Bible in a Year.

On day 295, 1 Maccabees 14 highlights the righteous decisions and leadership of the Maccabees. Sirach 34-35 reinforces the importance of instructing children with love and respect, while Proverbs 23:22-25 teaches us to honor and obey our parents, fostering wisdom and family blessings.

1. In the year one hundred and seventy-two, king Demetrius assembled has army, and went into Media to get him succours to fight against Tryphon.

2. And Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders, and he sent one of his princes to take him alive, and bring him to him.

3. And he went and defeated the army of Demetrius: and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, and he put him into custody.

4. And all the land of Juda was at rest all the days of Simon, and he sought the good of his nation: and his power, and his glory pleased them well all his days.

5. And with all his glory he took Joppe for a haven, and made an entrance to the isles of the sea.

6. And he enlarged the bounds of his nation, and made himself master of the country.

7. And he gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazara, and of Bethsura, and of the castle: and took away all uncleanness out of it and there was none that resisted him.

8. And every man tilled his land with peace: and the land of Juda yielded her increase, and the trees of the fields their fruit.

9. The ancient men sat all in the streets, and treated together of the good things of the land, and the young men put on them glory, and the robes of war.

10. And he provided victuals for the cities, and he appointed that they should be furnished with ammunition, so that the fame of his glory was renowned even to the end of the earth.

11. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.

12. And every man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree: and there was none to make them afraid.

13. There was none left in the land to fight against them: kings were discomfited in those days.

14. And he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low, and he sought the law, and took away every unjust and wicked man.

15. He glorified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels of the holy places.

16. And it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead: and they were very sorry.

17. But when they heard that Simon his brother was made high priest in his place, and was possessed of all the country, and the cities therein:

18. They wrote to him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and alliance which they had made with Judas, and with Jonathan his brethren.

19. And they were read before the assembly in Jerusalem. And this is the copy of the letters that the Spartans sent.

20. The princes and the cities of the Spartans to Simon the high priest, and to the ancients, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews their brethren, greeting.

21. The ambassadors that were sent to our people, have told us of your glory, and honour, and joy: and we rejoice at their coming.

22. And we registered what was said by them in the councils of the people in this manner: Numenius the son of Antiochus, and Antipater the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew the former friendship with us.

23. And it pleased the people to receive the men honourably, and to put a copy of their words in the public records, to be a memorial to the people of the Spartans. And we have written a copy of them to Simon the high priest.

24. And after this Simon sent Numenius to Rome, with a great shield of gold the weight of a thousand pounds, to confirm the league with them. And when the people of Rome had heard

25. These words, they said: What thanks shall we give to Simon, and his sons?

26. For he hath restored his brethren, and hath driven away in fight the enemies of Israel from them: and they decreed him liberty, and registered it in tables of brass, and set it upon pillars in mount Sion.

27. And this is a copy of the writing: The eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, being the third year under Simon the high priest at Asaramel,

28. In a great assembly of the priests, and of the people, and the princes of the nation, and the ancients of the country, these things were notified: Forasmuch as there have often been wars in our country,

29. And Simon the son of Mathathias of the children of Jarib, and his brethren have put themselves in danger, and have resisted the enemies of their nation, for the maintenance of their holy places, and the law: and have raised their nation to great glory.

30. And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and was made their high priest, and he was laid to his people.

31. And their enemies desired to tread down and destroy their country, and to stretch forth their hands against their holy places.

32. Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation, and laid out much of his money, and armed the valiant men of his nation, and gave them wages:

33. And he fortified the cities of Judea, and Bethsura that lieth in the borders of Judea, where the armour of the enemies was before: and he placed there a garrison of Jews.

34. And he fortified Joppe which lieth by the sea: and Gazara, which bordereth upon Azotus, wherein the enemies dwelt before, and he placed Jews here: and furnished them with all things convenient for their reparation.

35. And the people seeing the acts of Simon, and to what glory he meant to bring his nation, made him their prince, and high priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice, and faith, which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to advance his people.

36. And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the heathens were taken away out of their country, and they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem in the castle, out of which they issued forth, and profaned all places round about the sanctuary, and did much evil to its purity.

37. And he placed therein Jews for the defence of the country, and of the city, and he raised up the walls of Jerusalem.

38. And king Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.

39. According to these things he made him his friend, and glorified him with great glory.

40. For he had heard that the Romans had called the Jews their friends, and confederates, and brethren, and that they had received Simon's ambassadors with honour:

41. And that the Jews, and their priests, had consented that he should be their prince, and high priest for ever, till there should arise a faithful prophet:

42. And that he should be chief over them, and that he should have the charge of the sanctuary, and that he should appoint rulers over their works, and over the country, and over the armour, and over the strong holds.

