1. Makkabeler 4

¹Ve Gorgias yanına beş bin adam ve seçkin bin süvari alarak geceleyin ordugahıyla birlikte yola çıktı.

²Amacı Yahudilerin ordugahına ansızın saldırmak ve onları ansızın vurmaktı; kalenin adamları da ona kılavuzluk ediyordu.

³Yahuda bunu işitince, Emmaus'taki kralın ordusunu vurmak üzere kendisi ve savaşçıları harekete geçti.

⁴Bu sırada kralın kuvvetleri henüz ordugahtan uzakta, dağınık halde bulunuyordu.

⁵Gorgias geceleyin Yahuda'nın ordugahına geldiğinde orada kimseyi bulamadı; "Bunlar bizden kaçıyorlar" diyerek onları dağlarda aramaya başladı.

⁶Gün ağarırken Yahuda, ovada üç bin adamla göründü; ancak istedikleri gibi kalkanları ve kılıçları yoktu.

⁷Ulusların güçlü, zırhlı ve etrafı süvarilerle çevrili ordugahını gördüler; bunlar savaş eğitimi almış askerlerdi.

⁸Yahuda yanındaki adamlara şöyle dedi: "Onların kalabalığından korkmayın ve hücumlarından ötürü korkaklığa kapılmayın.

⁹Atalarımızın Kızıldeniz'de, Firavun ordusuyla onları kovalarken nasıl kurtarıldıklarını hatırlayın.

¹⁰Şimdi göğe doğru feryat edelim; belki bize merhamet eder, atalarımızın antlaşmasını hatırlar ve bugün önümüzdeki bu orduyu yerle bir eder.

¹¹Böylece tüm uluslar İsrail'i kurtaran ve özgür kılan birinin var olduğunu bilecektir."

¹²Yabancılar gözlerini kaldırıp onların karşıdan geldiğini gördüler.

¹³Savaşmak üzere ordugahtan çıktılar; Yahuda'nın yanındakiler ise borazanlarını çaldılar.

¹⁴Çarpışmaya girdiler; uluslar bozguna uğrayıp ovaya doğru kaçtılar.

¹⁵Artçıların hepsi kılıçtan geçirildi; onları Gazera'ya, İdumeya ovalarına, Aşdot'a ve Yamnia'ya kadar kovaladılar. Onlardan yaklaşık üç bin kişi öldü.

¹⁶Yahuda ve ordusu onları kovalamaktan geri döndüğünde,

¹⁷halka şöyle dedi: "Ganimet sevdasına düşmeyin, çünkü önümüzde çetin bir savaş var.

¹⁸Gorgias ve ordusu dağda, yakınımızdadır; şimdi düşmanlarımızın karşısında durup onlarla savaşın, ondan sonra ganimetleri cesaretle toplayabilirsiniz."

¹⁹Yahuda daha sözünü bitirmeden, dağdan bakan bir müfreze göründü.

²⁰Ordugahlarının bozguna uğratıldığını ve ateşe verildiğini gördüler; çünkü yükselen duman ne olduğunu açıkça gösteriyordu.

²¹Bunu görünce dehşete kapıldılar; Yahuda'nın ordusunun da ovada savaşa hazır beklediğini görünce,

²²hepsi yabancıların topraklarına kaçtı.

²³Bunun üzerine Yahuda ordugahı yağmalamak için geri döndü; bol miktarda altın, gümüş, mavi ve deniz moru kumaşlar ve büyük zenginlikler ele geçirdiler.

²⁴Dönerken göğe doğru ilahiler söyleyip şükrettiler: "Çünkü O iyidir, çünkü sevgisi sonsuza dek kalıcıdır."

²⁵O gün İsrail için büyük bir kurtuluş günü oldu.

²⁶Yabancılardan kurtulanlar gidip olup biten her şeyi Lisias'a bildirdiler.

²⁷Lisias bunları duyunca allak bullak oldu ve cesareti kırıldı; çünkü İsrail'de işler ne onun istediği gibi gitmiş ne de kralın buyurduğu gibi sonuçlanmıştı.

