1. Makkabeler 3

¹Ve onun yerine, Makkabi diye adlandırılan oğlu Yahuda ortaya çıktı.

²Bütün kardeşleri ve babasına sıkı sıkıya kenetlenmiş olanların hepsi ona yardım ettiler ve İsrail'in savaşını büyük bir coşkuyla sürdürdüler.

³Halkının görkemini artırdı; bir dev gibi zırhını kuşandı, askeri teçhizatını beline bağladı ve kılıcıyla ordugahı koruyarak savaşlar yaptı.

⁴İşlerinde adeta bir aslana benzedi, avının üzerine homurdayan genç bir aslan gibiydi.

⁵Yasa tanımazları didik didik arayarak kovaladı ve halkına sıkıntı verenleri ateşe verdi.

⁶Onun korkusundan yasa tanımazlar sindi, kötülük yapanların hepsi şaşkına döndü ve onun eliyle kurtuluş başarıyla ilerledi.

⁷Birçok krala acı verdi, yaptıklarıyla Yakup soyunu sevindirdi; onun anısı sonsuza dek övgüyle anılacaktır.

⁸Yahuda kentlerinden geçti, tanrısızların oradan kökünü kazıdı ve İsrail'in üzerinden gazabı uzaklaştırdı.

⁶Ünü yeryüzünün en uç sınırlarına dek ulaştı ve helak olmak üzere olanları bir araya topladı.

¹⁰Apollonios, İsrail'e karşı savaşmak için pagan ulusları ve Samiriye'den büyük bir askeri gücü bir araya topladı.

¹¹Yahuda bunu öğrenince onu karşılamaya çıktı, onu darbeleyip öldürdü; pek çok kişi yaralanıp düştü, geri kalanlar ise kaçtı.

¹²Onların ganimetlerini aldılar; Yahuda, Apollonios'un kılıcını aldı ve ömrü boyunca savaşlarında hep onu kullandı.

¹³Suriye ordusunun komutanı Seron, Yahuda'nın bir topluluk oluşturduğunu, kendisiyle birlikte savaşa gitmeye hazır sadık inananlardan oluşan bir meclis topladığını duyunca,

¹⁴Şöyle dedi: "Kendime bir ad yapacağım ve krallıkta yüceltileceğim; Yahuda ve onunla birlikte olup kralın buyruğunu hiçe sayanlarla savaşacağım."

¹⁵Böylece sefere çıkmaya hazırlandı; İsrailoğulları'ndan öç almak ve ona yardım etmek için tanrısızlardan oluşan güçlü bir ordu onunla birlikte yola çıktı.

¹⁶Beyt-Horon yokuşuna yaklaştıklarında, Yahuda az sayıda adamıyla onları karşılamaya çıktı.

¹⁷Karşılarına gelen orduyu görünce Yahuda'ya, "Biz bu kadar az kişiyken, bu kadar büyük ve güçlü bir kalabalığa karşı nasıl savaşabiliriz? Üstelik bugün hiçbir şey yemedik ve dermanımız kalmadı" dediler.

¹⁸Yahuda şöyle yanıt verdi: "Çok sayıda insanın az sayıda kişinin eline teslim edilmesi kolaydır. Göklerin Tanrısı için çok kişiyle de az kişiyle de kurtarmak arasında hiçbir fark yoktur.

¹⁹Çünkü savaşta zafer ordunun çokluğuna bağlı değildir; güç ancak gökten gelir.

²⁰Onlar bizi, karılarımızı ve çocuklarımızı yok etmek, bizi yağmalamak için büyük bir kibir ve yasa tanımazlıkla üzerimize geliyorlar;

²¹biz ise canlarımız ve dinsel yasalarımız için savaşıyoruz.

²²O, onları önümüzde un ufak edecektir; bu yüzden onlardan korkmayın."

²³Konuşmasını bitirir bitirmez aniden üzerlerine atıldı; Seron ve ordusu onun önünde un ufak oldu.

