1. Makkabeler 1

¹Makedonyalı Filip'in oğlu İskender, Kittim topraklarından çıkıp Perslerin ve Medlerin kralı Dareios'u yenilgiye uğrattıktan sonra, onun yerine geçerek Hellas üzerinde hüküm süren ilk kral oldu.

²Pek çok savaş yürüttü, müstahkem mevkileri ele geçirdi ve yeryüzünün krallarını katletti.

³Dünyanın en uç sınırlarına kadar ilerledi ve ulusların muazzam ganimetlerini yağmaladı. Onun önünde yeryüzü boyun eğip sessizliğe büründü; onun da yüreği kibirle doldu ve gururlandı.

⁴Son derece güçlü bir ordu topladı; ülkeleri, ulusları ve tiranları egemenliği altına alarak onları vergi ödeyen tebaa haline getirdi.

⁵Bu olaylardan sonra yatağa düştü ve öleceğini bizzat idrak etti.

⁶Bunun üzerine, gençliğinden beri kendisiyle birlikte büyümüş olan şerefli yoldaşlarını çağırdı ve henüz hayattayken krallığını aralarında paylaştırdı.

⁷İskender on iki yıl krallık yaptıktan sonra öldü.

⁸Hizmetkârlarının her biri kendi yetki alanında egemenlik sürdü.

⁹O öldükten sonra hepsi başlarına krallık tacı taktılar; onlardan sonra oğulları da uzun yıllar aynı şeyi sürdürdü ve yeryüzünde kötülükler katlanarak çoğaldı.

¹⁰Onların soyundan günahkâr bir kök, Kral Antiohos'un oğlu olup Roma'da rehin kalmış olan Antiohos Epifanes çıktı; Helen krallığının yüz otuz yedinci yılında kral oldu.

¹¹O günlerde İsrail'den yasa tanımaz adamlar çıktı ve pek çok kişiyi ikna ederek şöyle dediler: "Gidelim, çevremizdeki uluslarla bir antlaşma yapalım; çünkü onlardan ayrıldığımızdan beri başımıza pek çok felaket geldi."

¹²Bu sözler onların gözünde çok iyi ve makul göründü.

¹³Halktan bazıları bu konuda o kadar istekliydi ki, krala gittiler; kral da onlara ulusların törelerini ve nizamlarını uygulama yetkisi verdi.

¹⁴Böylece Yeruşalim'de, ulusların kanunlarına uygun olarak bir jimnazyum inşa ettiler.

¹⁵Sünnetsizmiş gibi davrandılar, kutsal antlaşmayı terk ettiler, uluslarla boyunduruk ortaklığı kurdular ve kendilerini kötülük yapmaya köle gibi sattılar.

¹⁶Antiohos krallığını pekiştirince, her iki krallığa da hükmetmek amacıyla Mısır ülkesinde krallık kurmayı aklına koydu.

¹⁷Muazzam bir askeri güçle, savaş arabalarıyla, fillerle, atlılarla ve büyük bir donanmayla Mısır'a girdi.

¹⁸Mısır Kralı Ptolemaios'a karşı savaş açtı; Ptolemaios onun önünden kaçıp utanç içinde geri çekildi ve pek çok kişi ölümcül yaralar alarak yere serildi.

¹⁹Mısır ülkesindeki müstahkem kentleri ele geçirdiler ve Mısır toprağının ganimetlerini yağmaladılar.

²⁰Antiohos, Mısır'ı bozguna uğrattıktan sonra yüz kırk üçüncü yılda geri döndü; büyük bir askeri güçle İsrail'e ve Yeruşalim'e karşı yukarı çıktı.

²¹Kutsal mekana kibir ve küstahlıkla girdi; altın sunağı, ışık veren şamdanı ve onun tüm takımlarını aldı.

²²Sunu ekmeği masasını, sunu kaplarını, tasları, altın buhurdanlıkları, perdeyi, taçları ve tapınağın ön cephesindeki altın süslemeleri aldı; hepsini tamamen soyup çıplak bıraktı.

²³Gümüşü, altını, değerli kapları ve bulduğu tüm gizli hazineleri yağmaladı.

