First Maccabees-Macabeem Alef

STUDY NOTES ARE NOW FOUND ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE!!

First Maccabees-Macabeem Alef

The Zadokite Victory Over The Greeks Part One

1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Makedonian, who came out of the eretz of the Chittim, had smitten Daryawesh melech of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his place, the first over Greece,

2 And made many wars and won many strongholds and slew the melechim of the olam,

3 And went through to the ends of the olam and took spoils of many goyim, so that the olam was quiet before him; then he was exalted and his lev was lifted up.

4 And he gathered a mighty strong army and ruled over countries and goyim and melechim, who became avadim to him.

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

6 So he called his avadim, such as were estimable and had been brought up with him from his youth and parted his malchut among them, while he was yet alive.

7 So Alexander reigned twelve years and then died.

8 And his avadim bore rule everyone in his place.

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

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

11 In those yamim there went out of Yisrael wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a brit with the goyim that are around us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.

12 So this plan pleased them well.

13 Then certain of the people were so bold in doing so, that they went to the melech, who gave them freedom to do after the ordinances of the goyim:

14 Then they built a place of worship at Yahrushalayim according to the customs of the goyim:

15 And made themselves akrobustia, and forsook the set apart brit and joined themselves to the goyim and sold themselves to do mischief.

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

17 So he entered into Mitzrayim with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a great navy,

18 And made war against Ptolemy melech of Mitzrayim: but Ptolemy was afraid of him and fled; and many were wounded to death.

19 So they got the strong cities in eretz Mitzrayim and he took the spoils of it.

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

21 And entered proudly into the Makom Kadosh and took away the golden altar and the menorah and all the vessels of it,

22 And the shulchan of the lechem ha panayim and the pouring vessels and the vials. and the censers of gold and the veil and the keter and the golden ornaments that were before the Beit HaMikdash, all which he pulled off.

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

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

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

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

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

28 The eretz also was moved for the inhabitants of it and all Beit Yaakov was covered with confusion.

29 And after two years fully expired the melech sent his chief collector of taxes to the cities of Yahudah, who came to Yahrushalayim with a great multitude,

30 And spoke words of shalom to them but it was all deceit: for when they had given him credence, he suddenly attacked the city and smote it very sorely and destroyed many of Yisrael.

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

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

33 Then they built the city of Dawid with a great and strong wall and with mighty towers and made it a stronghold for them.

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

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

36 For it was a place to lie in wait against the Makom Kadosh and an evil adversary to Yisrael.

37 So they shed innocent dahm on every side of the Makom Kadosh and defiled it:

38 Insomuch that the inhabitants of Yahrushalayim fled because of them: them the city was made a dwelling for gerim and became strange to those who were born in her; and her own children left her.

39 Her Makom Kadosh was laid waste like a midbar, her moadem were turned into mourning, her Shabbats into reproach and her esteem into contempt.

40 As had been her kavod, so was her contempt increased and her excellency was turned into mourning.

41 Moreover melech Antiochus wrote to his whole malchut, that all should be one people,

42 And everyone should leave his Torot: so all the goyim agreed according to the mitzvah of the melech.

43 Yes, many also of the Yisraelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed to idols and profaned the Shabbat.

44 For the melech had sent letters by messengers to Yahrushalayim and the cities of Yahudah that they should follow his strange laws,

45 And forbid burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings, in the Beit HaMikdash; and that they should profane the Shabbats and moadem:

46 And pollute the Makom Kadosh and set apart people:

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

48 That they should also not brit-milah their children and make their beings abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:

49 So that they might forget The Torah and change all the mishpatim.

50 And whoever would not do according to the orders of the melech, should die.

51 In like manner wrote he to his whole malchut and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Yahudah to sacrifice, city by city.

52 Then many of the people were gathered to them; everyone that forsook The Torah; and so they committed evils in the eretz;

53 And drove the Yisraelites into secret places, even wherever they could flee for help.

54 Now the fifteenth yom of the ninth chodesh, in the hundred forty fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar and built idol altars throughout the cities of Yahudah on every side;

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

56 And when they had torn in pieces The Torah scrolls which they found, they burnt them with fire.

57 And whoever was found with any book of the brit or if any committed to The Torah, the melech's order was that they should put him to death.

58 So they did by their authority to the Yisraelites every chodesh, to as many as were found in the cities.

59 Now the twenty-fifth yom of the chodesh they sacrificed on the idol altar, which was upon the altar of YHUH.

60 At which time according to the mitzvah they put to death certain women, who had caused their children to be made brit-milah.

61 And they hung the infants around their necks and rifled their houses and slew them who had made them brit-milah.

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

63 Therefore they chose rather to die, that they might not be defiled with unclean foods and that they might not profane the set apart brit: so then they died.

64 And there was very great wrath upon Yisrael.

2 In those yamim arose Mattityahu the son of Yochanan, the son of Shimon, a kohen of the sons of Yoariv, from Yahrushalayim, who dwelt in Modin.

2 And he had five sons, Yahuchanan, called Caddis:

3 Shimon; called Thassi:

4 Yahudah, who was called Maccabee:

5 El-Azar, called Avaran: and Yahunatan, whose surname was Apphus.

6 And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Yahudah and Yahrushalayim,

7 He said, Woe is me. why was I born to see this misery of my people and of the set apart city and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy and the Makom Kadosh into the hand of strangers?

8 Her Beit HaMikdash is become as a man without kavod.

9 Her wonderful vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

10 What nation has not had a part in her malchut and gotten of her spoils?

11 All her ornaments are taken away; instead of a free woman she has become an eved.

12 And, behold, our Makom Kadosh, even our beauty and our kavod, is laid waste and the goyim have profaned it.

13 To what purpose therefore shall we live any longer?

14 Then Mattityahu and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned very sorely.

15 In the meantime the melech's officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.

16 And when many of Yisrael came to them, Mattityahu also and his sons came together.

17 Then answered the melech's officers and spoke to Mattityahu like this: You are a ruler and an estimable great man in this city, strengthened with sons and brothers:

18 Now therefore you go first and fulfill the melech's mitzvah, like all the goyim have done, yes and the men of Yahudah also and such as remain at Yahrushalayim: so shall you and your bayit be in the number of the melech's chaverim and you and your children shall be esteemed with silver and gold and many rewards.

19 Then Mattityahu answered and spoke with a loud voice, Though all the goyim that are under the melech's dominion obey him and fall away everyone from the emunah of their ahvot and give consent to his orders:

20 Yet will I and my sons and my brothers walk in the brit of our ahvot.

21 YHUH forbid that we should forsake The Torah and the ordinances.

22 We will not listen to the melech's words, to leave our emunah, either to the right or left.

23 Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Yahudim in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the melech's mitzvah.

24 Which thing when Mattityahu saw, was inflamed with zeal and his kidneys trembled, neither could he hide his anger according to mishpat: therefore he ran and slew him upon the altar.

25 Also the melech's commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time and the altar he pulled down.

26 So he behaved zealously for The Torah of YHUH, like Pinchus did to Zimri the son of Salu.

27 And Mattityahu cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whoever is zealous for The Torah and maintains the brit, let him follow me.

28 So he and his sons fled into the mountains and left all that they had in the city.

29 Then many who sought after justice and mishpat went down into the midbar, to dwell there:

30 Both they and their children, their wives and their cattle because afflictions increased greatly upon them.

31 Now when it was told the melech's avadim and the army that was at Yahrushalayim in the city of Dawid that certain men had violated the melech's order and were gone down into the secret places in the midbar,

32 They pursued after them with a great number and having overtaken them, they camped against them and made war against them on the Shabbat yom.

33 And they said to them, Let that which you have done so far be enough; come forth and do according to the order of the melech and you shall live.

34 But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the melech's order, to profane the Shabbat yom.

35 So then they gave them freedom to attack.

36 However they answered them not, neither cast a stone at them, nor closed the places where they hid;

37 But said, Let us die all in our innocence: the shamayim and the olam will testify for us, that you put us to death wrongfully.

38 So they rose up against them in battle on the Shabbat and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, about a thousand people.

39 Now when Mattityahu and his chaverim understood that, they mourned deeply for them.

40 And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brothers have done and fight not for our lives and Torot against the goyim, they will now quickly root us out of the olam.

41 At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whoever shall come to make battle with us on the Shabbat yom, we will fight against him; neither will we all die, as our brothers that were murdered in the secret places.

42 Then there came to him a company of Chasidim who were mighty men of Yisrael, even all such as were zealous for The Torah.

43 Also all those who fled from persecution joined themselves to them and were support for them.

44 So they joined their forces and smote sinful men in their anger and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the goyim for help.

45 Then Mattityahu and his chaverim went all around and pulled down the altars:

46 And whatever children they found within the coast of Yisrael who were not brit-milah, those they made brit-milah valiantly.

47 They pursued also after the proud men and the work prospered in their hand.

48 So they recovered The Torah out of the hand of the goyim and out of the hand of melechim, neither did they allow the sinners to triumph.

49 Now when the time drew near that Mattityahu should die, he said to his sons, Now has pride and rebuke gotten strength and the time of destruction and the wrath of indignation:

50 Now therefore, my sons, be zealous for The Torah and give your lives for the brit of your ahvot.

51 Call to remembrance what acts our ahvot did in their time; so shall you receive great esteem and an everlasting name.

52 Was not Avraham found faithful in trials and it was counted to him for tzedakah?

53 Yoseph in the time of his distress kept the mitzvah and was made adon of Mitzrayim.

54 Pinchus our abba in zeal and fervor obtained the brit of an everlasting kohanut.

55 Husha ben Nun for fulfilling the Word, was later made a shophet in Yisrael.

56 Kalev for bearing witness before the kehilla received the heritage of the eretz.

57 Dawid for being merciful possessed the kesay of an everlasting malchut.

58 Eliyahu for being zealous and fervent for The Torah was taken up into the shamayim.

59 Chananyah, Azaryah and Misha’el, by believing, were saved out of the flame.

60 Daniyel for his innocence was delivered from the mouth of lions.

61 And so consider that throughout all ages, none who put their trust in YHUH shall be overcome.

62 Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his esteem shall be dung and worms.

63 This yom he shall be lifted up by death and tomorrow he shall not be found because he is returned to dust and his thoughts will come to nothing.

64 So, you my sons, be valiant and show yourselves men on behalf of The Torah; for by it shall you obtain kavod.

65 And behold, I know that your brother Shimon is a man of counsel, give ear to him always: he shall be like an abba to you.