²⁴Onları Beyt-Horon inişinden ovaya kadar kovaladılar; onlardan yaklaşık sekiz yüz kişi öldü, geri kalanlar ise Filist ülkesine kaçtı.

²⁵Böylece Yahuda ile kardeşlerinin korkusu ve dehşeti çevrelerindeki ulusların üzerine çökmeye başladı.

²⁶Onun ünü kralın kulağına kadar ulaştı ve bütün uluslar Yahuda'nın savaş taktiklerini konuşur oldu.

²⁷Kral Antiokhos bu haberleri duyunca çok öfkelendi; haber gönderip krallığının bütün güçlerini, son derece güçlü bir orduyu bir araya topladı.

²⁸Hazinesini açıp askerlerine bir yıllık ücretlerini ödedi ve her türlü göreve hazır olmalarını buyurdu.

²⁹Ancak hazinesindeki paranın tükendiğini ve ülkedeki vergilerin azaldığını gördü; çünkü ilk günlerden beri var olan dinsel yasaları kaldırmak suretiyle ülkede kargaşaya ve felakete yol açmıştı.

³⁰Daha önceki krallardan çok daha cömertçe dağıttığı bağışları ve masrafları her zamanki gibi karşılayamayacağından endişe etti.

³¹Büyük bir sıkıntıya düşerek Pers ülkesine gitmeye, oradaki eyaletlerin vergilerini toplamaya ve çok miktarda para biriktirmeye karar verdi.

³²Fırat Irmağı'ndan Mısır sınırına kadar olan kraliyet işlerini yürütmesi için kral soyundan gelen soylu bir adam olan Lisias'ı vekil olarak bıraktı.

³³Kendisi dönene kadar oğlu Antiokhos'u yetiştirme görevini de ona verdi.

³⁴Ordusunun yarısını ve filleri ona teslim etti; yapmak istediği her şey hakkında ve Yahuda ile Yeruşalim'de yaşayanlarla ilgili ona buyruklar verdi:

³⁵İsrail'in gücünü ve Yeruşalim'den geriye kalanları yok edip ortadan kaldırmak, anılarını o yerden silmek için üzerlerine bir ordu göndermesini,

³⁶bütün topraklarına yabancıları yerleştirmesini ve topraklarını kura ile paylaştırmasını buyurdu.

³⁷Kral ise ordunun geri kalan yarısını yanına alarak yüz kırk yedinci yılda başkenti Antakya'dan ayrıldı; Fırat Irmağı'nı geçip yukarı bölgelerde ilerledi.

³⁸Lisias, kralın dostlarından güçlü adamlar olan Dorimenes oğlu Batlamyus'u, Nikanor'u ve Gorgias'ı seçti.

³⁹Kralın buyruğu uyarınca Yahuda ülkesine gidip orayı yerle bir etmeleri için onlarla birlikte kırk bin piyade ve yedi bin süvari gönderdi.

⁴⁰Bütün ordularıyla yola çıkıp geldiler ve ova ülkesindeki Emmaus yakınlarında ordugah kurdular.

⁴¹Bölgenin tüccarları onların ününü duyunca, İsrailoğulları'nı köle olarak satın almak için yanlarına çok miktarda altın, gümüş ve zincirler alarak ordugaha geldiler. Suriye'den ve Filist ülkesinden gelen ordular da onlara katıldı.

⁴²Yahuda ve kardeşleri, felaketin büyüdüğünü ve düşman ordularının kendi sınırlarında ordugah kurduğunu gördüler; kralın, halkın tamamen yok edilmesi ve ortadan kaldırılması yönündeki buyruğunu da öğrenmişlerdi.

⁴³Birbirlerine şöyle dediler: "Halkımızın yıkımını tersine çevirelim; halkımız ve kutsal yerimiz için savaşalım."

⁴⁴Böylece topluluk savaşa hazır olmak, dua etmek, merhamet ve acıma dilemek için bir araya geldi.

