2Mac 12:1 When these covenants were made, Lysias
went unto the king, and the Jews were about their husbandry.
2Mac 12:2 But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and Apollonius
the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and beside them Nicanor
the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace.
2Mac 12:3 The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the
Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the
boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.
2Mac 12:4 Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as
being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were
gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.
2Mac 12:5 When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he
commanded those that were with him to make them ready.
2Mac 12:6 And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against those
murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, and set the boats
on fire, and those that fled thither he slew.
2Mac 12:7 And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he would
return to root out all them of the city of Joppa.
2Mac 12:8 But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like
manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them,
2Mac 12:9 He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven
and the navy, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two
hundred and forty furlongs off.
2Mac 12:10 Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their
journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five
hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him.
2Mac 12:11 Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas' side by the
help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome,
besought Judas for peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to pleasure
him otherwise.
2Mac 12:12 Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many
things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and so they departed
to their tents.
2Mac 12:13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city,
which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers
countries; and the name of it was Caspis.
2Mac 12:14 But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of
the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved themselves rudely
toward them that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering such
words as were not to be spoken.
2Mac 12:15 Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord of
the world, who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the
time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls,
2Mac 12:16 And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable
slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining
thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood.
2Mac 12:17 Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs,
and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni.
2Mac 12:18 But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for
before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, having left a
very strong garrison in a certain hold.
2Mac 12:19 Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus' captains,
went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above
ten thousand men.
2Mac 12:20 And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the
bands, and went against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred and twenty
thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.
2Mac 12:21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas' coming, he sent the
women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion: for
the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason of the
straitness of all the places.
2Mac 12:22 But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, being
smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all
things, fled amain, one running into this way, another that way, so as that
they were often hurt of their own men, and wounded with the points of their
own swords.
2Mac 12:23 Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those
wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men.
2Mac 12:24 Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and
Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life,
because he had many of the Jews' parents, and the brethren of some of them,
who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded.
2Mac 12:25 So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore
them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let him go for the
saving of their brethren.
2Mac 12:26 Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of
Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons.
2Mac 12:27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed
the host toward Ephron, a strong city, wherein Lysias abode, and a great
multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls, and
defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and
darts.
2Mac 12:28 But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, who
with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, they won the city, and
slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within,
2Mac 12:29 From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred
furlongs from Jerusalem,
2Mac 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;
2Mac 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.
2Mac 12:32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against
Gorgias the governor of Idumea,
2Mac 12:33 Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred
horsemen.
2Mac 12:34 And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews
were slain.
2Mac 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.
2Mac 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.
2Mac 12:37 And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with
a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon Gorgias' men, he put them to flight.
2Mac 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.
2Mac 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.
2Mac 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.
2Mac 12:41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had
opened the things that were hid,
2Mac 12:42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin
committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas
exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw
before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that
were slain.
2Mac 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:
2Mac 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.
2Mac 12:45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up
for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he
made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.