66 As for Yahudah Maccabee, he has been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain and fight the battle of the people.

67 Take also with you all those who observe The Torah and avenge the wrong of your people.

68 Recompense fully the goyim and take heed to the mitzvoth of The Torah.

69 So he blessed them and was gathered to his ahvot.

70 And he died in the hundred and forty sixth year and his sons buried him in the sepulchers of his ahvot at Modin and all Yisrael made great lamentation for him.

3 Then his son Yahudah, called Maccabee, rose up in his place.

2 And all his brothers helped him and so did all they who held with his abba and they fought with cheerfulness the battles of Yisrael.

3 So he got his people great esteem and put on a breastplate as a giant and wrapped his warlike harness about him and he made battles, protecting the army with his sword.

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

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

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

7 He grieved also many melechim and made Yaakov glad with his acts and his memory is blessed le-olam-va-ed.

8 Moreover he went through the cities of Yahudah, destroying the evil ones out of them and turning away wrath from Yisrael:

9 So that he was renowned to the utmost parts of the olam and he received such as were ready to perish.

10 Then Apollonius gathered the goyim together and a great army out of Shomron, to fight against Yisrael.

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

12 Therefore Yahudah took their spoils and Apollonius' sword also and he fought with it all his chayim long.

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

14 He said, I will get myself a name and esteem in the malchut; for I will go fight with Yahudah and they who are with him, who despise the melech's orders.

15 So he made him ready to go up and there went with him a mighty army of the wicked ones to help him and to be avenged on the b’nai Yisrael.

16 And when he came near to the going up to Beth Horon, Yahudah went forth to meet him with a small company:

17 Who, when they saw the army coming to meet them, said to Yahudah, 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 yom?

18 To whom Yahudah answered, It is no hard matter for the many to be destroyed by the hands of a few; and with YHUH of the shamayim it is all one needs, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:

19 For the victory of battle stands not in the multitude of an army but strength comes from the shamayim.

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

21 But we fight for our lives and our Torot.

22 So YHUH Himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be not afraid of them.

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

24 And they pursued them from the going down of Beth Horon to the plain, where about eight hundred men of them were slain; and the remainder fled into the land of the Plishtim.

25 Then the fear and an exceeding great dread of Yahudah and his brothers began to fall upon the goyim all round them:

26 So much so that his fame came to the melech and all the goyim talked of the battles of Yahudah.

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

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

29 Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasury failed and that the taxes in the country were small because of the dissension and plague which he had brought upon the eretz in taking away the Torot which had been of old time;

30 He 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 melechim that were before him.

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

32 So he left Lysias, a nobleman and one of the royals, to oversee the affairs of the melech from the River Euphrates to the borders of Mitzrayim:

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

34 Moreover he delivered to him 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 Yahudah and Yahrushalayim:

35 Namely, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Yisrael and the remnant of Yahrushalayim and to take away their memory from that place;

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

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

38 Then Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor and Gorgias, mighty men of the melech's chaverim:

39 And with them he sent forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the eretz of Yahudah and to destroy it, as the melech commanded.

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

41 And the merchants of the country, hearing of their fame, took much silver and gold, with avadim and came into the camp to buy the children of Yisrael for slaves: many also of Syria and of the land of the Plishtim joined themselves to them.

42 Now when Yahudah and his brothers saw that miseries were multiplied and that the forces encamped themselves in their borders, for they knew how the melech had given orders to destroy the people and utterly abolish them.

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

44 Then was the kehilla gathered together, that they might be ready for battle and that they might make tefillah and ask for rachamim.

45 Now Yahrushalayim lay void as a midbar, there were none of her children that went in or out: the Makom Kadosh also was trodden down and aliens kept the stronghold; the goyim had their habitation in that place; and simcha was taken from Yaakov and the simcha with the harp ceased.

46 So the Yisraelites assembled themselves together and came to Mizpah, opposite Yahrushalayim, for in Mizpah was the place where they used to make tefillah in Yisrael.

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

48 And laid open the sefer of The Torah, in which the goyim had sought to paint the likeness of their images.

49 They brought also the kohanim’s garments and the bikkurim and the ma’aser: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had accomplished their yamim.

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

51 For your Makom Kadosh is trodden down and profaned and your kohanim are in heaviness and brought low.

52 And see, the goyim are assembled together against us to destroy us. You know what things they imagine against us.

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

54 Then they sounded the shofars and cried with a loud voice.

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

56 But 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 bayit, according to The Torah.

57 So the camp moved and pitched upon the south side of Ammaus.

58 And Yahudah said, Arm yourselves and be valiant men and see that you be in ready in the boker, that you may fight with these goyim who are assembled together against us to destroy us and our Makom Kadosh:

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

60 Nevertheless, as the will of YHUH is in the shamayim, so let Him do.

4 Then Gorgias took five thousand footmen and a thousand of the best horsemen and moved out of the camp by lyla;

2 So that he might rush into the camp of the Yahudim and smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his guides.

3 Now when Yahudah heard of it he himself moved and the valiant men with him, that he might smite the melech's army which was at Ammaus,

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

5 In the meantime Gorgias came by lyla into the camp of Yahudah: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains: for said he, These fellows fled from us.

6 But as soon as it was yom, Yahudah showed himself in the plain with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armor nor swords in their possession.

7 And they saw the camp of the goyim, that it was strong and well harnessed and compassed all around with horsemen; and these were experts of war.

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

9 Remember how our ahvot were delivered through the Yam Suf, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.

10 Now therefore let us cry to the shamayim, if so be that YHUH will have rachamim on us and remember the brit of our ahvot and destroy this army before our faces this yom:

11 That so all the goyim may know that there is only One who delivers and saves Yisrael.

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

13 So they went out of the camp to battle; but they who were with Yahudah sounded their shofars.

14 So they joined battle and the goyim being confused fled into the plain.

15 Yet all their back parts were slain with the sword: for they pursued them to Aza and to the plains of Idumea and Azotus and Yamnia, so that there were slain of them about three thousand men.

16 This done, Yahudah returned again with his army from pursuing them,

17 And said to the people, Be not greedy for the spoils, as there is another battle before us,

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

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

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

21 When therefore they perceived these things, they were very afraid and seeing also the army of Yahudah in the plain ready to fight,

22 They fled everyone into the land of strangers.

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

24 After this they went home and sang a shir of hodu and gave hallel to The Adon in the shamayim because He is tov; because His rachamim endures le-olam-va-ed.

25 So Yisrael had a great deliverance that yom.

26 Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had come to pass,

27 Who, when he heard of it, was confounded and discouraged because neither such things as he desired were done to Yisrael, nor such things as the melech commanded him had come to pass.

28 The next year therefore, Lysias gathered together sixty thousand choice footmen and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.

29 So they came into Idumea and pitched their tents at Beth Sura and Yahudah met them with ten thousand men.

30 And when he saw that mighty army, he made tefillah and said, Blessed are you, O YAHUSHA of Yisrael, who quelled the violence of the mighty man by the hand of your eved Dawid and gave the army of strangers into the hands of Yahunatan the son of Shaul and his armorbearer;

31 Destroy this army in the hand of your people Yisrael and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen:

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

33 Cast them down with the sword of them that love You and let all those that know Your Name YHUH, hallel You with hodu.

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

35 Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight and the strength of Yahudah’s 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 against Yahudah.

36 Then said Yahudah and his brothers, Behold, our enemies are confused: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the Makom Kadosh.

37 Upon this all the army assembled themselves together and went up into Har Tzion.

38 And when they saw the Makom Kadosh 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, yes and the kohanim’s chambers pulled down;

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

40 And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces and blew an alarm with the shofars and cried toward the shamayim.

41 Then Yahudah appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the Makom Kadosh.

42 So he chose kohanim of blameless conduct, such as had pleasure in The Torah:

43 Who cleansed the Makom Kadosh and carried out the defiled stones into an unclean place.

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

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

46 And laid up the stones in the har of the Beit HaMikdash in a convenient place, until there should come The Navi to show what should be done with them.

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

48 And cleansed the Makom Kadosh and the things that were within the Beit HaMikdash and set apart the courts.

49 They made also new set apart vessels and into the Beit HaMikdash they brought the menorah and the altar of burnt offerings and of incense and the shulchan.

50 And upon the altar they burned incense and the lamps that were upon the menorah they lit, that they might give ohr in the Beit HaMikdash.

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

52 Now on the twentieth fifth yom of the ninth chodesh, in the hundred forty eighth year, they rose up in the boker,

53 And offered sacrifices according to The Torah upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.

54 Look, at what time and what yom the goyim had profaned it; even in that same yom, was it dedicated with shirim, instruments, harps and cymbals.

55 Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising YHUH of the shamayim, who had given them tov success.

56 And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight yamim and offered burnt offerings with gilah and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and tehilla.

57 They decked also the forefront of the Beit HaMikdash with crowns of gold and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed and hung doors upon them.

58 So there was very great gilah among the people, for the reproach of the goyim was put away.

59 Moreover Yahudah and his brothers with the whole kehilla of Yisrael ordained that the yamim of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year, for eight yamim, from the twenty fifth yom of the chodesh, with simcha and gilah.

60 At that time also they built up Har Tzion with high walls and strong towers all around, lest the goyim should come and tread it down, as they had done before.

61 And they set there a garrison to keep it and fortified Beth Sura to preserve it; so that the people might have a defense against Idumea.

5 Now when the goyim round about heard that the altar was built and the Makom Kadosh renewed as before, it displeased them very much.

2 Therefore they thought to destroy the generation of Yaakov that was among them and then they began to slay and destroy the people.

3 Then Yahudah fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arabattine because they besieged Gael: and he gave them a great defeat and smashed their courage and took their spoils.

4 Also he remembered the injury of the children of Bean, who had been a snare and an offence to the people, in that they lay in wait for them in the derachot.

5 He shut them up therefore in the towers and encamped against them and destroyed them utterly and burned the towers of that place with fire and all who were in them.

6 Afterward he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power and many people, with Timotheus their captain.

7 So he fought many battles with them, until at length they were weakened before him; and he smote them.

8 And when he had taken Yazar, with the towns belonging to it, he returned into Yahudah.

9 Then the goyim that were at Gilad assembled themselves together against the Yisraelites that were in their quarters, to destroy them; but they fled to the fortress of Dathema.

10 And sent letters to Yahudah and his brothers, The goyim that are round us are assembled together against us to destroy us:

11 And they are preparing to come and take the fortress, which is why we fled, Timotheus being captain of their army.

12 Come now therefore and deliver us from their hands, for many of us have been slain:

13 Yes, all our brothers that were in the places of Toviyah are put to death: their wives and their children also they have carried away captives and borne away their stuff; and they have destroyed there about a thousand men.

