1 Maccabees, 5

1. When the surrounding nations heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary restored to what it had been before, they became very angry

1. When the Gentiles round about heard that the altar had been built and the sanctuary dedicated as it was before, they became very angry,

2. and decided to destroy the descendants of Jacob living among them; they began to murder and evict our people.

2. and they determined to destroy the descendants of Jacob who lived among them. So they began to kill and destroy among the people.

3. Judas made war on the sons of Esau in Idumaea, in the region of Acrabattene where they were besieging the Israelites. He dealt them a serious blow, drove them off and despoiled them.

3. But Judas made war on the sons of Esau in Idumea, at Akrabattene, because they kept lying in wait for Israel. He dealt them a heavy blow and humbled them and despoiled them.

4. He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean, who were a menace and a trap for the people with their ambushes on the roads.

4. He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean, who were a trap and a snare to the people and ambushed them on the highways.

5. Having blockaded them in their town and besieged them, he put them under the curse of destruction; he then set fire to their towers and burned them down with everyone inside.

5. They were shut up by him in their towers; and he encamped against them, vowed their complete destruction, and burned with fire their towers and all who were in them.

6. Next, he crossed over to the Ammonites where he found a strong fighting force and a numerous people, commanded by Timotheus.

6. Then he crossed over to attack the Ammonites, where he found a strong band and many people with Timothy as their leader.

7. He fought many battles with them, defeated them and cut them to pieces.

7. He engaged in many battles with them and they were crushed before him; he struck them down.

8. Having captured Jazer and its dependent villages, he retired to Judaea.

8. He also took Jazer and its villages; then he returned to Judea.

9. Next, the gentiles of Gilead banded together to destroy the Israelites living in their territory. The latter, however, took refuge in the fortress of Dathema,

9. Now the Gentiles in Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived in their territory, and planned to destroy them. But they fled to the stronghold of Dathema,

10. and sent the following letter to Judas and his brothers: 'The gentiles round us have banded themselves together against us to destroy us,

10. and sent to Judas and his brothers a letter which said, "The Gentiles around us have gathered together against us to destroy us.

11. and they are preparing to storm the fortress in which we have taken refuge; Timotheus is in command of their forces.

11. They are preparing to come and capture the stronghold to which we have fled, and Timothy is leading their forces.

12. Come at once and rescue us from their clutches, for we have already suffered great losses.

12. Now then come and rescue us from their hands, for many of us have fallen,

13. All our countrymen living in Tobias' country have been killed, their women and children have been taken into captivity, their property has been seized, and about a thousand men have been destroyed there.'

13. and all our brethren who were in the land of Tob have been killed; the enemy have captured their wives and children and goods, and have destroyed about a thousand men there."

14. While the letter was being read, other messengers arrived from Galilee with their garments torn, bearing similar news,

14. While the letter was still being read, behold, other messengers, with their garments rent, came from Galilee and made a similar report;

15. 'The people of Ptolemais, Tyre and Sidon have joined forces with the whole of gentile Galilee to destroy us!'

15. they said that against them had gathered together men of Ptolemais and Tyre and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles, "to annihilate us."

16. When Judas and the people heard this, they held a great assembly to decide what should be done for their oppressed countrymen who were under attack from their enemies.

16. When Judas and the people heard these messages, a great assembly was called to determine what they should do for their brethren who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies.

17. Judas said to his brother Simon, 'Pick your men and go and relieve your countrymen in Galilee, while my brother Jonathan and I make our way into Gilead.'

17. Then Judas said to Simon his brother, "Choose your men and go and rescue your brethren in Galilee; I and Jonathan my brother will go to Gilead."

18. He left Joseph son of Zechariah and the people's leader Azariah with the remainder of the army in Judaea to keep guard, and gave them these orders,

18. But he left Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the rest of the forces, in Judea to guard it;

19. 'You are to be responsible for our people. Do not engage the gentiles until we return.'

19. and he gave them this command, "Take charge of this people, but do not engage in battle with the Gentiles until we return."

20. Simon was allotted three thousand men for the expedition into Galilee, Judas eight thousand for Gilead.

20. Then three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand to Judas for Gilead.

21. Simon advanced into Galilee, engaged the gentiles in several battles and swept all before him;

21. so Simon went to Galilee and fought many battles against the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were crushed before him.

22. he pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais, and they lost about three thousand men, whose spoils he collected.

22. He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais, and as many as three thousand of the Gentiles fell, and he despoiled them.

23. With him, he took away the Jews of Galilee and Arbatta, with their wives and children and all their possessions, and brought them into Judaea with great rejoicing.

23. Then he took the Jews of Galilee and Arbatta, with their wives and children, and all they possessed, and led them to Judea with great rejoicing.

24. Meanwhile Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan and made a three-days' march through the desert,

24. Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan his brother crossed the Jordan and went three days' journey into the wilderness.

