1 An Epistle of the Iewes that dwelt as Ierusalem, sent vnto them that dwelt in Egypt, wherein they exhort them to giue thankes for the death of Antiochus. 19 Of the fire that was hid in the pit. 24 The praier of Neemias.

¹ The brethren the Iewes, which be at Ierusalem, and they that are in the countrey of Iudea, vnto the brethren ye Iewes, that are throughout Egypt, send salutation, and prosperitie.

² God be gratious vnto you & remember his couenant made with Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob his faithfull seruants,

³ And giue you al an heart, to worship him, and to doe his will with a whole heart and with a willing minde,

⁴ And open your hearts in his Lawe, and commandements, and send you peace,

⁵ And heare your praiers, and be reconciled with you, and neuer forsake you in time of trouble.

⁶ Thus nowe we praie here for you.

⁷ When Demetrius reigned, in the hundreth, threescore and ninth yere, we Iewes wrote vnto you in the trouble, and violence that came unto vs in those yeeres, after that Iason, and his companie departed out of the holy land and kingdome,

⁸ And burnt the porch, & shed innocent blood. Then we praied vnto the Lorde, and were heard: we offered sacrifices and fine flowre, and lighted the lampes, and set foorth the bread.

⁹ Nowe therefore keepe ye the daies of ye feast of the Tabernacles in the moneth Chasleu.

¹⁰ ¶ In the hundreth, fourescore & eight yeere, the people that was at Ierusalem, and in Iudea, and the counsell and Iudas, vnto Aristobulus King Ptolemeus master, which is of the stocke of the anointed Priestes, and to the Iewes that are in Egypt, sendeth greeting and health.

¹¹ In so much as God hath deliuered vs from great perils, wee thanke him highly, as though wee had ouercome the King.

¹² For he brought them into Persia by heapes, that fought against the holy citie.

¹³ For albeit the captaine, and the armie, that was with him, seemed inuincible, yet they were slaine in the Temple of Nanea, by the deceit of Naneas Priests.

¹⁴ For Antiochus, as though hee would dwell with her, came thither, he, and his friends with him, to receiue money vnder the title of a dowrie.

¹⁵ But when the Priests of Nanea had laide it foorth, and hee was entred with a small companie within the Temple, they shut the Temple, when Antiochus was come in,

¹⁶ And by opening a priuie doore of the vaute, they cast stones, as it were thunder, vpon the captaine and his, and hauing bruised them in pieces, they cut off their heads and threwe them to those that were without.

¹⁷ God be blessed in all things, which hath deliuered vp the wicked.

¹⁸ Whereas we are nowe purposed to keepe the purification of the Temple vpon the fiue and twentie day of the moneth Chasleu, we thought it necessarie to certifie you thereof, that yee also might keepe the feast of the Tabernacles, and of the fire which was giuen vs when Neemias offered sacrifice, after that he had built the Temple, and the altar.

¹⁹ For when as our fathers were led away vnto Persia, the Priests, which sought the honor of God, tooke the [Note: Leuit.6.13. and 10.1. and 16.12. ] fire of the altar priuilie, and hid it in an hollowe pit, which was drie in the bottome, and therein they kept it, so that ye place was vnknowen vnto euery man.

²⁰ Nowe after many yeres when it pleased God that Neemias shoulde be sent from the king of Persia, he sent of the posteritie of those Priestes, which had hid it to fetche the fire, and as they tolde vs, they found no fire, but thicke water.

²¹ Then commaunded he them to drawe it vp, and to bring it: and when the things apperteining to the sacrifices were brought, Neemias commaunded the Priests to sprinkle the woode, and the things laide thereupon with water.

²² When this was done, and the time came that the sunne shone, which afore was hid in the cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that euery man marueiled.

²³ Nowe the Priests, and all praied, while the sacrifice was consuming: Ionathan began, and the other answered thereunto.

²⁴ And the praier of Neemias was after this maner, O Lord, Lord God maker of all things, which art feareful, and strong, and righteous, and merciful, and the onely and gratious king,

²⁵ Onely liberall, onely iust and almightie and euerlasting, thou that deliuerest Israel from al trouble, & hast chosen the fathers, and sanctified them,

²⁶ Receiue the sacrifice for thy whole people of Israel, and preserue thine owne portion, and sanctifie it.

²⁷ Gather those together, yt are scattered from vs: deliuer them that serue among the heathen: looke vpon them which are despised, and abhorred, that ye heathen may knowe that thou art our God.

²⁸ Punish them that oppresse vs, and with pride doe vs wrong.

²⁹ Plant thy people againe in thine holy place [Note: Deut.30.5. ] as Moyses hath spoken.

³⁰ And the Priests sang Psalmes thereunto.

³¹ Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Neemias commanded the great stones to be sprinkled with the residue of the water.

³² Which when it was done, there was kindeled a flame, which was consumed by the light, that shined from the altar.

³³ ¶ So when this matter was knowen, it was told the King of Persia, that in the place where the Priests, which were led away, had hid fire, there appeared water, wherewith Neemias and his companie had purified the sacrifices.

³⁴ The King tried out the thing, and closed the place about, and made it holy.

³⁵ And to them that the King fauoured, he gaue and bestowed many gifts.

³⁶ And Neemias called the same place Ephthar, which is to say, purification: but many men call it [Note: Or, Nephi. ] Nephthar.

4 Howe Ieremie hid the tabernacle, the Arke and the altar in the hil. 23 Of the fiue bookes of Iason conteined in one.
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¹ It is founde also in the writings of Ieremias the Prophet, that he commaunded them, which were caried away, to take fire, as was declared, and as the Prophet commanded them that were led into captiuitie,

² [Note: Baruch. 6. ] Giuing them a lawe that they shoulde not forget the commaundements of the Lord, and that they should not erre in their minds, when they saw images of gold and siluer, with their ornaments.

³ These and such other things commanded he them, and exhorted them that they shoulde not let the Lawe goe out of their hearts.

⁴ It is written also, howe the Prophet, by an oracle that he had, charged them to take the tabernacle and the arke, and followe him: and when hee came vp into the mountaine where Moyses went vp, [Note: Deut.34.1. ] and sawe the heritage of God,

⁵ Ieremias went foorth, and founde an hollow caue, wherein he laide the Tabernacle, & the Arke, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the doore.

⁶ And there came certaine of those yt followed him, to marke ye place: but they coulde not finde it.

⁷ Which whe Ieremias perceiued, he reproued them, saying, As for that place: it shalbe vnknowen, vntil the time that God gather his people together againe, and that mercie be shewed.

⁸ Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the maiestie of the Lorde shall appeare and the cloude also, as it was shewed vnder Moyses, and as [Note: 1.King.8 14,23, 30.2. chro.6.21. ] when Salomon desired, that the place might be honourably sanctified.

⁹ For it is manifest that he, being a wise man, offred the [Note: 1.Kin.8.62,65. 2.chron.7.4,5. ] sacrifice of dedication, and consecration of the Temple.

¹⁰ [Note: Leuit.9.24. and 10.16. ] And as when Moyses praied vnto the Lord, the fire came downe from heauen, and consumed the sacrifice: so, when Salomon prayed, [Note: 2.Chron.7.1. ] the fire came downe from heauen, and consumed the burnt offering.

¹¹ And Moyses saide, Because the sinne offering was not eaten, therefore is it consumed.

¹² So Salomon kept those eight daies.

¹³ These things also are declared in the writings, and registers of [Note: Some read Ieremie. ] Neemias, and howe he made a librarie, and howe he gathered the acts of the Kings, and of the Prophets, and the acts of Dauid, and the epistles of the Kings concerning the holy gifts.

¹⁴ Euen so Iudas also gathered all things that came to passe by the warres that were among vs, which things we haue.

¹⁵ Wherefore if yee haue neede thereof, sende some to fetch them vnto you.

¹⁶ Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we haue written vnto you, and ye shall doe well, if ye keepe the same daies.

¹⁷ We hope also that the God, which deliuered all his people, and gaue an heritage to them all and the kingdome, and the Priesthoode, and the Sanctuarie,

¹⁸ [Note: Deut.30.5. ] As he promised in the lawe, wil shortly haue mercy vpon vs, and gather vs together from vnder the heauen into his holy place: for he hath saued vs from great perils, and hath clensed the place.

¹⁹ As concerning Iudas Maccabeus, and his brethren, the purification of the great Temple, and the dedication of the altar,

²⁰ And the warres against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his sonne,

²¹ And ye manifest signes that came from heauen vnto those, which manfully stood for the Iewes religion: (for though they were but fewe, yet they ranne through whole countreis, and pursued the barbarous armies,

²² And repaired the Temple that was renowmed throughout all the worlde, and deliuered the citie, and established the Lawes, that were like to be abolished, because the Lorde was mercifull vnto them with all lenitie)

²³ Wee will assaie to abbridge in one volume those things, that Iason the Cyrenian hath declared in fiue bookes.

²⁴ For considering the wonderful nomber, and the difficultie that they haue that woulde be occupied in the rehearsall of stories, because of the diuersitie of the matters,

²⁵ We haue endeuoured, that they that woulde reade, might haue pleasure, and that they which are studious, might easily keepe them in memorie, and that whosoeuer reade them, might haue profite.

²⁶ Therefore to vs that haue taken in hand this great labour, it was no easie thing to make this abbridgement, but required both sweat, & watching.

²⁷ Like as hee that maketh a feast, and seeketh other mens commoditie, hath no smal labour: so we also for many mens sakes are very well content to vndertake this great labour.

²⁸ Leauing to the authour the exact diligence of euery particular, we will labour to goe forwarde according to ye prescript order of an abbridgement.

²⁹ For as he that will builde a newe house, must prouide for the whole building, but he that setteth out the plat or goeth about to paint it, seeketh but onely what is comely for the decking thereof:

³⁰ Euen so I thinke for vs, that it appertaineth to the first writer of a storie to enter deepely into it, and to make mention of all things, and to be curious in euery part.

³¹ But it is permitted to him that will shorten it, to vse fewe woordes, and to auoide those things that are curious therein.

³² Here then will we begin the storie, adding thus much to our former woordes, that it is but a foolish thing to abound in woordes before the storie, and to be short in the storie.

2 Of the honour done vnto the Temple by the Kings of the Gentiles. 6 Simon vttereth what treasure is in the temple. 7 Heliodorus is sent to take them away. 26 Hee is striken of God and healed at the praier of Onias.

¹ VVhat time as the holy citie was inhabited with all peace, and when the Lawes were very well kept, because of the godlinesse of Onias the hie Priest, and hatred of wickednesse,

² It came to passe that euen the kings did honour the place, and garnished the Temple with great gifts.

³ In so much that Seleucus king of Asia of his owne rents, bare all the costes belonging to the seruice of the sacrifices.

⁴ But one Simon of the tribe of Beniamin being appoynted ruler of the Temple, contended with the hie Priest concerning [Note: Or, the state and prouision. ] the iniquitie committed in the citie.

⁵ And when hee coulde not ouercome Onias, he gate him to Apollonius the sonne of Thraseas, which then was gouernour of Coelosyria and Phenice,

⁶ And tolde him that the treasurie in Ierusalem was full of innumerable money, which did not belong to the prouision of the sacrifices, and that

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it were possible that these things might come into the Kings hands.
⁷ Nowe when Apollonius came to the King, and had shewed him of the money, as it was tolde him, the King chose out Heliodorus his treasurer, and sent him with a commandement, to bring him the foresaid money.