²⁴Hepsini yanına alarak kendi ülkesine döndü; büyük bir katliam yaptı ve büyük bir kibirle konuştu.

²⁵İsrail'in her yerinde, her bölgesinde büyük bir matem tutuldu.

²⁶Önderler ve yaşlılar feryat edip inledi, genç kızların ve delikanlıların dermanı tükendi, kadınların güzelliği solup başkalaştı.

²⁷Her damat ağıt yakmaya başladı, gelin odasında oturan taze gelin yas tuttu.

²⁸Üzerinde yaşayanlar yüzünden yeryüzü sarsıldı ve bütün Yakup soyu utançla kaplandı.

²⁹Tam iki yıl sonra kral, Yahuda kentlerine vergi memurlarının başını gönderdi; bu adam büyük bir askeri güçle Yeruşalim'e geldi.

³⁰Onlara hileyle barışçıl sözler söyledi, onlar da kendisine güvendiler. Sonra ansızın kentin üzerine çullanıp onu ağır bir darbeyle vurdu ve İsrail'den çok sayıda insanı yok etti.

³¹Kentin ganimetlerini yağmaladı, kenti ateşe verdi; evlerini ve çevresindeki surları yerle bir etti.

³²Kadınları ve çocukları tutsak ettiler, hayvan sürülerini mülk edindiler.

³³Davut Kenti'ni büyük ve güçlü bir surla, sağlam kulelerle çevreleyip inşa ettiler ve orası onlar için bir askeri kale oldu.

³⁴Oraya günahkâr bir ulus, yasa tanımaz adamlar yerleştirdiler ve orada güçlendiler.

³⁵Silah ve yiyecek depoladılar; Yeruşalim'in ganimetlerini toplayıp oraya yığdılar ve büyük bir tuzak haline geldiler.

³⁶Burası kutsal yer için bir pusu ve İsrail için her zaman kötü bir düşman oldu.

³⁷Kutsal yerin çevresinde suçsuz kanı döktüler ve kutsal mekanı kirlettiler.

³⁸Onlar yüzünden Yeruşalim'de oturanlar kaçtı; kent yabancıların yurdu oldu, kendi çocuklarına yabancılaştı ve evlatları onu terk etti.

³⁹Tapınağı bir çöl gibi ıssız kaldı, bayramları yasa, Sebt günleri aşağılanmaya, onuru ise hiçliğe dönüştü.

⁴⁰Eski görkeminin büyüklüğü kadar onursuzluğu da çoğaldı ve yüceliği yasa dönüştü.

⁴¹Kral Antiohos, bütün krallığına herkesin tek bir halk olması için yazılı buyruk gönderdi.

⁴²Herkes kendi törelerini bırakacaktı; bütün uluslar kralın buyruğuna boyun eğdi.

⁴³İsrail'den de pek çok kişi onun ibadetini benimsedi, putlara kurban sundu ve Sebt gününü kirletti.

⁴⁴Kral, ulaklar aracılığıyla Yeruşalim'e ve Yahuda kentlerine mektuplar göndererek ülkenin yabancı törelerine uymalarını buyurdu.

⁴⁵Tapınakta yakmalık sunuları, kurbanları ve dökme sunuları yasaklamalarını, Sebt günlerini ve bayramları kirletmelerini,

⁴⁶Kutsal yeri ve kutsal kişileri lekelemelerini,

⁴⁷Sunaklar, tapınaklar, put yerleri kurmalarını, domuz eti ve murdar hayvanlar kurban etmelerini,

⁴⁸Oğullarını sünnetsiz bırakmalarını, canlarını her türlü kirlilik ve iğrençlikle lekelemelerini buyurdu;

⁴⁹Öyle ki, yasayı unutsunlar ve tüm buyrukları değiştirsinler.

⁵⁰Kralın buyruğuna göre davranmayan her kim olursa olsun öldürülecekti.

⁵¹Bütün krallığına bu sözlere uygun olarak yazdı, tüm halkın başına denetçiler atadı ve Yahuda kentlerine kent kent kurban sunmalarını buyurdu.

⁵²Halktan yasayı terk edenlerin birçoğu onlara katıldı; ülkede kötülük yaptılar.

⁵³İsrail halkını gizli yerlerde, sığınabilecekleri her delikte saklanmaya zorladılar.

