1 Maccabees, 7

1. In the year 151, Demetrius son of Seleucus left Rome and arrived with a few men at a town on the coast, where he inaugurated his reign.

1. In the one hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the son of Seleucus set forth from Rome, sailed with a few men to a city by the sea, and there began to reign.

2. It so happened that, as he was entering the royal residence of his ancestors, the army captured Antiochus and Lysias, and intended to bring them to him.

2. As he was entering the royal palace of his fathers, the army seized Antiochus and Lysias to bring them to him.

3. On hearing this, he said, 'Keep them out of my sight.'

3. But when this act became known to him, he said, "Do not let me see their faces!"

4. The army put them to death, and Demetrius ascended his throne.

4. So the army killed them, and Demetrius took his seat upon the throne of his kingdom.

5. Next, all those Israelites without law or piety, led by Alcimus, whose ambition was to become high priest,

5. Then there came to him all the lawless and ungodly men of Israel; they were led by Alcimus, who wanted to be high priest.

6. approached the king and denounced our people to him. 'Judas and his brothers', they said, 'have killed all your friends, and he has driven us out of our country.

6. And they brought to the king this accusation against the people: "Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends, and have driven us out of our land.

7. Send someone now whom you can trust; let him go and see the wholesale ruin Judas has brought on us and on the king's dominions, and let him punish the wretches and all who assist them.'

7. Now then send a man whom you trust; let him go and see all the ruin which Judas has brought upon us and upon the land of the king, and let him punish them and all who help them."

8. The king chose Bacchides, one of the Friends of the King, governor of Transeuphrates, an important personage in the kingdom and loyal to the king.

8. So the king chose Bacchides, one of the king's friends, governor of the province Beyond the River; he was a great man in the kingdom and was faithful to the king.

9. He sent him with the godless Alcimus, whom he confirmed in the high priesthood, with orders to exact retribution from the Israelites.

9. And he sent him, and with him the ungodly Alcimus, whom he made high priest; and he commanded him to take vengeance on the sons of Israel.

10. So they set out with a large force and, on reaching Judaea, sent emissaries to Judas and his brothers with proposals peaceable yet treacherous.

10. So they marched away and came with a large force into the land of Judah; and he sent messengers to Judas and his brothers with peaceable but treacherous words.

11. The latter, however, did not put any faith in their words, aware that they had come with a large force.

11. But they paid no attention to their words, for they saw that they had come with a large force.

12. Nevertheless, a commission of scribes presented themselves before Alcimus and Bacchides, to sue for just terms.

12. Then a group of scribes appeared in a body before Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for just terms.

13. The first among the Israelites to ask them for peace terms were the Hasidaeans,

13. The Hasideans were first among the sons of Israel to seek peace from them,

14. who reasoned thus, 'This is a priest of Aaron's line who has come with the armed forces; he will not wrong us.'

14. for they said, "A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not harm us."

15. He did in fact discuss peace terms with them and gave them his oath, 'We shall not attempt to injure you or your friends.'

15. And he spoke peaceable words to them and swore this oath to them, "We will not seek to injure you or your friends."

16. They believed him, but he arrested sixty of them and put them to death on one day, fulfilling the words of scripture:

16. So they trusted him; but he seized sixty of them and killed them in one day, in accordance with the word which was written,

17. They have scattered the bodies of your faithful, and shed their blood all round Jerusalem, leaving no one to bury them!

17. "The flesh of thy saints and their blood they poured out round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them."

18. At this, fear and dread gripped the whole people. 'There is no truth or virtue in them,' they said, 'they have broken their agreement and their sworn oath.'

18. Then the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, for they said, "There is no truth or justice in them, for they have violated the agreement and the oath which they swore."

19. Bacchides then left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-Zeth, and from there sent and arrested many of the men who had deserted him and a few of our people too; he had them killed and thrown down the great well.

19. Then Bacchides departed from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-zaith. And he sent and seized many of the men who had deserted to him, and some of the people, and killed them and threw them into a great pit.

20. He then put Alcimus in charge of the province, leaving an army with him to support him; Bacchides himself returned to the king.

20. He placed Alcimus in charge of the country and left with him a force to help him; then Bacchides went back to the king.

21. Alcimus continued his struggle to become high priest,

21. Alcimus strove for the high priesthood,

22. and all who were disturbing the peace of their own people rallied to him, and, having won control of Judaea, did much harm in Israel.

22. and all who were troubling their people joined him. They gained control of the land of Judah and did great damage in Israel.

23. Seeing that all the wrongs done to the Israelites by Alcimus and his supporters exceeded what the gentiles had done,

23. And Judas saw all the evil that Alcimus and those with him had done among the sons of Israel; it was more than the Gentiles had done.

24. Judas went right round the whole territory of Judaea to take vengeance on those who had deserted him and to prevent their free movement about the country.

24. So Judas went out into all the surrounding parts of Judea, and took vengeance on the men who had deserted, and he prevented those in the city from going out into the country.

