1. Makkabeler 6

¹Kral Antiokhos yukarı bölgelerde yol alırken, Pers ülkesindeki Elymais bölgesinde gümüş ve altın zenginliğiyle ünlü, şanlı bir kent olduğunu duydu.

²Oradaki tapınak da olağanüstü derecede zengindi; Grekler arasında ilk olarak krallık yapan Makedonyalı Filip oğlu Kral İskender'in orada bıraktığı altın kaplamalar, zırhlar ve silahlar bulunuyordu.

³Bu yüzden oraya gitti, kenti ele geçirip yağmalamak istedi; ancak bunu başaramadı, çünkü tasarısı kent halkı tarafından öğrenilmişti.

⁴Ona karşı savaşa durdular; o da kaçtı ve büyük bir kederle Babil'e dönmek üzere oradan ayrıldı.

⁵O henüz Pers ülkesindeyken, Yahuda topraklarına giden orduların bozguna uğratıldığı haberini getiren biri geldi.

⁶Lisias'ın güçlü bir orduyla ön saflarda ilerlediği ama onların önünden püskürtüldüğü, Yahudilerin ise yok ettikleri ordulardan aldıkları silahlar, güç ve bol miktarda ganimetle daha da güçlendikleri bildirildi.

⁷Ayrıca Yeruşalim'deki sunak üzerine diktiği iğrenç putperest nesneyi yıktıklarını, tapınağın çevresini eskisi gibi yüksek surlarla ve onun kenti olan Beytsur'u da surlarla çevirdiklerini haber verdiler.

⁸Kral bu sözleri duyunca dehşete düştü ve şiddetle sarsıldı; yatağına düşüp kederden hastalandı, çünkü işler umduğu gibi gitmemişti.

⁹Orada günlerce kaldı, çünkü üzerine büyük bir keder çökmüştü ve öleceğini anladı.

¹⁰Bütün dostlarını çağırıp onlara şöyle dedi: "Gözlerimden uyku kaçtı, kaygıdan ötürü yüreğim çöktü."

¹¹Kendi kendime dedim ki: 'Nasıl bir sıkıntıya ve şimdi içinde bulunduğum ne büyük bir felaket dalgasına kapıldım! Oysa iktidarım döneminde cömert ve sevilen biriydim.'

¹²Ama şimdi Yeruşalim'de yaptığım kötülükleri, oradaki bütün altın ve gümüş kapları nasıl aldığımı ve Yahuda'da yaşayanları nedensiz yere yok etmek için nasıl buyruk gönderdiğimi hatırlıyorum.

¹³Bu kötülüklerin bu yüzden başıma geldiğini anlıyorum; işte, yabancı bir ülkede büyük bir keder içinde ölüp gidiyorum.

¹⁴Dostlarından Filip'i çağırıp onu bütün krallığının üzerine vekil atadı.

¹⁵Oğlu Antiokhos'u eğitip krallık yapması için yetiştirmesi amacıyla ona tacını, kraliyet giysisini ve mühür yüzüğünü verdi.

¹⁶Kral Antiokhos yüz kırk dokuzuncu yılda orada öldü.

¹⁷Lisias kralın öldüğünü öğrenince, çocukluğundan beri yetiştirdiği oğlu Antiokhos'u onun yerine kral ilan etti ve ona Eupator adını verdi.

¹⁸Bu sırada kaledekiler, tapınağın çevresindeki İsraillileri sıkıştırıyor, sürekli onlara zarar vermeye çalışıyor ve uluslara destek oluyorlardı.

¹⁹Yahuda onları ortadan kaldırmaya karar verdi ve onları kuşatmak için bütün halkı bir araya topladı.

²⁰Yüz ellinci yılda bir araya gelip kaleyi kuşattılar; Yahuda onlara karşı fırlatma kuleleri ve savaş makineleri yaptı.

²¹Kuşatılanlardan bazıları kaleden kaçmayı başardı ve İsrail'deki bazı yasa tanımaz kişiler de onlara katıldı.