⁸ Immediatly Heliodorus tooke his iourney as though he would visite the cities of Coelosyria and Phenice, but in effect to fulfill the Kings purpose.

⁹ So when he came to Ierusalem, & was courteously receiued of the hie Priest into the citie, he declared what was determined concerning the money, and shewed the cause of his comming, and asked if these things were so in deede.

¹⁰ Then the hie Priest tolde him that there were such things laid vp by the widowes and fatherlesse,

¹¹ And that a certaine of it belonged vnto Hircanus the sonne of Tobias a noble man, and not as that wicked Simon had reported, and that in all, there were but foure hundreth talents of siluer, and two hundreth of gold,

¹² And that it were altogether vnpossible to do this wrong to them that had committed it of trust to the holinesse of the place and Temple, which is honoured thorowe the whole worlde for holinesse and integritie.

¹³ But Heliodorus because of the Kings commandement giuen him, said that in any wise it must be brought into the Kings treasurie.

¹⁴ So he appointed a day, and went in to take order for these things: then there was no small griefe throughout the whole citie.

¹⁵ For the Priest fell downe before the altar in the Priestes garments, and called vnto heauen vpon him which had made a Lawe concerning things giuen to be kept, that they shoulde be safely preserued for such as had committed them to be kept.

¹⁶ Then they that looked the hie Priest in the face, were wounded in their heart: for his countenance, and the changing of his colour declared the sorowe of his mind.

¹⁷ The man was so wrapped in feare and trembling of the body, that it was manifest to them that looked vpon him, what sorowe he had in his heart.

¹⁸ Others also came out of their houses by heapes vnto the common prayer, because the place was like to come vnto contempt.

¹⁹ And the women, girt with sackcloth vnder their breastes, filled the streetes, and the virgins that were kept in, ranne some to the gates & some to the walles, and others looked out of the windowes.

²⁰ And all held vp their hands towarde heauen, and made prayer.

²¹ It was a lamentable thing to see ye multitude that fell downe of all sortes, and the expectation of the high Priest being in such anguish.

²² Therefore they called vpon the Almightie Lord, that he would keepe safe and sure the thinges, which were laide vp for those yt had deliuered them.

²³ Neuerthelesse, the thing that Heliodorus was determined to doe, that did he performe.

²⁴ And as he and his souldiers were nowe there present by the treasurie, he that is the Lorde of the spirits, and of al power, shewed a great vision, so that all they which presumed to come with him, were astonished at the power of God, and fell into feare, and trembling.

²⁵ For there appeared vnto them an horse with a terrible man sitting vpon him, most richly barbed, and he ranne fiercely, and smote at Heliodorus with his fore feete, and it seemed that he that sate vpon the horse, had harnesse of gold.

²⁶ Moreouer, there appeared two yong men, notable in strength, excellent in beautie, and comely in apparell, which stood by him on either side, & scourged him continually, & gaue him many sore stripes.

²⁷ And Heliodorus fell suddenly vnto ye ground, and was couered with great darkenes: but they that were with him, tooke him vp, & put him in a litter.

²⁸ Thus he that came with so great companie, and many souldiers into the said treasurie, was borne out: for he coulde not helpe himselfe with his weapons.

²⁹ So they did knowe the power of God manifestly, but he was domme by the power of God, and lay destitute of all hope and health.

³⁰ And they praysed the Lord that had honoured his owne place: for the Temple which a litle afore was full of feare and trouble, when the almightie Lord appeared, was filled with ioy and gladnesse.

³¹ Then streightwayes certaine of Heliodorus friends prayed Onias, that he woulde call vpon the most High to graunt him his life, which lay ready to giue vp the ghost.

³² So the hie Priest, considering that the King might suspect that the Iewes had done Heliodorus some euill, he offered a sacrifice for the health of the man.

³³ Now when the hie Priest had made his prayer, the same yong men in the same clothing appeared, and stoode beside Heliodorus, saying, Giue Onias the hie Priest great thankes: for, for his sake hath the Lord graunted thee thy life.

³⁴ And seeing that thou hast bene scourged from heauen, declare vnto all men the mightie power of God: and when they had spoken these wordes, they appeared no more.

³⁵ So Heliodorus offered vnto the Lorde sacrifice, and made great vowes vnto him, which had graunted him his life, and thanked Onias, and went againe with his hoste to the King.

³⁶ Then testified he vnto euery man of ye great workes of God that he had seene with his eyes.

³⁷ And when the King asked Heliodorus, who were meete to be sent yet once againe to Ierusalem, he said,

³⁸ If thou hast any enemie or traitor, sende him thither, and thou shalt receiue him well scourged, if he escape with his life: for in that place, no doubt, there is a speciall power of God.

³⁹ For he that dwelleth in heauen, hath his eye on that place, and defendeth it, and he beateth and destroyeth them that come to hurt it.

⁴⁰ This came to passe concerning Heliodorus, and the keeping of the treasurie.

1 Simon reporteth euill of Onias. 7 Iason obtaineth the office of the hie Priest by corrupting the King, 27 And was by Menelaus defrauded by like bribing. 34 Onias is slaine traiterously by Andronicus.

¹ This Simon nowe, of whom we spake afore, being a bewrayer of the money and of his owne naturall countrey, reported euill of Onias, as though he had mooued Heliodorus vnto this, and had bene the inuenter of the euill.

² Thus was he bolde to call him a traitour that was so beneficiall to the citie, and a defender of his nation, and so zealous of the Lawes.

³ But when his malice increased so farre, that through one that belonged to Simon, murthers [Page] were committed,

⁴ Onias considering the danger of this contention, and that Apollonius, as hee that was the gouernour of Coelosyria and Phenice, did rage, and increased Simons malice,

⁵ He went to the King not as an accuser of the citizens, but as one that intended the common wealth both priuately and publikely.

⁶ For he sawe it was not possible except the King tooke order to quiet the matters, and that Simon would not leaue off his follie.

⁷ But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, called Epiphanes, tooke the kingdome, Iason the brother of Onias laboured by vnlawfull meanes to be hie Priest.

⁸ For he came vnto the King, and promised him three hundreth and threescore talents of siluer, and of an other rent, fourescore talents.

⁹ Besides this, he promised him an hundreth and fiftie, if he might haue licence to set vp a place for exercise, and a place for the youth, and that they would [Note: Or, that hee would write the Antiochians that were at Ierusalem among them. ] name them of Ierusalem Antiochians.

¹⁰ The which thing when the King had graunted, and he had gotten the superioritie, he beganne immediatly to drawe his kinsemen to the customes of the Gentiles,

¹¹ And abolished the friendly priuiledges of the Kings, that the Iewes had set vp by Iohn, the father of Eupolemus, which was sent ambassadour vnto Rome, to become friends and confederates: he put downe their Lawes and policies, and brought vp newe statutes, and contrary to the Lawe.

¹² For he presumed to builde a place of exercise vnder the castell, and brought the chiefe yong men vnder his subiection, and made them weare [Note: Or, buskins in token of wantonnesse as the Gentiles did. ] hattes.

¹³ So there beganne a great desire to followe the maners of the Gentiles, and they tooke vp the fashions of strange nations by the exceeding wickednesse of Iason, not the hie Priest, but the vngodly person,

¹⁴ So that the Priestes were nowe no more diligent about the seruice of the altar, but despised the Temple, and regarded not the sacrifices, but made haste to be partakers of the wicked expences at the play [Note: This game was to trie strength by casting a stone that had an hole in the middes, or a piece of metall. ] after the casting of the stone.

¹⁵ For they did not set by the honour of their fathers, but liked the glory of the Gentiles best of all.

¹⁶ By reason whereof great calamitie came vpon them: for they had them to be their enemies and punishers, whose custome they followed so earnestly, and desired to be like them in all things.

¹⁷ For it is not a light thing to transgresse against the Lawes of God, but the time following shall declare these things.

¹⁸ ¶ Now when the [Note: Or, Olympian sportes, which were games kept euery fift yeere. ] games that were vsed euery fiue yeere, were played at Tyrus, the King being present,

¹⁹ This wicked Iason sent from Ierusalem men to looke vpon them, as though they had bene Antiochians, which brought three hundreth drachmes of siluer for a sacrifice to Hercules: albeit they that caried them, desired they might not be bestowed on the sacrifice (because it was not comely) but to be bestowed for other expenses.

²⁰ So he that sent them, sent them for the sacrifice of Hercules: but because of those that brought them, they were giuen to the making of galleies.

²¹ ¶ Now Apollonius the sonne of Menestheus was sent into Egypt because of the coronation of King Ptolemeus Philometor: but when Antiochus perceiued that he was euill affectioned towarde his affaires, he sought his owne assurance, and departed from thence to Ioppe, and so came to Ierusalem,

²² Where he was honourably receiued of Iason, and of the citie, and was brought in with torchlight, and with great showtings, and so he went with his hoste vnto Phenice.

²³ Three yeere afterward Iason sent Menelaus, the foresaid Simons brother, to beare the money vnto the King, and to bring to passe certaine necessarie affaires, whereof he had giuen him a memoriall.

²⁴ But he, being commended to the King, magnified him for the appearance of his power, and turned the Priesthood vnto himselfe: for he gaue three hundreth talents of siluer more then Iason.

²⁵ So he gate the Kings [Note: Or, commaundements. ] letters patentes, albeit he had nothing in himselfe worthie of the hie Priesthood, but bare the stomacke of a cruell tyrant, and the wrath of a wilde beast.

²⁶ Then Iason, which had deceiued his owne brother, being deceiued by another, was compelled to flee into the countrey of the Ammonites.

²⁷ So Menelaus gate the dominion: but as for the money that he had promised vnto the King, he tooke none order for it, albeit Sostratus the ruler of the castell required it.

²⁸ For vnto him apperteyned the gathering of the customes: wherefore they were both called before the King.

²⁹ Nowe Menelaus left his brother Lysimachus in his steade in the priesthood, and Sostratus left Crates which was gouernour of the Cyprians.

³⁰ ¶ Whiles these things were in doing, ye Tharsians and they of Mallot made insurrection, because they were giuen to the Kings concubine called Antiochis.

³¹ Then came the King in all haste, to appease the busines, leauing Andronicus a man of authoritie to be his lieutenant.

³² Now Menelaus, supposing that he had gotten a conuenient time, stole certaine vessels of gold out of the Temple, and gaue certeyne of them to Andronicus: and some he solde at Tyrus and in the cities thereby.

³³ Which when Onias knewe of a suretie, he reproued him, and withdrewe himselfe into a Sanctuarie at Daphne by Antiochia.

³⁴ Wherefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus apart, prayed him to slaye Onias: so when he came te Onias, he counseled him craftily, giuing him his right hand with an othe: (howbeit he suspect him, and persuaded him to come out of the Sanctuarie) so he slewe him incontinently without any regarde of righteousnesse.

³⁵ For the which cause not onely the Iewes, but many other nations also were grieued, and tooke it heauily for the vnrighteous death of this man.

³⁶ ¶ And when the king was come againe from the places about Cilicia, the Iewes that were in the citie, and certeine of the Greeks that abhorred the fact also, complained because Onias was slaine without cause.

³⁷ Therefore Antiochus was sorie in his minde, and he had compassion, and wept because of the modestie and great discretion of him that was dead.

