1 Maccabees, 6

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;

1. When King Antiochus was making his way through the upper regions of Persia, he received news about Elymais, a city renowned for its wealth in silver and gold.

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.

2. They kept in the wealthy temple of their city golden armor, breastplates and weapons left there by the Macedonian king, Alexander the son of Philip, the first sovereign of the Greeks.

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,

3. So Antiochus went there but the inhabitants came out armed against him when they learned of his intention, so his attempt to take the city failed.

4. Rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.

4. He had to turn back, and he returned much embittered to Babylon.

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:

5. While he was still in Persia, it was reported to him that the armies sent to Judea had been defeated. They told him

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:

6. that although Lysias had gone with a strong army, he had to flee before the Jews who had been strengthened with the weapons and the abundant booty taken from the neighboring armies.

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.

7. He heard too that the Jews had destroyed the abominable idol he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem, and had rebuilt the temple walls to the same height as before, and had also fortified the city of Beth-zur.

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.

8. When he received this news, he was terrified and deeply upset. He fell sick and became greatly depressed because things had not turned out the way he had planned.

9. And there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.

9. So he remained overcome by this terrible anguish for many days. He felt that he was dying,

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.

10. so he called his friends and said to them, "Sleep has fled from my eyes and I am greatly crushed by my anxieties.

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.

11. And I keep on asking why such grief has come upon me - I who was generous and well-loved when in power - and now I am so discouraged.

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.

12. Now I remember the evils I did in Jerusalem, the vessels of gold and silver that I stole, the inhabitants of Judea I ordered to be killed for no reason at all.

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.

13. I now know that because of this, these misfortunes have come upon me, and I am dying of grief in a strange land."

14. Then called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made ruler over all his realm,

14. The king then summoned Philip, one of his friends, and appointed him administrator of his whole kingdom.

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.

15. When he had entrusted him with the crown, robe and signet ring, with the charge of educating his son Antiochus and preparing him for the throne,

16. So king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.

16. Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine (163 B.C.).

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.

17. As soon as Lysias learned of the king's death, he proclaimed his son Antiochus as his successor, for he himself had trained him from childhood and had named him Eupator.

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.

18. The men from the Citadel were blockading the Israelites around the temple and did not let an opportunity pass of harming them on behalf of the pagans.

19. Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

19. Judas decided to wipe them out,

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.

20. so he gathered together all the people to besiege them. The troops assembled and laid siege to the Citadel in the year one hundred and fifty, building firing platforms and siege engines.

21. Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:

21. But some of the besieged broke through the blockade and together with renegade Israelites

22. And they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?

22. went to tell the king, "How much longer will you wait to do us justice and avenge our brothers?

23. We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;

23. We took the side of your father, we obeyed his orders and observed his laws.

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.

24. The result is that the Citadel is now besieged by our own people and we are treated as foreigners. All of us who were caught have been killed and they have seized our property.

25. Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against their borders.

25. And they are fighting not only against us but in the neighboring lands as well.

26. And, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.

26. Right now, they are encamped against the Citadel in Jerusalem to capture it, and they have fortified the temple and the city of Beth-zur.

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.

27. If you do not take the lead now, they will do greater things and then you will not be able to control them."

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.

28. The king was enraged when he heard this news, and he summoned all his friends, the generals of the army and the commanders of the cavalry.

29. There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

29. From other kingdoms and islands of the sea, he recruited mercenary troops.

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.

30. His forces numbered a hundred thousand infantry, twenty thousand horsemen and thirty-two elephants trained for battle.

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.

31. They came through Idumea, besieged Beth-zur and attacked for days, using engines of war. But the besieged made a sortie and burned their engines and bravely kept up the resistance.

32. Upon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king's camp.

32. Then Judas ceased fighting at the Citadel and encamped at Beth-zechariah opposite the camp of the king.

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.

33. Early in the morning the king rose and his army boldly advanced along the road to Beth-zechariah. The troops prepared for battle and sounded the trumpets.

34. And to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.

34. They showed juice of grapes and mulberries to the elephants to arouse them for battle,

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.

35. and distributed them among the battalions: one thousand men in coat of mail and bronze helmet lined up at the side of each elephant.

36. These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

36. A cavalry of five hundred picked horsemen went before each elephant and accompanied it with the order not to separate from it.

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.

37. A strong wooden tower was fixed to each elephant by means of leather straps, and four warriors including the driver were on the tower.

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.

38. The rest of the cavalry were stationed on the right and left flanks of the army to harass the enemy and protect the battalions.

39. Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.

39. When the sun shone on the shields of gold and bronze, the mountains glittered and gleamed like flames of fire.

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.

40. One part of the king's army was deployed up in the mountains and the other on the plain. All advanced confidently and in good order.

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.

41. The Jews trembled when they heard the great noise of this vast multitude, the marching of that mass and the clanking of their weapons. It was indeed an army extremely numerous and powerful.

42. Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king's army six hundred men.

42. Nevertheless Judas and his army advanced to give battle; and about six hundred men of the king's army fell.

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,

43. Eleazar, called Avaran, saw one of the beasts protected with armor which excelled all the others, so he supposed that it must be the king's.

44. Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

44. He then sacrificed himself to save his people and win eternal renown for himself.

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.

45. He boldly charged towards the animal right into the midst of the battalion, killing men right and left, scattering the enemy before him on both sides.

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.

46. He reached the elephant, darted in under it, and stabbed it in the belly. The elephant collapsed on top of him and he died on the spot.

47. Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

47. The Jews, however, aware of the tremendous force of the king's army and their bravery, retreated before them.

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.

48. The king's troops went up to Jerusalem to overtake them, and the king encamped in Judea and around Mount Zion.

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.

49. He made peace with the people of Beth-zur who evacuated the city since they had no food to continue the resistance, for that year was a year of rest for the land.

50. So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.

50. The king seized Beth-zur and stationed a garrison there to guard it.

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.

51. He encamped before the temple for a long time and set up firing platforms, crossbows, engines, fire-throwers, catapults, scorpions to discharge arrows, and slingers.

52. Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

52. The defenders also constructed engines as their attackers had done and they fought for a long time.

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;)

53. But they had no food in storage, as it was the seventh year and because the Israelites who came to Judea from the pagan lands had consumed the last of their reserves.

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.

54. So, few men were left in the temple because of the famine; the others had dispersed.

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,

55. Meanwhile Philip, to whom King Antiochus during his life had entrusted the education of his son Antiochus to prepare him for the throne,

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.

56. had returned from Persia and Media with the army that had accompanied the king to those regions, and was planning to seize power.

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:

57. This is why Lysias hastily gave orders to depart, saying to the king, the generals of the army and the soldiers, "We are losing strength every day, we are short of food and the place we are besieging is well fortified; we are moreover diverting our attention from the affairs of the kingdom.

58. Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

58. Let us, then, offer the hand of friendship to these men, and make peace with them and with their nation.

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.

59. Let us permit them to live according to their customs as before, since all this came to be because we suppressed their laws, and they have risen in defense of them."

60. So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

60. These words pleased the king and the generals,

61. Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

61. so the king sent messengers to make peace with the Jews, and the Jews accepted it. When the king and the generals had committed themselves with an oath, the Jews came out of the fortress.

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.

62. The king went up to Mount Zion and when he saw the defenses, he broke his oath and ordered the surrounding wall to be demolished.

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.

63. Then he hurriedly left and returned to Antioch where he found Philip already in control of the city. So he fought him and took the city by force.