25. When Alcimus saw how strong Judas and his supporters had grown and realised that he was powerless to resist them, he went back to the king, to whom he made malicious accusations against them.

25. When Alcimus saw that Judas and those with him had grown strong, and realized that he could not withstand them, he returned to the king and brought wicked charges against them.

26. The king sent Nicanor, one of his generals ranking as Illustrious and a bitter enemy of Israel, with orders to exterminate the people.

26. Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honored princes, who hated and detested Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people.

27. Reaching Jerusalem with a large force, Nicanor sent a friendly, yet treacherous, message to Judas and his brothers, as follows:

27. So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large force, and treacherously sent to Judas and his brothers this peaceable message,

28. 'Let us have no fighting between you and me; I shall come with a small escort for a peaceful meeting with you.'

28. "Let there be no fighting between me and you; I shall come with a few men to see you face to face in peace."

29. He met Judas and they exchanged friendly greetings; the enemy, however, had made preparations to abduct Judas.

29. So he came to Judas, and they greeted one another peaceably. But the enemy were ready to seize Judas.

30. When Judas became aware of Nicanor's treacherous purpose in coming to see him, he took fright and refused any further meeting.

30. It became known to Judas that Nicanor had come to him with treacherous intent, and he was afraid of him and would not meet him again.

31. Nicanor then realised that his plan had been discovered, and took the field against Judas, to give battle near Caphar-Salama.

31. When Nicanor learned that his plan had been disclosed, he went out to meet Judas in battle near Caphar-salama.

32. About five hundred of Nicanor's men fell; the rest took refuge in the City of David.

32. About five hundred men of the army of Nicanor fell, and the rest fled into the city of David.

33. After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the Holy Place with some elders, to give him a friendly welcome and show him the burnt offering being presented for the king.

33. After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of the people, to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king.

34. But he ridiculed them, laughed at them, defiled them and used insolent language, swearing in his rage,

34. But he mocked them and derided them and defiled them and spoke arrogantly,

35. 'Unless Judas is handed over to me this time with his army, as soon as I am safely back, I promise you, I shall burn this building down!'

35. and in anger he swore this oath, "Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands this time, then if I return safely I will burn up this house." And he went out in great anger.

36. Then he went off in a fury. At this, the priests went in again, and stood weeping in front of the altar and the Temple, saying,

36. Then the priests went in and stood before the altar and the temple, and they wept and said,

37. 'You have chosen this house to be called by your name, to be a house of prayer and petition for your people.

37. "Thou didst choose this house to be called by thy name, and to be for thy people a house of prayer and supplication.

38. Take vengeance on this man and on his army, and let them fall by the sword; remember their blasphemies and give them no respite.'

38. Take vengeance on this man and on his army, and let them fall by the sword; remember their blasphemies, and let them live no longer."

39. Nicanor left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-Horon, where he was joined by an army from Syria.

39. Now Nicanor went out from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-horon, and the Syrian army joined him.

40. Judas, meanwhile, camped at Adasa with three thousand men, and offered this prayer,

40. And Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men. Then Judas prayed and said,

41. 'When the king's envoys blasphemed, your angel went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men.

41. "When the messengers from the king spoke blasphemy, thy angel went forth and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians.

42. In the same way let us see you crush this army today, so that everyone else may know that this man has spoken blasphemously against your sanctuary: pass judgement on him as his wickedness deserves!'

42. So also crush this army before us today; let the rest learn that Nicanor has spoken wickedly against the sanctuary, and judge him according to this wickedness."

43. The armies met in battle on the thirteenth of the month Adar, and Nicanor's army was crushed, he himself being the first to fall in the battle.

43. So the armies met in battle on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. The army of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.

44. When Nicanor's soldiers saw him fall, they threw down their arms and fled.

44. When his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw down their arms and fled.

45. The Jews pursued them a day's journey, from Adasa to the approaches of Gezer; they sounded their trumpets in warning as they followed them,

45. The Jews pursued them a day's journey, from Adasa as far as Gazara, and as they followed kept sounding the battle call on the trumpets.

46. and people came out of all the surrounding Judaean villages to encircle the fugitives, who then turned back on their own men. All fell by the sword, not one being left alive.

46. And men came out of all the villages of Judea round about, and they out-flanked the enemy and drove them back to their pursuers, so that they all fell by the sword; not even one of them was left.

47. Having collected the spoils and booty, they cut off Nicanor's head and the right hand he had stretched out in a display of insolence; these were taken and displayed within sight of Jerusalem.

47. Then the Jews seized the spoils and the plunder, and they cut off Nicanor's head and the right hand which he so arrogantly stretched out, and brought them and displayed them just outside Jerusalem.

48. The people were overjoyed and kept that day as a great holiday:

48. The people rejoiced greatly and celebrated that day as a day of great gladness.

49. indeed they decided to celebrate it annually on the thirteenth of Adar.

49. And they decreed that this day should be celebrated each year on the thirteenth day of Adar.

50. For a short while Judaea enjoyed peace.

50. So the land of Judah had rest for a few days.