²⁸Ertesi yıl Lisias, Yahudileri alt etmek için altmış bin seçkin piyade ve beş bin süvari topladı.

²⁹İdumeya'ya gelip Beytsur'da ordugah kurdular; Yahuda on bin adamla onları karşılamaya çıktı.

³⁰Bu güçlü orduyu görünce dua edip şöyle dedi: "Övgüler olsun sana, ey İsrail'in Kurtarıcısı! Kulun Davut'un eliyle o güçlü yiğidin saldırısını kıran, yabancıların ordugahını Saul oğlu Yonatan'ın ve silah taşıyıcısının eline teslim eden Sensin.

³¹Bu orduyu da halkın İsrail'in eline teslim et; ordularından ve süvarilerinden ötürü utanç duysunlar.

³²Yüreklerine korku sal, güçlerinin cesaretini erit; bozguna uğrayıp sarsılsınlar.

³³Seni sevenlerin kılıcıyla onları yere ser; adını bilenlerin hepsi Seni ilahilerle övsün."

³⁴Çarpışmaya girdiler; Lisias'ın ordusundan yaklaşık beş bin kişi öldürüldü, karşı cephede can verdiler.

³⁵Lisias ordusunun bozguna uğradığını, Yahuda'nın askerlerinin cesaretini ve yiğitçe yaşamaya ya da ölmeye nasıl hazır olduklarını görünce Antakya'ya döndü; ordusunu daha da büyüterek yeniden Yahudiye'ye gelmek üzere paralı askerler topladı.

³⁶O zaman Yahuda ve kardeşleri, "İşte düşmanlarımız bozguna uğradı; haydi yukarı çıkıp kutsal yerleri arındıralım ve yeniden adayalım" dediler.

³⁷Bütün ordu toplandı ve Siyon Dağı'na çıktılar.

³⁸Tapınağın ıssız kaldığını, sunağın kirletildiğini, kapıların yakıldığını, avlularda ormandaki ya da dağdaki gibi çalıların büyüdüğünü ve odaların yıkıldığını gördüler.

³⁹Giysilerini yırttılar, dövünerek büyük yas tuttular ve başlarına kül serptiler.

⁴⁰Yüzüstü yere kapandılar, işaret borazanlarını çalıp göğe doğru feryat ettiler.

⁴¹O zaman Yahuda, kendisi kutsal yerleri arındırana kadar kaledekilerle savaşmaları için adamlar görevlendirdi.

⁴²Yasa bağlı, kusursuz kahinler seçti.

⁴³Kutsal yerleri arındırdılar ve kirli taşları kirli bir yere taşıdılar.

⁴⁴Kirletilmiş olan yakmalık sunu sunağını ne yapacaklarını danıştılar.

⁴⁵Uluslar onu kirlettiği için kendilerine bir utanç kaynağı olmasın diye sunağı yıkmanın en iyisi olacağına karar verdiler; böylece sunağı yıktılar.

⁴⁶Taşları, ne yapılacağını bildirecek bir peygamber gelene kadar tapınak dağında uygun bir yere koydular.

⁴⁷Yasa uygun olarak yontulmamış bütün taşlar aldılar ve önceki gibi yeni bir sunak yaptılar.

⁴⁸Kutsal yerleri ve tapınağın iç kısımlarını onardılar, avluları kutsal kıldılar.

⁴⁹Yeni kutsal kaplar yaptılar; kandilliği, buhur sunağını ve masayı tapınağa getirdiler.

⁵⁰Sunağın üzerinde buhur yaktılar, kandilliğin üzerindeki kandilleri yaktılar; bunlar tapınağı aydınlattı.

⁵¹Masanın üzerine ekmekleri koydular, perdeleri gerdiler ve başladıkları tüm işleri tamamladılar.

⁵²Yüz kırk sekizinci yılın dokuzuncu ayının (yani Kislev ayının) yirmi beşinci günü sabah erkenden kalktılar,

⁵³yasa uygun olarak, yaptıkları yeni yakmalık sunu sunağının üzerinde kurban sundular.

⁵⁴Ulusların sunağı kirlettiği aynı dönemde ve aynı günde, sunak ilahilerle, lirlerle, çenklerle ve zillerle yeniden adandı.