14 While these letters were yet being read, behold, there came other messengers from Galil with their clothes torn, who reported this:

15 And said, They of Ptolemais and of Tyrus and Sidon and all Galil of the goyim, are assembled together against us to consume us.

16 Now when Yahudah and the people heard these words, there assembled a great kehilla together, to consult what they should do for their brothers that were in trouble and were being assaulted by them.

17 Then said Yahudah to Shimon his brother, Choose men and go and deliver your brothers who are in Galil, for I and Yahunatan my brother will go into the country of Gilad.

18 So he left Yoseph the son of Zacharyah and Azaryah, captains of the people, with the remnant of the army in Yahudah to keep it.

19 Unto whom he gave an order, saying, Take the charge of this people and see that you make not war against the goyim until the time that we come again.

20 Now to Shimon were given three thousand men to go into Galil and to Yahudah eight thousand men for the country of Gilad.

21 Then went Shimon into Galil, where he fought many battles with the goyim, so that the goyim were defeated by him.

22 And he pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais; and there were slain of the goyim about three thousand men, whose spoils he took.

23 And those that were in Galil and in Arbattis, with their wives and their children and all that they had, took he away with him and brought them into Yahudah with great simcha.

24 Yahudah Maccabee also and his brother Yahunatan went over the Yarden and travelled three yamim into the midbar,

25 Where they met with the Nabathites, who came to them in a peaceful manner and told them everything that had been done to their brothers in the land of Gilad:

26 And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora and Bosor and Alema, Casphor, Maked and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great:

27 And that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the country of Gilad and that tomorrow they had appointed to bring their army against the forts and to take them and to destroy them all in one yom.

28 Then Yahudah and his army turned suddenly by the derech of the midbar to Bosora; and when he had won the city, he slew all the males with the edge of the sword and took all their spoils and burned the city with fire,

29 From where he left by lyla and went until he came to the fortress.

30 And in the boker they looked up and, behold, there was an innumerable people bearing ladders and other means of war, to take the fortress: for they assaulted them.

31 When Yahudah therefore saw that the battle had begun and that the cry of the city went up to the shamayim with shofars and a great sound,

32 He said to his army, Fight this yom for your brothers.

33 So he went forth behind them in three companies, who sounded their shofars and cried with tefillah.

34 Then the army of Timotheus, knowing that it was Maccabee, fled from him: so he smote them with a great slaughter; so that there were killed of them that yom about eight thousand men.

35 This done, Yahudah turned aside to Mizpah; and after he had assaulted it he took and slew all the males in it and received the spoils of it and burnt it with fire.

36 From there he went and took Casphon, Maged, Bosor and the other cities of the country of Gilad.

37 After these things Timotheus gathered another army and encamped against Raphon beyond the brook.

38 So Yahudah sent men to spy on the army, who brought him word, saying, All the goyim around us are assembled to them, even a very great army.

39 He has also hired the Arabians to help them and they have pitched their tents beyond the brook, ready to come and fight against you. Upon this Yahudah went to meet them.

40 Then Timotheus said to the captains of his army, When Yahudah and his army come near the brook, if he pass over first to us, we shall not be able to withstand him; for he will mightily prevail against us:

41 But if he be afraid and camp beyond the river, we shall go over to him and prevail against him.

42 Now when Yahudah came near the brook, he caused the sophrim of the people to remain by the brook: to whom he gave an order, saying, Allow no man to remain in the camp but let all come to the battle.

43 So he went first over to them and all the people after him: then all the goyim, being defeated before him, cast away their weapons and fled to the temple that was at Carnaim.

44 But they took the city and burned the temple with all who were in it. So was Carnaim subdued, neither could they stand any longer before Yahudah.

45 Then Yahudah gathered together all the Yisraelites who were in the country of Gilad, from the least to the greatest, even their wives and their children and their stuff, a very great army, to the end they might come into the eretz of Yahudah.

46 Now when they came to Ephron, (this was a great city in the derech as they should go, very well fortified) they could not turn from it, either on the right hand or the left but had to pass through the midst of it.

47 Then those of the city shut them in and stopped up the gates with stones.

48 Then Yahudah sent to them in peaceful manner, saying, Let us pass through your land to go into our own country and none shall do you any hurt; we will only pass through on foot: however they would not open it for him.

49 So Yahudah commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the army, that every man should pitch his tent in the place where he was.

50 So the soldiers pitched and assaulted the city all that yom and all that lyla, until at the end, the city was delivered into his hands:

51 Who then slew all the males with the edge of the sword and leveled the city and took the spoils of it and passed through the city over those who were slain.

52 After this they went over Yarden into the great plain before Beth Shan.

53 And Yahudah gathered together those that came behind and exhorted the people all the way through, until they came into the eretz of Yahudah.

54 So they went up to Har Tzion with simcha and gilah, where they offered burnt offerings because not one of them was slain until they had returned in shalom.

55 Now at the time that Yahudah and Yahunatan were in the eretz of Gilad and Shimon his brother in Galil before Ptolemais,

56 Yoseph the son of Zacharyah and Azaryah, captains of the garrisons, heard of the valiant acts and warlike deeds which they had done.

57 Therefore they said, Let us also get us a name and go fight against the goyim that are around us.

58 So when they had given charge to the garrison that was with them, they went toward Yamnia.

59 Then came Gorgias and his men out of the city to fight against them.

60 And so it was that Yoseph and Azaryah were put to flight and pursued to the borders of Yahudah: and there were slain that yom of the people of Yisrael about two thousand men.

61 So there was a great defeat among the children of Yisrael because they were not obedient to Yahudah and his brothers but thought to do some valiant act alone.

62 Moreover these men came not of the zera of those by whose hand deliverance was given to Yisrael.

63 However the man Yahudah and his brothers were greatly renowned in the sight of all Yisrael and of all the goyim, wherever their name was heard;

64 Therefore the people assembled to them with joyful acclamations.

65 Afterward went Yahudah forth with his brothers and fought against the children of Esau in the eretz toward the south, where he smote Chebron and the towns of it and pulled down the fortress of it and burned the towers of it all around.

66 From there he left to go into the eretz of the Plishtim and passed through Samaria.

67 At that time certain kohanim, desirous to show their valor, were slain in battle, for that they went out to fight without advice.

68 So Yahudah turned to Azotus in the eretz of the Plishtim and when he had pulled down their altars and burned their carved images with fire and spoiled their cities, he returned into the eretz of Yahudah.

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

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

3 So he came and sought to take the city and to spoil it; but he was not able to because those of the city, had received warnings,

4 They rose up against him in battle: so he fled and departed there with great heaviness and returned to Bavel.

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

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

7 Also that they had pulled down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Yahrushalayim and that they had conquered the Makom Kadosh with high walls, as before and also in his city of Beth Sura.

8 Now when the melech heard these words, he was astonished and angry: then when he laid down upon his bed he fell sick due to grief because events had not happened as he had hoped.

9 And there he continued many yamim: for his grief increased more and more and he prepared to die.

10 So he called for all his chaverim and said to them, The sleep is gone from my eyes and my lev fails due to grief.

11 And I thought to myself, Into what tribulation have I come and how great a flood of misery is it, in which now I am. For I was bountiful and beloved in my power.

12 But now I remember the evils that I did at Yahrushalayim and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Yahudah without a cause.

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

14 Then he called for Philip, one of his chaverim, whom he made ruler over all his realm,

15 And gave him the keter and his robe and his signet, so that he could bring up his son Antiochus and nourish him up for the malchut.

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

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

18 About this time, they that were in the tower shut in the Yisraelites around the Makom Kadosh and sought always their hurt and the strengthening of the goyim.

19 So Yahudah, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

20 So they came together and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year and he made mounds for shots against them and other tools of war.

21 However certain of them that were besieged escaped, to whom some wicked men of Yisrael joined themselves:

22 And they went to the melech and said, How long will it be before you execute mishpat and avenge our brothers?

23 We have been willing to serve your abba and to do as he would have us and to obey his commands;

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

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

26 And, behold, this yom are they besieging the tower at Yahrushalayim, to take it: the Makom Kadosh also and Beth Sura have they fortified.

27 So if you do not prevent them quickly, they will do greater things than these, neither shall you be able to rule them.

28 Now when the melech heard this, he was angry and gathered together all his chaverim and the captains of his army and those that had charge of the cavalry.

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

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

31 These went through Idumea and pitched against Beth Sura, which they assaulted many yamim, making tools of war; but they of Beth Sura came out and burned them with fire and fought valiantly.

32 Upon this Yahudah moved from the tower and pitched in Bat Zacharyah, over against the melech's camp.

33 Then the melech rising very early marched fiercely with his army toward Bat Zacharyah, where his armies made them ready to battle and sounded the shofars.

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

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

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

37 And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered everyone of them and were tied fast to them with devices: there were also upon everyone thirty two strong men, that fought on them, beside the leaders that ruled it.

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

39 Now when the shemesh shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains shined on them and shined like lamps of fire.

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

41 So 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.

42 Then Yahudah and his army drew near and entered into battle and there were slain of the melech's army six hundred men.

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

44 Put himself in jeopardy, so that he might deliver his people and get himself perpetual fame:

45 So 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.

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

47 However the rest of the Yahudim seeing the strength of the melech and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

48 Then the melech's army went up to Yahrushalayim to meet them and the melech pitched his tents against Yahudah and against Har Tzion.

49 But with them that were in Beth Sura he made shalom: for they came out of the city because they had no provisions there to endure the siege, it being a year of shmeta to the eretz.

50 So the melech took Beth Sura and set a garrison there to keep it.

51 As for the Makom Kadosh, he besieged it many yamim: and set there artillery with war tools and instruments to cast fire and stones and pieces to cast darts and slings.

52 Then they also made war tools against their war tools and held them in battle a long season.

53 Yet at the last, their vessels being without provisions, (for that it was the seventh year and they in Yahudah that were delivered from the goyim, had eaten up the residue of the storage;)

54 There were but a few left in the Makom Kadosh because the famine so prevailed against them, that they were not able to disperse themselves every man to his own place.

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

56 Had returned out of Persia and Media and the melech's army also that went with him and that he sought to take to himself the ruling of the affairs.

