whereof when Jonathan had
knowledge, he sent ambassadors unto him, to the end he should make peace with
him, and deliver them the prisoners.
71 Which thing he accepted, and did
according to his demands, and sware unto him that he would never do him harm
all the days of his life. 72 When
therefore he had restored unto him the prisoners that he had taken aforetime
out of the land of Judea, he returned and went his way into his own land,
neither came he any more into their borders.
73 Thus the sword ceased from Israel:
but Jonathan dwelt at Machmas, and began to govern the people; and he
destroyed the ungodly men out of Israel.