²²Kralın yanına gidip şöyle dediler: "Daha ne kadar adaleti yerine getirmeyecek ve kardeşlerimizin öcünü almayacaksın?

²³Biz babana hizmet etmeye, onun söylediklerine göre yürümeye ve buyruklarına uymaya razıydık.

²⁴Bu yüzden halkımızın oğulları kaleyi kuşattılar ve bize yabancılaştılar; dahası, bizden yakaladıkları herkesi öldürüyorlar ve mirasımızı yağmalıyorlar.

²⁵Sadece bize karşı değil, kendi sınırları içindeki herkese karşı el kaldırdılar.

²⁶İşte bugün, Yeruşalim'deki kaleyi ele geçirmek için orayı kuşattılar; tapınağı ve Beytsur'u da surlarla tahkim ettiler.

²⁷Eğer onların önüne hemen geçmezsen, bundan daha büyük işler yapacaklar ve o zaman onları durduramayacaksın."

²⁸Kral bunu duyunca öfkelendi; bütün dostlarını, ordusunun komutanlarını ve süvari birliklerinin başındakileri topladı.

²⁹Başka krallıklardan ve deniz adalarından da ona paralı askerlerden oluşan ordular geldi.

³⁰Ordusunun sayısı yüz bin yaya asker, yirmi bin süvari ve savaş eğitimi almış otuz iki filden oluşuyordu.

³¹İdumea üzerinden geçip Beytsur karşısında ordugah kurdular; günlerce savaşıp kuşatma makineleri yaptılar. Ama Beytsur halkı kaleden çıkıp makineleri ateşe verdi ve yiğitçe savaştı.

³²Bunun üzerine Yahuda kaleden ayrıldı ve kralın ordugahının karşısındaki Beytzekarya'da ordugah kurdu.

³³Kral sabah çok erken kalktı ve ordusunu büyük bir hızla Beytzekarya yoluna doğru harekete geçirdi; ordular savaş düzeni aldı ve borazanlar çalındı.

³⁴Filleri savaşa kışkırtmak için onlara üzüm ve dut kanı gösterdiler.

³⁵Hayvanları bölüklere ayırdılar; her filin yanına zincir zırh giymiş ve başlarına tunç miğferler takmış bin yaya asker ile her hayvan için seçilmiş beş yüz süvari yerleştirdiler.

³⁶Bunlar her an hazır bekler, hayvan nereye giderse onunla birlikte gider ve yanından hiç ayrılmazlardı.

³⁷Her filin üzerinde, onu koruyan ve özel düzeneklerle hayvana sıkıca bağlanmış sağlam ahşap kuleler vardı; her kulenin içinde savaşan otuz iki güçlü asker ve filin Hintli sürücüsü bulunuyordu.

³⁸Geri kalan süvarileri ise ordugahın iki yanına yerleştirdiler; bunlar vadilerde düşmanı taciz ediyor ve kendi saflarını koruyorlardı.

³⁹Güneş altın ve tunç kalkanların üzerine vurunca, dağlar onlardan yansıyan ışıkla parıldadı ve alev alev yanan meşaleler gibi ışık saçtı.

⁴⁰Kralın ordusunun bir kısmı yüksek dağlara, bir kısmı ise aşağıdaki vadilere yayıldı; güvenli ve düzenli bir biçimde ilerliyorlardı.

⁴¹Kalabalığın sesini, yürüyüş gürültüsünü ve silahların çatışmasını duyan herkes sarsıldı; çünkü ordu son derece büyük ve güçlüydü.

⁴²Yahuda ve ordusu savaş düzeni alarak yaklaştı ve kralın ordusundan altı yüz adam öldü.

⁴³Avaran lakaplı Eleazar, hayvanlardan birinin kraliyet zırhıyla donatıldığını ve diğer tüm hayvanlardan daha yüksek olduğunu gördü; kralın onun üzerinde olduğunu düşündü.

⁴⁴Halkını kurtarmak ve kendisine sonsuz bir ad kazanmak için canını feda etmeye karar verdi.