57 So he went in all haste and said to the melech and the captains of the army and the company, We decay daily and our provisions are but small and the place we lay siege to is strong and the affairs of the malchut lie upon us:

58 Now therefore let us be chaverim with these men and make shalom with them and with all their nation;

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

60 So the melech and the princes were content: so he sent to them to make shalom; and they accepted it.

61 Also the melech and the princes made an oath to them: then they went out of the stronghold.

62 Then the melech entered into Har Tzion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made and gave an order to pull down the wall around it.

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

7 In the hundred and fifty first year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from Rome and came up with a few men to a city of the seacoast and reigned there.

2 And as he entered into the palace of his ancestors, so it was, that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him.

3 So, when he knew it, he said, Let me not see their faces.

4 So his army slew them. Now when Demetrius was set upon the kesay of his malchut,

5 There came to him all the wicked ones and wicked men of Yisrael, having Alcimus, who was desirous to be Kohen HaGadol, for their captain:

6 And they accused the people to the melech, saying, Yahudah and his brothers have slain all your chaverim and driven us out of our own land.

7 Now therefore send some man whom you trust and let him go and see what havoc he has made among us and in the melech's land and let him punish them with all them that help them.

8 Then the melech chose Bacchides, a chaver of the melech, who ruled beyond the flood and was a great man in the malchut and faithful to the melech,

9 And he sent him with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made Kohen HaGadol and commanded that he should take vengeance of the children of Yisrael.

10 So they departed and came with a great power into the eretz of Yahudah, where they sent messengers to Yahudah and his brothers with peaceful words deceitfully.

11 But they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they were come with a great power.

12 Then did there assemble to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of sophrim, to require justice.

13 Now the Assideans were the first among the children of Yisrael that sought shalom with them:

14 For they said, One that is a kohen of the zera of Aaron is come with this army and he will do us no wrong.

15 So he spoke to them peacefully and swore to them, saying, we will harm neither you nor your chaverim.

16 Then they believed him: however he took sixty men and slew them in one yom, according to the words which he wrote,

17 The flesh of your kidushim have they cast out and their dahm have they shed around Yahrushalayim and there were none to bury them.

18 So the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, who said, There is neither emet nor tzedakah in them; for they have broken the brit and oath that they made.

19 After this, Bacchides removed himself from Yahrushalayim and pitched his tents in Bezeth, where he sent and took many of the men who had forsaken him and certain of the people also and when he had slain them, he cast them into the great pit.

20 Then he committed the country to Alcimus and left with him power to help him: so Bacchides went to the melech.

21 But Alcimus contended for the high kohanut.

22 And to him came all such as troubled the people, who, after they had gotten the eretz of Yahudah into their power, did much hurt in Yisrael.

23 Now when Yahudah saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his company had done among the Yisraelites, even more than the goyim,

24 He went out into all the coasts of Yahudah all around and took vengeance on them that had revolted from him, so that they dared no more go forth into the country.

25 On the other side, when Alcimus saw that Yahudah and his company had gotten the upper hand and knew that he was not able to overcome their force, he went again to the melech and told all the worst of them that he could.

26 Then the melech sent Nicanor, one of his estimable princes, a man that bore deadly hate to Yisrael, with orders to destroy the people.

27 So Nicanor came to Yahrushalayim with a great force; and sent for Yahudah and his brothers deceitfully with friendly words, saying,

28 Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few men, that I may see you in shalom.

29 He therefore came to Yahudah and they saluted one another peacefully. However the enemies were prepared to take away Yahudah by violence.

30 Which thing after it was known to Yahudah, namely, that he came to him with deceit, he was then very afraid of him and would see his face no more.

31 Nicanor also, when he saw that his counsel was discovered, went out to fight against Yahudah beside Caphar Shaloma:

32 Where there were slain of Nicanor's side about five thousand men and the rest fled into the city of Dawid.

33 After this Nicanor went up to Har Tzion and there came out of the Makom Kadosh certain of the kohanim and certain of the zechanim of the people, to salute him in shalom and to show him the burnt sacrifice that was offered for the melech.

34 But he mocked them and laughed at them and abused them shamefully and spoke proudly,

35 And swore in his wrath, saying, Unless Yahudah and his army be now delivered into my hands, if ever I come again in safety, I will burn up this bayit: and with that he went out in a great rage.

36 Then the kohanim entered in and stood before the altar and the Beit HaMikdash, weeping and saying,

37 You, O YHUH, chose this bayit to be called by Your Name and to be a bayit of tefillah and petition for your people:

38 Be avenged of this man and his army and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies and do not allow them not to continue any longer.

39 So Nicanor went out of Yahrushalayim and pitched his tents in Beth-Horon, where an army out of Syria met him.

40 But Yahudah pitched in Hadasa with three thousand men and there he made tefillah, saying,

41 O YHUH, when they who were sent from the melech of the Assyrians blasphemed, Your Malach went out and smote one hundred eighty five thousand of them.

42 Even so destroy this army before us this yom, that the rest may know that he has spoken blasphemously against Your Makom Kadosh and judge him according to his wickedness.

43 So the thirteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh the hosts joined battle: but Nicanor's army was discomfited and he himself was the first slain in the battle.

44 Now when Nicanor's army saw that he was slain, they cast away their weapons and fled.

45 Then they pursued after them a yom's journey, from Hadasa to Aza, sounding an alarm after them with their shofars.

46 Then they came forth out of all the towns of Yahudah all around and closed them in; so that they, turning back upon them who pursued them, were all slain with the sword and not one of them was left.

47 Afterwards they took the spoils and the prey and smote off Nicanor’s head and his right hand, which he stretched out so proudly and brought them away and hung them up toward Yahrushalayim.

48 For this cause the people rejoiced greatly and they kept that yom as a yom of great gilah.

49 Moreover they ordained to keep it yearly, the thirteenth of the twelfth chodesh.

50 So the eretz of Yahudah was in shalom for a little while.

8 Now Yahudah had heard of the Romans, that they were mighty and valiant men and such as would lovingly accept all that joined themselves to them and make a treaty of friendship with all that came to them;

2 And that they were men of great valor. It was told him also of their wars and noble acts which they had done among the Galatians and how they had conquered them and brought them under tribute;

3 And what they had done in the country of Spain, for the winning of the mines of the silver and gold which is there;

4 And that by their policy and patience they had conquered all the land, though it was very far from them; and the melechim also that came against them from the uttermost parts of the olam, until they had discomfited them and given them a great defeat, so that the rest gave them tribute every year:

5 Beside this, how they had discomfited in battle Philip and Perseus, melech of the Chittim, with others that lifted up themselves against them and had overcome them:

6 How also Antiochus the great melech of Asia, that came against them in battle, having one hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen and chariots and a very great army, was shaken by them;

7 And how they took him alive and covenanted that he and such as reigned after him should pay a great tribute and give hostages and all that which was agreed upon,

8 And the country of India and Media and Lydia and of the wealthiest countries, which they took from him and gave to melech Eumenes:

9 Moreover how the Greeks had determined to come and destroy them;

10 And that they, having da’at of it sent against them a certain captain and fighting with them slew many of them and carried away captives their wives and their children and spoiled them and took possession of their lands and pulled down their strongholds and brought them to be their avadim until this yom:

11 It was told him besides, how they destroyed and brought under their dominion all other malchutim and islands that at any time resisted them;

12 But with their chaverim and such as relied upon them they kept friendship: and that they had conquered malchutim both far and near, so that all that heard of their name were afraid of them:

13 Also those that would help their malchut, would reign; and whom did not help, they displaced: so that they were greatly exalted:

14 Yet for all this none of them wore a keter or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby:

15 Moreover, how they had made for themselves a senate bayit, in which three hundred twenty men sat in council daily, consulting always for the people, so that they might be well governed:

16 And that they committed their government to one man every year, who ruled over all their country and that all were obedient to that one man and that there was neither envy nor division among them.

17 In consideration of these things, Yahudah chose Eupolemus, the son of Yochanan, the son of Accos and Yason the son of El-Azar and sent them to Rome, to make a treaty of friendship and a treaty with them,

18 And to ask them that they would take the yoke from them; for they saw that the malchut of the Greeks oppressed Yisrael with servitude.

19 They went therefore to Rome, which was a very great journey and came into the senate, where they spoke and said:

20 Yahudah Maccabee with his brothers and the people of the Yahudim, have sent us to you, to make a treaty and shalom with you and that we might be registered as your associates and chaverim.

21 So that matter pleased the Romans well.

22 And this is the copy of the letter which the senate wrote back again in tables of brass and sent to Yahrushalayim, that there they might have a record of shalom and a treaty:

23 Tov success be to the Romans and to the people of the Yahudim, by sea and by land le-olam-va-ed: the sword also and enemy be far from them,

24 If there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their associates throughout all their dominion,

25 The people of the Yahudim shall help them, at the time that shall be appointed, with all their lev:

26 Neither shall they give anything to them that make war upon them, or aid them with provisions, weapons, money, or ships, as it has seemed tov to the Romans; but they shall keep their britot without taking anything from Rome’s enemies.

27 In the same manner also, if war comes first upon the nation of the Yahudim, the Romans shall help them with all their lev, according to the time that shall be appointed for them:

28 Neither shall provisions be given to them that take part against them, or weapons, or money, or ships, as it has seemed tov to the Romans; but they shall keep their britot without deceit.

29 According to these articles did the Romans make a brit with the people of the Yahudim.

30 However if from now on the one party or the other shall think to to add or diminish anything, they may do it at their pleasures and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be ratified.

31 And as touching the evils that Demetrius does to the Yahudim, we have written to him, saying, Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our chaverim and associates, the Yahudim?

32 If therefore they complain anymore against you, we will do them justice and fight against you by sea and by land.

9 Furthermore, when Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army were slain in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the eretz of Yahudah the second time and with them the chief strength of his army:

2 Who went forth by the derech that leads to Galgala and pitched their tents before Masaloth, which is in Arbela and after they had won it, they slew many people.

3 Also the first chodesh of the hundred fifty second year they encamped before Yahrushalayim:

4 From where they moved and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen.

5 Now Yahudah had pitched his tents at Eleasa and three thousand chosen men with him:

6 Who seeing the multitude of the other army to be so great were very afraid; then many removed themselves out of the army, so that no more than eight hundred men remained.

7 When Yahudah therefore saw that his army slipped away and that the battle pressed upon him, he was very troubled in mind and much distressed, for he had no time to gather them together.

8 Nevertheless to them that remained he said, Let us arise and go up against our enemies, if by any means we may be able to fight with them.