³⁸ Wherefore being kindled wt anger, he tooke away Andronicus garment of purple, and rent his clothes, and commaunded him to be led throughout the citie, and in the same place where hee had

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committed the wickednesse against Onias, hee was slaine as a murtherer. Thus the Lord rewarded him his punishment, as he had deserued.
³⁹ ¶ Nowe when Lysimachus had done many wicked deedes in the citie through the counsell of Menelaus, and the bruit was spred abroad, the multitude gathered them together against Lysimachus: for he had caried out nowe much vessell of golde.

⁴⁰ And when the people arose, and were full of anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousande, and began to vse vnlawfull power, a certaine tyrant being their captaine, who was no lesse decaied in wit then in age.

⁴¹ But when they vnderstoode the purpose of Lysimachus, some gate stones, some great clubs, and some cast handfuls of dust, which lay by, vpon Lysimachus men, and those that inuaded them.

⁴² Whereby many of them were wounded, some were slaine, and all the other chased away: but the wicked Churchrobber himselfe, they killed be sides the treasurie.

⁴³ For these causes an accusation was laide against Menelaus.

⁴⁴ And whe the king came to Tyrus, three men sent from the Senate pleaded the cause before him.

⁴⁵ But Menelaus, being now conuinced, promised to Ptolemeus the sonne of Dorimenes much money, if he would perswade the king.

⁴⁶ So Ptolemeus went to ye king into a court, where as he was to coole himselfe, and turned the kings minde.

⁴⁷ In so much yt hee discharged Menelaus from the accusations (notwithstanding he was the cause of all mischiefe) and codemned those poore men to death, which if they had tolde their cause, yea, before the Scythians, they should haue beene heard as innocent.

⁴⁸ Thus were they soone punished vniustly, which followed vpon the matter for the citie, and for the people, and for the holy vessels.

⁴⁹ Wherefore they of Tyrus hated yt wickednes, and ministred all things liberally for their buriall.

⁵⁰ And so through the couetousnesse of them that were in power, Menelaus remained in authoritie, increasing in malice, and declared himselfe a great traitour to the citizens.

2 Of the signes and tokens seene in Ierusalem. 6 Of the ende and wickednesse of Iason. 11 The pursuit of Antiochus against the Iewes. 15 The spoyling of the Temple. 27 Maccabeus fleeth into the wildernesse.

¹ About the same time Antiochus vndertooke his second voyage into Egypt.

² And then were there seene throughout all the citie of Ierusalem, fourtie daies long, horsemen running in the aire, with robes of gold, & as bands of speare men,

³ And as troupes of horsemen set in aray, incountering and coursing one against another with shaking of shields and multitude of darts, and drawing of swordes, and shooting of arrowes, and the glittering of the golden armour seene, and harnesse of all sortes.

⁴ Therefore euery man praied, that those tokens might turne to good.

⁵ Nowe when there was gone forth a false rumour, as though Antiochus had beene dead, Iason tooke at the least a thousand men, & came suddenly vpon the citie, and they that were vpon the wals, being put backe, and the citie at length taken,

⁶ Menelaus fled into the castell, but Iason slew his owne citizens without mercie, not considering, that to haue the aduantage against his kinsemen is greatest disaduantage, but thought that hee had gotten the victorie of his enemies, and not of his owne nation.

⁷ Yet hee gate not the superioritie, but at the last receiued shame for the rewarde of his treason, and went againe like a vagabounde into the countrey of the Ammonites.

⁸ Finally he had this ende of his wicked conuersation, that hee was [Note: Or, shut vp. ] accused before Areta the king of the Arabians, and fled from citie to citie, being pursued of euery man, and hated as a forsaker of the Lawes, and was in abomination, as an enemie of his countrey and citizens, and was driuen into Egypt.

⁹ Thus hee that had chased many out of their owne coutrey, perished as a banished man, after that he was gone to the Lacedemonians, thinking there to haue gotten succour by reason of kinred.

¹⁰ And hee that had cast many out vnburied, was throwen out himselfe, no man mourning for him, nor putting him in his graue: neither was hee partaker of his fathers sepulchre.

¹¹ ¶ Nowe when these thinges that were done, were declared to the king, hee thought that Iudea would haue fallen from him: wherefore hee came with a furious minde out of Egypt, and tooke the citie by violence.

¹² He commaunded his men of warre also, that they should kill and not spare such as they met, and to slaie such as went into their houses.

¹³ Thus was there a slaughter of yong men, and olde men, and a destruction of men & women and children, and virgins, and infants were murthered:

¹⁴ So that within three daies were slaine fourescore thousand, & fourtie thousand taken prisoners, and there were as many solde as were slaine.

¹⁵ Yet was hee not content with this, but durst goe into the most holy Temple of all the worlde, hauing Menelaus that traitour to the Lawes, and to his owne countrey, to be his guide,

¹⁶ And with his wicked handes tooke the holy vessels, which other kings had giuen for the garnishing, glorie and honour of that place, and handled them with his wicked hands.

¹⁷ So hautie in his minde was Antiochus, that he considered not, that God was not a litle wroth for the sinnes of them that dwelt in the citie, for the which such contempt came vpon that place.

¹⁸ For if they had not beene wrapped in many sinnes, hee, assoone as he had come, had suddenly beene punished, and put backe from his presumption, as Heliodorus was, whom Seleucus the king sent to viewe the treasurie.

¹⁹ But God hath not chosen the nation for the places sake, but the place for the nations sake.

²⁰ And therefore is the place become partaker of the peoples trouble, but afterward shal it be partaker of the benefites of the Lord, and as it is nowe forsaken in the wrath of the Almightie, so when the great Lord shalbe reconciled, it shalbe set vp in great worship againe.

²¹ ¶ So when Antiochus had taken eighteene hundred talents out of the Temple, he gate him to Antiochia in all haste, thinking in his pride to make men saile vpon the dry land, and to walke vpon the sea: such an hie minde had he.

²² But he left deputies to vexe the people: at Ierusalem [Page] Philip a Phrigian by birth, in maners more cruell then he that set him there:

²³ And at Garizin Andronicus, and with them Menelaus, which was more grieuous to the citizens then the other, and was despiteful against the Iewes his citizens.

²⁴ He sent also Apollonius a cruell prince, with an armie of two and twentie thousande, whome he commanded to slaie those that were towarde mans age, and to sell the women, and the yonger sort.

²⁵ So when hee came to Ierusalem, hee fained peace, and kept him still vntil the holy day of Sabbath: and then finding the Iewes keeping the feast, he commanded his men to take their weapons.

²⁶ And so he slew al them that were gone forth to the shewe, and running through the citie with his men armed, he murthered a great number.

²⁷ But Iudas Maccabeus, being as it were the tenth, fled into the wildernesse, and liued there in the mountaines wt his companie among the beastes, and dwelling there, and eating grasse, least they should be partakers of the filthinesse.

1 The Iewes are compelled to leaue the Lawe of God. 4 The Temple is defiled. 10 The women cruellie punished. 28 The grieuous paine of Eleazarus.

¹ Not long after this, sent the king an olde man of [Note: Or, Antiochia. ] Athens, for to compell the Iewes, to transgresse the Lawes of the fathers, and not to be gouerned by the Lawe of God,

² And to defile the Temple that was at Ierusalem, and to call it the Temple of Iupiter Olympius, and that of Garizin, according as they did that dwelt at that place, Iupiter, yt keepeth hospitalitie.

³ This wicked gouernment was sore and grieuous vnto the people.

⁴ For the Temple was full of dissolution, and gluttonie of the Gentiles, which dallied with harlots, and had to doe with women within the circuit of the holy places, and brought in such thinges as were not lawfull.

⁵ The altar also was ful of such things, as were abhominable and forbidden by the Lawe.

⁶ Neither was it lawful to keepe the Sabbaths, nor to obserue their ancient feastes, nor plainely to confesse himselfe to be a Iewe.

⁷ In the day of the kings birth they were grieuously compelled perforce euery moneth to banket, and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they were constrained to goe in the procession of Bacchus with garlands of yuie.

⁸ Moreouer through the councell of Ptolemeus, there went out a commaundement vnto the next cities of the heathen against the Iewes, that the like custome, and [Note: Or, eating of the flesh that was sacrificed. ] banketting should be kept.

⁹ And who so would not coforme themselues to the maners of ye Gentiles, should be put to death: then might a man haue seene the present miserie.

¹⁰ For there were two women brought foorth, that had circumcised their sonnes, whom when they had led rounde about the citie (the babes hanging at their breastes) they cast them downe headlong ouer the walles.

¹¹ Some that were runne togither into dennes to keepe the Sabbath day secretely, were discouered vnto Philip, and were burnt together, because that for the reuerence of the honourable day they were afraide to helpe themselues.

¹² ¶ Now I beseech those which read this boke, that they bee not discouraged for these calamities, but that they iudge these afflictions, not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.

¹³ For it is a token of his great goodnesse not to suffer sinners long to cotinue, but straight waies to punish them.

¹⁴ For the Lord doeth not long waite for vs, as for other nations, whome hee punisheth when they are come to the fulnesse of their sinnes.

¹⁵ But thus hee dealeth with vs, that our sinnes shoulde not be heaped vp to the full, so that afterward he should punish vs.

¹⁶ And therefore hee neuer withdraweth his mercy from vs: and though he punish with aduersitie, yet doeth he neuer forsake his people.

¹⁷ But let this bee spoken nowe for a warning vnto vs: and nowe will we come to the declaring of the matter in fewe wordes.

¹⁸ ¶ Eleazar then one of the principall scribes, an aged man, and of a well fauoured countenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eate swines flesh.

¹⁹ But he desiring rather to die gloriously then to liue with hatred, offred himselfe willingly to the torment, and spit it out.

²⁰ As they ought to goe to death which suffer punishment for such thinges, as it is not lawfull to taste of for the desire to liue.

²¹ But they that had the charge of this wicked banket, for that olde friendship of the man, tooke him aside priuilie, and praied him, that he woulde take such flesh, as was lawfull for him to vse, and as hee woulde prepare for himselfe, and dissemble as though hee had eaten of the things appoynted by the king, euen the flesh of the sacrifice,

²² That in so doing he might be deliuered from death, and that for the olde friendship that was among them, he would receiue this fauour.

²³ But he began to consider discreetely, and as became his age, and the excellencie of his ancient yeres, and the honour of his graie heares, whereunto he was come, and his most honest conuersation from his childehoode, but chiefly the holy Lawe made and giuen by God: therefore hee answered consequently, and willed them straight wayes to send him to the graue.

²⁴ For it becommeth not our age, sayde he, to dissemble, whereby many young persons might thinke, that Eleazar being foure score yere old and ten were nowe gone to [Note: Or, to another maner of life. ] another religion,

²⁵ And so through mine hypocrisie (for a little time of a transitorie life) they might be deceiued by me, and I should procure malediction, and reproche to mine olde age.

²⁶ For though I were now deliuered from the torments of men, yet could I not escape the hande of the Almightie, neither aliue nor dead.

²⁷ Wherefore I will nowe change this life manfully, & wil shew my self such as mine age requireth,

²⁸ And so will leaue a notable example for such as be yong, to die willingly & courageously for the honourable and holy Lawes. And when he had said these wordes, immediatly he went to torment.

²⁹ Nowe they that led him, changed the loue which they bare him before, into hatred, because of the wordes that he had spoken: for they thought it had beene a rage.