⁵⁵Bütün halk yüzüstü yere kapanıp tapındı ve kendilerini başarıya ulaştıran Gökteki'ne övgüler sundular.

⁵⁶Sunağın adanma törenini sekiz gün boyunca kutladılar; sevinçle yakmalık sunular sundular, esenlik ve şükran kurbanları kestiler.

⁵⁷Tapınağın ön cephesini altın taçlar ve küçük kalkanlarla süslediler; kapıları ve odaları yenileyip onlara kapılar taktılar.

⁵⁸Halk arasında çok büyük bir sevinç yaşandı ve ulusların getirdiği utanç ortadan kalktı.

⁵⁹Yahuda, kardeşleri ve bütün İsrail topluluğu, sunağın adanma günlerinin her yıl kendi döneminde, Kislev ayının yirmi beşinden başlayarak sekiz gün boyunca sevinç ve coşkuyla kutlanmasına karar verdi.

⁶⁰O dönemde Siyon Dağı'nın etrafını yüksek duvarlar ve güçlü kulelerle çevirdiler; öyle ki, uluslar daha önce yaptıkları gibi gelip orayı çiğnemesinler.

⁶¹Orayı korumak için bir garnizon yerleştirdiler; halkın İdumeya karşısında bir kalesi olsun diye Beytsur'u da tahkim ettiler.

¹ΚΑΙ παρέλαβε Γοργίας πεντακισχιλίους ἄνδρας καὶ χιλίαν ἵππον ἐκλεκτήν, καὶ ἀπῇρεν ἡ παρεμβολὴ νυκτός,

²ὥστε ἐπιβαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων καὶ πατάξαι αὐτοὺς ἄφνω· καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς ἄκρας ἦσαν αὐτῷ ὁδηγοί.

³καὶ ἤκουσεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ ἀπῇρεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ δυνατοὶ πατάξαι τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ἐν ᾿Αμμαούς,

⁴ἕως ἔτι αἱ δυνάμεις ἐσκορπισμέναι ἦσαν ἀπὸ τῆς παρεμβολῆς.

⁵καὶ ἦλθε Γοργίας εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν ᾿Ιούδα νυκτὸς καὶ οὐδένα εὗρε· καὶ ἐζήτει αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν, ὅτι εἶπε· φεύγουσιν οὗτοι ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν.

⁶καὶ ἅμα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὤφθη ᾿Ιούδας ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἐν τρισχιλίοις ἀνδράσι· πλὴν καλύμματα καὶ μαχαίρας οὐκ εἶχον καθὼς ἠβούλοντο.

⁷καὶ εἶδον παρεμβολὴν ἐθνῶν ἰσχυρὰν τεθωρακισμένην καὶ ἵππον κυκλοῦσαν αὐτήν, καὶ οὗτοι διδακτοὶ πολέμου.

⁸καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιούδας τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· μὴ φοβεῖσθε τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ ὅρμημα αὐτῶν μὴ δειλωθῆτε·

⁹μνήσθητε πῶς ἐσώθησαν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐν θαλάσσῃ ἐρυθρᾷ, ὅτι ἐδίωξεν αὐτοὺς Φαραὼ ἐν δυνάμει.

¹⁰καὶ νῦν βοήσωμεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, εἴ πως ἐλεήσει ἡμᾶς καὶ μνησθήσεται διαθήκης πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ συντρίψει τὴν παρεμβολὴν ταύτην κατὰ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν σήμερον,

¹¹καὶ γνώσεται πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ὅτι ἐστὶν ὁ λυτρούμενος καὶ σῴζων τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹²καὶ ᾖραν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ εἶδον αὐτοὺς ἐρχομένους ἐξεναντίας

¹³καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς εἰς πόλεμον· καὶ ἐσάλπισαν οἱ μετὰ ᾿Ιούδα

¹⁴καὶ συνῆψαν καὶ συνετρίβησαν τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὸ πεδίον,

¹⁵οἱ δὲ ἔσχατοι πάντες ἔπεσον ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ. καὶ ἐδίωξαν αὐτοὺς ἕως Γαζηρὼν καὶ ἕως τῶν πεδίων τῆς ᾿Ιδουμαίας καὶ ᾿Αζώτου καὶ ᾿Ιαμνείας, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς ἄνδρας τρισχιλίους.