⁵⁴Yüz kırk beşinci yılın Kislev ayının on beşinci gününde, sunağın üzerine yıkıcı iğrençliği kurdular; Yahuda'nın çevre kentlerinde de sunaklar inşa ettiler.

⁵⁵Evlerin kapıları önünde ve meydanlarda buhur yaktılar.

⁵⁶Buldukları yasa kitaplarını yırtıp ateşe verdiler.

⁵⁷Kimin yanında bir antlaşma kitabı bulunursa ya da kim yasaya bağlı kalırsa, kralın fermanı uyarınca ölümle cezalandırılıyordu.

⁵⁸Kentlerde her ay buldukları İsraillilere güçlerini kullanarak böyle davranıyorlardı.

⁵⁹Ayın yirmi beşinci gününde, sunağın üzerinde bulunan put sunağında kurban sunuyorlardı.

⁶⁰Çocuklarını sünnet ettiren kadınları, buyruk uyarınca ölüme mahkûm ettiler.

⁶¹Bebekleri boyunlarından astılar, evlerini yağmaladılar ve onları sünnet edenleri öldürdüler.

⁶²Yine de İsrail'de pek çok kişi kararlı davrandı ve kirli sayılan şeyleri yememek için kendilerinde güç buldu.

⁶³Yiyeceklerle kirlenmemek ve kutsal antlaşmayı bozmamak için ölmeyi göze aldılar ve öldüler.

⁶⁴İsrail'in üzerine çok büyük bir gazap çöktü.

¹ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι ᾿Αλέξανδρον τὸν Φιλίππου τὸν Μακεδόνα, ὃς ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς Χεττειείμ, καὶ ἐπάταξε τὸν Δαρεῖον βασιλέα Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρότερος ἐπὶ τὴν ῾Ελλάδα.

²καὶ συνεστήσατο πολέμους πολλοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ὀχυρωμάτων πολλῶν καὶ ἔσφαξε βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς·

³καὶ διῆλθεν ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔλαβε σκῦλα πλήθους ἐθνῶν. καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώθη, καὶ ἐπήρθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ.

⁴καὶ συνήγαγε δύναμιν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα καὶ ἦρξε χωρῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν καὶ τυράννων, καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ εἰς φόρον.

⁵καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀποθνήσκει.

⁶καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐνδόξους τοὺς συντρόφους αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ νεότητος καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ ἔτι ζῶντος αὐτοῦ.

⁷καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αλέξανδρος ἔτη δώδεκα καὶ ἀπέθανε.

⁸καὶ ἐπεκράτησαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ.

⁹καὶ ἐπέθεντο πάντες διαδήματα μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ ἐπλήθυναν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ.

¹⁰καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥίζα ἁμαρτωλὸς ᾿Αντίοχος ᾿Επιφανής, υἱὸς ᾿Αντιόχου βασιλέως, ὃς ἦν ὅμηρα ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ἔτει ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τριακοστῷ καὶ ἑβδόμῳ βασιλείας ῾Ελλήνων.

¹¹᾿Εν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθον ἐξ ᾿Ισραὴλ υἱοὶ παράνομοι καὶ ἀνέπεισαν πολλοὺς λέγοντες· πορευθῶμεν καὶ διαθώμεθα διαθήκην μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν κύκλῳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐχωρίσθημεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, εὗρεν ἡμᾶς κακὰ πολλά.

¹²καὶ ἠγαθύνθη ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν,

¹³καὶ προεθυμήθησάν τινες ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἐθνῶν.

¹⁴καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν γυμνάσιον ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις κατὰ τὰ νόμιμα τῶν ἐθνῶν

¹⁵καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς ἀκροβυστίας καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ διαθήκης ἁγίας καὶ ἐζευγίσθησαν τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ ἐπράθησαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν.

¹⁶Καὶ ἡτοιμάσθη ἡ βασιλεία ἐναντίον ᾿Αντιόχου, καὶ ὑπέβαλε βασιλεῦσαι τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅπως βασιλεύσῃ ἐπὶ τὰς δύο βασιλείας.