³⁰ And as hee was ready to giue the ghost because of the strokes, he sighed and sayde, The Lorde that hath the holy knowledge, knoweth manifestly, that whereas I might haue beene deliuered from

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death, I am scourged and suffer these sore paynes of my body: but in my minde I suffer them gladly for his religion.
³¹ Euen now after this maner ended he his life, leauing his death for an example of a noble courage, & a memoriall of vertue, not only vnto yong men, but vnto all his nation.

The punishment of the seuen brethren and of their mother.

¹ It came to passe also, that seuen brethren, with their mother, were taken to be compelled by the King against the Lawe, to taste swines flesh, & were tormented with scourges and whippes.

² But one of them, which spake first, said thus, What seekest thou? and what wouldest thou know of vs? we are ready to die, rather then to transgresse the Lawes of our fathers.

³ Then was the King angry, and commanded to heate pannes and cauldrons, which were incontinently made hote.

⁴ And he commanded the tongue of him that spake first, to be cut out, and to slay him, & to cut off the vtmost partes of his body in the sight of his other brethren and his mother.

⁵ Nowe when he was thus mangled in all his members, he commanded him to be brought aliue to the fire, and to frye him in the panne: and while the smoke for a long time smoked out of the panne, the other brethren with their mother, exhorted one another to die couragiously, saying in this maner,

⁶ The Lord God doeth regard vs, and in deede taketh pleasure in vs, as Moyses [Note: Deut.32.36. ] declared in the song wherein he testified openly, saying, That God will take pleasure in his seruants.

⁷ ¶ So when the first was dead after this maner, they brought the second to make him a mocking stocke: and when they had pulled the skinne with the heare ouer his head, they asked him, if he would eate, or he were punished in all the members of the body.

⁸ But he answered in his owne language, and sayd, No. Wherefore he was tormented forthwith like the first.

⁹ And when he was at the last breath, he sayd, Thou murtherer takest this present life from vs, but the king of the world wil rayse vs vp, which die for his Lawes, in the resurrection of euerlasting life.

¹⁰ ¶ After him was the thirde had in derision, and when they demaunded his tongue, hee put it out incontinently, and stretched forth his handes boldely,

¹¹ And spake manfully, These haue I had from the heauen, but nowe for the Law of God I despise them, and trust that I shall receiue them of him againe.

¹² Insomuch that the King & they which were with him, marueiled at the yong mans courage, as at one that nothing regarded the paynes.

¹³ ¶ Now when he was dead also, they vexed & tormented the fourth in like maner.

¹⁴ And when he was now ready to die, he sayd thus, It is better that we shoulde change this which we might hope for of men, and wayte for our hope from God, that we may be raised vp againe by him: as for thee, thou shalt haue no resurrection to life.

¹⁵ ¶ Afterward they brought the fifth also and tormented him,

¹⁶ Who looked vpon the King, and sayd, Thou hast power among men, and though thou be a mortall man, thou doest what thou wilt: but thinke not, that God hath forsaken our nation.

¹⁷ But abide a while, & thou shalt see his great power, how he will torment thee and thy seede.

¹⁸ After him also they brought the sixt, who being at the poynt of death, sayde, Deceiue not thy selfe foolishly: for we suffer these things, which are worthy to be wondered at for our owne sakes, because we haue offended our God.

¹⁹ But thinke not thou, which vndertakest to fight against God, that thou shalt be vnpunished.

²⁰ But the mother was marueilous aboue all other, & worthy of honourable memory: for when she sawe her seuen sonnes slaine within the space of one day, shee suffred it with a good will, because of the hope that she had in the Lord.

²¹ Yea, shee exhorted euery one of them in her owne language, and being full of courage and wisdome, stirred vp her womaly affections with a manly stomacke, and sayd vnto them,

²² I cannot tell how ye came into my wombe: for I neyther gaue you breath nor life: it is not I that set in order the members of your body,

²³ But doutles the Creator of the world, which formed the birth of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his owne mercy giue you breath and life againe, as yee now regarde not your owne selues, for his Lawes sake.

²⁴ Now Antiochus thinking himselfe despised, & considering the iniurious wordes, while the yongest was yet aliue, he did exhort him not only with wordes, but swore also vnto him by an othe that he would make him rich and wealthy, if he would forsake the Lawes of his fathers, & that he would take him as a friend, and giue him offices.

²⁵ But when the yong man woulde in no case hearken vnto him, the King called his mother, and exhorted that she should counsell the yong man to saue his life.

²⁶ And when he had exhorted her with many wordes, shee promised him that she would counsell her sonne.

²⁷ So shee turned her vnto him, laughing the cruell tyrant to scorne, and spake in her owne language, O my sonne, haue pitie vpon me, that bare thee nine monethes in my wombe, and gaue thee sucke three yeeres, & nourished thee, & tooke care for thee vnto this age, and brought thee vp.

²⁸ I beseech thee, my sonne, looke vpo the heauen and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not, and so was mankinde made likewise.

²⁹ Feare not this hangman, but shewe thy selfe worthy such brethren by suffring death, that I may receiue thee in mercy with thy brethren.

³⁰ While she was yet speaking these words, the yong man said, Whom wayte ye for? I wil not obey the Kings commaundement: but I will obey the commandement of the Lawe that was giuen vnto our fathers by Moyses.

³¹ And thou that imaginest all mischiefe against the Hebrewes, shalt not escape the hande of God.

³² For we suffer these thinges, because of our sinnes,

³³ But though the liuing Lorde be angry with vs a litle while for our chastening & correction, yet wil he be reconciled with his owne seruants.

³⁴ But thou, O man without religion and most wicked of all men, lift not thy selfe vp in vayne, [Page] which art puffed vp with vncertaine hope, & liftest thine hands against the seruants of God.

³⁵ For thou hast not yet escaped the iudgemet of almightie God, which seeth all things.

³⁶ My brethren that haue suffred a litle payne, are nowe vnder the diuine couenant of euerlasting life: but thou through the iudgement of God, shalt suffer iust punishments for thy pride.

³⁷ Therefore I, as my brethren haue done, offer my body & life for the Lawes of our fathers, beseeching God, that he will soone be merciful vnto our nation, and that thou by torment and punishment mayst confesse, that he is the only God,

³⁸ And that in mee and my brethren the wrath of the almightie, which is righteously fallen vpon all our nation, may cease.

³⁹ Then the King being kindled with anger, raged more cruelly against him then the others, and tooke it grieuously, that he was mocked.

⁴⁰ So he also dyed holily, & put his whole trust in the Lord.

⁴¹ Last of all after the sonnes, was the mother put to death.

⁴² Let this now be ynough spoken concerning the bankets, and extreeme cruelties.

1 Iudas gathereth together his hoste. 9 Nicanor is sent against Iudas. 16 Iudas exhorteth his souldiers to constancie. 20 Nicanor is ouercome. 27 The Iewes giue thankes, after they haue put their enemies to fight, deuiding part of the spoyles vnto the fatherlesse and vnto the widowes. 30 Timotheus and Bacchides are discomfited. 35 Nicanor flyeth vnto Antiochus.

¹ Then Iudas Maccabeus, & they that were with him, went priuily into the townes, and called their kinsfolks and friends together, & tooke vnto them all such as continued in the Iewes religion, & assembled sixe thousand men.

² So they called vpon the Lord, that he would haue an eye vnto his people, which was vexed of euery man, and haue pitie vpon the Temple that was defiled by wicked men,

³ And that he woulde haue compassion vpon the citie that was destroyed, and almost brought to the grounde, and that he woulde heare the voyce of the blood that cryed vnto him,

⁴ And that hee woulde remember the wicked slaughter of the innocent children, & the blasphemies committed against his name, & that he would shew his hatred against the wicked.

⁵ Nowe when Maccabeus had gathered this multitude, he could not be withstand by ye heathen: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.

⁶ Therefore he came at vnwares, and burnt vp the townes and cities: yet he tooke the most commodious places, and slew many of the enemies.

⁷ But specially he vsed the nights to make such assaults, in so much that the bruite of his manlines was spread euery where.

⁸ ¶ So when Philippe sawe that this man increased by litle and litle, and that things prospered with him for the most part, hee wrote vnto Ptolemeus the gouernour of Coelosyria and Phenice, to helpe him in the kings busines.

⁹ Then sent hee speedily Nicanor the sonne of Patroclus, a speciall friend of his, & gaue him of all nations of the heathen no lesse then twenty thousand men, to roote out the whole generation of the Iewes, & ioyned with him Gorgias a captaine, which in matters of warre had great experience.

¹⁰ Nicanor ordeined also a tribute for the king of two thousand talents, which the Romans should haue, to be taken of ye Iewes yt were taken prisoners.

¹¹ Therefore immediately he sent to the cities on the sea coast, prouoking them to bye Iewes to bee their seruantes, promising to sell foure score and ten for one talent: but he considered not the vegeace of almighty God, yt should come vpo him.

¹² When Iudas then knewe of Nicanors comming, hee tolde them that were with him, of the comming of the armie.

¹³ Nowe were there some of them fearefull, which trusted not vnto the righteousnesse of God, but fled away, and abode not in that place.

¹⁴ But the other solde all that they had left, and besought the Lorde together, to deliuer them from that wicked Nicanor, which had sold them, or euer he came neere them.

¹⁵ And though he woulde not doe it for their sakes, yet for the couenant made with their fathers, and because they called vpon his holy and glorious Name.

¹⁶ And so Maccabeus called his men together, about sixe thousande, exhorting them not to be afrayde of their enemies, neither to feare the great multitude of the Getiles, which came against them vnrighteously, but to fight manly,

¹⁷ Setting before their eyes the iniury that they had vniustly done to the holy place, & the crueltie done to the citie by derision, and the destruction of the orders established by their fathers.

¹⁸ For they, sayd he, trust in their weapons and boldenesse: but our confidence is in the almightie God, which at a becke can both destroy them that come against vs, and all the world.

¹⁹ Moreouer he admonished them of the helpe that God shewed vnto their fathers, as when there perished an hundreth and fourescore, & fiue thousand vnder [Note: 2.King.19.35. isa.37.36. iob.1.18. ecclus 48.22 1.macc.7.41. ] Sennacherib,

²⁰ And of the battell that they had in Babylon against the Galatians, how they came in all to the battell eight thousand, with foure thousand Macedonians: and when the Macedonians were astonished, the eyght thousande slewe an hundreth and twentie thousande through the helpe that was giuen them from heauen, whereby they had receiued many benefites.

²¹ Thus when hee had made them bolde with these wordes, & ready to die for the Lawes and the countrey, he deuided his armie into foure partes,

²² And made his owne brethren captaines ouer the armie, to wit, Simon, and Ioseph and Ionathan, giuing ech one fifteene hundreth men.

²³ And when [Note: Or, Esdras. ] Eleazarus had read the holie booke, and giuen them a token of the helpe of God, Iudas which lead the forewarde, ioyned with Nicanor,

²⁴ And because the almighty helped them, they slewe aboue nine thousand men, and wounded and maymed the most part of Nicanors hoste, and so put all to flight,

²⁵ And tooke the money from those that came to bye them, and pursued them farre: but lacking time they returned.

²⁶ For it was the day before the Sabbath, and therefore they would no longer pursue them.

²⁷ So they tooke their weapons, & spoyled the enemies, and kept the Sabbath, giuing thankes and praysing the Lorde wonderfully, which had deliuered them that day, and powred vpon them the beginning of his mercie.