9 But they discouraged him, saying, We shall never be able to: let us now rather save our lives and later we will return with our brothers to fight against them: for we are but few.

10 Then Yahudah said, YHUH forbid that I should do this thing, to flee away from them: if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brothers and let us not stain our esteem.

11 With that the army of Bacchides moved out of their tents and stood over against them, their horsemen being divided into two troops and their slingers and archers going before the army and they that marched at the front were all mighty men.

12 As for Bacchides, he was in the right wing: so the army drew near on two fronts and sounded their trumpets.

13 Those also of Yahudah’s side, even they sounded their shofars, so that the earth shook at the noise of the armies and the battle continued from boker till lyla.

14 Now when Yahudah perceived that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, he took with him all the strongest men,

15 Who overcame the right wing and pursued them to the har Azotus.

16 But when those of the left wing saw that those of the right wing were overcome, they came upon Yahudah and those that were with him hard from behind:

17 So that there was a hard battle and many were slain on both parts.

18 Yahudah also was killed and the remnant fled.

19 Then Yahunatan and Shimon took Yahudah their brother and buried him in the sepulcher of his ahvot in Modin.

20 Moreover they mourned him and all Yisrael made great lamentations for him and mourned many yamim, saying,

21 How is the valiant man fallen, who delivered Yisrael.

22 As for the other things concerning Yahudah and his wars and the noble acts which he did and his greatness, they are not all written: for they were very many.

23 Now after the death of Yahudah, the wicked began to put forth their presence in all the coasts of Yisrael and there rose up all such as worked iniquity.

24 In those yamim also was there a very great famine, the reason country revolted and went with the wicked men.

25 Then Bacchides chose the wicked men and made them masters of the country.

26 And they searched for Yahudah's chaverim and brought them to Bacchides, who took vengeance on them and used them spitefully.

27 So was there a great affliction in Yisrael, the like of which was not seen since the time that a navi was was absent among them.

28 For this cause all Yahudah's chaverim came together and said to Yahunatan,

29 Since your brother Yahudah died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies and Bacchides and against those of our nation who are adversaries to us.

30 Now therefore we have chosen you this yom to be our sar and captain in his place, that you may fight our battles.

31 Upon this Yahunatan took the governance upon him at that time and rose up instead of his brother Yahudah.

32 But when Bacchides got da’at of it, he sought to slay him

33 Then Yahunatan and Shimon his brother and all that were with him, perceiving that, fled into the midbar of Tekoa and pitched their tents by the mayim of the pool Asphar.

34 Which when Bacchides understood that, he came near to the Yarden with all his army upon the Shabbat yom.

35 Now Yahunatan had sent his brother Yochanan, a captain of the people, to ask his chaverim the Navathites, that they might leave with them their baggage, which was much.

36 But the children of Yambri came out of Medeva and took Yochanan and all that he had and went to their derech with it.

37 After this came word to Yahunatan and Shimon his brother, that the children of Yambri made a great marriage and were bringing the bride from Nadabatha with a great procession, as being the daughter of one of the great princes of Kanaan.

38 Therefore they remembered Yochanan their brother and went up and hid themselves under cover of the har:

39 Where they lifted up their eyes and looked and, behold, there was much ado and great carriage: and the bridegroom came forth and his chaverim and brothers, to meet them with drums and instruments of music and many weapons.

40 Then Yahunatan and they that were with him rose up against them from the place where they lay in ambush and made a slaughter of them, as many fell down dead and the remnant fled into the har and they took all their spoils.

41 So was the marriage turned into mourning and the noise of their melody into lamentation.

42 So when they had avenged fully the dahm of their brother, they turned again to the marsh of the Yarden.

43 Now when Bacchides heard of it, he came on the Shabbat yom to the banks of Yarden with great power.

44 Then Yahunatan said to his company, Let us go up now and fight for our lives, for it stands not with us this yom, as in time past:

45 For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us and the mayim of the Yarden on this side and that side, the marsh likewise and wood, neither is there any place for us to turn aside.

46 So cry out now to the shamayim, that you may be delivered from the hand of your enemies.

47 With that they joined battle and Yahunatan stretched forth his hand to smite Bacchides but he turned back from him.

48 Then Yahunatan and they that were with him leaped into the Yarden and swam over to the other bank: however the others passed not over the Yarden to them.

49 So there were slain of Bacchides' army that yom about a thousand men.

50 Afterward Bacchides returned to Yahrushalayim and repaired the strong cites in Yahudah; the fort in Yericho and Ammaus and Beth-Horon and Bethel and Thamnatha, Pharathoni and Taphon, these did he strengthen with high walls, with gates and with bars.

51 And in them he set a garrison, that they might work malice upon Yisrael.

52 He fortified also the city Beth-Sura and Aza and the tower and put forces in them and provision.

53 Besides, he took the chief men's sons in the country for hostages and put them into the tower at Yahrushalayim to be kept.

54 Moreover, in the hundred fifty third year, in the second chodesh, Alcimus commanded that the wall of the inner court of the Makom Kadosh should be pulled down; he pulled down also the works of the neviim

55 And as he began to pull things down, even at that time was Alcimus plagued and his enterprises hindered: for his mouth was stopped and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak anything, nor give orders concerning his bayit.

56 So Alcimus died at that time with great torment.

57 Now when Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the melech: then the eretz of Yahudah was in shalom two years.

58 Then all the wicked men held a council, saying, Behold, Yahunatan and his company are at ease and dwell without any cares: now therefore we will bring Bacchides here, who shall take them all in one lyla.

59 So they went and consulted with him.

60 Then he moved and came with a great army and sent letters secretly to his adherents in Yahudah, that they should take Yahunatan and those who were with him: however they could not because their counsel was known to them.

61 So they took of the men of the country who were authors of that mischief, about fifty persons and slew them.

62 Afterward Yahunatan and Shimon and they that were with him, got away to Beth Basi, which is in the midbar and they repaired the ruins of it and made it strong.

63 Which thing when Bacchides knew, he gathered together all his army and sent word to them that were of Yahudah.

64 Then he went and laid siege against Beth Basi; and they fought against it for a long season and made engines of war.

65 But Yahunatan left his brother Shimon in the city and went forth himself into the country along with some others.

66 And he smote Odonarkes and his brothers and the children of Phasiron in their tents.

67 And when he began to smite them and came up with his forces, Shimon and his company went out of the city and burned up the engines of war,

68 And fought against Bacchides, who was overcome by them and they afflicted him heavily: for his counsel and labor was in vain.

69 So he was very angry at the wicked men that gave him counsel to come into the country, so he slew many of them and purposed to return into his own country.

70 Then when Yahunatan had da’at of it, he sent ambassadors to him, to make shalom with him and deliver the prisoners.

71 Which thing he accepted and did according to his demands and swore to him that he would never do him harm all the yamim of his chayim.

72 When therefore he had restored to him the prisoners that he had taken before out of eretz Yahudah, he returned and went his derech into his own land, neither did he come anymore into their borders.

73 So the sword ceased from Yisrael: but Yahunatan dwelt at Machmas and began to govern the people; and he destroyed the wicked men out of Yisrael.

10 In the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander, the son of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais: for the people had received him and he reigned there,

2 Now when melech Demetrius heard of it, he gathered together an exceeding great army and went forth against him to fight.

3 Moreover Demetrius sent letters to Yahunatan with loving words, as he magnified him.

4 For said he, Let us first make shalom with him, before he joins with Alexander against us:

5 Otherwise he will remember all the evils that we have done against him and against his brothers and his people.

6 So he gave him authority to gather together an army and to provide weapons, that he might aid him in battle: he commanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should be delivered to him.

7 Then came Yahunatan to Yahrushalayim and read the letters in the audience of all the people and of them that were in the tower:

8 Who were very afraid, when they heard that the melech had given him authority to gather together an army.

9 Then they of the tower delivered their hostages to Yahunatan and he delivered them to their parents.

10 When this was done, Yahunatan settled himself in Yahrushalayim and began to build and repair the city.

11 And he commanded the workmen to build the walls and Har Tzion all around with square stones for fortification; and they did so.

12 Then the gerim who were in the fortresses which Bacchides had built fled away;

13 So that every man left his place and went into his own country.

14 Only at Beth Sura certain of those that had forsaken The Torah and the mitzvoth remained still: for it was their place of refuge.

15 Now when melech Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had sent to Yahunatan: when also it was told him of the battles and noble acts which he and his brothers had done and of the pains that they had endured,

16 He said, Shall we find such another noble man? Now therefore we will make him our chaver and associate.

17 Upon this he wrote a letter and sent it to him, according to these words, saying,

18 Melech Alexander to his brother Yahunatan sends greeting:

19 We have heard of you that you are a man of great power and fitting to be our chaver.

20 So now this yom we ordain you to be the Kohen HaGadol of your nation and to be called the melech's chaver; (and with it he sent him a purple robe and a keter of gold) and require you to take our side and keep friendship with us.

21 So in the seventh chodesh of the hundred sixtieth year, at Chag Sukkot, Yahunatan put on the set apart robe and gathered together forces and provided much armor.

22 Then when Demetrius heard this, he was very sorry and said,

23 What have we done, that Alexander has prevented us in making friendship with the Yahudim to strengthen himself?

24 I also will write to them words of encouragement and promise them esteem and gifts, that I may have their aid.

25 So he sent greetings to this effect: Melech Demetrius to the people of the Yahudim sends greeting:

26 Seeing that you have kept brit with us and continued in our friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have heard of it and are in simcha.

27 So now continue to be faithful to us and we will well recompense you for the things you do in our behalf,

28 And will grant you many immunities and give you rewards.

29 And now do I free you and for your sake I release all the Yahudim from tributes and from the customs of salt and from keter taxes,

30 And from that which pertains regarding direct taxes to me, to receive, the third part or the zera and the half of the fruit of the eytzim, I release it from this yom forth, so that they shall not be taken from eretz Yahudah, nor from the three governments, including the lands of Samaria and Galil, from this yom forth and le-olam-va-ed.

31 Let Yahrushalayim also be set apart and free, with the borders of it, both from ma’aser and taxes.

32 And as for the tower which is at Yahrushalayim, I yield up authority over it and give it to the Kohen HaGadol, that he may set in it, such men as he shall choose to oversee it.

33 Moreover I freely set at liberty everyone of the Yahudim who were carried captive out of the eretz of Yahudah into any part of my malchut and I will that all my officers return to you even from their cattle.

34 Furthermore I will that all the moadem and Shabbats and Chodeshim, and solemn yamim and the three yamim before the moed and the three yamim after the moed, shall be for freedom for all the Yahudim in my realm.

