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7:1 In the hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the [son] of Seleucus departed from the city of Rome, and came up with a few men into a city of the seacoast, and reigned there.
7:2 And it came to pass, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized on Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them to him. 7:3 And when he knew it, he said: Don't let me see their face. 7:4 So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom. 7:5 And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: and Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest. 7:6 And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends, and he has driven us out of our land. 7:7 Now therefore send some man whom you trust, and let him go, and see all the havoc he has made among us, and in the king's lands: and let him punish all his friends and their helpers. 7:8 Then the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends who ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him, 7:9 to see the havoc that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge on the sons of Israel. 7:10 And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Judah: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brothers with peaceful words deceitfully. 7:11 But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they had come with a great army. 7:12 Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes to require things that are just. 7:13 And first [were] the Assideans who were among the sons of Israel, and they sought peace of them. 7:14 For they said: One who is a priest of the seed of Aaron has come, he will not deceive us. 7:15 And he spoke to them peacefully: and he swore to them, saying: We will do you+ no harm nor your+ friends. 7:16 And they believed him. And he took sixty of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word that is written: 7:17 The flesh of your saints, And their blood they have shed round about Jerusalem, And there was none to bury them. 7:18 Then fear and trembling fell on all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made. 7:19 And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of those who had fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit. 7:20 Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king. 7:21 But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood. 7:22 And those who disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Judah into their power, and did much hurt in Israel. 7:23 And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and those who were with him, did to the sons of Israel, much more than the nations. 7:24 And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance on the men who had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country. 7:25 And Alcimus saw that Judas, and those who were with him prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes. 7:26 And the king sent Nicanor one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people. 7:27 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brothers deceitfully with friendly words, 7:28 saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you+. I will come with a few men to see your+ faces with peace. 7:29 And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peacefully. And the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force. 7:30 And the thing was known to Judas: that he came to him with deceit. And he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more. 7:31 And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas near Capharsalama. 7:32 And there fell of Nicanor's army almost five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David. 7:33 And after this Nicanor went up into Mount Zion: and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peacefully, and to show him the burnt-offerings that were offered for the king. 7:34 But he mocked and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly, 7:35 And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage. 7:36 And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said: 7:37 You, O Lord, have chosen this house for your name to be called on in it, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. 7:38 Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and do not allow them to continue any longer. 7:39 Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Beth-horon: and an army of Syria joined him. 7:40 But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said: 7:41 O Lord, when those who were sent by King Sennacherib blasphemed you, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand: 7:42 Even so destroy this army in our sight today, and let the rest know that he has spoken ill against your sanctuary: and judge him according to his wickedness. 7:43 And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle. 7:44 And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain, they threw away their weapons, and fled. 7:45 And they pursued after them one day's journey from Adazer, even until you+ come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals. 7:46 And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one. 7:47 And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem. 7:48 And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy. 7:49 And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar. 7:50 And the land of Judah was quiet for a short time. |
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