¹⁶καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ ἡ δύναμις ἀπὸ τοῦ διώκειν ὄπισθεν αὐτῶν

¹⁷καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν λαόν· μὴ ἐπιθυμήσητε τῶν σκύλων, ὅτι πόλεμος ἐξεναντίας ἡμῶν,

¹⁸καὶ Γοργίας καὶ ἡ δύναμις ἐν τῷ ὄρει ἐγγὺς ἡμῶν· ἀλλὰ στῆτε νῦν ἐναντίον τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ πολεμήσατε αὐτούς, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα λάβετε τὰ σκῦλα μετὰ παρρησίας.

¹⁹ἔτι λαλοῦντος ᾿Ιούδα ταῦτα, ὤφθη μέρος τι ἐκκύπτον ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους·

²⁰καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι τετρόπωνται, καὶ ἐμπυρίζουσι τὴν παρεμβολήν· ὁ γὰρ καπνὸς ὁ θεωρούμενος ἐνεφάνιζε τὸ γεγονός.

²¹οἱ δὲ ταῦτα συνιδόντες ἐδειλώθησαν σφόδρα· συνιδόντες δὲ καὶ τὴν ᾿Ιούδα παρεμβολὴν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἑτοίμην εἰς παράταξιν,

²²ἔφυγον πάντες εἰς γῆν ἀλλοφύλων.

²³καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν ᾿Ιούδας ἐπὶ τὴν σκυλείαν τῆς παρεμβολῆς, καὶ ἔλαβον χρυσίον πολὺ καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ ὑάκινθον καὶ πορφύραν θαλασσίαν καὶ πλοῦτον μέγαν.

²⁴καὶ ἐπιστραφέντες ὕμνουν καὶ εὐλόγουν εἰς οὐρανὸν ὅτι καλόν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.

²⁵καὶ ἐγένετο σωτηρία μεγάλη τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.

²⁶῞Οσοι δὲ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων διεσώθησαν, παραγενηθέντες ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Λυσίᾳ πάντα τὰ συμβεβηκότα.

²⁷ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας συνεχύθη καὶ ἠθύμει, ὅτι οὐχ οἷα ἤθελε, τοιαῦτα γεγόνει τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ οὐχ οἷα ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς, τοιαῦτα ἐξέβη.

²⁸καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐχομένῳ ἐνιαυτῷ συνελόχισεν ὁ Λυσίας ἀνδρῶν ἐπιλέκτων ἑξήκοντα χιλιάδας καὶ πεντακισχιλίαν ἵππον, ὥστε ἐκπολεμῆσαι αὐτούς.

²⁹καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν ᾿Ιδουμαίαν καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν Βαιθσούροις, καὶ συνήντησεν αὐτοῖς ᾿Ιούδας ἐν δέκα χιλιάσιν ἀνδρῶν.

³⁰καὶ εἶδε τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἰσχυρὰν καὶ προσηύξατο καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογητὸς εἶ ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ συντρίψας τὸ ὅρμημα τοῦ δυνατοῦ ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ δούλου σου Δαυὶδ καὶ παρέδωκας τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων εἰς χεῖρας ᾿Ιωνάθαν υἱοῦ Σαοὺλ καὶ τοῦ αἴροντος τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ·

³¹οὕτω σύγκλεισον τὴν παρεμβολὴν ταύτην ἐν χειρὶ λαοῦ σου ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει καὶ τῇ ἵππῳ αὐτῶν·

³²δὸς αὐτοῖς δειλίαν καὶ τῆξον θράσος ἰσχύος αὐτῶν, καὶ σαλευθήτωσαν τῇ συντριβῇ αὐτῶν·

³³κατάβαλε αὐτοὺς ρομφαίᾳ ἀγαπώντων σε, καὶ αἰνεσάτωσάν σε πάντες οἱ εἰδότες τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐν ὕμνοις.