⁴⁵Cesaretle bölüğün ortasına, hayvana doğru koştu; sağa sola ölüm saçarak ilerledi ve düşman askerleri onun önünden iki yana açıldı.

⁴⁶Filin altına girip onu alttan bıçaklayarak öldürdü; fil onun üzerine yıkıldı ve Eleazar orada öldü.

⁴⁷Yahudiler kralın gücünü ve ordularının şiddetli saldırısını görünce onlardan geri çekildiler.

⁴⁸Kralın ordusundan olanlar ise onlarla karşılaşmak için Yeruşalim'e doğru çıktılar; kral Yahuda'ya ve Siyon Dağı'na karşı ordugah kurdu.

⁴⁹Beytsur halkıyla barış yaptı; onlar da kentten çıktılar, çünkü toprak için Şabat yılı olduğundan kuşatma altında kalacak yiyecekleri yoktu.

⁵⁰Kral Beytsur'u ele geçirdi ve orayı korumak için bir garnizon yerleştirdi.

⁵¹Tapınağı günlerce kuşattı; oraya fırlatma kuleleri, makineler, ateş fırlatıcılar, taş fırlatıcılar, ok atmak için akrepler ve sapanlar yerleştirdi.

⁵²Yahudiler de onların makinelerine karşı kendi makinelerini yaptılar ve günlerce savaştılar.

⁵³Ancak yedinci yıl olduğu için ambarlarda yiyecek kalmamıştı; ulusların elinden kurtulup Yahuda'ya sığınanlar da depolanan yiyeceklerin geri kalanını tüketmişlerdi.

⁵⁴Tapınakta sadece birkaç adam kalmıştı, çünkü kıtlık onlara üstün gelmişti; bu yüzden herkes kendi yerine dağıldı.

⁵⁵Lisias, Kral Antiokhos'un henüz hayattayken oğlu Antiokhos'u kral olarak yetiştirmesi için atadığı Filip'in,

⁵⁶Pers ülkesinden ve Medya'dan, kralın kendisiyle giden ordularıyla birlikte döndüğünü ve devlet işlerinin yönetimini ele geçirmek istediğini duydu.

⁵⁷Bu yüzden aceleyle gitmek üzere yola çıktı; krala, ordunun komutanlarına ve askerlere şöyle dedi: "Her geçen gün zayıflıyoruz, yiyeceğimiz az kaldı, kuşattığımız yer çok sağlam ve krallığın işleri üzerimize yükleniyor.

⁵⁸Şimdi bu insanlara barış elini uzatalım, onlarla ve tüm uluslarıyla barış yapalım.

⁵⁹Eskisi gibi kendi yasalarına göre yaşamalarına izin verelim; çünkü onların yasalarını ortadan kaldırdığımız için öfkelendiler ve bütün bunları yaptılar."

⁶⁰Bu söz kralın ve önderlerin hoşuna gitti; onlara barış teklif etmek üzere elçiler gönderdi, onlar da bunu kabul ettiler.

⁶¹Kral ve önderler onlara ant içtiler; bunun üzerine Yahudiler kaleden çıktılar.

⁶²Ancak kral Siyon Dağı'na girip oranın ne kadar müstahkem olduğunu görünce, ettiği andı bozdu ve çevredeki surların yıkılmasını buyurdu.

⁶³Sonra aceleyle oradan ayrılıp Antakya'ya döndü; kentin Filip'in denetiminde olduğunu gördü. Ona karşı savaştı ve kenti zorla ele geçirdi.

¹ΚΑΙ ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αντίοχος διεπορεύετο τὰς ἐπάνω χώρας καὶ ἤκουσεν ὅτι ἐστὶν ᾿Ελυμαΐς ἐν τῇ Περσίδι πόλις ἔνδοξος πλούτῳ ἀργυρίῳ τε καὶ χρυσίῳ·

²καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ πλούσιον σφόδρα, καὶ ἐκεῖ καλύμματα χρυσᾶ καὶ θώρακες καὶ ὅπλα, ἃ κατέλιπεν ἐκεῖ ᾿Αλέξανδρος ὁ Φιλίππου βασιλεὺς ὁ Μακεδών, ὃς ἐβασίλευσε πρῶτος ἐν τοῖς ῞Ελλησι.

