Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible Part 56

2 Mac 12:30 But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity;

2 Mac 12:31 They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks approaching.

2 Mac 12:32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,

2 Mac 12:33 Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

2 Mac 12:34 And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain.

2 Mac 12:35 At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor's company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still upon Gorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa.

2 Mac 12:36 Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.

2 Mac 12:37 And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with a loud voice, and rus.h.i.+ng unawares upon Gorgias' men, he put them to flight.

2 Mac 12:38 So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.

2 Mac 12:39 And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers' graves.

2 Mac 12:40 Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain.

2 Mac 12:41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,

2 Mac 12:42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that n.o.ble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pa.s.s for the sins of those that were slain.

2 Mac 12:43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:

2 Mac 12:44 For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.

2 Mac 12:45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died G.o.dly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.

2 Mac 13:1 In the hundred forty and ninth year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,

2 Mac 13:2 And with him Lysias his protector, and ruler of his affairs, having either of them a Grecian power of footmen, an hundred and ten thousand, and hors.e.m.e.n five thousand and three hundred, and elephants two and twenty, and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.

2 Mac 13:3 Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation encouraged Antiochus, not for the safeguard of the country, but because he thought to have been made governor.

2 Mac 13:4 But the King of kings moved Antiochus' mind against this wicked wretch, and Lysias informed the king that this man was the cause of all mischief, so that the king commanded to bring him unto Berea, and to put him to death, as the manner is in that place.

2 Mac 13:5 Now there was in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had a round instrument which on every side hanged down into the ashes.

2 Mac 13:6 And whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him unto death.

2 Mac 13:7 Such a death it happened that wicked man to die, not having so much as burial in the earth; and that most justly:

2 Mac 13:8 For inasmuch as he had committed many sins about the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.

2 Mac 13:9 Now the king came with a barbarous and haughty mind to do far worse to the Jews, than had been done in his father's time.

2 Mac 13:10 Which things when Judas perceived, he commanded the mult.i.tude to call upon the Lord night and day, that if ever at any other time, he would now also help them, being at the point to be put from their law, from their country, and from the holy temple:

2 Mac 13:11 And that he would not suffer the people, that had even now been but a little refreshed, to be in subjection to the blasphemous nations.

2 Mac 13:12 So when they had all done this together, and besought the merciful Lord with weeping and fasting, and lying flat upon the ground three days long, Judas, having exhorted them, commanded they should be in a readiness.

2 Mac 13:13 And Judas, being apart with the elders, determined, before the king's host should enter into Judea, and get the city, to go forth and try the matter in fight by the help of the Lord.

2 Mac 13:14 So when he had committed all to the Creator of the world, and exhorted his soldiers to fight manfully, even unto death, for the laws, the temple, the city, the country, and the commonwealth, he camped by Modin:

2 Mac 13:15 And having given the watchword to them that were about him, Victory is of G.o.d; with the most valiant and choice young men he went in into the king's tent by night, and slew in the camp about four thousand men, and the chiefest of the elephants, with all that were upon him.

2 Mac 13:16 And at last they filled the camp with fear and tumult, and departed with good success.

2 Mac 13:17 This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help him.

2 Mac 13:18 Now when the king had taken a taste of the manliness of the Jews, he went about to take the holds by policy,

2 Mac 13:19 And marched toward Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was put to flight, failed, and lost of his men:

2 Mac 13:20 For Judas had conveyed unto them that were in it such things as were necessary.

2 Mac 13:21 But Rhodocus, who was in the Jews' host, disclosed the secrets to the enemies; therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.

2 Mac 13:22 The king treated with them in Bethsum the second time, gave his hand, took their's, departed, fought with Judas, was overcome;

2 Mac 13:23 Heard that Philip, who was left over the affairs in Antioch, was desperately bent, confounded, intreated the Jews, submitted himself, and sware to all equal conditions, agreed with them, and offered sacrifice, honoured the temple, and dealt kindly with the place,

2 Mac 13:24 And accepted well of Maccabeus, made him princ.i.p.al governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerrhenians;

2 Mac 13:25 Came to Ptolemais: the people there were grieved for the covenants; for they stormed, because they would make their covenants void:

2 Mac 13:26 Lysias went up to the judgment seat, said as much as could be in defence of the cause, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, returned to Antioch. Thus it went touching the king's coming and departing.

2 Mac 14:1 After three years was Judas informed, that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having entered by the haven of Tripolis with a great power and navy,

2 Mac 14:2 Had taken the country, and killed Antiochus, and Lysias his protector.

2 Mac 14:3 Now one Alcimus, who had been high priest, and had defiled himself wilfully in the times of their mingling with the Gentiles, seeing that by no means he could save himself, nor have any more access to the holy altar,

2 Mac 14:4 Came to king Demetrius in the hundred and one and fiftieth year, presenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and also of the boughs which were used solemnly in the temple: and so that day he held his peace.

2 Mac 14:5 Howbeit having gotten opportunity to further his foolish enterprize, and being called into counsel by Demetrius, and asked how the Jews stood affected, and what they intended, he answered thereunto:

2 Mac 14:6 Those of the Jews that he called a.s.sideans, whose captain is Judas Maccabeus, nourish war and are seditious, and will not let the rest be in peace.

2 Mac 14:7 Therefore I, being deprived of mine ancestors' honour, I mean the high priesthood, am now come hither:

2 Mac 14:8 First, verily for the unfeigned care I have of things pertaining to the king; and secondly, even for that I intend the good of mine own countrymen: for all our nation is in no small misery through the unadvised dealing of them aforersaid.