35 Also no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest any of them in any matter.

36 I will further, that there be enrolled among the melech's forces about thirty thousand men of the Yahudim, to whom pay shall be given, as in all other melech's forces.

37 And from them some shall be placed in the melech's strongholds, of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the malchut, which are of trust: and I will that their overseers and governors be from their own people and that they live after their own Torot, even as the melech has commanded in eretz Yahudah.

38 And concerning the three governments that are added to Yahudah from the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Yahudah, that they may be reckoned to be echad in Yisrael, not bound to obey any other authority other than the Kohen HaGadol's.

39 As for Ptolemais and his land, I give it as a free gift to the Makom Kadosh at Yahrushalayim for the necessary expenses of the Makom Kadosh.

40 Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the melech's accounts from the places mentioned.

41 And all the extra, which the officers paid not in former times, from now on it shall be given toward the works of the Beit HaMikdash.

42 And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they took from the Beit HaMikdash out of the accounts year by year, even those things shall be released because they belong to the kohanim that serve there.

43 And whoever they are who flee to the Beit HaMikdash at Yahrushalayim, or be within those boundaries, being indebted to the melech, or for any other matter, let them be at liberty with all that they have in my realm.

44 For the building also and repairing of the works of the Makom Kadosh, expenses shall be given from the melech's accounts.

45 Yes and for the building of the walls of Yahrushalayim and the fortifying of it all around, expenses shall be given out of the melech's accounts, along with the building of the walls in Yahudah.

46 Now when Yahunatan and the people heard these words, they gave no credence to them, nor received them because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Yisrael; for he had afflicted them very harshly.

47 But with Alexander they were well pleased because he was the first that sought emet shalom with them and they were always associates with him.

48 Then melech Alexander gathered great forces and camped over against Demetrius.

49 And after the two melechim had joined the battle, Demetrius' army fled: but Alexander followed after him and prevailed against them.

50 And he continued the battle very vigorously until the shemesh went down: and that yom Demetrius was slain.

51 Afterwards Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy melech of Mitzrayim with a message to this effect:

52 Because I have come again to my realm and am set in the kesay of my ahvot and have gotten the dominion and overthrown Demetrius and recovered our country;

53 For after I had joined battle against him, both he and his army were defeated by us, so that we sit in the kesay of his malchut:

54 Now therefore let us make a treaty of friendship together and give me now your daughter to be my isha: and I will be your son in law and will give both you and her great dignity.

55 Then Ptolemy the melech answered, saying, Simcha is the yom in which you returned to the eretz of your ahvot and sat in the kesay of their malchut.

56 And now will I do to you as you have written: meet me therefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will marry my daughter to you according to your desire.

57 So Ptolemy went out of Mitzrayim with his daughter Cleopatra and they came to Ptolemais in the hundred and sixty second year:

58 Alexander met him and Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great kavod, as the manner of melechim is.

59 Now melech Alexander had written to Yahunatan, that he should come and meet him.

60 Who then went with esteem to Ptolemais, where he met the two melechim and gave them and their chaverim silver and gold and many presents and found chen in their sight.

61 At that time certain pestilent fellows of Yisrael, men of a wicked chayim, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him: but the melech would not hear them.

62 Yes and more than that, the melech commanded to take off his garments and clothe him in purple: and they did so.

63 And he made him sit by himself and said into his princes, Go with him into the midst of the city and make proclamation, that no man complain against him in any matter and that no man trouble him for any reason.

64 Now when his accusers saw that he was esteemed according to the proclamation and clothed in purple, they fled away.

65 So the melech esteemed him and appointed him among his chief chaverim and made him a sar and partaker of his dominion.

66 Afterward Yahunatan returned to Yahrushalayim with shalom and gilah.

67 Furthermore in the hundred sixty fifth year came Demetrius ben Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his ahvot:

68 Then when melech Alexander heard of it, he was very concerned and returned to Antioch.

69 Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his general, who gathered together a great army and camped in Yamnia and sent to Yahunatan the Kohen HaGadol, saying,

70 You alone lift up yourself against us and I am laughed at and scorned and reproached because of you: and why do you flaunt your power against us in the mountains?

71 Now therefore, if you trust in your own strength, come down to us in the plains and there let us try the matter together: for with me is the power of all the cities.

72 Ask and learn who we are and they shall tell you that you cannot fight successfully in their own land.

73 So now you shall not be able to withstand the horsemen and so great a power in the plains, where there is neither stone nor flint, nor any place to flee.

74 So when Yahunatan heard these words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind and choosing ten thousand men he went out of Yahrushalayim, where Shimon his brother met him to help him.

75 And he pitched his tents against Yaffa: but; they of Yaffa shut him out of the city because Apollonius had a garrison there.

76 Then Yahunatan laid siege against it and so they of the city let him in for fear: and so Yahunatan won Yaffa.

77 So then when Apollonius heard it, he took three thousand horsemen with a great army of footmen and went to Azotus, as one that journeyed and from there went forth into the plains because he had a great number of horsemen in whom he put his trust.

78 Then Yahunatan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined in battle.

79 Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush.

80 And Yahunatan knew that there was an ambush behind him; for they had compassed in his army and cast darts at the people, from boker till evening.

81 But the people stood still, as Yahunatan had commanded them: and so the enemies' horses were tired.

82 Then brought Shimon forth his army and set them against the footmen (for the horsemen were gone) who were defeated by him and fled.

83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus and went into Beth Dagon, their idol's temple, for safety.

84 But Yahunatan set fire on Azotus and the cities around it and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.

85 So there were burned and slain with the sword about eight thousand men.

86 And from there Yahunatan moved his army and camped against Ashkelon, where the men of the city came forth and met him with great esteem.

87 After this returned Yahunatan and his army to Yahrushalayim, having the spoils.

88 Now when melech Alexander heard these things, he esteemed Yahunatan even more.

89 And sent him a buckle of gold, given to such as are of the melech's own dahm: he gave him also the land of Acharon, with the borders of it, as a possession.

11 And the melech of Mitzrayim gathered together a great army, like the sand that lies upon the sea shore and many ships and went about through deceit to get Alexander's malchut and join it to his own.

2 Whereupon he took his journey into Spain in peaceful manner, so that those of the cities opened up to him and met him: for melech Alexander had commanded them to do so because he was his brother in law.

3 Now as Ptolemy entered into the cities, he set in everyone of them a garrison of soldiers to keep it.

4 And when he came near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt and Azotus and the suburbs of it that were destroyed and the bodies that were cast abroad and those that he had burnt in the battle; for they had made heaps of them by the derech where he should pass.

5 Also they told the melech all that Yahunatan had done, to the intent that he might blame him: but the melech held his shalom.

6 Then Yahunatan met the melech with great esteem at Yaffa, where they saluted one another and lodged.

7 Afterward Yahunatan, when he had gone with the melech to the river called Eleutherus, returned again to Yahrushalayim.

8 Melech Ptolemy therefore, having gotten the dominion of the cities by the sea to Seleukia upon the sea coast, imagined wicked thoughts against Alexander.

9 Then he sent ambasadors to melech Demetrius, saying, Come, let us make a brit between us and I will give you my daughter whom Alexander has and you shall reign in your abba's malchut:

10 For I repent that I gave my daughter to him, for he sought to slay me.

11 So he slandered him because he desired his malchut.

12 So he took his daughter from him and gave her to Demetrius and forsook Alexander, so that their hatred was openly known.

13 Then Ptolemy entered into Antioch, where he set two crowns upon his head, the keter of Asia and of Mitzrayim.

14 In that same time was melech Alexander in Kilikia because those that dwelt in those parts had revolted against him.

15 But when Alexander heard of this, he came to war against Kilikia: where suddenly melech Ptolemy brought forth his army and met him with a mighty power and put him to flight.

16 So Alexander fled into Arabia there to be defended; but melech Ptolemy was exalted:

17 For Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander's head and sent it to Ptolemy.

18 Melech Ptolemy also died the third yom after that and they that were in the strongholds were slain by each other.

19 By this means Demetrius reigned in the hundred and sixty seventh year.

20 At the same time Yahunatan gathered together them that were in Yahudah to take the tower that was in Yahrushalayim: and he made many engines of war for it.

21 Then came wicked persons, who hated their own people, went to the melech and told him that Yahunatan besieged the tower,

22 So when he heard it, he was angry and immediately moved and came to Ptolemais and wrote to Yahunatan, that he should not lay siege to the tower but come and speak with him at Ptolemais in great haste.

23 Nevertheless Yahunatan, when he heard this, commanded to besiege it still: and he chose certain of the zechanim of Yisrael and the kohanim and put himself in peril;

24 And took silver and gold and raiment and diverse presents and went to Ptolemais to the melech, where he found chen in his sight.

25 And though certain wicked men of the people of Yisrael had made complaints against him,

26 Yet the melech treated him as his predecessors had done before and promoted him in the sight of all his chaverim,

27 And confirmed him in the high kohanut and in all the esteem that he had before and gave him preeminence among his chief chaverim.

28 Then Yahunatan desired the melech, that he would make Yahudah free from taxes, also the three governments, with the country of Samaria; and he promised him three hundred talents.

29 So the melech consented and wrote letters to Yahunatan of all these things after this manner:

30 Melech Demetrius to his brother Yahunatan and to the nation of the Yahudim, greetings:

31 We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write to our cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that you might see it.

32 Melech Demetrius to his abba Lasthenes greetings:

33 We are determined to do tov to the people of the Yahudim, who are our chaverim and keep britot with us because of their tov will towards us.

34 So we have ratified to them the borders of Yahudah, with the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathayim, that are added to Yahudah from the country of Samaria and all things pertaining to them, for all such as do sacrifice in Yahrushalayim, instead of the payments, which the melech received from them previously yearly, out of the fruits of the eretz and of the eytzim.

35 And as for the other things that belong to us, of the ma’aser and fees pertaining to us, such as the saltpits and the keter taxes, which are due to us, we discharge them all for their relief.

36 And nothing shall be revoked from this order le-olam-va-ed.

37 Now see that you make a copy of these things and let it be delivered to Yahunatan and set upon the set apart har in a conspicuous place.

38 After this, when melech Demetrius saw that eretz Yahudah was quiet before him and that no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his forces, everyone to his own place, except certain groups of strangers, whom he had gathered from the isles of the goyim: so all the forces of his ahvot hated him.