43. And that he should have care of the holy places: and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all the writings in the country should be made in his name: and that he should be clothed with purple, and gold:

44. And that it should not be lawful for any of the people, or of the priests, to disannul any of these things, or to gainsay his words, or to call together an assembly in the country without him: or to be clothed with purple, or to wear a buckle of gold:

45. And whosoever shall do otherwise, or shall make void any of these things shall be punished.

46. And it pleased all the people to establish Simon, and to do according to these words.

47. And Simon accepted thereof, and was well pleased to execute the office of the high priesthood, and to be captain, and prince of the nation of the Jews, and of the priests, and to be chief over all.

48. And they commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass, and that they should be set up within the compass of the sanctuary, in a conspicuous place:

49. And that a copy thereof should be put in the treasury, that Simon and his sons may have it.

Chapter 34

1. The hopes of a man that is void of understanding are vain and deceitful: and dreams lift up fools.

2. The man that giveth heed to lying visions, is like to him that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind.

3. The vision of dreams is the resemblance of one thing to another: as when a man's likeness is before the face of a man.

4. What can be made clean by the unclean? and what truth can come from that which is false?

5. Deceitful divinations and lying omens and the dreams of evildoers, are vanity:

6. And the heart fancieth as that of a woman in travail: except it be a vision sent forth from the most High, set no thy heart upon them.

7. For dreams have deceived many, and they have failed that put their trust in them.

8. The word of the law shall be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom shall be made plain in the mouth of the faithful.

9. What doth he know, that hath not been tried? A man that hath much experience, shall think of many things: and he that hath learned many things, shall shew forth understanding.

10. He that hath no experience, knoweth little: and he that hath been experienced in many things, multiplieth prudence.

11. He that hath not been tried, what manner of things doth he know? he that hath been surprised, shall abound with subtlety.

12. I have seen many things by travelling, and many customs of things.

13. Sometimes I have been in danger of death for these things, and I have been delivered by the grace of God.

14. The spirit of those that fear God; is sought after, and by his regard shall be blessed.

15. For their hope is on him that saveth them, and the eyes of God are upon them that love him.

16. He that feareth the Lord shall tremble at nothing, and shall not be afraid for he is his hope.

17. The soul of him that feareth the Lord is blessed.

18. To whom doth he look, and who in his strength?

19. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, he is their powerful protector, and strong stay, a defence from the heat, and a cover from the sun at noon,

20. A preservation from stumbling, and a help from falling; he raiseth up the soul, and enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth health, and life, and blessing.

21. The offering of him that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, is stained, and the mockeries of the unjust are not acceptable.

22. The Lord is only for them that wait upon him in the way of truth and justice.

23. The most High approveth not the gifts of the wicked: neither hath he respect to the oblations of the unjust, nor will he be pacified for sine by the multitude of their sacrifices.

24. He that offereth sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrificeth the son in the presence of his father.

25. The bread of the needy, is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth them thereof, is a man of blood.

26. He that taketh away the bread gotten by sweat, is like him that killeth his neighbour.

27. He that sheddeth blood, and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire, are brothers.

28. When one buildeth up, and another pulleth down: what profit have they but the labour?

29. When one prayeth, and another curseth: whose voice will God hear?

30. He that washeth himself after touching the dead, if he toucheth him again, what doth his washing avail?

31. So a man that fasteth for his sins, and doth the same again, what doth his humbling himself profit him? who will hear his prayer?

Chapter 35

1. He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings.

2. It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and to depart from all iniquity. _J

3. And to depart from injustice, is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices, and a begging of pardon for sins.

4. He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth mercy, offereth sacrifice.

5. To depart from iniquity is that which pleaseth the Lord, and to depart from injustice, is an entreaty for sins.

6. Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord.

7. For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God.

8. The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odour of sweetness in the sight of the most High.

9. The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will not forget the memorial thereof.

10. Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the firstfruits of thy hands.

11. In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy.

12. Give to the most High according to what he hath given to thee, and with a good eye do according to the ability of thy hands:

13. For the Lord maketh recompense, and will give thee seven times as much.

14. Do not offer wicked gifts, for such he will not receive.

15. And look not upon an unjust sacrifice, for the Lord is judge, and there is not with him respect of person.

16. The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of him that is wronged.

17. He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless; nor the widow, when she poureth out her complaint.

18. Do not the widow's tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth them to fall?

19. For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that heareth will not be delighted with them.

20. He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer shall approach even to the clouds.

21. The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold.

22. And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and will do judgment: and the Almighty will not have patience with them, that he may crush their back:

23. And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptres of the unjust,

24. Till he have rendered to men according to their deeds: and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,

25. Till he have judged the cause of his people, and he shall delight the just with his mercy.

26. The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of affliction, as a cloud of rain in the time of drought.

22. Hearken to thy father, that beget thee: and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23. Buy truth, and do not sell wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24. The father of the just rejoiceth greatly: he that hath begotten a wise son, shall have joy in him.

25. Let thy father, and thy mother be joyful, and let her rejoice that bore thee.