³⁴καὶ συνέβαλον ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς Λυσίου εἰς πεντακισχιλίους ἄνδρας καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ ἐναντίας αὐτῶν.

³⁵ἰδὼν δὲ Λυσίας τὴν γενομένην τροπὴν τῆς αὐτοῦ συντάξεως, τῆς δὲ ᾿Ιούδα τὸ γεγενημένον θάρσος καὶ ὡς ἕτοιμοί εἰσιν ἢ ζῆν ἢ τεθνάναι γενναίως, ἀπῇρεν εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν καὶ ἐξενολόγει, καὶ πλεονάσας τὸν γενηθέντα στρατὸν ἐλογίζετο πάλιν παραγενέσθαι εἰς τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν.

³⁶Εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιούδας καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ συνετρίβησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἡμῶν, ἀναβῶμεν καθαρίσαι τὰ ἅγια καὶ ἐγκαινίσαι.

³⁷καὶ συνήχθη ἡ παρεμβολὴ πᾶσα καὶ ἀνέβησαν εἰς ὄρος Σιών.

³⁸καὶ εἶδον τὸ ἁγίασμα ἠρημωμένον καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον βεβηλωμένον καὶ τὰς πύλας κατακεκαυμένας καὶ ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς φυτὰ πεφυκότα ὡς ἐν δρυμῷ ἢ ὡς ἑνὶ τῶν ὀρέων καὶ τὰ παστοφόρια καθῃρημένα.

³⁹καὶ διέρρηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκόψαντο κοπετὸν μέγαν καὶ ἐπέθεντο σποδὸν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν

⁴⁰καὶ ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξι τῶν σημασιῶν καὶ ἐβόησαν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.

⁴¹τότε ἐπέταξεν ᾿Ιούδας ἄνδρας πολεμεῖν τοὺς ἐν τῇ ἄκρᾳ, ἕως ἂν καθαρίσῃ τὰ ἅγια.

⁴²καὶ ἐπέλεξεν ἱερεῖς ἀμώμους θελητὰς νόμου,

⁴³καὶ ἐκαθάρισαν τὰ ἅγια καὶ ᾖραν τοὺς λίθους τοῦ μιασμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἀκάθαρτον.

⁴⁴καὶ ἐβουλεύσαντο περὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως τοῦ βεβηλωμένου, τί αὐτῷ ποιήσωσι·

⁴⁵καὶ ἐπέπεσεν αὐτοῖς βουλὴ ἀγαθὴ καθελεῖν αὐτό, μήποτε γένηται αὐτοῖς εἰς ὄνειδος, ὅτι ἐμίαναν τὰ ἔθνη αὐτό· καὶ καθεῖλον τὸ θυσιαστήριον.

⁴⁶καὶ ἀπέθεντο τοὺς λίθους ἐν τῷ ὄρει τοῦ οἴκου ἐν τόπῳ ἐπιτηδείῳ μέχρι τοῦ παραγενηθῆναι προφήτην τοῦ ἀποκριθῆναι περὶ αὐτῶν.

⁴⁷καὶ ἔλαβον λίθους ὁλοκλήρους κατὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸ θυσιαστήριον καινὸν κατὰ τὸ πρότερον.

⁴⁸καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὰ ἅγια καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς τοῦ οἴκου καὶ τὰς αὐλὰς ἡγίασαν.

⁴⁹καὶ ἐποίησαν σκεύη ἅγια καινὰ καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν τὴν λυχνίαν καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῶν θυμιαμάτων καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν εἰς τὸν ναόν.

⁵⁰καὶ ἐθυμίασαν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐξῆψαν τοὺς λύχνους τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς λυχνίας, καὶ ἐφαίνοσαν ἐν τῶ ναῷ.

⁵¹καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἄρτους καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν τὰ καταπετάσματα καὶ ἐτέλεσαν πάντα τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἐποίησαν.