²⁸ And after the Sabbath, [Note: Rom.31.29. 1.Sam.2.24. ] they distributed the

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spoyles to the sicke, and to the fatherlesse, and to the widowes, and deuided the residue among them selues and their children.
²⁹ When this was done, and they all had made a general prayer, they besought the mercifull Lorde to be reconciled at the length with his seruants.

³⁰ Afterwarde with one consent they fell vpon Timotheus and Bacchides, and slewe aboue twenty thousand, and wanne hie and strong holdes, and deuided great spoyles, and gaue an equall portion to the sicke, and to the fatherles, and to the widowes, and to aged persons also.

³¹ Moreouer they gathered their weapons together, and laide them vp diligently in conuenient places, and brought the remnant of the spoyles to Ierusalem.

³² They slewe also Philarches a most wicked person, which was with Timotheus, and had vexed the Iewes many wayes.

³³ And when they kept the feast of victorie in their countrey, they burnt Calistenes that had set fire vpon the holy gates, which was fled into a litle house: so he receiued a rewarde meete for his wickednesse.

³⁴ And that most wicked Nicanor, which had brought a thousand marchants to buy the Iewes,

³⁵ He was through ye helpe of the Lord brought downe of them whom he thought as nothing, in so much that he put off his glorious rayment, & fled ouerthwart the countrey like a fugitiue seruant, & came alone to Antiochia, with great dishonour through the destruction of his hoste.

³⁶ Thus hee that promised to pay tribute to the Romanes, by meanes of the prisoners of Ierusalem, brought newes, that the Iewes had a [Note: Or, God their defender. ] defender, & for this cause none coulde hurt the Iewes, because they followed the Lawes appoynted by him.

1 Antiochus willing to spoile Persepolis, is put to flight. 5 As he persecuteth the Iewes, he is stricken of the Lord. 13 The fained repentance of Antiochus. 28 He dieth miserably.

¹ At the same time, came Antiochus againe with dishonour out of the countrey of Persia.

² For when he came to Persepolis, and went about to robbe the Temple, and to subdue the citie, the people ranne in a rage to defende them selues with their weapons, and put them to flight, and Antiochus was put to flight by the inhabitants, and returned with shame.

³ Nowe when he came to Ecbatane, he vnderstoode the things that had come to Nicanor, and Timotheus.

⁴ And the being chased in his fume, he thought to impute to the Iewes their faute, which had put him to flight, and therefore commanded his charet man to driue continually, and to dispatch the iourney: for Gods iudgement compelled him: for hee had sayde thus in his pride, I will make Ierusalem a common burying place of the Iewes, when I come thither.

⁵ But the Lorde almightie and God of Israel smote him with an incurable and inuisible plague: for assoone as he had spoken these wordes, a payne of the bowels, that was remediles, came vpon him, and sore torments of the inner parts,

⁶ And that most iustly: for hee had tormented other mens bowels with diuers, and strange tormentes.

⁷ Howbeit he woulde in no wise cease from his arrogancie, but swelled the more with pride, breathing our fire in his rage against the Iewes, & commaunded to hast the iourney: but it came to passe that he fell downe from the charet that ran swiftely, so that al the members of his body were bruised with the great fall.

⁸ And thus hee that a litle afore thought hee might commande the floods of the sea (so proude was he beyond the condition of man) & to weigh the hie mountaines in the balance, was nowe caste on the grounde, and caried in an horselitter, declaring vnto all the manifest power of God,

⁹ [Note: Actes.12.23. ] So that the wormes came out of the bodie of this wicked man in aboundance: and whiles hee was aliue, his flesh fell off for payne and torment, and all his armie was grieued at his [Note: Or, rottennesse. ] smell.

¹⁰ Thus no man coulde beare because of his stinke, him that a litle afore thought hee might reach to the starres of heauen.

¹¹ Then hee began to leaue off his great pride, and selfewill, when hee was plagued and came to the knowledge of himselfe by the scourge of God, and by his paine which increased euery moment.

¹² And when hee him selfe might not abide his owne stinke, hee saide these wordes, It is meete to be subiect vnto God, and that a man which is mortall, shoulde not thinke him selfe equall vnto God through pride.

¹³ This wicked person praied also vnto ye Lord, who would nowe haue no mercy on him,

¹⁴ And saide thus that he woulde set at libertie the holy citie vnto the which he made haste to destroy it, and to make it a burying place.

¹⁵ And as touching the Iewes whome hee had iudged not worthie to be buried, but woulde haue cast them out with their children to bee deuoured of the foules and wilde beastes, he would make the all like the citizens of Athenes.

¹⁶ And whereas he had spoyled the holy Temple afore, he would garnish it with great giftes, and increase the holy vessels, and of his owne rentes beare the charges belonging to the sacrifices.

¹⁷ Yea, and that he would also become a Iewe himselfe, and goe thorowe all the worlde that was inhabited, and preach the power of God.

¹⁸ But for all this his paines woulde not cease: for the iust iudgement of God was come vpon him: therfore despairing of his health, he wrote vnto the Iewes this letter vnder written, conteining the forme of a supplication.

¹⁹ ¶ The King and Prince Antiochus vnto the Iewes his louing citizens wisheth much ioy and health and prosperitie.

²⁰ If ye and your children fare well, and if all thinges goe after your minde, I giue great thankes vnto God hauing hope in the heauen.

²¹ Though I lie sicke, yet I am mindful of your honour, and good will for the loue I beare you: therefore when I returned from the countrey of Persia, and fell into a sore disease, I thought it necessarie to care for the common safetie of all,

²² Not distrusting mine health, but hauing great hope to escape this sicknesse.

²³ Therefore considering that when my father led an hoste against the high countreis, he appoynted who should succeede him:

²⁴ That if any controuersie happened contrary to his expectation, or if yt any tidings were brought that were grieuous, they in the land might know to whom the affaires were committed, yt they shoulde not be troubled:
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²⁵ Againe, when I ponder howe that the gouernours, that are borderers, and neighbours vnto my kingdome, waite for all occasions, and looke but for opportunitie, I haue ordeined yt my sonne Antiochus shalbe king, whome I oft commended and committed to many of you, when I went into the hie prouinces, and haue written vnto him as followeth hereafter.

²⁶ Therefore, I pray you, and require you to remember the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally, and particularly, and that euery man will be faithfull vnto me and my sonne.

²⁷ For I trust that he will be gentle, and louing vnto you according to my minde.

²⁸ ¶ Thus the murtherer and blasphemer suffered most grieuously, and as he had intreated other men, so he died a miserable death in a strange coutrey among the mountaines.

²⁹ And Philippe that was brought vp with him, caried away his body, who fearing the sonne of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemeus Philometor.

1 Iudas Maccabeus taketh the citie and the Temple. 10 The actes of Eupator. 16 The Iewes sight against the Idumeaus. 24 Timotheus inuadeth Iudea, with whom Iudas ioyneth battell. 29 Fiue men appeare in the aire to the helpe of the Iewes. 37 Timotheus is slaine.

¹ Maccabeus now and his company, through the helpe of the Lorde, wanne the Temple and the citie againe,

² And destroyed the altars, and chappels that the heathen had builded in the open places,

³ And clensed the Temple, and made another altar, and burned stones, and tooke fire of them, and offered sacrifices, and incense two yeeres, and sixe moneths after, and set foorth the lampes, and the shewbread.

⁴ When that was done, they fell downe flat vpon the grounde, and besought the Lorde, that they might come no more into such troubles: but if they sinned any more against him, that hee him selfe woulde chasten them with mercy, and that they might not bee deliuered to the blasphemous, and barbarous nations.

⁵ Nowe vpon the same day, that the straungers polluted the Temple, on the very same day it was clensed againe, euen the fiue and twentie day of the same moneth, which is [Note: Or, Nouember. ] Chasleu.

⁶ They kept eight dayes with gladnesse as in the feast of the Tabernacles, remembring, that not long afore they held the feast of the Tabernacles when they liued in the mountaines and dennes like beastes.

⁷ And for the same cause they bare greene boughes, and faire branches and palmes, and sang Psalmes vnto him that had giuen them good successe in clensing his place.

⁸ They ordeined also by a common statute and decree, that euery yeere those dayes should be kept of the whole nation of the Iewes.

⁹ And this was the ende of Antiochus called Epiphanes.

¹⁰ ¶ Nowe will we declare the actes of Antiochus Eupator, which was the sonne of this wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the warres, that followed.

¹¹ For when he had taken the kingdome, hee made one Lysias, which had bene captaine of the hoste in Phenice, and Coelosyria, ruler ouer the affaires of the realme.

¹² For Ptolemeus that was called Macron, purposed to doe iustice vnto the Iewes for the wrong, that had bene done vnto them, and went about to behaue himselfe peaceably with them.

¹³ For the which cause hee was accused of his friendes before Eupator, and was called oft times traitour, because he had left Cyprus that Philometor had committed vnto him, and came to Antiochus Epiphanes: therefore seeing that hee was no more in estimation, he was discouraged, and poysoned himselfe, and died.

¹⁴ ¶ But when Gorgias was gouernour of the same places, hee interteined strangers, and made warre oft times against the Iewes.

¹⁵ Moreouer the Idumeans yt helde the strong holdes, which were meete for their purpose, troubled the Iewes, and by receiuing them that were driuen from Ierusalem, tooke in hande to continue warre.

¹⁶ Then they that were with Maccabeus made prayers, and besought God that he woulde be their helper, and so they fell vpon the strong holdes of the Idumeans,

¹⁷ And assaulted them sore, that they wan the places, and slewe all that sought against them on the wall, and killed all that they met with, & slewe no lesse then twentie thousand.

¹⁸ And because certaine (which were no lesse then nine thousand) were fled into two strong castles, hauing all maner of things conuenient to susteine the siege,

¹⁹ Maccabeus left Simon, and Ioseph, and Zaccheus also, and those that were with them, which were inowe to besiege them, and departed to those places which were more necessarie.

²⁰ Nowe they that were with Simon, being led with couetousnes, were intreated for mony (through certaine of those that were in the castel) & tooke seuentie thousand drachmes, and let some of them escape.

²¹ But when it was tolde Maccabeus what was done, hee called the gouernours of the people together, and accused those men, that they had solde their brethren for money, and let their enemies goe.

²² So he slew them when they were conuict of treason, and immediately wan the two castels:

²³ And hauing good successe, as in al the warres that he tooke in hande, hee slewe in the two castels moe then twentie thousand.

²⁴ Nowe Timotheus whom the Iewes had ouercome afore, gathered an armie of strangers of al sorts, and brought a great troupe of horsemen out of Asia to winne Iewrie by strength.

²⁵ But when hee drewe neere, Maccabeus and they that were with him, turned to pray vnto God, and sprinkled earth vpon their heads, and girded their reines with sackcloth,

²⁶ And fell downe at the foote of the altar, and besought the Lorde to bee mercifull to them, and to bee an enemie to their enemies, and to bee an aduersarie to their aduersaries, [Note: Exod.23.20. deut.20.4. ] as the Lawe declareth.

²⁷ So after ye prayer, they tooke their weapons, and went on further from the citie, and when they came neere to the enemies, they tooke heede to themselues.