³καὶ ἦλθε καὶ ἐζήτει καταλαβέσθαι τὴν πόλιν καὶ προνομεῦσαι αὐτήν, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνάσθη, ὅτι ἐγνώσθη ὁ λόγος τοῖς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως,

⁴καὶ ἀντέστησαν αὐτῷ εἰς πόλεμον, καὶ ἔφυγε καὶ ἀπῇρεν ἐκεῖθεν μετὰ λύπης μεγάλης ἀποστρέψαι εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

⁵καὶ ἦλθεν ἀπαγγέλλων τις αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν Περσίδα ὅτι τετρόπωνται αἱ παρεμβολαὶ αἱ πορευθεῖσαι εἰς γῆν ᾿Ιούδα,

⁶καὶ ἐπορεύθη Λυσίας δυνάμει ἰσχυρᾷ ἐν πρώτοις καὶ ἐνετράπη ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπίσχυσαν ὅπλοις καὶ δυνάμει καὶ σκύλοις πολλοῖς, οἷς ἔλαβον ἀπὸ τῶν παρεμβολῶν, ὧν ἐξέκοψαν,

⁷καὶ κα θεῖλον τὸ βδέλυγμα, ὃ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα καθὼς τὸ πρότερον ἐκύκλωσαν τείχεσιν ὑψηλοῖς καὶ τὴν Βαιθσούραν πόλιν αὐτοῦ.

⁸καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἐθαμβήθη καὶ ἐσαλεύθη σφόδρα καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην καὶ ἐνέπεσεν εἰς ἀρρωστίαν ἀπὸ τῆς λύπης, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ καθὼς ἐνεθυμεῖτο.

⁹καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας πλείους, ὅτι ἀνεκαινίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν λύπη μεγάλη, καὶ ἐλογίσατο ὅτι ἀποθνήσκει.

¹⁰καὶ ἐκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς φίλους αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἀφίσταται ὁ ὕπνος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου, καὶ συμπέπτωκα τῇ καρδίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς μερίμνης,

¹¹καὶ εἶπα τῇ καρδίᾳ μου· ἕως τίνος θλίψεως ἦλθον καὶ κλύδωνος μεγάλου, ἐν ᾧ νῦν εἰμι; ὅτι χρηστὸς καὶ ἀγαπώμενος ἤμην ἐν τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ μου,

¹²νῦν δὲ μιμνήσκομαι τῶν κακῶν, ὧν ἐποίησα ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλα ἐξᾶραι τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ᾿Ιούδα διακενῆς.

¹³ἔγνων οὖν ὅτι χάριν τούτων εὗρόν με τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀπόλλυμαι λύπῃ μεγάλῃ ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίᾳ.

¹⁴καὶ ἐκάλεσε Φίλιππον ἕνα τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ·

¹⁵καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὸ διάδημα καὶ τὴν στολὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν δακτύλιον τοῦ ἀγαγεῖν ᾿Αντίοχον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκθρέψαι αὐτὸν τοῦ βασιλεύειν.

¹⁶καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐκεῖ ᾿Αντίοχος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔτους ἐνάτου καὶ τεσσαρακοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ.

¹⁷καὶ ἐπέγνω Λυσίας ὅτι τέθνηκεν ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ κατέστησε βασιλεύειν ᾿Αντίοχον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὃν ἐξέθρεψε νεώτερον, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Εὐπάτορα.

¹⁸Καὶ οἱ ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας ἦσαν συγκλείοντες τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ κύκλῳ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακὰ δι᾿ ὅλου καὶ στήριγμα τοῖς ἔθνεσι.