⁵²καὶ ὤρθρισαν τὸ πρωΐ τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ ἐνάτου (οὗτος ὁ μὴν Χασελεῦ) τοῦ ὀγδόου καὶ τεσσαρακοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ ἔτους

⁵³καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν θυσίαν κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων τὸ καινόν, ὃ ἐποίησαν.

⁵⁴κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ ἐβεβήλωσαν αὐτὸ τὰ ἔθνη, ἐν ἐκείνῃ ἐνεκαινίσθη ἐν ᾠδαῖς καὶ κιθάραις καὶ κινύραις καὶ ἐν κυμβάλοις.

⁵⁵καὶ ἔπεσον πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον καὶ προσεκύνησαν καὶ εὐλόγησαν εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸν εὐοδώσαντα αὐτοῖς.

⁵⁶καὶ ἐποίησαν τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ καὶ προσήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώματα μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης καὶ ἔθυσαν θυσίαν σωτηρίου καὶ αἰνέσεως.

⁵⁷καὶ κατεκόσμησαν τὸ κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ στεφάνοις χρυσοῖς καὶ ἀσπιδίσκαις καὶ ἐνεκαίνισαν τὰς πύλας καὶ τὰ παστοφόρια καὶ ἐθύρωσαν αὐτά.

⁵⁸καὶ ἐγενήθη εὐφροσύνη μεγάλη ἐν τῷ λαῷ σφόδρα, καὶ ἀπεστράφη ὄνειδος ἐθνῶν.

⁵⁹καὶ ἔστησεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία ᾿Ισραήλ, ἵνα ἄγωνται αἱ ἡμέραι ἐγκαινισμοῦ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν ἐνιαυτὸν κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἡμέρας ὀκτώ, ἀπὸ τῆς πέμπτης καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ μηνὸς Χασελεῦ, μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης καὶ χαρᾶς.

⁶⁰καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ τὸ ὄρος Σιών, κυκλόθεν τείχη ὑψηλὰ καὶ πύργους ὀχυρούς, μή ποτε παραγενηθέντα τὰ ἔθνη καταπατήσωσιν αὐτά, ὡς ἐποίησαν τὸ πρότερον.

⁶¹καὶ ἐπέταξεν ἐκεῖ δύναμιν τηρεῖν αὐτὸ καὶ ὠχύρωσαν αὐτὸ τηρεῖν τὴν Βαιθσούραν τοῦ ἔχειν τὸν λαὸν ὀχύρωμα κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς ᾿Ιδουμαίας.

¹Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night;

²To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his guides.

³Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the valiant men with him, that he might smite the king’s army which was at Emmaus,

⁴While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.

⁵In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of Judas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us

⁶But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor swords to their minds.

⁷And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and these were expert of war.

⁸Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.

⁹Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.

¹⁰Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day:

¹¹That so all the heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and saveth Israel.

¹²Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over against them.

¹³Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets.

¹⁴So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled into the plain.

¹⁵Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men.

¹⁶This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing them,

¹⁷And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch as there is a battle before us,

¹⁸And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils.

¹⁹As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain:

²⁰Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done:

²¹When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight,

²²They fled every one into the land of strangers.

²³Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

²⁴After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever.

²⁵Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

²⁶Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened:

²⁷Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.

²⁸The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.

²⁹So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

³⁰And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and his armourbearer;

³¹Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen:

³²Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their destruction:

³³Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.

³⁴So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they slain.

³⁵Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness of Judas’ soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it was, he purposed to come again into Judea.

³⁶Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.

³⁷Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion.

³⁸And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests’ chambers pulled down;

³⁹They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,

⁴⁰And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.

⁴¹Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.

⁴²So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:

⁴³Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.

⁴⁴And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;

⁴⁵They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,

⁴⁶And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.

⁴⁷Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;

⁴⁸And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.

⁴⁹They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table.

⁵⁰And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple.

⁵¹Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.

⁵²Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning,

⁵³And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.

⁵⁴Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals.

⁵⁵Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.

⁵⁶And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise.

⁵⁷They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them.

⁵⁸Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.

⁵⁹Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.

⁶⁰At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before.

⁶¹And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence against Idumea.