²⁸ And when the morning appeared, they both ioyned together: the one part had the Lord for their refuge, and pledge of prosperitie, and noble

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victorie, and the other tooke courage as a guide of the warre.
²⁹ But when the battel waxed strong, there appeared vnto the enemies from heauen fiue comely men vpon horses with bridles of golde, and two of them led the Iewes,

³⁰ And tooke Maccabeus betwixt them, and couered him on euery side with their weapons, and kept him safe, but shot dartes, and lightnings against the enemies, so that they were confounded with blindenesse, and beaten downe and full of trouble.

³¹ There were slaine of foote men twentie thousande and fiue hundreth, and sixe hundreth horsemen.

³² As for Timotheus himselfe, he fled vnto Gazara, which was called a very strong holde, wherein Chereas was captaine.

³³ But Maccabeus and his company layde siege against the fortresses with courage for foure dayes.

³⁴ And they that were within, trusting to the height of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and spake horrible wordes.

³⁵ Neuerthelesse vpon the [Note: Or, the fiue and twentie day. ] fifth daye in the morning, twentie yong men of Maccabeus companie, whose heartes were inflamed, because of the blasphemies, came vnto the wall, and with bolde stomakes smote downe those that they met.

³⁶ Others also that climed vp vpon the engines of warre against them that were within, set fire vpo the towres, and burnt those blasphemers quicke with the fires that they had made, and others brake vp the gates, and receiued the rest of the armie, and tooke the citie.

³⁷ And hauing founde Timotheus, that was crept into a caue, they killed him, and Chereas his brother with Apollophanes.

³⁸ When this was done, they praysed the Lorde with psalmes, and thanksgiuing, which had done so great thinges for Israel, and giuen them the victorie.

1 Lysias goeth about to ouercome the Iewes. 8 Succour is sent from heauen vnto the Iewes. 16 The letter of Lysias vnto the Iewes. 20 The letter of king Antiochus vnto Lysias. 27 A letter of the same vnto the Iewes. 34 A letter of the Romanes to the Iewes.

¹ Very shortly after this, Lysias the kings steward, and a kinsman of his, which had the gouernance of the affaires, tooke sore displeasure for the things that were done.

² And when he had gathered about fourescore thousand, with all the horsemen, he came against the Iewes, thinking to make the citie an habitation of the Gentiles.

³ And the temple would he haue to get money by, like the other temples of the heathen: for hee would sell the Priests office euery yeere.

⁴ And thus being puffed vp in his minde, because of the great number of footemen, and thousands of horsemen, & in his fourescore Elephants,

⁵ He came into Iudea, and drew neere to Bethsura, which was a castle of defence, fiue furlongs from Ierusalem, and layde sore siege vnto it.

⁶ But when Maccabeus, and his companie knew that he besieged the holdes, they, and all the people made prayers with weeping, and teares before the Lord, that he would send a good Angel to deliuer Israel.

⁷ And Maccabeus him selfe first of all tooke weapons, exhorting the other that they would ieoparde themselues together with him to helpe their brethren: so they went forth together with a couragious minde.

⁸ And as they were there besides Ierusalem, there appeared before them vpon horsebacke a man in white cloathing, shaking his harnesse of golde.

⁹ Then they praysed the mercifull God all together, and tooke heart, in so much that they were ready, not onely to fight with men, but with the most cruell beasts, and to breake downe walles of yron.

¹⁰ Thus they marched forwarde in aray, hauing an helper from heauen: for the Lord was mercifull vnto them.

¹¹ And running vpon their enemies like lions, they slew eleuen thousande footemen, and sixteene hundreth horsemen, and put all the other to flight.

¹² Many of them also being wounded, escaped naked, and Lysias himselfe fled away shamefully, & so escaped,

¹³ Who as he was a man of vnderstanding, cosidering what losse he had had, and knowing, that the Hebrewes could not be ouercome because the almightie God helped them, sent vnto them,

¹⁴ And promised, that he would consent to all things which were reasonable, & perswade the king to be their friend.

¹⁵ Maccabeus agreed to Lysias requests, hauing respect in all things to the common wealth, and whatsoeuer Maccabeus wrote vnto Lysias concerning the Iewes, the King granted it.

¹⁶ For there were letters written vnto ye Iewes from Lysias conteining these wordes, Lysias vnto the people of the Iewes sendeth greeting.

¹⁷ Iohn and Abessalom, which were sent from you, deliuered me the things that you demande by writing, and required mee to fulfill the things that they had declared.

¹⁸ Therefore what things soeuer were meete to be reported to the King himselfe, I haue declared them, and he granted that that was possible.

¹⁹ Therefore if ye behaue your selues as friends toward his affaires, hereafter also I will endeuour my selfe to do you good.

²⁰ As concerning these things, I haue giuen commandement to these men, and to those whom I sent vnto you, to commune with you of the same particularly.

²¹ Fare ye well, the hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the foure and twentieth day of the moneth Dioscorinthius.

²² ¶ Nowe the Kinges letter conteined these words, King Antiochvs vnto his brother Lysias sendeth greeting.

²³ Since our father is translated vnto the gods, our will is, that they which are in our realme, liue quietly, that euery man may apply his owne affaires.

²⁴ We vnderstand also that the Iewes woulde not consent to our father, for to be brought vnto the custome of the Gentiles, but would keepe their owne maner of liuing: for the which cause they require of vs, that we would suffer them to liue after their owne Lawes.

²⁵ Wherefore our minde is that this nation shal be in rest, and haue determined to restore them their Temple, that they may be gouerned according to the custome of their fathers.

²⁶ Thou shalt doe well therefore to sende vnto them, & grant them peace, that when they are certified [Page] of our minde, they may be of good comfort, and cheerefully go about their owne affaires.

²⁷ And this was the Kings letter vnto the nation, King Antiochvs vnto the Elders of the Iewes, and to the rest of the Iewes, sendeth greeting.

²⁸ If ye fare well, we haue our desire: we are also in good health.

²⁹ Menelaus declared vnto vs that your desire was to returne home, and to applie your owne businesse.

³⁰ Wherefore, those that will depart, we giue them free libertie, vnto the thirtie day of the moneth of [Note: Or, Aprill. ] Panthicus,

³¹ That the Iewes may vse their owne maner of liuing and lawes, like as afore, and none of them by any maner of wayes to haue harme for thinges done by ignorance.

³² I haue sent also Menelaus to comfort you.

³³ Fare yee well: the hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the fifteenth day of the moneth of Panthicus.

³⁴ ¶ The Romanes also sent a letter conteining these wordes, Qvintvs Memmivs & Titus [Note: Or, Manlius ] Manslius ambassadours of the Romanes, vnto the people of the Iewes send greeting.

³⁵ The things that Lysias the Kings kinseman hath granted you, we grant the same also.

³⁶ But concerning that which he shall report vnto the King, send hither some with speede, when ye haue considered the matter diligently, that wee may consult thereupon as shall be best for you: for we must go vnto Antiochia.

³⁷ And therefore make haste and sende some men, that we may know your minde.

³⁸ Fare well: this hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the fifteenth day of the moneth of Panthicus.

2 Timotheus troubleth the Iewes. 3 The wicked deede of them of Ioppe against the Iewes. 6 Iudas is auenged of them. 9 He setteth fire in the hauen of Iamnia. 20 The pursuite of the Iewes against Timotheus. 24 Timotheus is taken & let go vnhurt. 32 Iudas pursueth Gorgias.

¹ When these couenantes were made, Lysias went vnto the King, and the Iewes tilled their grounde.

² But the gouernours of the places, as Timotheus and Apollonius the sonne of Genneus, and Ieronimus, and also Demophon, and besides them Nicanor the gouernour of Cyprus, woulde not let them liue in rest and peace.

³ ¶ They of Ioppe also did such a vile acte: they prayed the Iewes that dwelt among them, to goe with their wiues and children into the shippes, which they had prepared as though they had ought them none euill will.

⁴ And so by the common aduise of the citie, they obeyed them, and suspect nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deepe, they drowned no lesse then two hundreth of them.

⁵ Nowe when Iudas knewe of this crueltie shewed against his nation, hee commanded those men that were with him, to make them readie.

⁶ And hauing called vpon God the righteous Iudge, hee went foorth against the murtherers of his brethren, and set fire in the hauen by night, and burnt the shippes, and those that fled thence, he slewe.

⁷ And when the citie was shut vp, hee departed as though he would come againe, and roote out all them of the citie of Ioppe.

⁸ ¶ But when hee perceiued that the Iamnites were minded to doe in like maner vnto the Iewes, which dwelt among them,

⁹ He came vpon the Iamnites by night, and set fire in the hauen with the nauie, so that the light of the fire was seene at Ierusalem, vpo a two hundreth and fourtie furlongs.

¹⁰ Now whe they were gone from thence nine furlongs, in their iourney toward Timotheus, about fiue thousand men of foote and fiue hundreth horsemen of the Arabians set vpon him.

¹¹ So the battell was sharpe, but it prospered with Iudas through the helpe of God: the [Note: So called because they were shepheards. ] Nomades of Arabia; being ouercome, besought Iudas to make peace with them, and promised to giue him certaine cattell, and to helpe him in other things.

¹² And Iudas thinking that they shoulde in deede be profitable concerning many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shooke hands, and so they departed to their tents.

¹³ ¶ Iudas also assaulted a citie called Caspis, which was strong by reason of a bridge, and fenced round about with walles, and had diuers kindes of people dwelling therein.

¹⁴ So they that were within it, put such trust in the strength of the walles, and in store of vitailes, that they were ye slacker in their doings, reuiling the that were with Iudas, and reproching them: yea, they blasphemed and spake such wordes as were not lawfull.

¹⁵ But Maccabeus souldiers, calling vpon the great Prince of the world (which without any [Note: Or, battell rammes. ] instruments, or engins of warre, did [Note: Iosh.6.20. ] cast downe the walles of Iericho, in the time of Iesus) gaue a fierce assault against the walles,

¹⁶ And tooke the citie by the will of God, and made an exceeding great slaughter, in so much that a lake of two furlongs broade, which lay thereby, seemed to flowe with blood.

¹⁷ ¶ Then departed they from thence, seuen hundreth and fiftie furlongs, and came to Characa vnto the Iewes, that are called Tubieni.

¹⁸ But they founde not Timotheus therefor he was departed from thence, and had done nothing, and had left a garison in a very strong hold.

¹⁹ But Dositheus, and Sosipater, which were captaines with Maccabeus, went foorth, and slewe those that Timotheus had left in the fortresse more then tenne thousand men.

²⁰ And Maccabeus prepared, and ranged his armie by bandes, and went couragiously against Timotheus, which had with him an hundreth and twentie thousand men of foote, and two thousand and fiue hundreth horsemen.

²¹ When Timotheus had knowledge of Iudas comming, he sent the women, and children, and the other baggage afore vnto a fortresse called Carnion (for it was hard to besiege, and vneasie to come vnto because of the straites on all sides.)

²² But when Iudas first band came in sight, the enemies were smitten with feare, and a trembling was among them through the presence of him that seeth all thinges, in so much that they fleeing one here, another there, were oft times hurt by their owne people, and wounded with the poyntes of their owne swordes.

²³ But Iudas was very earnest in pursuing, and

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slewe those wicked men yea, hee slewe thirtie thousand men of them.
²⁴ Timotheus also himselfe fell into the handes of Dositheus, and Sosipater, whome hee besought with much craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Iewes parents and the brethren of some of them, which, if they put him to death, should be despised.