¹⁹καὶ ἐλογίσατο ᾿Ιούδας ἐξᾶραι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξεκκλησίασε πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦ περικαθίσαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς·

²⁰καὶ συνήχθησαν ἅμα καὶ περιεκάθισαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἔτους πεντηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς βελοστάσεις καὶ μηχανάς.

²¹καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ συγκλεισμοῦ, καὶ ἐκολλήθησαν αὐτοῖς τινες τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐξ ᾿Ισραήλ,

²²καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπον· ἕως πότε οὐ ποιήσῃ κρίσιν καὶ ἐκδικήσεις τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν;

²³ἡμεῖς εὐδοκοῦμεν δουλεύειν τῷ πατρί σου καὶ πορεύεσθαι τοῖς ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ λεγομένοις καὶ κατακολουθεῖν τοῖς προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ.

²⁴καὶ περικάθηνται εἰς τὴν ἄκραν υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν χάριν τούτου καὶ ἀλλοτριοῦνται ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν· πλὴν ὅσοι εὑρίσκοντο ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἐθανατοῦντο καὶ αἱ κληρονομίαι ἡμῶν διηρπάζοντο.

²⁵καὶ οὐκ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς μόνον ἐξέτειναν χεῖρα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ὅρια αὐτῶν·

²⁶καὶ ἰδοὺ παρεμβεβλήκασι σήμερον ἐπὶ τὴν ἄκραν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τοῦ καταλαβέσθαι αὐτήν· καὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα καὶ τὴν Βαιθσούραν ὠχύρωσαν,

²⁷καὶ ἐὰν μὴ προκαταλάβῃ αὐτοὺς διὰ τάχους, μείζονα τούτων ποιήσουσι, καὶ ἰδοὺ δυνήσῃ τοῦ κατασχεῖν αὐτῶν.

²⁸Καὶ ὠργίσθη ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτε ἤκουσε, καὶ συνήγαγε πάντας τοὺς φίλους αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν ἡνιῶν·

²⁹καὶ ἀπὸ βασιλειῶν ἑτέρων καὶ ἀπὸ νήσων θαλασσῶν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν δυνάμεις μισθωταί.

³⁰καὶ ἦν ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν δυνάμεων αὐτοῦ ἑκατὸν χιλιάδες τῶν πεζῶν καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες ἵππων καὶ ἐλέφαντες δύο καὶ τριάκοντα εἰδότες πόλεμον.

³¹καὶ ἤλθοσαν διὰ τῆς ᾿Ιδουμαίας καὶ παρενεβάλοσαν ἐπὶ Βαιθσούραν καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ ἐποίησαν μηχανάς· καὶ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἐνεπύρισαν αὐτὰς ἐν πυρὶ καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἀνδρωδῶς.

³²καὶ ἀπῇρεν ᾿Ιούδας ἀπὸ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ παρενέβαλεν εἰς Βαιθζαχαρία ἀπέναντι τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως.

³³καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ πρωΐ καὶ ἀπῇρε τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐν ὁρμήματι αὐτῆς κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν Βαιθζαχαρία, καὶ διεσκευάσθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις εἰς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξι.

³⁴καὶ τοῖς ἐλέφασιν ἔδειξαν αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ μόρων τοῦ παραστῆσαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον.

³⁵καὶ διεῖλον τὰ θηρία εἰς τὰς φάλαγγας καὶ παρέστησαν ἑκάστῳ ἐλέφαντι χιλίους ἄνδρας τεθωρακισμένους ἐν ἁλυσιδωτοῖς, καὶ περικεφαλαῖαι χαλκαῖ ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ πεντακόσιοι ἵπποι διατεταγμένοι ἑκάστῳ θηρίῳ ἐκλελεγμένοι·

³⁶οὗτοι πρὸ καιροῦ, οὗ ἐὰν ἦν τὸ θηρίον ἦσαν καὶ οὗ ἐὰν ἐπορεύετο ἐπορεύοντο ἅμα, οὐκ ἀφίσταντο ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

³⁷καὶ πύργοι ξύλινοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ὀχυροὶ σκεπαζόμενοι ἐφ᾿ ἑκάστου θηρίου ἐζωσμένοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ μηχαναῖς, καὶ ἐφ᾿ ἑκάστου ἄνδρες δυνάμεως δύο καὶ τριάκοντα οἱ πολεμοῦντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ ᾿Ινδὸς αὐτοῦ.