⁴⁵Yeruşalim bir çöl gibi ıssız kalmıştı; çocuklarından ne giren vardı ne çıkan. Tapınak ayaklar altında çiğnenmişti, kalede yabancılar kalıyordu, orası ulusların barınağı olmuştu. Yakup'tan sevinç uzaklaşmış, kaval ve lir sesleri kesilmişti.

⁴⁶Toplanıp Yeruşalim'in karşısındaki Mispa'ya geldiler; çünkü geçmişte İsrail için Mispa'da bir dua yeri vardı.

⁴⁷O gün oruç tuttular, çul kuşandılar, başlarına kül serptiler ve giysilerini yırttılar.

⁴⁸Ulusların kendi putlarının resimlerini aradığı yasa kitabını açtılar.

⁴⁹Kahinlik giysilerini, ilk ürünleri ve ondalıkları getirdiler; adak sürelerini tamamlamış olan adanmışları öne çıkardılar.

⁵⁰Göğe doğru yüksek sesle feryat ederek şöyle dediler: "Bunları ne yapalım ve nereye götürelim?

⁵¹Çünkü senin kutsal yerin ayaklar altında çiğnendi ve kirletildi; kahinlerin ise yas tutuyor ve aşağılanıyor.

⁵²İşte uluslar bizi yok etmek için bize karşı toplandılar; bize karşı ne tasarladıklarını sen bilirsin.

⁵³Sen bize yardım etmezsen, onların karşısında nasıl ayakta durabiliriz?"

⁵⁴Sonra borularını çaldılar ve yüksek sesle haykırdılar.

⁵⁵Bundan sonra Yahuda halkın başına komutanlar atadı: biner, yüzer, ellişer ve onar kişilik birliklerin başına yöneticiler getirdi.

⁵⁶Yasa uyarınca; ev inşa etmekte olanların, nişanlısı olanların, bağ dikenlerin ve korkakların her birinin evine dönmesini buyurdu.

⁵⁷Ordugah yerinden ayrıldı ve Emmaus'un güneyinde konakladı.

⁵⁸Yahuda şöyle dedi: "Kuşanın ve yiğit adamlar olun; bizi ve kutsal yerimizi yok etmek için bize karşı toplanan bu uluslarla savaşmak üzere sabahleyin hazır olun.

⁵⁹Çünkü savaşta ölmek, halkımızın ve kutsal yerimizin başına gelen felaketleri görmekten daha iyidir.

⁶⁰Göklerdeki irade neyse, O öyle yapacaktır."

¹ΚΑΙ ἀνέστη ᾿Ιούδας ὁ καλούμενος Μακκαβαῖος υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

²καὶ ἐβοήθουν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες, ὅσοι ἐκολλήθησαν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπολέμουν τὸν πόλεμον ᾿Ισραὴλ μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης.

³καὶ ἐπλάτυνε δόξαν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνεδύσατο θώρακα ὡς γίγας καὶ συνεζώσατο τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ τὰ πολεμικὰ καὶ συνεστήσατο πολέμους σκεπάζων παρεμβολὴν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ.

⁴καὶ ὡμοιώθη λέοντι ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς σκύμνος ἐρευγόμενος εἰς θήραν.

⁵καὶ ἐδίωξεν ἀνόμους ἐξερευνῶν καὶτοὺς ταράσσοντας τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐφλόγισε.

⁶καὶ συνεστάλησαν οἱ ἄνομοι ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐργάτες τῆς ἀνομίας συνεταράχθησαν, καὶ εὐωδώθη σωτηρία ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ.

⁷καὶ ἐπίκρανε βασιλεῖς πολλοὺς καὶ εὔφρανε τὸν ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ εἰς εὐλογίαν.

⁸καὶ διῆλθεν ἐν πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ἐξωλόθρευσεν ἀσεβεῖς ἐξ αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὀργὴν ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραὴλ

⁶καὶ ὠνομάσθη ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς καὶ συνήγαγεν ἀπολλυμένους.

¹⁰Καὶ συνήγαγεν ᾿Απολλώνιος ἔθνη καὶ ἀπὸ Σαμαρείας δύναμιν μεγάλην τοῦ πολεμῆσαι πρὸς ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹¹καὶ ἔγνω ᾿Ιούδας καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν· καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί, καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἔφυγον.