²⁵ So when hee had assured them with many wordes, and promised that he woulde restore them without hurt, they let him goe for the health of their brethren.

²⁶ ¶ Then went Maccabeus toward Carnion, and Atargation, and slewe fiue and twentie thousand persons:

²⁷ And after that hee had chased away, and slayne them, Iudas remoued the hoste towarde Ephron a strong citie, wherein was Lysias and a great multitude of all nations, and the strong yong men kept the walles defending them mightily: there was also great preparation of engins of warre, and dartes.

²⁸ But when they had called vpon the Lorde, which with his power breaketh the strength of the enemies, they wanne the citie, and slewe fiue and twentie thousand of them that were within.

²⁹ ¶ From thence went they to Scythopolis, which lieth sixe hundreth furlonges from Ierusalem.

³⁰ But when the Iewes which dwelt there, testified, that the Scythopolitans delt louingly with them, and intreated the kindly in the time of their aduersitie,

³¹ They gaue them thankes, desiring them to be friendly still vnto them, and so they came to Ierusalem, as the feast of the weekes approched.

³² ¶ And after the feast called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias ye gouernor of Idumea:

³³ Who came out with three thousande men of foote and foure hundreth horsemen.

³⁴ And when they ioyned together, a fewe of the Iewes were slaine,

³⁵ And Dositheus one of the Baccenors, which was on horsebacke and a mighty man, tooke Gorgias, and laide holde of his garment, and drewe him by force, because he woulde haue taken the wicked man aliue: but an horseman of Thracia fell vpon him, & smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled into Marisa.

³⁶ And when they that were [Note: Or, with Gorgias. ] with Eserin, had foughten long, and were weary, Iudas called vpon the Lord, that he would shewe him selfe to be their helper, and captaine of the fielde.

³⁷ And then hee began in his owne language, and sung psalmes with a loude voyce, in so much that straightwaies hee made them that were about Gorgias, to take their flight.

³⁸ ¶ So Iudas gathered his hoste, and came into the citie of Odolla. And when the seuenth day came, they clensed them selues (as the custome was) and kept the Sabbath in the same place.

³⁹ And vpon the day following, as necessitie required, Iudas and his companie came to take vp the bodyes of them that were slaine, and to burie them with their kinsmen in their fathers graues.

⁴⁰ Nowe vnder the coates of euery one, that was slaine, they founde iewels that had bene consecrate to the idoles of the [Note: Deut.7.25. iosh.7.1,11,12. ] Iamnites, which thing is forbidden the Iewes by the Lawe. Then euery man sawe, that this was the cause wherefore they were slaine.

⁴¹ And so euery man gaue thankes vnto the Lorde, the righteous Iudge, which had opened the things that were hid.

⁴² And they gaue them selues to prayer, and besought him, that they should not, vtterly be destroyed for the fault comitted. Besides that, noble Iudas exhorted the people to keepe them selues from sinne, for so much as they sawe before their eyes the things which came to passe by the sinne of these that were slaine,

⁴³ And hauing made a gathering through the company, sent to Ierusalem about two thousande drachmes of siluer, to offer a sinne offering, doing very well, and honestly that he thought of the resurrection.

⁴⁴ For if he had not hoped, that they which were slaine, should rise againe, it had bene superfluous, and vaine, to [Note: From this verse to the end of this chapter, the Greeke text is corrupt, so that no good sense, much lesse certain doctrine can be gathered thereby: Also it is euident that this place was not written by the holy Ghost, both because it dissenteth from the rest of the holy Scriptures, and also the autor of this booke acknowledging his own infirmitie, desireth pardon, if he haue not atteined to that he shoulde. And it seemeth, that this Iason the Cyrenean, out of whome hee tooke this abbridgement, is Ioseph Ben Gorion, who liath written in Ebrewe fiue bookes of these matters, and intreating this place, maketh no mention of this prayer for the dead, lib.3. chap.19. for it is contrary to the custome of the Iewes, euen to this day, to pray for the dead. And though Iudas had so done, yet this particular example is not sufficient to establish a doctrine, no more then Zipporalis was to proue that women might minister the Sacraments, Exod.4 25. or the example of Razis that one might kill him selfe, whome this autor so much commendeth, Chap.14.41. ] pray for the dead.

⁴⁵ And therefore he perceiued, that there was great fauour laid vp for those that dyed godly. (It was an holy, and a good thought.) So he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be deliuered from sinne.

1 The comming of Eupator into Iudea. 4 The death of Menelaus. 10 Maccabeus going to fight against Eupator, moueth his souldiers vnto prayer. 15 He killeth fourteene thousande men in the tents of Antiochus. 21 Rhodocus the betrayer of the Iewes is taken.

¹ In the hundreth, fourtie and nine yeere it was tolde Iudas, that Antiochus Eupator was comming with a great power into Iudea,

² And Lysias the stewarde and ruler of his affaires with him, hauing both in their armie an hundreth and ten thousande men of foote of the Grecians, and fiue thousande horsemen, and two and twentie elephants, and three hundreth charets set with hookes.

³ Menelaus also ioyned him selfe with them, and with great deceite encouraged Antiochus, not for the sauegarde of the countrey, but because he thought to haue bene made the gouernour.

⁴ But the King of Kings moued Antiochus minde against this wicked man, and Lysias infourmed the King that this man was the cause of all mischiefe, so that the King commaunded to bring him to Berea to put him vnto death, as the maner was in that place.

⁵ Nowe there was in that place a towre of fiftie cubites high, full of ashes, and it had an instrument that turned rounde, and on euery side it rowled downe into the ashes.

⁶ And there whosoeuer was condemned of sacriledge, or of any other grieuous crime, was cast of all men to the death.

⁷ And so it came to passe that this wicked man should die such a death, and it was a most iust thing that Menelaus should want buriall,

⁸ For because he had committed many sinnes by the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy: hee him selfe also dyed in the ashes.

⁹ ¶ Nowe the King raged in his minde, and [Page] came to shew him selfe more cruell vnto the Iewes then his father.

¹⁰ Which things when Iudas perceiued, he comanded the people to call vpon the Lord night & day, that if euer he had holpen them, he would now helpe the, when they should be put from their law, from their countrey and from the holy Temple:

¹¹ And that he would not suffer the people, which a litle afore began to recouer, to be subdued vnto the blasphemous nations.

¹² So when they had done this all together, & besought the Lorde for mercie with weeping, and fasting, and falling downe three dayes together, Iudas exhorted them to make them selues readie.

¹³ And he being apart with the Elders, tooke counsell to goe foorth, afore the King brought his hoste into Iudea, and shoulde take the citie, and commit the matter to the helpe of the Lorde.

¹⁴ So committing the charge to the Lorde of the worlde, he exhorted his souldiers to fight manfully, euen vnto death for the Lawes, the Temple, the citie, their countrey, and the common wealth, and camped by Modin.

¹⁵ And so giuing his souldiers for a watch word, The victorie of God, he piked out the manliest yong men, & went by night into the Kings campe, and slewe of the hoste fourteene thousande men, & the greatest elephant with all that sate vpon him.

¹⁶ Thus when they had brought a great feare, and trouble in the campe, and all things went prosperously with them, they departed.

¹⁷ This was done in the breake of the day, because the protection of the Lorde did helpe them.

¹⁸ ¶ Nowe when the King had tasted the malinesse of the Iewes, he went about to take the holdes by policie,

¹⁹ And marched toward Beth-sura, which was a strong holde of the Iewes: but he was chased away, hurt and lost of his men.

²⁰ For Iudas had sent vnto them that were in it, such things as were necessarie.

²¹ But Rhodocus which was in the Iewes hoste, disclosed the secrets to the enemies: therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.

²² After this did the King commune with them that were in Beth-sura, & [Note: Or, gaue and tooke the right hand. ] tooke truce with them, departed, and ioyned battel with Iudas, who ouercame him.

²³ But when he vnderstoode, that Philippe (whome he had left to be ouerseer of his businesse at Antiochia) did rebell against him, he was astonished, so that he yeelded him selfe to the Iewes, and made them an othe to doe all things that were right, and was appeased towarde them, and offered sacrifice and adorned the Temple, and shewed great gentlenesse to the place,

²⁴ And embraced Maccabeus, and made him captaine and gouernour from Ptolemais vnto the Gerreneans.

²⁵ Neuertheles, when he came to Ptolemais, the people of the citie were not content with this agreement: & because they were grieued, they would that he should breake the couenants.

²⁶ Then went Lysias vp into the iudgement seate, and excused the facte as well as he could, and perswaded them, and pacified them, and made them well affectioned, & came againe vnto Antiochia. This is the matter concerning the Kings iourney, and his returne.

1 Demetrius mooued by Alcimus sendeth Nicanor to kill the Iewes. 18 Nicanor maketh a compact with the Iewes, 29 Which he yet breaketh through the motion of the King. 37 Nicanor commaundeth Razis to bee taken, who slayeth himselfe.

¹ After three yeeres was Iudas enformed that Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus was come vp with a great power and nauie by the hauen of Tripolis,

² When he had wonne the countrey, and slaine Antiochus and his Lieutenant Lysias.

³ Now Alcunus, which had bene the high Priest, and wilfully defiled himselfe in the time that all thinges were confounded, seeing that by no meanes he could saue himselfe, nor haue any more entrance to the holie Altar,

⁴ He came to King Demetrius in the hundreth, fiftie and one yeere, presenting vnto him a crowne of golde, and a palme, and of the boughes, which were vsed solemnly in the Temple, and that day he held his tongue.

⁵ But when hee had gotten opportunitie, and occasion for his rage, Demetrius called him to cousell, and asked him what deuises or counsels the Iewes leaned vnto.

⁶ To the which hee answered, The Iewes that be called Asideans, whose captaine is Iudas Maccabeus, maintaine warres, and make insurrections, and will not let the Realme be in peace.

⁷ Therefore I, being depriued of my fathers honour (I meane the high Priesthode) am nowe come hether,

⁸ Partly, because I was well affectioned vnto the kings affaires, and secodly, because I sought the profit of mine owne citizens: for all our people, thorow their rashnes, are not a little troubled.

⁹ Wherefore, O King, seeing thou knowest all these things, make prouision for the countrey, and our nation which is abused, according to thine own humanitie, that is readie to helpe all men.

¹⁰ For as long as Iudas liueth, it is not possible that the matter should be well.

¹¹ When hee had spoken these wordes, other friendes also hauing euil will at Iudas, set Demetrius on fire.

¹² Who immediatly called for Nicanor, the ruler of the Elephants, and made him captaine ouer Iudea,

¹³ And sent him forth, commanding him to slay Iudas, and to scatter them that were with him, & to make Alcimus high Priest of the great Temple.

¹⁴ Then the heathen which fled out of Iudea from Iudas, came to Nicanor by flocks, thinking the harme and calamities of the Iewes to bee their welfare.

¹⁵ Now when ye Iewes heard of Nicanors comming, and the gathering together of the heathen, they sprinkled themselues with earth, and prayed vnto him which had appoynted himselfe a people for euer, and did alwayes defende his owne portion with euident tokens.

¹⁶ So at the commandement of the captaine, they remooued straightwayes from thence, and came to the towne of Dessan,

¹⁷ Where Simon Iudas brother had ioyned battel with Nicanor, and was somewhat astonished through the sudden silence of the enemies.