¹⁷καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ, ἐν ἅρμασι καὶ ἐν ἐλέφασι καὶ ἐν ἱππεῦσι καὶ ἐν στόλῳ μεγάλῳ

¹⁸καὶ συνεστήσαντο πόλεμον πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου· καὶ ἐνετράπη Πτολεμαῖος ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφυγε, καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί.

¹⁹καὶ κατελάβοντο τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὀχυρὰς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ σκῦλα γῆς Αἰγύπτου.

²⁰καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ᾿Αντίοχος μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Αἴγυπτον ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ τρίτῳ ἔτει καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ.

²¹καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν καὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς

²²καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα καὶ τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰς θυΐσκας τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ τὸ καταπέτασμα καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ τὸν κόσμον τὸν χρυσοῦν τὸν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐλέπισε πάντα.

²³καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ καὶ ἔλαβε τοὺς θησαυροὺς τοὺς ἀποκρύφους, οὓς εὗρε·

²⁴καὶ λαβὼν πάντα ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐποίησε φονοκτονίαν καὶ ἐλάλησεν ὑπερηφανίαν μεγάλην.

²⁵καὶ ἐγένετο πένθος μέγα ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ αὐτῶν.

²⁶καὶ ἐστέναξαν ἄρχοντες καὶ πρεσβύτεροι, παρθένοι καὶ νεανίσκοι ἠσθένησαν, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν γυναικῶν ἠλλοιώθη.

²⁷πᾶς νυμφίος ἀνέλαβε θρῆνον, καὶ καθημένη ἐν παστῷ ἐγένετο ἐν πένθει.

²⁸καὶ ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτήν, καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐνεδύσατο αἰσχύνην.

²⁹Καὶ μετὰ δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἄρχοντα φορολογίας εἰς τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ.

³⁰καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λόγους εἰρηνικοὺς ἐν δόλῳ, καὶ ἐνεπίστευσαν αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐξάπινα καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὴν πληγὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἀπώλεσε λαὸν πολὺν ἐξ ᾿Ισραήλ.

³¹καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν αὐτὴν πυρὶ καὶ καθεῖλε τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς κύκλῳ.

³²καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα, καὶ τὰ κτήνη ἐκληρονόμησαν.

³³καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὴν πόλιν Δαυὶδ τείχει μεγάλῳ καὶ ἰσχυρῷ, πύργοις ὀχυροῖς, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς εἰς ἄκραν.

³⁴καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐκεῖ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλόν, ἄνδρας παρανόμους, καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν αὐτῇ.

³⁵καὶ παρέθεντο ὅπλα καὶ τροφὰς καὶ συναγαγόντες τὰ σκῦλα ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἀπέθεντο ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς μεγάλην παγίδα.

³⁶καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς ἔνεδρον τῷ ἁγιάσματι καὶ εἰς διάβολον πονηρὸν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ διαπαντός.

³⁷καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῷον κύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸ ἁγίασμα.

³⁸καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κάτοικοι ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ δι᾿ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐγένετο κατοικία ἀλλοτρίων· καὶ ἐγένετο ἀλλοτρία τοῖς γενήμασιν αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἐγκατέλιπον αὐτήν.

³⁹τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτῆς ἠρημώθη ὡς ἔρημος, αἱ ἑορταὶ αὐτῆς ἐστράφησαν εἰς πένθος, τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς εἰς ὀνειδισμόν, ἡ τιμὴ αὐτῆς εἰς ἐξουδένωσιν.

⁴⁰κατὰ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῆς ἐπληθύνθη ἡ ἀτιμία αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς ἐστράφη εἰς πένθος.

⁴¹Καὶ ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αντίοχος πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ εἷναι πάντας εἰς λαὸν ἕνα

⁴²καὶ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἕκαστον τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπεδέξατο πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως.

⁴³καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραὴλ εὐδόκησαν τῇ λατρείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθυσαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν τὸ σάββατον.

