Maccabees 1 3
1Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.
2And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3So he got his people great honor, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girded his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.
4In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
5For He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.
6Therefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.
7He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.
8Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:
9So that he was renowned to the utmost part of the earth, and he received to him such as were ready to perish.
10Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.
11Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he struck him, and killed him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.
12Therefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.
13Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered to him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;
14He said, I will get me a name and honor in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king's commandment.
15So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.
16And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:
17Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said to Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?
18To whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:
19For the victory of battle stands not in the multitude of an host; but strength comes from heaven.
20They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:
21But we fight for our lives and our laws.
22Therefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be you not afraid of them.
23Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him.
24And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron to the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.
25Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:
26Insomuch as his fame came to the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
27Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: therefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.
28He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whenever he should need them.
29Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;
30He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.
31Therefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
32So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt:
33And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.
34Moreover he delivered to him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that lived in Juda and Jerusalem:
35To wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;
36And that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
37So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.
38Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends:
39And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
40So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.
41And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves to them.
42Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;
43They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary.
44Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
45Now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.
46Therefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.
47Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and tore their clothes,
48And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.
49They brought also the priests' garments, and the first fruits, and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had accomplished their days.
50Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away?
51For your sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and your priests are in heaviness, and brought low.
52And behold, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things they imagine against us, you know.
53How shall we be able to stand against them, except you, O God, be our help?
54Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.
55And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
56But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, according to the law.
57So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus.
58And Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that you be in readiness against the morning, that you may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:
59For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people and our sanctuary.
60Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.
Commentaries for Maccabees 1 3:0