¹²καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ σκῦλα αὐτῶν, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ᾿Απολλωνίου ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ ἦν πολεμῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.

¹³καὶ ἤκουσε Σήρων ὁ ἄρχων τῆς δυνάμεως Συρίας ὅτι ἤθροισεν ᾿Ιούδας ἄθροισμα καὶ ἐκκλησίαν πιστῶν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκπορευομένων εἰς πόλεμον,

¹⁴καὶ εἶπε· ποιήσω ἐμαυτῷ ὄνομα καὶ δοξασθήσομαι ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ καὶ πολεμήσω τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐξουδενοῦντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως.

¹⁵καὶ προσέθετο τοῦ ἀναβῆναι· καὶ ἀνέβη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ παρεμβολὴ ἀσεβῶν ἰσχυρὰ βοηθῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ποιῆσαι τὴν ἐκδίκησιν ἐν υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹⁶καὶ ἤγγισαν ἕως ἀναβάσεως Βαιθωρών, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ιούδας εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῶν ὀλιγοστός.

¹⁷ὡς δὲ εἶδον τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐρχομένην εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς, εἶπον τῷ ᾿Ιούδᾳ· πῶς δυνησόμεθα ὀλιγοστοὶ ὄντες πολεμῆσαι πρὸς πλῆθος τοσοῦτον ἰσχυρόν; καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκλελύμεθα ἀσιτοῦντες σήμερον.

¹⁸καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιούδας· εὔκοπόν ἐστι συγκλεισθῆναι πολλοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ὀλίγων, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι διαφορὰ ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σῴζειν ἐν πολλοῖς ἢ ἐν ὀλίγοις·

¹⁹ὅτι οὐκ ἐν πλήθει δυνάμεως νίκη πολέμου ἐστίν, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς.

²⁰αὐτοὶ ἔρχονται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐν πλήθει ὕβρεως καὶ ἀνομίας τοῦ ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν, τοῦ σκυλεῦσαι ἡμᾶς,

²¹ἡμεῖς δὲ πολεμοῦμεν περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν νομίμων ἡμῶν.

²²καὶ αὐτὸς συντρίψει αὐτοὺς πρὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν· ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν.

²³ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν, ἐνήλατο εἰς αὐτοὺς ἄφνω, καὶ συνετρίβη Σήρων καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.

²⁴καὶ ἐδίωκον αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ καταβάσει Βαιθωρὼν ἕως τοῦ πεδίου· καὶ ἔπεσον ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰς ἄνδρας ὀκτακοσίους, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἔφυγον εἰς γῆν Φυλιστιείμ.

²⁵καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ φόβος ᾿Ιούδα καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ πτόησις ἐπιπίπτειν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ κύκλῳ αὐτῶν.

²⁶καὶ ἤγγισεν ἕως τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν παρατάξεων ᾿Ιούδα ἐξηγεῖτο πᾶν ἔθνος.

²⁷῾Ως δὲ ἤκουσεν ᾿Αντίοχος ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ὠργίσθη θυμῷ καὶ ἀπέστειλε καὶ συνήγαγε τὰς δυνάμεις πάσας τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, παρεμβολὴν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα.

²⁸καὶ ἤνοιξε τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν ὀψώνια ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἑτοίμους εἰς πᾶσαν χρείαν.

²⁹καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἐξέλιπε τὸ ἀργύριον ἀπὸ τῶν θησαυρῶν καὶ οἱ φόροι τῆς χώρας ὀλίγοι, χάριν τῆς διχοστασίας καὶ πληγῆς, ἧς κατεσκεύασεν ἐν τῇ γῇ τοῦ ἆραι τὰ νόμιμα, ἃ ἦσαν ἀφ᾿ ἡμερῶν τῶν πρώτων.