25. where they encountered the Nabataeans, who gave them a friendly reception and told them everything that had been happening to their brothers in Gilead,

25. They encountered the Nabateans, who met them peaceably and told them all that had happened to their brethren in Gilead:

26. many of whom, they said, were shut up in Bozrah and Bosor, Alema, Chaspho, Maked and Carnaim, all large fortified towns.

26. "Many of them have been shut up in Bozrah and Bosor, in Alema and Chaspho, Maked and Carnaim" -- all these cities were strong and large--

27. Others were blockaded in the other towns of Gilead, and the enemy planned to attack and capture these strongholds the very next day, and destroy all the people inside them on one day.

27. "and some have been shut up in the other cities of Gilead; the enemy are getting ready to attack the strongholds tomorrow and take and destroy all these men in one day."

28. Judas and his army at once turned off by the desert road to Bozrah. He took the town and, having put all the males to the sword and collected the booty, burned it down.

28. Then Judas and his army quickly turned back by the wilderness road to Bozrah; and he took the city, and killed every male by the edge of the sword; then he seized all its spoils and burned it with fire.

29. When night came, he left the place, and they continued their march until they reached the fortress.

29. He departed from there at night, and they went all the way to the stronghold of Dathema.

30. In the light of dawn they looked, and there was an innumerable horde, setting up ladders and engines to capture the fortress; the assault was just beginning.

30. At dawn they looked up, and behold, a large company, that could not be counted, carrying ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold, and attacking the Jews within.

31. When Judas saw that the attack had begun and that the war cry was rising to heaven from the city, mingled with trumpet calls and a great clamour,

31. So Judas saw that the battle had begun and that the cry of the city went up to Heaven with trumpets and loud shouts,

32. he said to the men of his army, 'Into battle today for your brothers!'

32. and he said to the men of his forces, "Fight today for your brethren!"

33. Dividing them into three commands, he advanced on the enemy's rear, with trumpets sounding and prayers shouted aloud.

33. Then he came up behind them in three companies, who sounded their trumpets and cried aloud in prayer.

34. The troops of Timotheus, recognising that this was Maccabaeus, fled before his advance; Maccabaeus dealt them a crushing defeat; about eight thousand of their men fell that day.

34. And when the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabeus, they fled before him, and he dealt them a heavy blow. As many as eight thousand of them fell that day.

35. Then, wheeling on Alema, he attacked and captured it and, having killed all the males and collected the booty, burned the place down.

35. Next he turned aside to Alema, and fought against it and took it; and he killed every male in it, plundered it, and burned it with fire.

36. From there he moved on and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor and the remaining towns of Gilead.

36. From there he marched on and took Chaspho, Maked, and Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.

37. After these events, Timotheus mustered another force and pitched camp opposite Raphon, on the far side of the stream-bed.

37. After these things Timothy gathered another army and encamped opposite Raphon, on the other side of the stream.

38. Judas sent men to reconnoitre the camp, and these reported back as follows, 'With him are massed all the gentiles surrounding us, making a very numerous army,

38. Judas sent men to spy out the camp, and they reported to him, "All the Gentiles around us have gathered to him; it is a very large force.

39. with Arab mercenaries as auxiliaries; they are encamped on the far side of the stream-bed, and ready to launch an attack on you.' Judas then advanced to engage them,

39. They also have hired Arabs to help them, and they are encamped across the stream, ready to come and fight against you." And Judas went to meet them.

40. and was approaching the watercourse with his troops when Timotheus told the commanders of his army, 'If he crosses first we shall not be able to resist him, because he will have a great advantage over us;

40. Now as Judas and his army drew near to the stream of water, Timothy said to the officers of his forces, "If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to resist him, for he will surely defeat us.

41. but if he is afraid and camps on the other side of the stream, we shall cross over to him and the advantage will then be ours.'

41. But if he shows fear and camps on the other side of the river, we will cross over to him and defeat him."

42. As soon as Judas reached the watercourse, he posted people's scribes along it, giving them this order: 'Do not let anyone pitch his tent; all are to go into battle!'

42. When Judas approached the stream of water, he stationed the scribes of the people at the stream and gave them this command, "Permit no man to encamp, but make them all enter the battle."

43. He was himself the first across to the enemy side, with all the people following. He defeated all the opposing gentiles, who threw down their arms and ran for refuge in the sanctuary of Carnaim.

43. Then he crossed over against them first, and the whole army followed him. All the Gentiles were defeated before him, and they threw away their arms and fled into the sacred precincts at Carnaim.

44. The Jews first captured the town and then burned down the temple with everyone inside. And so Carnaim was overthrown, and the enemy could offer no further resistance to Judas.

44. But he took the city and burned the sacred precincts with fire, together with all who were in them. Thus Carnaim was conquered; they could stand before Judas no longer.

