The Bible Story Part 217

_How a Thousand Jews Were Slaughtered Because They Would Not Fight on the Sabbath Day_.

Then many that sought after justice and judgment, went out into the wilderness, to dwell there, they, and their sons, and their wives, and their cattle; because evils were multiplied upon them. And it was told the king's officers, and the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king's commandment, were gone out into the secret places in the wilderness; and many pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against them, and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day.

And they said unto them, "Come forth, and do according to the word of the king, and ye shall live."

And they said, "We will not come forth, neither will we do the word of the king, to profane the Sabbath day."

And they hasted to give them battle. And they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places, saying, "Let us all die in our innocency: heaven and earth witness over us, that ye put us to death without trial."

And they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died, they and their wives and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand souls.

{426}

V.

_How Mattathias Died, and Bequeathed the Task of Freeing Israel to His Sons_.

And Mattathias and his friends knew it, and they mourned over them exceedingly. And one said to another, "If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not against the Gentiles for our lives and our ordinances, they will now quickly destroy us from off the earth." And they took counsel on that day, saying, "Whosoever shall come against us to battle on the Sabbath day, let us fight against him, and we shall in no wise all die, as our brethren died in the secret places."

Then were gathered together unto them a company of mighty men of Israel, every one that offered himself willingly for the law. And all they that fled from the evils were added to them, and became a stay unto them. And they mustered a host, and smote sinners in their anger, and lawless men in their wrath: and the rest fled to the Gentiles for safety. And Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars. And they pursued after the sons of pride, and the work prospered in their hand. And they rescued the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of the kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.

And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said unto his sons,--

"Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and a season of overthrow, and wrath of indignation. And now, my children, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives {427} for the covenant of your fathers. And call to remembrance the deeds of our fathers, which they did in their generations; and receive great glory and an everlasting name. Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness? Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. Phinehas our father, because he was zealous exceedingly, obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. Joshua for fulfilling the word became a judge in Israel.

Caleb for bearing witness among the people obtained a heritage in the land. David for being merciful inherited the throne of a kingdom for ever and ever. Elijah, because he was exceeding zealous for the law, was taken up into heaven. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, believed, and were saved out of the flame. Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions. And thus consider ye from generation to generation, that none that put their trust in him shall want for strength. And be not afraid of the words of a sinful man; for his glory shall come to naught. To-day he shall be lifted up, and to-morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned unto his dust, and his thought is perished. And ye, my children, be strong, and show yourselves men in behalf of the law; for therein shall ye obtain glory. And, behold, Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of counsel; give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you. And Judas Maccabaeus, he hath been strong and mighty from his youth: he shall be your captain, and shall fight the battle of the people. And take ye unto you all the doers of {428} the law, and avenge the wrong of your people. Render a recompense to the Gentiles, and take heed to the commandments of the law."

And he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. And he died in the hundred and forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchers of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.

VI.

_How "Judas the Hammer" Took Command of the Forces of Israel_.

And his son Judas, who was called Maccabaeus, rose up in his stead.

And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with gladness the battle of Israel. And he got his people great glory, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and set battles in array, protecting the army with his sword. And he was like a lion in his deeds, and as a lion's whelp roaring for prey. And he pursued the lawless, seeking them out, and he burnt up those that troubled his people. And the lawless shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of lawlessness were sore troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand.

And he angered many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever. And he went about among the cities of Judah, and destroyed the unG.o.dly out of the land, and turned away wrath from Israel: and he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered together such as were ready to perish.

{429}{430}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

RUINS OF AN ANCIENT CITY.

This picture shows one of the ruined cities near the coast, important during the period of the Maccabees, and later in the time of the Crusaders.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

{431}

VII.

_How Judas Won His Sword from the Foe_.

And Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host from Samaria, to fight against Israel. And Judas perceived it, and he went forth to meet him, and smote him, and slew him: and many fell wounded to death, and the rest fled. And they took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and therewith he fought all his days.

VIII.

_How Judas, with a Small Force, Overcame the Syrians at Beth-horon_.

And Seron, the commander of the host of Syria, heard that Judas had gathered a host of faithful men with him, and of such as went out to war; and he said, "I will make myself a name and get me glory in the kingdom; and I will fight against Judas and them that are with him, that set at naught the word of the king."

And there went up with him also a mighty army of the unG.o.dly to help him, to take vengeance on the children of Israel.

And he came near to the pa.s.s of Beth-horan, and Judas went forth to meet him with a small company. But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said unto Judas, "What? shall we be able, being a small company, to fight against so great and strong a mult.i.tude? and we for our part are faint, having tasted no food this day."

{432}

And Judas said, "It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with heaven it is all one, to save by many or by few: for victory in battle standeth not in the mult.i.tude of a host; but strength is from heaven. They come unto us in fullness of insolence and lawlessness, to destroy us and our wives and our children, for to spoil us: but we fight for our lives and our laws.

And he himself will discomfit them before our face: but as for you, be ye not afraid of them."

Now when he had left off speaking, he leaped suddenly upon them, and Seron and his army were discomfited before him. And they pursued them in the pa.s.s of Beth-horon unto the plain, and there fell of them about eight hundred men; but the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.

And the fear of Judas and his brethren, and the dread of them, began to fall upon the nations round about them: and his name came even unto the king, and every nation told of the battles of Judas.

IX.

_How Judas Deceived the Enemy by a Night March, How He Fell Upon the Syrian Camp, and Scattered the Syrian Army, Winning Great Glory and Gaining Much Spoil_.

And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens. And the army removed, and encamped upon the south side of Emmaus.

{433}

And Judas said, "Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these Gentiles, that are a.s.sembled together against us to destroy us, and our holy place: for it is better for us to die in battle, than to look upon the evils of our nation and the holy place. Nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do."

And Gorgias took five thousand footmen, and a thousand chosen horse, and the army marched by night, that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and smite them suddenly: and the men of the citadel were his guides. And Judas heard thereof, and he also marched by night, he and the valiant men, that he might smite the king's host which was at Emmaus, while as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp. And Gorgias came into the camp of Judas by night, and found no man; and he sought them in the mountains; for he said, "These men flee from us."

And as soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men: howbeit they had neither suitable armor nor swords. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles strong and fortified, and hors.e.m.e.n compa.s.sing it round about; and these were expert in war.

And Judas said to the men that were with him, "Fear ye not their mult.i.tude, neither be ye afraid of their onset. Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a host. And now let us cry unto heaven, if he will pity us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this army before us to-day: and all the Gentiles shall know that there is one who redeemeth and saveth Israel."

{434}