³⁰καὶ εὐλαβήθη μὴ οὐκ ἔχῃ ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς εἰς τὰς δαπάνας καὶ τὰ δόματα, ἃ ἐδίδου ἔμπροσθεν δαψιλεῖ χειρὶ καὶ ἐπερίσσευσεν ὑπὲρ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν,

³¹καὶ ἠπορεῖτο τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ σφόδρα καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς τὴν Περσίδα καὶ λαβεῖν τοὺς φόρους τῶν χωρῶν καὶ συναγαγεῖν ἀργύριον πολύ.

³²καὶ κατέλιπε Λυσίαν ἄνθρωπον ἔνδοξον καὶ ἀπὸ γένους τῆς βασιλείας ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου ἕως τῶν ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου

³³καὶ τρέφει ᾿Αντίοχον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἕως τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτόν.

³⁴καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὰς ἡμίσεις τῶν δυνάμεων καὶ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ περὶ πάντων, ὦν ἐβούλετο, καὶ περὶ τῶν κατοικούντων τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ

³⁵ἀποστεῖλαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς δύναμιν τοῦ ἐκτρίψαι καὶ ἐξᾶραι τὴν ἰσχὺν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τὸ κατάλειμμα ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἆραι τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου

³⁶καὶ κατοικίσαι υἱοὺς ἀλλογενεῖς ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν καὶ κατακληροδοτῆσαι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν.

³⁷καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέλαβε τὰς ἡμίσεις τῶν δυνάμεων τὰς καταλειφθείσας καὶ ἀπῇρεν ἀπὸ ᾿Αντιοχείας ἀπὸ πόλεως βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, ἔτους ἑβδόμου καὶ τεσσαρακοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ, καὶ διεπέρασε τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν καὶ διεπορεύετο τὰς ἐπάνω χώρας.

³⁸Καὶ ἐπέλεξε Λυσίας Πτολεμαῖον τὸν Δορυμένους καὶ Νικάνορα καὶ Γοργίαν ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως,

³⁹καὶ ἀπέστειλε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἑπτακισχιλίαν ἵππον τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν εἰς γῆν ᾿Ιούδα καὶ καταφθεῖραι αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως.

⁴⁰καὶ ἀπῇραν σὺν πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθον καὶ παρενέβαλον πλησίον ᾿Εμμανοὺμ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ πεδινῇ.

⁴¹καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς χώρας τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν καὶ ἔλαβον ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον πολὺ σφόδρα καὶ πέδας καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν τοῦ λαβεῖν τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς παῖδας. καὶ προσετέθησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς δύναμις Συρίας καὶ γῆς ἀλλοφύλων.

⁴²καὶ εἶδεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐπληθύνθη τὰ κακὰ καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις παρεμβάλλουσιν ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βασιλέως, οὓς ἐνετείλατο ποιῆσαι τῷ λαῷ εἰς ἀπώλειαν καὶ συντέλειαν.

⁴³καὶ εἶπεν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· ἀναστήσωμεν τὴν καθαίρεσιν τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ πολεμήσωμεν περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν ἁγίων.

⁴⁴καὶ συνηθροίσθη ἡ συναγωγὴ τοῦ εἶναι ἑτοίμους εἰς πόλεμον καὶ τοῦ προσεύξασθαι καὶ αἰτῆσαι ἔλεον καὶ οἰκτιρμούς.

⁴⁵καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἦν ἀοίκητος ὡς ἔρημος· οὐκ ἦν ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος ἐκ τῶν γενημάτων αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα καταπατούμενον, καὶ υἱοὶ ἀλλογενῶν ἐν τῇ ἄκρᾳ, κατάλυμα τοῖς ἔθνεσι· καὶ ἐξῄρθη τέρψις ἐξ ᾿Ιακώβ, καὶ ἐξέλιπεν αὐλὸς καὶ κινύρα.

