1
When these covenants were made Lysias went unto the king and the Jews were about their husbandry
2
But of the governours of several places Timotheus and Apollonius the son of Genneus also Hieronymus and Demophon and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace
3
The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared as though they had meant them no hurt
4
Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city as being desirous to live in peace and suspecting nothing but when they were gone forth into the deep they drowned no less than two hundred of them
5
When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen he commanded those that were with him to make them ready
6
And calling upon God the righteous Judge he came against those murderers of his brethren and burnt the haven by night and set the boats on fire and those that fled thither he slew
7
And when the town was shut up he went backward as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa
8
But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them
9
He came upon the Jamnites also by night and set fire on the haven and the navy so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off
10
Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him
11
Whereupon there was a very sore battle bu Judas’ side by the help of God got the victory so that the Nomades of Arabia being overcome besought Judas for peace promising both to give him cattle and to pleasure him otherwise
12
Then Judas thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things granted them peace whereupon they shook hands and so they departed to their tents
13
He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city which was fenced about with walls and inhabited by people of divers countries and the name of it was Caspis
14
But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals that they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas railing and blaspheming and uttering such words as were not to be spoken
15
Wherefore Judas with his company calling upon the great Lord of the world who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua gave a fierce assault against the walls
16
And took the city by the will of God and made unspeakable slaughters insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto being filled full was seen running with blood
17
Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni
18
But as for Timotheus they found him not in the places for before he had dispatched any thing he departed from thence having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold
19
Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater who were of Ma abeus’ captains went forth and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress above ten thousand men
20
And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands and set them over the bands and went against Timotheus who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot and two thousand and five hundred horsemen
21
Now when Timotheus had knowledge o Judas’ coming he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion for the town was hard to besiege and uneasy to come unto by reason of the straitness of all the places
22
But when Judas his first band came in sight the enemies being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all things fled amain one running into this way another that way so as that they were often hurt of their own men and wounded with the points of their own swords
23
Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them killing those wicked wretches of whom he slew about thirty thousand men
24
Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life because he had many of t Jews’ parents and the brethren of some of them who if they put him to death should not be regarded
25
So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt according to the agreement they let him go for the saving of their brethren
26
Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion and to the temple of Atargatis and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons
27
And after he had put to flight and destroyed them Judas removed the host toward Ephron a strong city wherein Lysias abode and a great multitude of divers nations and the strong young men kept the walls and defended them mightily wherein also was great provision of engines and darts
28
But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies they won the city and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within
29
From thence they departed to Scythopolis which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem
30
But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity
31
They gave them thanks desiring them to be friendly still unto them and so they came to Jerusalem the feast of the weeks approaching
32
And after the feast called Pentecost they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea
33
Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen
34
And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain
35
At which time Dositheus one of cenor’s company who was on horseback and a strong man was still upon Gorgias and taking hold of his coat drew him by force and when he would have taken that cursed man alive a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa
36
Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long and were weary Judas called upon the Lord that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle
37
And with that he began in his own language and sung psalms with a loud voice and rushing unawares upon rgias’ men he put them to flight
38
So Judas gathered his host and came into the city of Odollam And when the seventh day came they purified themselves as the custom was and kept the sabbath in the same place
39
And upon the day following as the use had been Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain and to bury them with their kinsmen in their thers’ graves
40
Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites which is forbidden the Jews by the law Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain
41
All men therefore praising the Lord the righteous Judge who had opened the things that were hid
42
Betook themselves unto prayer and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance Besides that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain
43
And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering doing therein very well and honestly in that he was mindful of the resurrection
44
For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead
45
And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly it was an holy and good thought Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead that they might be delivered from sin