45. Next, Judas assembled all the Israelites living in Gilead, from the least to the greatest, with their wives, children and belongings, an enormous muster, to take them to Judaea.

45. Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites in Gilead, the small and the great, with their wives and children and goods, a very large company, to go to the land of Judah.

46. They reached Ephron, a large town straddling the road and strongly fortified. As it was impossible to by-pass it either to right or to left, there was nothing for it but to march straight through.

46. So they came to Ephron. This was a large and very strong city on the road, and they could not go round it to the right or to the left; they had to go through it.

47. But the people of the town denied them passage and barricaded the gates with stones.

47. But the men of the city shut them out and blocked up the gates with stones.

48. Judas sent them a conciliatory message in these terms, 'We want to pass through your territory to reach our own; no one will do you any harm, we only want to go through on foot.' But they would not open up for him.

48. And Judas sent them this friendly message, "Let us pass through your land to get to our land. No one will do you harm; we will simply pass by on foot." But they refused to open to him.

49. So Judas sent an order down the column for everyone to halt where he stood.

49. Then Judas ordered proclamation to be made to the army that each should encamp where he was.

50. The fighting men took up their positions; Judas attacked the town all day and night, and the town fell to him.

50. So the men of the forces encamped, and he fought against the city all that day and all the night, and the city was delivered into his hands.

51. He put all the males to the sword, rased the town to the ground, plundered it and marched through the town square over the bodies of the dead.

51. He destroyed every male by the edge of the sword, and razed and plundered the city. Then he passed through the city over the slain.

52. They then crossed the Jordan into the Great Plain, opposite Beth-Shean,

52. And they crossed the Jordan into the large plain before Beth-shan.

53. Judas all the time rallying the stragglers and encouraging the people the whole way until they reached Judaea.

53. And Judas kept rallying the laggards and encouraging the people all the way till he came to the land of Judah.

54. They climbed Mount Zion in joy and gladness and presented burnt offerings because they had returned safe and sound without having lost a single man.

54. So they went up to Mount Zion with gladness and joy, and offered burnt offerings, because not one of them had fallen before they returned in safety.

55. While Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and Simon his brother in Galilee outside Ptolemais,

55. Now while Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and Simon his brother was in Galilee before Ptolemais,

56. Joseph son of Zechariah, and Azariah, who were in command of the army, heard of their valiant deeds and of the battles they had been fighting,

56. Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, the commanders of the forces, heard of their brave deeds and of the heroic war they had fought.

57. and said, 'Let us make a name for ourselves too and go and fight the nations around us.'

57. So they said, "Let us also make a name for ourselves; let us go and make war on the Gentiles around us."

58. So they issued orders to the men under their command and marched on Jamnia.

58. And they issued orders to the men of the forces that were with them, and they marched against Jamnia.

59. Gorgias and his men came out of the town and gave battle.

59. And Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle.

60. Joseph and Azariah were routed and pursued as far as the frontiers of Judaea. That day about two thousand Israelites lost their lives.

60. Then Joseph and Azariah were routed, and were pursued to the borders of Judea; as many as two thousand of the people of Israel fell that day.

61. Our people thus met with a great reverse, because they had not listened to Judas and his brothers, thinking that they would do something equally valiant.

61. Thus the people suffered a great rout because, thinking to do a brave deed, they did not listen to Judas and his brothers.

62. They were not, however, of the same breed of men as those to whom the deliverance of Israel was entrusted.

62. But they did not belong to the family of those men through whom deliverance was given to Israel.

63. The noble Judas and his brothers, however, were held in high honour throughout Israel and among all the nations wherever their name was heard,

63. The man Judas and his brothers were greatly honored in all Israel and among all the Gentiles, wherever their name was heard.

64. and people thronged round to acclaim them.

64. Men gathered to them and praised them.

65. Judas marched out with his brothers to fight the Edomites in the country towards the south; he stormed Hebron and its dependent villages, threw down its fortifications and burned down its encircling towers.

65. Then Judas and his brothers went forth and fought the sons of Esau in the land to the south. He struck Hebron and its villages and tore down its strongholds and burned its towers round about.

66. Leaving there, he made for the country of the Philistines and passed through Marisa.

66. Then he marched off to go into the land of the Philistines, and passed through Marisa.

67. Among the fallen in that day's fighting were some priests who sought to prove their courage there by joining in the battle, a foolhardy venture.

67. On that day some priests, who wished to do a brave deed, fell in battle, for they went out to battle unwisely.

68. Judas next turned on Azotus, which belonged to the Philistines; he overthrew their altars, burned the statues of their gods and, having pillaged their towns, withdrew to Judaea.

68. But Judas turned aside to Azotus in the land of the Philistines; he tore down their altars, and the graven images of their gods he burned with fire; he plundered the cities and returned to the land of Judah.