¹⁸ Neuerthelesse Nicanor hearing the manlines of them that were with Iudas, and the bolde stomackes that they had for their countrey, durst not

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proue the matter with bloudsheading.
¹⁹ Wherefore, he sent Posidonius, [Note: Or, Theodotus. ] Theodocius, and [Note: Or, Mattathias. ] Matthias before, to make peace.

²⁰ So when they had taken long aduisement thereupon, & the captaine shewed it vnto the multitude, they were agreed in one minde, and consented to the couenants.

²¹ And they appointed a day when they should particularly come together: so when the day was come, they set for euery man his stoole.

²² Neuerthelesse Iudas commaunded certeine men of armes to waite in conuenient places, least there should suddenly arise any euil through the enemies: and so they communed together of the things whereupon they had agreed.

²³ Nicanor, while hee abode at Ierusalem, did none hurt, but sent away the people that were gathered together.

²⁴ Hee [Note: Or, had Iudas before his eyes. ] loued Iudas, and fauoured him in his heart.

²⁵ He prayed him also to take a wife, & to beget children: so he maried, and they liued together.

²⁶ But Alcimus perceiuing the loue that was betweene them, and vnderstanding the couenants that were made, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor had taken strange matters in hande, and ordeined Iudas a traytour to the Realme, to be his successour.

²⁷ Then the King was displeased, and by the reportes of this wicked man, hee wrote to Nicanor, saying, that hee was very angry for the couenants, commanding him that hee should send Maccabeus in all haste prisoner vnto Antiochia.

²⁸ When these things came to Nicanor, he was astonished and sore grieued, that hee should breake the things wherein they had agreed, seeing that that man had committed no wickednesse.

²⁹ But because it was not commodious to him to withstand the King, hee sought craftily to accomplish it.

³⁰ Notwithstanding when Maccabeus perceiued that Nicanor began to be rough vnto him, and yt he intreated him more rudely then hee was wont, he perceiued that such rigour came not of good, & therefore he gathered a fewe of his men, and withdrewe himselfe from Nicanor.

³¹ But the other perceiuing that he was preuented by Maccabeus worthy pollicie, came into the great and holy Temple, and commaunded the Priests, which were offering their vsuall sacrifices, to deliuer him the man.

³² And when they sware that they could not tell where the man was, whome he sought,

³³ He stretched out his right hand towarde the Temple, and made an othe in this maner, If ye will not deliuer me Iudas as a prisoner, I will make this Temple of God a plaine fielde, and will breake downe the altar, and will erect a notable Temple vnto Bacchus.

³⁴ After these wordes he departed: then the Priestes lift vp their handes towarde heauen, and besought him that was euer the defender of their nation, saying in this maner,

³⁵ Thou, O Lord of all things, which hast need of nothing, wouldest that the Teple of thine habitation shoulde be among vs.

³⁶ Therefore nowe, O most holy Lord, keepe this house euer vndefiled, which lately was clensed, and stoppe all the mouthes of the vnrighteous.

³⁷ Nowe was there accused vnto Nicanor, Razis one of the Elders of Ierusalem, a louer of the citie, and a man of very good report, which for his loue was called a father of the Iewes.

³⁸ For this man aforetimes when the Iewes were minded to keepe them selues vndefiled and pure, being accused to be of the religion of the Iewes, did offer to spende his body and life, with all constancie for the religion of the Iewes.

³⁹ So Nicanor willing to declare the hatred that he bare to the Iewes, sent about fiue hundreth men of warre to take him.

⁴⁰ For he thought by taking him to doe the Iewes much hurt.

⁴¹ But when this companie would haue taken his castle, and woulde haue broken the gates by violence, and commaunded to bring fire to burne the gates, so that he was ready to be taken on euery side, he [Note: As this priuate example ought not to be followed of the godly, because it is contrary to the word of God although the autor seeme here to approue it: so that place as touching prayer, Chap.12. 44 though Iudas had appointed it, yet were it not sufficient to proue a doctrine, because it is onely a particular example. ] fell on his sworde,

⁴² Willing rather to dye manfully, then to giue him selfe into the handes of wicked men, and to suffer reproch vnworthy for his noble stocke.

⁴³ Notwithstanding what time as he missed of his stroke for haste, and the multitude russhed in violently betweene the doores, he ranne boldly to the wall, and cast him selfe downe manfully among the multitude.

⁴⁴ Which conueyed them selues lightly away, and gaue place, so that he fell vpon his bellie.

⁴⁵ Neuerthelesse while there was yet breath in him, being kindled in his minde, he rose vp, and though his blood gushed out like a fountaine, and he was very sore wounded, yet he ran thorowe the middest of the people,

⁴⁶ And gate him to the toppe of an high rock: so when his blood was vtterly gone, he tooke out his owne bowels with both his handes, and threwe them vpon the people, calling vpon the Lorde of life and spirit, that he woulde restore them againe vnto him, and thus he dyed.

1 Nicanor goeth about to come vpon Iudas on the Sabbath day. 5 The blasphemie of Nicanor. 14 Maccabeus expounding vnto the Iewes the vision, incourageth them. 21 The prayer of Maccabeus. 30 Maccabeus commandeth Nicanors head and handes to be cut off, and his tongue to be giuen vnto the foules. 39 The autor excuseth him selfe.

¹ Nowe when Nicanor knewe that Iudas and his companie were in the countrey of Samaria, he thought with all assurance to come vpon them, vpon the Sabbath day.

² Neuerthelesse, the Iewes that were compelled to goe with him, said, O kill not so cruelly and barbarously, but honour and sanctifie the day, that is appointed by him that seeth all things.

³ But this most wicked person demaunded, Is there a Lorde in heauen, that commaunded the Sabbath day to be kept?

⁴ And when they said, There is a liuing Lorde, which ruleth in the heauen, who commanded the seuenth day to be kept,

⁵ Then he saide, And I am mightie vpon earth to commande them for to arme them selues, and to perfourme the kings businesse. Notwithstanding, he could not accoplish his wicked enterprise.

⁶ For Nicanor lifted vp with great pride, purposed to set vp a memorial of the victorie obteined of all them that were with Iudas.

⁷ But Maccabeus had euer sure confidence & a perfite hope that the Lorde would helpe him,

⁸ And exhorted his people not to be afraid at the comming of the heathen, but alway to remember [Page] the helpe that had bene shewed vnto them from heauen, & to trust nowe also, that they should haue the victorie by the Almightie.

⁹ Thus he incouraged them by the Lawe and Prophets, putting them in remembrance of the battels that they had wonne afore, and so made them more willing,

¹⁰ And stirred vp their heartes, & shewed them also the deceitfulnesse of the heathen, & how they had broken their othes.

¹¹ Thus he armed euery one of them, not with the assurance of shieldes & speares, but with wholesome wordes and exhortations, and shewed them a dreame worthie to be beleeued, and reioyced them greatly.

¹² And this was his vision, He thought that he sawe Onias (which had bene the high Priest, a vertuous and a good man, reuerent in behauiour, and of sober conuersation, well spoken, and one that had bene exercised in all pointes of godlinesse from a childe) holding vp his handes towardes heauen, and praying for the whole people of the Iewes.

¹³ ¶ After this there appeared vnto him another man which was aged, honourable, and of a wonderfull dignitie, and excellencie aboue him.

¹⁴ And Onias spake, and said, This is a louer of the brethren, who prayeth much for the people, and for the holy citie, to wit, Ieremias the Prophet of God.

¹⁵ He thought also that Ieremias helde out his right hande, and gaue vnto Iudas a sworde of gold: and as he gaue it, he spake thus,

¹⁶ Take this holy sworde a gifte from God, wherewith thou shalt wound the aduersaries.

¹⁷ And so being comforted by the wordes of Iudas, which were very sweete & able to stirre the vp to valiantnesse and to incourage the heartes of the yong men, they determined to pitch no campe, but couragiously to set vpon them, and manfully to assaile them, and to trie the matter hand to hand, because the citie and the Sanctuarie and the Temple were in danger.

¹⁸ As for their wiues, and children, and brethre and kinsfolkes, they set lesse by their danger: but their greatest and principall feare was for the holy Temple.

¹⁹ Againe they that were in the citie, were carefull for the armie that was abroad.

²⁰ Nowe whiles they all wayted for the tryall of the matter, and the enemies nowe mette with them, and the hoste was set in aray, and the [Note: Or, Elephants. ] beasts were separated into conuenient places, and the horsemen were placed in the wings,

²¹ Maccabeus considering the comming of the multitude, and the diuers preparations of weapons, and the fiercenesse of the beastes, helde vp his handes toward heauen, calling vpon the Lord that doeth wonders, and that looked vpon them, knowing that the victorie commeth not by ye weapons, but that he giueth the victorie to them that are worthy, as seemeth good vnto him.

²² Therefore in his prayer he said after this maner, O Lord, [Note: 1.King.19.35. isa.37.36 ioh.1. 28. eccles.48.28. ] thou that diddest sende thine Angel in the time of Ezechias King of Iudea, who in the host of Sennacherib slewe an hundreth, foure score and fiue thousand,

²³ Sende nowe also thy good Angell before vs, O Lorde of heauens, for a feare and dread vnto them,

²⁴ And let them be discomfited by the strength of thine arme, which come against thine holy people to blaspheme. Thus with these wordes he made an ende.

²⁵ Then Nicanor and they that were with him, drew neere with trumpets & shoutings for ioy.

²⁶ But Iudas & his company praying & calling vpon God, encountered with the enemies,

²⁷ So that with their handes they fought, but with their hearts they prayed vnto God, and slewe no lesse then fiue and thirtie thousande men: for through the presence of God they were wonderously comforted.

²⁸ Now when they left off, & were turning againe with ioy, they vnderstoode that Nicanor himselfe was slaine for all his armour.

²⁹ Then they made a great shout & a cry, praysing the Almightie in their owne language.

³⁰ Therefore Iudas, which was euer the chiefe defender of his citizens both in body and minde, and which bare euer good affection towards them of his nation, commaunded to smite off Nicanors head, with his hand and shoulder, and to bring it to Ierusalem.

³¹ And when he came there, he called all them of his nation, and set the Priests by the altar, and sent for them of the castel,

³² And shewed them wicked Nicanors head, and the hand of that blasphemour which he had holden vp against the holy Temple of the Almightie with proude bragges.

³³ He caused the tongue also of wicked Nicanor to be cut in litle pieces, and to be cast vnto the foules, & that the rewardes of his madnesse should be hanged vp before the Temple.

³⁴ So euery man praised toward the heauen the glorious Lorde, saying, Blessed be he, that hath kept his place vndefiled.

³⁵ He hanged also Nicanors head vpon the hie castell, for an euident and plaine token vnto all of the helpe of God.

³⁶ And so they established all together by a common decree, that they would in no case suffer this day without keeping it holy:

³⁷ And that the feast should be the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth, which is called Adar in the Syrians language, the day before Mardocheus day.

³⁸ Thus farre as concerning Nicanors matters, and from that time the Hebrues had the citie in possession. And here will I also make an ende.

³⁹ If I haue done wel, and as the storie required, it is the thing that I desired: but if I haue spoken slenderly and barely, it is that I could.

⁴⁰ For as it is hurtfull to drinke wine alone, & then againe water: and as wine tempered with water is pleasant and delighteth the taste: so the setting out of the matter deliteth the eares of them that reade the storie. And here shall be the ende.


THE ENDE OF APOCRYPHA.
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