39 Moreover there was Tryphon, that had been of Alexander's rule before, who, seeing that all the army murmured against Demetrius, went to Simalcue the Arabian that brought up Antiochus the young son of Alexander,

40 And pressured him to deliver him this young Antiochus, that he might reign in his abba's place: he told him therefore all that Demetrius had done and how his men of war were at enmity with him and there he remained a long season.

41 In the meantime Yahunatan sent to melech Demetrius, that he would cast those of the tower out of Yahrushalayim and those also in the fortresses: for they fought against Yisrael.

42 So Demetrius sent to Yahunatan, saying, I will not only do this for you and your people but I will greatly esteem you and your nation in the future.

43 Now therefore you shall do well, if you send me men to help me; for all my forces have gone from me.

44 Upon this Yahunatan sent him three thousand strong men to Antioch: and when they came to the melech, the melech was very glad about their coming.

45 However they that were of the city gathered themselves together into the midst of the city, the number was a hundred twenty thousand men and would have slain the melech.

46 So the melech fled into the court but they of the city kept the passages of the city and began to fight.

47 Then the melech called to the Yahudim for help, who came to him all at once and dispersing themselves throughout the city slew that yom in the city one hundred thousand.

48 Also they set fire to the city and got many spoils that yom and delivered the melech.

49 So when those of the city saw that the Yahudim had taken the city as they did, their courage was abated: so they made supplication to the melech and cried, saying,

50 Grant us shalom and let the Yahudim cease from assaulting us and the city.

51 With that they cast away their weapons and made shalom; and the Yahudim were esteemed in the sight of the melech and in the sight of all that were in his malchut; and they returned to Yahrushalayim, having great spoils.

52 So melech Demetrius sat on the kesay of his malchut and eretz Yahudah was quiet before him.

53 Nevertheless he broke his promises and estranged himself from Yahunatan, neither rewarded him according to the benefits which he had received from him but troubled him very harshly.

54 After this returned Tryphon and with him the young child Antiochus, who reigned and was crowned.

55 Then there gathered to him all the men of war, whom Demetrius had put away and they fought against Demetrius, who turned his back and fled.

56 Moreover Tryphon took the elephants and won Antioch.

57 At that time young Antiochus wrote to Yahunatan, saying, I confirm you in the high kohanut and appoint you ruler over the four governments and to be one of the melech's chaverim.

58 Then he sent him golden vessels to be served in and gave him freedom to drink in gold cups and to be clothed in purple and to wear a golden buckle.

59 His brother Shimon also he made captain from the place called The Ladder of Tyrus, until the borders of Mitzrayim.

60 Then Yahunatan went forth and passed through the cities beyond the mayim and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves to him to help him: and when he came to Ashkelon, those of the city met him with esteem.

61 From there he went to Aza but they of Aza shut him out; so he laid siege to it and burned the suburbs of it with fire and spoiled them.

62 Afterward, when they of Aza made supplication to Yahunatan, he made shalom with them and took the sons of their rulers for hostages and sent them to Yahrushalayim and passed through the country to Damascus.

63 Now when Yahunatan heard that Demetrius' princes were come to Cades, which is in Galil, with a great power, purposing to remove him out of the country,

64 He went to meet them and left Shimon his brother in the country.

65 Then Shimon encamped against Beth Sura and fought against it a long time and closed it:

66 But they desired to have shalom with him, which he granted them and then put them out from there and took the city and set a garrison in it.

67 As for Yahunatan and his army, they pitched at the mayim of Gennesar, from where in the boker they went to the plain of Nasor.

68 And, behold, the army of gerim met them in the plain, who, having laid men in ambush for him in the mountains, came over against him.

69 So when they that lay in ambush rose out of their places and joined the battle, all that were of Yahunatan's side fled;

70 So that there was not one of them left, except Mattityahu the son of Avshalom and Yahudah the son of Calphi, the captains of the army.

71 Then Yahunatan tore his clothes and cast the dust upon his head and made tefillah.

72 Afterwards returning again to the battle, he put them to flight and so they ran away.

73 Now when his own men that had fled saw this, they returned again to him and with him pursued them to Cades, even to their own tents and there they camped.

74 So there were slain of the goyim that yom about three thousand men: but Yahunatan returned to Yahrushalayim.

12 Now when Yahunatan saw that the time was right, he chose certain men and sent them to Rome, to confirm and renew the friendship that they had with them.

2 He sent letters also to the Lakedemonians and to other places, for the same purpose.

3 So they went to Rome and entered into the senate and said, Yahunatan the Kohen HaGadol and the people of the Yahudim, sent us to you, so that you should renew the friendship and treaty, which you had with them as in former times.

4 Upon this the Romans gave them letters to the governors of every place that they should bring them into eretz Yahudah peacefully.

5 And this is the copy of the letters which Yahunatan wrote to the Lakedemonians:

6 Yahunatan the Kohen HaGadol and the zechanim of the nation and the kohanim and the other of the Yahudim, to the Lakedemonians their brothers sends greetings:

7 There were letters sent in times past to Oniyah the Kohen HaGadol from Daryawesh, who reigned then among you, to signify that you are our brothers, as the copy here underwritten specifies.

8 At which time Oniyah entreated the ambassador that was sent with esteem and received the letters, in which declaration was made of the treaty and friendship.

9 Therefore we also, although we need none of these things, since we have the set apart scrolls of the Ketuvim in our hands to comfort us,

10 Have nevertheless attempted to send to you for the renewing of brotherhood and friendship, lest we should become strangers to you altogether: for a long time has passed since you contacted us.

11 We therefore at all times without ceasing, both in our moadem and other convenient yamim, remember you in the sacrifices which we offer and in our tefillot, as it is right to think upon our brothers:

12 And we are glad for your esteem.

13 As for ourselves, we have had great troubles and wars on every side, as the melechim that surround us have fought against us.

14 However we would not be troublesome to you, nor to others of our associates and chaverim in these wars:

15 For we have help from the shamayim that comforts us, so that we are delivered from our enemies and our enemies are brought under our foot.

16 For this cause we chose Numenius the son of Antiochus and Antipater the son of Yason and sent them to the Romans, to renew the friendship that we had with them and the former treaty.

17 We commanded them also to go to you and to salute and to deliver you our letters concerning the renewing of our brotherhood.

18 So now you shall do well to give us an answer.

19 And this is the copy of the letters which Oniares sent.

20 Areus melech of the Lakedemonians to Oniyah the Kohen HaGadol, greeting:

21 It is found in writings, that the Lakedemonians and Yahudim are brothers and that they are both of the zera of Avraham:

22 Now therefore, since this is come to our da’at, you shall do well to write to us of your prosperity.

23 We do write back again to you, that your cattle and goods are ours and ours are yours. We therefore order our ambassadors to make reports to you accordingly.

24 Now when Yahunatan heard that Demebius' princes were come to fight against him with a greater army than before,

25 He moved from Yahrushalayim and met them in the land of Amathis: for he gave them no permission to enter his country.

26 He sent spies also to their tents, who came again and told him that they were appointed to come upon them in the lyla season.

27 Therefore, as soon as the shemesh was down, Yahunatan commanded his men to watch and to have ready arms, that all the lyla long they might be ready to fight: also he sent forth spies around their army.

28 But when the adversaries heard that Yahunatan and his men were ready for battle, they feared and trembled in their levavot and they kindled fires in their camp.

29 However Yahunatan and his company knew it not until the boker: for they saw the lights burning.

30 Then Yahunatan pursued after them but overtook them not: for they had gone over the river Eleutherus.

31 So Yahunatan turned to the Arabians, who were called Zabadeans and smote them and took their spoils.

32 And moving from there, he came to Damascus and so passed through all that country,

33 Shimon also went forth and passed through the country to Ashkelon and from there he turned aside to Yaffa and won it.

34 For he had heard that they would deliver the area to them that took Demetrius' part; so he set a garrison there to keep it.

35 After this came Yahunatan home again and calling the zechanim of the people together, he consulted with them about building strongholds in Yahudah,

36 And making the walls of Yahrushalayim higher and raising a great har between the tower and the city, to separate it from the city, so it might be alone, that men might neither sell nor buy in it.

37 Upon this they came together to build up the city, since part of the wall toward the brook on the east side had fallen down and they repaired that which was called Caphenatha.

38 Shimon also set up Adida in Sephela and made it strong with gates and bars.

39 Now Tryphon went about to get the malchut of Asia and to kill Antiochus the melech, that he might set the keter upon his own head.

40 However he was afraid that Yahunatan would not allow him and that he would fight against him; so he sought a means how to take Yahunatan, that he might kill him. So he moved and came to Beth Shean.

41 Then Yahunatan went out to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for the battle and came to Beth-She’an.

42 Now when Tryphon saw Yahunatan came with so great a force, he dared not stretch his hand against him;

43 But received him wth esteem and commended him to all his chaverim and gave him gifts and commanded his men of war to be as obedient to him, as to himself.

44 To Yahunatan also he said, Why have you brought all this people to so great a trouble, seeing there is no war between us?

45 Therefore send them now home again and choose a few men to wait on you and come with me to Ptolemais, for I will give it you and the rest of the strongholds and forces and all that I have any authority over: as for me, I will return and depart: for this is the cause of my coming.

46 So Yahunatan believing him did as he asked him and sent away his army, who went into eretz Yahudah.

47 And with himself he retained but three thousand men, of whom he sent two thousand into Galil and one thousand went with him.

48 Now as soon as Yahunatan entered into Ptolemais, they of Ptolemais shut the gates and took him and all them that came with him they slew with the sword.

49 Then sent Tryphon an army of footmen and horsemen into Galil and into the great plains, to destroy all of Yahunatan's company.

50 But when they knew that Yahunatan and they that were with him were taken or slain, they encouraged one another; and went close together, prepared to fight.

51 They therefore that followed them, perceiving that they were ready to fight for their lives, turned back again.

52 Then they all came into the eretz of Yahudah peacefully and there they mourned that Yahunatan was taken prisoner and them that were with him were slain and they were very afraid; so all Yisrael made great lamentation.

53 Then all the goyim that were all around them sought to destroy them: for said they, They have no captain, nor anyone to help them: now therefore let us make war upon them and take away their memory from among men.

13 Now when Shimon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great army to invade eretz Yahudah and destroy it,

2 And saw that the people were in great trembling and fear, he went up to Yahrushalayim and gathered the people together,

3 And gave them great exhortation, saying, You yourselves know what great things I, my brothers and my abba's bayit have done for the Torot and the Makom Kadosh, the battles also and troubles which we have seen.