³⁸καὶ τὴν ἐπίλοιπον ἵππον ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τὰ δύο μέρη τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατασείοντες καὶ καταφρασσόμενοι ἐν ταῖς φάραγξιν.

³⁹ὡς δὲ ἔστιλβεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ χαλκᾶς ἀσπίδας, ἔστιλβε τὰ ὄρη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ κατηύγαζεν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρός.

⁴⁰καὶ ἐξετάθη μέρος τι τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ὄρη καί τινες ἐπὶ τὰ ταπεινά· καὶ ἤρχοντο ἀσφαλῶς καὶ τεταγμένως.

⁴¹καὶ ἐσαλεύοντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες φωνῆς πλήθους αὐτῶν καὶ ὁδοιπορίας τοῦ πλήθους καὶ συγκρουσμοῦ τῶν ὅπλων· ἦν γὰρ ἡ παρεμβολὴ μεγάλη σφόδρα καὶ ἰσχυρά.

⁴²καὶ ἤγγισεν ᾿Ιούδας καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς παράταξιν, καὶ ἔπεσον ἀπὸ τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες.

⁴³καὶ εἶδεν ᾿Ελεάζαρ ὁ Αὐαρὰν ἓν τῶν θηρίων τεθωρακισμένον θώρακι βασιλικῷ, καὶ ἦν ὑπεράγον πάντα τὰ θηρία, καὶ ᾠήθη ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεύς.

⁴⁴καὶ ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν τοῦ σῶσαι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ περιποιῆσαι ἑαυτῷ ὄνομα αἰώνιον·

⁴⁵καὶ ἐπέδραμεν αὐτῷ θράσει εἰς μέσον τῆς φάλαγγος καὶ ἐθανάτου δεξιὰ καὶ εὐώνυμα, καὶ ἐσχίζοντο ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα·

⁴⁶καὶ εἰσέδυ ὑπὸ τὸν ἐλέφαντα καὶ ὑπέθεκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνεῖλεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐκεῖ.

⁴⁷καὶ εἶδον τὴν ἰσχὺν τῆς βασιλείας καὶ τὸ ὅρμημα τῶν δυνάμεων, καὶ ἐξέκλιναν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν.

⁴⁸οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀνέβαινον εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῶν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ παρενέβαλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν καὶ εἰς τὸ ὄρος Σιών.

⁴⁹καὶ ἐποίησεν εἰρήνην μετὰ τῶν ἐκ Βαιθσούρων, καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἐκεῖ διατροφὴ τοῦ συγκεκλεῖσθαι ἐν αὐτῇ, ὅτι σάββατον ἦν τῇ γῇ·

⁵⁰καὶ κατελάβετο βασιλεὺς τὴν Βαιθσούραν, καὶ ἀπέταξεν ἐκεῖ φρουρὰν τηρεῖν αὐτήν.

⁵¹καὶ παρενέβαλεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ βελοστάσεις καὶ μηχανὰς καὶ πυροβόλα καὶ λιθόβολα καὶ σκορπίδια εἰς τὸ βάλλεσθαι βέλη καὶ σφενδόνας.

⁵²καὶ ἐποίησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ μηχανὰς πρὸς τὰς μηχανὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἡμέρας πολλάς.

⁵³βρώματα δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις διὰ τὸ ἕβδομον ἔτος εἶναι, καὶ οἱ ἀνασῳζόμενοι εἰς τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν κατέφαγον τὸ ὑπόλειμμα τῆς παραθέσεως.