⁴⁶καὶ συνήχθησαν καὶ ἤλθοσαν εἰς Μασσηφὰ κατέναντι ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὅτι τόπος προσευχῆς εἰς Μασσηφὰ τὸ πρότερον τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁴⁷καὶ ἐνήστευσαν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους καὶ σποδὸν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ διέρρηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν.

⁴⁸καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ νόμου, περὶ ὧν ἐξηρεύνων τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ὁμοιώματα τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν.

⁴⁹καὶ ἤνεγκαν τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς ἱερωσύνης καὶ τὰ πρωτογενήματα καὶ τὰς δεκάτας καὶ ἤγειραν τοὺς ναζιραίους, οἳ ἐπλήρωσαν τὰς ἡμέρας,

⁵⁰καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν λέγοντες· τί ποιήσωμεν τούτοις καὶ ποῦ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγάγωμεν;

⁵¹καὶ τὰ ἅγιά σου καταπεπάτηται καὶ βεβήλωται καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐν πένθει καὶ ταπεινώσει.

⁵²καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἔθνη συνῆκται ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς τοῦ ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς· σὺ οἶδας ἃ λογίζονται ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς.

⁵³πῶς δυνησόμεθα ὑποστῆναι κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν, ἐὰν μὴ σὺ βοηθήσῃς ἡμῖν;

⁵⁴καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξι καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ.

⁵⁵καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο κατέστησεν ᾿Ιούδας ἡγούμενος τοῦ λαοῦ χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους καὶ πεντηκοντάρχους καὶ δεκάρχους.

⁵⁶καὶ εἶπον τοῖς οἰκοδομοῦσιν οἰκίας καὶ μνηστευομένοις γυναῖκας καὶ φυτεύουσιν ἀμπελῶνας καὶ δειλοῖς ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸν νόμον.

⁵⁷καὶ ἀπῇρεν ἡ παρεμβολή, καὶ παρενέβαλε κατὰ νότον ᾿Αμμαούς.

⁵⁸καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιούδας· περιζώσασθε καὶ γίνεσθε εἰς υἱοὺς δυνατοὺς καὶ γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι εἰς τὸ πρωΐ τοῦ πολεμῆσαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τούτοις τοῖς ἐπισυνηγμένοις ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν·

⁵⁹ὅτι κρεῖσσον ἡμᾶς ἀποθανεῖν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ ἢ ἐπιδεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ κακὰ τοῦ ἔθνους ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν ἁγίων.

⁶⁰ὡς δ᾿ ἂν ᾖ θέλημα ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὕτω ποιήσει.

¹Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.

²And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.

³So he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.

⁴In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion’s whelp roaring for his prey.

⁵For He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.

⁶Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.

⁷He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.

⁸Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:

⁹So that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.

¹⁰Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.

¹¹Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.

¹²Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius’ sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.

¹³Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;

¹⁴He said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king’s commandment.

¹⁵So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.

¹⁶And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:

¹⁷Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?

¹⁸Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:

¹⁹For the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host; but strength cometh from heaven.

²⁰They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:

²¹But we fight for our lives and our laws.

²²Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.

²³Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him.

²⁴And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.

²⁵Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:

²⁶Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.

²⁷Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.

²⁸He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them.

²⁹Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;

³⁰He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.

³¹Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.

³²So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt:

³³And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.

³⁴Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and Jerusalem:

³⁵To wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;

³⁶And that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.

³⁷So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.

³⁸Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends:

³⁹And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.

⁴⁰So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.

⁴¹And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.

⁴²Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;

⁴³They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary.

⁴⁴Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.

⁴⁵Now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.

⁴⁶Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.

⁴⁷Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes,

⁴⁸And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.

⁴⁹They brought also the priests’ garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had accomplished their days.

⁵⁰Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away?

⁵¹For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy priests are in heaviness, and brought low.

⁵²And lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest.

⁵³How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O God, be our help?

⁵⁴Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.

⁵⁵And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

⁵⁶But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, according to the law.

⁵⁷So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus.

⁵⁸And Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:

⁵⁹For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people and our sanctuary.

⁶⁰Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.