2Mac 10:1 Now Maccabeus and his company, the Lord guiding them, recovered
the temple and the city:
2Mac 10:2 But the altars which the heathen had built in the open street, and
also the chapels, they pulled down.
2Mac 10:3 And having cleansed the temple they made another altar, and
striking stones they took fire out of them, and offered a sacrifice after
two years, and set forth incense, and lights, and shewbread.
2Mac 10:4 When that was done, they fell flat down, and besought the Lord
that they might come no more into such troubles; but if they sinned any more
against him, that he himself would chasten them with mercy, and that they
might not be delivered unto the blasphemous and barbarous nations.
2Mac 10:5 Now upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on
the very same day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day of
the same month, which is Casleu.
2Mac 10:6 And they kept the eight days with gladness, as in the feast of the
tabernacles, remembering that not long afore they had held the feast of the
tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts.
2Mac 10:7 Therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and
sang psalms unto him that had given them good success in cleansing his
place.
2Mac 10:8 They ordained also by a common statute and decree, That every year
those days should be kept of the whole nation of the Jews.
2Mac 10:9 And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes.
2Mac 10:10 Now will we declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the
son of this wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the wars.
2Mac 10:11 So when he was come to the crown, he set one Lysias over the
affairs of his realm, and appointed him his chief governor of Celosyria and
Phenice.
2Mac 10:12 For Ptolemeus, that was called Macron, choosing rather to do
justice unto the Jews for the wrong that had been done unto them,
endeavoured to continue peace with them.
2Mac 10:13 Whereupon being accused of the king's friends before Eupator, and
called traitor at every word because he had left Cyprus, that Philometor had
committed unto him, and departed to Antiochus Epiphanes, and seeing that he
was in no honourable place, he was so discouraged, that he poisoned himself
and died.
2Mac 10:14 But when Gorgias was governor of the holds, he hired soldiers,
and nourished war continually with the Jews:
2Mac 10:15 And therewithall the Idumeans, having gotten into their hands the
most commodious holds, kept the Jews occupied, and receiving those that were
banished from Jerusalem, they went about to nourish war.
2Mac 10:16 Then they that were with Maccabeus made supplication, and
besought God that he would be their helper; and so they ran with violence
upon the strong holds of the Idumeans,
2Mac 10:17 And assaulting them strongly, they won the holds, and kept off
all that fought upon the wall, and slew all that fell into their hands, and
killed no fewer than twenty thousand.
2Mac 10:18 And because certain, who were no less than nine thousand, were
fled together into two very strong castles, having all manner of things
convenient to sustain the siege,
2Mac 10:19 Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus also, and them that
were with him, who were enough to besiege them, and departed himself unto
those places which more needed his help.
2Mac 10:20 Now they that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were
persuaded for money through certain of those that were in the castle, and
took seventy thousand drachms, and let some of them escape.
2Mac 10:21 But when it was told Maccabeus what was done, he called the
governors of the people together, and accused those men, that they had sold
their brethren for money, and set their enemies free to fight against them.
2Mac 10:22 So he slew those that were found traitors, and immediately took
the two castles.
2Mac 10:23 And having good success with his weapons in all things he took in
hand, he slew in the two holds more than twenty thousand.
2Mac 10:24 Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had
gathered a great multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a
few, came as though he would take Jewry by force of arms.
2Mac 10:25 But when he drew near, they that were with Maccabeus turned
themselves to pray unto God, and sprinkled earth upon their heads, and
girded their loins with sackcloth,
2Mac 10:26 And fell down at the foot of the altar, and besought him to be
merciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to
their adversaries, as the law declareth.
2Mac 10:27 So after the prayer they took their weapons, and went on further
from the city: and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by
themselves.
2Mac 10:28 Now the sun being newly risen, they joined both together; the one
part having together with their virtue their refuge also unto the Lord for a
pledge of their success and victory: the other side making their rage leader
of their battle
2Mac 10:29 But when the battle waxed strong, there appeared unto the enemies
from heaven five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold, and two of
them led the Jews,
2Mac 10:30 And took Maccabeus betwixt them, and covered him on every side
weapons, and kept him safe, but shot arrows and lightnings against the
enemies: so that being confounded with blindness, and full of trouble, they
were killed.
2Mac 10:31 And there were slain of footmen twenty thousand and five hundred,
and six hundred horsemen.
2Mac 10:32 As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very strong hold, called
Gawra, where Chereas was governor.
2Mac 10:33 But they that were with Maccabeus laid siege against the fortress
courageously four days.
2Mac 10:34 And they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place,
blasphemed exceedingly, and uttered wicked words.
2Mac 10:35 Nevertheless upon the fifth day early twenty young men of
Maccabeus' company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies,
assaulted the wall manly, and with a fierce courage killed all that they met
withal.
2Mac 10:36 Others likewise ascending after them, whiles they were busied
with them that were within, burnt the towers, and kindling fires burnt the
blasphemers alive; and others broke open the gates, and, having received in
the rest of the army, took the city,
2Mac 10:37 And killed Timotheus, that was hid in a certain pit, and Chereas
his brother, with Apollophanes.
2Mac 10:38 When this was done, they praised the Lord with psalms and
thanksgiving, who had done so great things for Israel, and given them the
victory.