⁵⁴καὶ ὑπελείφθησαν ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἄνδρες ὀλίγοι, ὅτι κατεκράτησεν αὐτῶν ὁ λιμός, καὶ ἐσκορπίσθησαν ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ.

⁵⁵Καὶ ἤκουσε Λυσίας ὅτι Φίλιππος, ὃν κατέστησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αντίοχος ἔτι ζῶν ἐκθρέψαι ᾿Αντίοχον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτόν,

⁵⁶ἀπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τῆς Περσίδος καὶ Μηδίας καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ πορευθεῖσαι τοῦ βασιλέως μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅτι ζητεῖ παραλαβεῖν τὰ πράγματα.

⁵⁷καὶ κατέσπευδε τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν καὶ εἰπεῖν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας· ἐκλείπομεν καθ᾿ ἡμέραν, καὶ ἡ τροφὴ ἡμῖν ὀλίγη, καὶ ὁ τόπος οὗ παρεμβάλλομέν ἐστιν ὀχυρός, καὶ ἐπίκειται ἡμῖν τὰ τῆς βασιλείας·

⁵⁸νῦν οὖν δῶμεν δεξιὰν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις καὶ ποιήσωμεν μετ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰρήνην καὶ μετὰ παντὸς ἔθνους αὐτῶν

⁵⁹καὶ στήσωμεν αὐτοῖς τοῦ πορεύεσθαι τοῖς νομίμοις αὐτῶν, ὡς τὸ πρότερον· χάριν γὰρ τῶν νομίμων αὐτῶν, ὧν διεσκεδάσαμεν, ὠργίσθησαν καὶ ἐποίησαν ταῦτα πάντα.

⁶⁰καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐναντίον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων, καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰρηνεῦσαι, καὶ ἐπεδέξαντο.

⁶¹καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες· ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐξῆλθον ἐκ τοῦ ὀχυρώματος.

⁶²καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸ ὄρος Σιὼν καὶ εἶδε τὸ ὀχύρωμα τοῦ τόπου καὶ ἠθέτησε τὸν ὁρκισμόν, ὃν ὤμοσε, καὶ ἐνετείλατο καθελεῖν τὸ τεῖχος κυκλόθεν.

⁶³καὶ ἀπῇρε κατὰ σπουδὴν καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν καὶ εὗρε Φίλιππον κυριεύοντα τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐπολέμησε πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ κατελάβετο τὴν πόλιν βίᾳ.

¹About that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;

²And that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there.

³Wherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof,

⁴Rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.

⁵Moreover there came one who brought him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put to flight:

⁶And that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:

⁷Also that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.

⁸Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.

⁹And there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.

¹⁰Wherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care.

¹¹And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.

¹²But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.

¹³I perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

¹⁴Then called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made ruler over all his realm,

¹⁵And gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the end he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom.

¹⁶So king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.

¹⁷Now when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.

¹⁸About this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.

¹⁹Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

²⁰So they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and other engines.

²¹Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:

²²And they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?

²³We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;

²⁴For which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance.

²⁵Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against their borders.

²⁶And, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.

²⁷Wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do the greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.

²⁸Now when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse.

²⁹There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

³⁰So that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.

³¹These went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.

³²Upon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king’s camp.

³³Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.

³⁴And to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.

³⁵Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.

³⁶These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

³⁷And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

³⁸As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.

³⁹Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.

⁴⁰So part of the king’s army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.

⁴¹Wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

⁴²Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king’s army six hundred men.

⁴³Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,

⁴⁴Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

⁴⁵Wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.

⁴⁶Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

⁴⁷Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

⁴⁸Then the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount Sion.

⁴⁹But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.

⁵⁰So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.

⁵¹As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

⁵²Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

⁵³Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)

⁵⁴There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

⁵⁵At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,

⁵⁶Was returned out of Persia and Media, and the king’s host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs.

⁵⁷Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

⁵⁸Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

⁵⁹And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.

⁶⁰So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

⁶¹Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

⁶²Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

⁶³Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.