⁴⁴καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς βιβλία ἐν χειρὶ ἀγγέλων εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα πορευθῆναι ὀπίσω νομίμων ἀλλοτρίων τῆς γῆς

⁴⁵καὶ κωλῦσαι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ βεβηλῶσαι σάββατα καὶ ἑορτὰς

⁴⁶καὶ μιᾶναι ἁγίασμα καὶ ἁγίους,

⁴⁷καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι βωμοὺς καὶ τεμένη καὶ εἰδωλεῖα καὶ θύειν ὕεια καὶ κτήνη κοινὰ

⁴⁸καὶ ἀφιέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἀπεριτμήτους, βδελύξαι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν παντὶ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ βεβηλώσει,

⁴⁹ὥστε ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἀλλάξαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα·

⁵⁰καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀποθανεῖται.

⁵¹κατὰ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἔγραψε πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπισκόπους ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο ταῖς πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα θυσιάζειν κατὰ πόλιν καὶ πόλιν.

⁵²καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πολλοί, πᾶς ὁ ἐγκαταλιπὼν τὸν νόμον, καὶ ἐποίησαν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ

⁵³καὶ ἔθεντο τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν κρύφοις ἐν παντὶ φυγαδευτηρίῳ αὐτῶν.

⁵⁴καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ Χασελεῦ τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει ᾠκοδόμησαν βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐν πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα κύκλῳ ᾠκοδόμησαν βωμούς·

⁵⁵καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν τῶν οἰκιῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐθυμίων.

⁵⁶καὶ τὰ βιβλία τοῦ νόμου, ἃ εὗρον, ἐνεπύρισαν πυρὶ κατασχίσαντες.

⁵⁷καὶ ὅπου εὑρίσκετο παρά τινι βιβλίον διαθήκης, καὶ εἴ τις συνευδόκει τῷ νόμῳ, τὸ σύγκριμα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτου αὐτόν.

⁵⁸ἐν ἰσχύϊ αὐτῶν ἐποίουν οὕτως τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοῖς εὑρισκομένοις ἐν παντὶ μηνὶ καὶ μηνὶ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι.

⁵⁹καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνὸς θυσιάζοντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν, ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.

⁶⁰καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τὰς περιτετμηκυίας τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐθανάτωσαν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα

⁶¹καὶ ἐκρέμασαν τὰ βρέφη ἐκ τῶν τραχήλων αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν προενόμευσαν καὶ τοὺς περιτετμηκότας αὐτοὺς ἐθανάτωσαν.

⁶²καὶ πολλοὶ ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκραταιώθησαν καὶ ὠχυρώθησαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν κοινὰ

⁶³καὶ ἐπελέξαντο ἀποθανεῖν, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσι τοῖς βρώμασι καὶ μὴ βεβηλώσωσι διαθήκην ἁγίαν, καὶ ἀπέθανον.

⁶⁴καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ μεγάλη ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ σφόδρα.

¹1:1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,

²And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth,

³And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.

⁴And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.

⁵And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.

⁶Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.

⁷So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died.

⁸And his servants bare rule every one in his place.

⁹And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.

¹⁰And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

¹¹In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.

¹²So this device pleased them well.

¹³Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:

¹⁴Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:

¹⁵And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.

¹⁶Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.

¹⁷Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,

¹⁸And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.

¹⁹Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.

²⁰And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,

²¹And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,

²²And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.

²³He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.

²⁴And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.

²⁵Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;

²⁶So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.

²⁷Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,

²⁸The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.

²⁹And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,

³⁰And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.

³¹And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.

³²But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.

³³Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.

³⁴And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.

³⁵They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:

³⁶For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.

³⁷Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:

³⁸Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.

³⁹Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.

⁴⁰As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.

⁴¹Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,

⁴²And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.

⁴³Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.

⁴⁴For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,

⁴⁵And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:

⁴⁶And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:

⁴⁷Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts:

⁴⁸That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:

⁴⁹To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

⁵⁰And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.

⁵¹In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.

⁵²Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;

⁵³And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.

⁵⁴Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;

⁵⁵And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.

⁵⁶And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.

⁵⁷And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king’s commandment was, that they should put him to death.

⁵⁸Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.

⁵⁹Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.

⁶⁰At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.

⁶¹And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.

⁶²Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.

⁶³Wherefore they chose rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.

⁶⁴And there was very great wrath upon Israel.