4 For that reason all my brothers are slain or captives for Yisrael's sake and I am left alone.

5 Now therefore be it far from me, that I should spare my own chayim in any time of trouble: for I am no better than my brothers.

6 So for sure I will avenge my nation and the Makom Kadosh and our wives and our children: for all the goyim are gathered to destroy us solely out of hatred.

7 Now as soon as the people heard these words, their ruach revived.

8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, You shall be our leader instead of Yahudah and Yahunatan your brother.

9 Fight you our battles and whatever you command us, that will we do.

10 So then he gathered together all the men of war and made haste to finish the walls of Yahrushalayim and he fortified it all around.

11 Also he sent Yahunatan the son of Avshalom and with him a large army, to Yaffa, who cast out them who were there and remained there in it.

12 So Tryphon moved from Ptolemais with a great power to invade eretz Yahudah and Yahunatan was with him as a hostage.

13 But Shimon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.

14 Now when Tryphon knew that Shimon was raised up instead of his brother Yahunatan and desired to battle with him, he sent messengers to him, saying,

15 Seeing that we have your brother Yahunatan captive, it is for money that he owed the melech's treasury, concerning the business that was committed to him.

16 So now send a hundred talents of silver and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is set free he may not revolt against us and we will let him go.

17 Then Shimon, although he perceived that they spoke deceitfully to him, yet he sent the money and the children, lest the people of Yisrael should hate him:

18 Who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the children, therefore is Yahunatan dead.

19 So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: however Tryphon deceived him and neither would he let Yahunatan go.

20 And after this came Tryphon to invade eretz Yahudah and destroy it, going around by the derech that leads to Adora: but Shimon and his army marched against him in every place, everywhere he went.

21 Now they that were in the tower sent messengers to Tryphon, to hurry to them by the midbar and send them provisions.

22 So Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that lyla: but there fell lots of snow, so he came not. So he departed and came into the country of Gilad.

23 And when he came near to Bascama he slew Yahunatan, who was buried there.

24 Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.

25 Then sent Shimon and took the bones of Yahunatan his brother and buried them in Modin, the city of his ahvot.

26 And all Yisrael made great lamentation for him and mourned for him many yamim.

27 Shimon also built a monument upon the sepulcher of his abba and his brothers and raised it high to be seen by all around.

28 Moreover he set up seven markers, next to one another, for his abba and his emma and his four brothers.

29 And in these he made devices, in which he set great pillars and upon the pillars he set all their armor for a perpetual memory and near the armor ships, that they might be seen by all that sail on the sea.

30 This is the sepulcher which he made at Modin and it stands yet to this yom.

31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young melech Antiochus and slew him.

32 And he reigned in his place and crowned himself melech of Asia and brought great calamity upon eretz Yahudah.

33 Then Shimon built up the strongholds in Yahudah and fenced them about with high towers and great walls and gates and bars and laid up provisions in it.

34 Moreover Shimon chose men and sent them to melech Demetrius, so that he should give Yahudah immunity because all that Tryphon did was to spoil.

35 To whom melech Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner:

36 Melech Demetrius to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol and chaver of melechim and also to the zechanim and nation of the Yahudim, I send greetings:

37 The golden keter and the scarlet robe, which you sent to us, we have received: and we are ready to make steadfast shalom with you, yes and to write to our officers, to confirm the immunities which we have granted.

38 And whatever past britot we have made with you shall stand; and the strongholds, which you have built, shall be your own.

39 As for any oversight or fault committed up to this yom, we forgive it and the keter tax also, which you owe us: and if there were any other taxes paid in Yahrushalayim, it shall no more be paid.

40 And look for those that are fit among you to be in our court and let them be enrolled and let there be shalom between us.

41 So the yoke of the goyim was taken away from Yisrael in the hundred seventieth year.

42 Then the people of Yisrael began to write in their instruments and contracts in the first year of Shimon the Kohen HaGadol, the governor and leader of the Yahudim.

43 In those yamim Shimon camped against Aza and besieged it all around; he made also an engine of war and set it by the city and battered a certain tower and took it.

44 And they that were in the engine leaped into the city; then there was a great uproar in the city:

45 Then the people of the city tore their clothes and climbed upon the walls with their wives and children and cried with a loud voice, beseeching Shimon to grant them shalom.

46 And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness but according to your rachamim.

47 So Shimon was appeased and fought no more against them but put them out of the city and cleansed the houses where the idols were and so entered into it with shirim and hodu.

48 Yes, he put all uncleanness out of it and placed such men there as would keep The Torah and made it stronger than it was before and built in it a dwelling place for himself.

49 They also of the tower in Yahrushalayim were kept so strictly that they could neither come forth nor go into the country, nor buy nor sell: so they were in great distress for want of provisions and a great number of them perished through famine.

50 Then they cried to Shimon, begging him to be echad with them: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out from there, he cleansed the tower from pollutions:

51 And entered into it on the twenty third yom of the second chodesh in the hundred seventy first year, with hodu and branches of palm eytzim and with harps and cymbals and with viols and hymns and shirim: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Yisrael.

52 He ordained also that that yom should be kept every year with gilah. Moreover the hill of the Beit HaMikdash that was by the tower he made stronger than it was and there he dwelt himself with his company.

53 And when Shimon saw that Yochanan his son was a valiant man, he made him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Aza.

14 Now in the hundred and seventy second year melech Demetrius gathered his forces together and went into Media to get help to fight against Tryphon.

2 But when Arsaces, the melech of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had entered within his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive:

3 Who went and smote the army of Demetrius and took him and brought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put in prison.

4 As for eretz Yahudah, that was quiet all the yamim of Shimon; for he sought the tov of his nation in such a manner that his authority and esteem always pleased them well.

5 And as he was esteemed in all his acts, so in this, that he took Yaffa for a haven and made it an entrance to the isles of the sea,

6 And enlarged the borders of his nation and recovered the country,

7 And gathered together a great number of captives and had the dominion of Aza and Beth Sura and the tower, out which he took all that was unclean, neither was there anyone that resisted him.

8 Then they tilled their ground in shalom and the eretz gave her increase and the eytzim of the field their fruit.

9 The zechanim sat all yom in the streets, talking about tov things and the young men put on wondrous and warlike apparel.

10 He provided provisions for the cities and set in them all manner of ammunition, so that his esteemed name was famous to the ends of the olam.

11 He made shalom in the eretz and Yisrael rejoiced with great simcha:

12 For every man sat under his vine and his fig eytz and there was none to make them afraid.

13 Neither was there any left in the eretz to fight against them: yes, the melechim themselves were overthrown in those yamim.

14 Moreover he strengthened all those of his people who were brought low. The Torah he searched out; and everyone who held The Torah in contempt and every wicked person he took away.

15 He beautified the Makom Kadosh and multiplied the vessels of the Beit HaMikdash.

16 Now when it was heard at Rome and as far as Sparta, that Yahunatan was dead, they were very sorry.

17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Shimon was made Kohen HaGadol in his place and ruled the country and the cities in it:

18 They wrote to him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and treaty which they had made with Yahudah and Yahunatan his brothers:

19 Which writings were read before the kehilla at Yahrushalayim.

20 And this is the copy of the letters that the Lakedemonians sent; The rulers of the Lakedemonians, with the city, to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol and the zechanim and kohanim and residue of the people of the Yahudim, our brothers, sends greetings:

21 The ambassadors that were sent to our people confirmed to us of your kavod and esteem: therefore we were glad for their coming,

22 And registered the things that they spoke in the council of the people in this manner; Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Yason, the Yahudim's ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.

23 And it pleased the people to entertain the men with esteem and to put the copy of their ambassadorship in public records, so that the people of the Lakedemonians might have a record of it: furthermore we have written a copy of it to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol.

24 After this Shimon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to confirm the treaty with them.

25 So when the people heard, they said, What hodu shall we give to Shimon and his sons?

26 For he and his brothers and the bayit of his abba have established Yisrael and chased away in fight their enemies from them and confirmed their liberty.

27 So then they wrote it in tables of brass, which they set upon pillars in Har Tzion: and this is the copy of the writing; The eighteenth yom of the sixth chodesh, in the hundred and seventy second year, being the third year of Shimon the Kohen HaGadol,

28 At Saramel in the great kehilla of the kohanim, the people, rulers of the nation and zechanim of the country, were these things informed to us.

29 Since often there have been wars in their country, for the maintenance of their Makom Kadosh and The Torah, Shimon the son of Mattityahu, of the posterity of Yariv, together with his brothers, put themselves in jeopardy and resisting the enemies of their nation, whom their nation greatly esteemed:

30 (For after that Yahunatan, having gathered his nation together and having been their Kohen HaGadol, much was added to his people),

31 Their enemies prepared to invade their country, that they might destroy it and lay hands on the Makom Kadosh:

32 At which time Shimon rose up and fought for his nation and spent much of his own substance and armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,

33 And fortified the cities of Yahudah, together with Beth Sura, that lies upon the borders of Yahudah, where the armory of the enemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Yahudim there:

34 Moreover he fortified Yaffa, which lies upon the sea and Aza, that borders on Azotus, where the enemies had dwelt before: he placed Yahudim there and furnished them with all things convenient for the reparation of it.

35 The people therefore sang the acts of Shimon and to what kavod he thought to bring his nation, made him their governor and Kohen HaGadol because he had done all these things and for the justice and emunah which he kept to his nation and for seeking by all means to exalt his people.

36 For in his time things prospered in his hands, so that the goyim were taken out of their country and they also who were in the city of Dawid in Yahrushalayim, who had made themselves a tower, out of which they issued and polluted all around the Makom Kadosh and did much evil in the Makom Kadosh.

37 But he placed Yahudim in it and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city and raised up the walls of Yahrushalayim.

38 Melech Demetrius also confirmed him as Kohen HaGadol according to those things,

39 And made him one of his chaverim and greatly esteemed him.

40 For he had heard that the Romans had called the Yahudim their chaverim and associates and brothers; and that they had entertained the ambassadors of Shimon with esteem;

41 Also that the Yahudim and kohanim were well pleased that Shimon should be their governor and Kohen HaGadol le-olam-va-ed, until there should arise a faithful Navi;

42 Moreover that he should be their captain and should take charge of the Makom Kadosh, to set them over their works and over the country and over the armor and over the fortresses, that, I say, he should take charge of the Makom Kadosh;

43 Beside this, that he should be obeyed by every man and that

all the writings in the country should be made in his name and that he should be clothed in purple and wear gold:

44 Also that it should be lawful for none of the people or kohanim to break any of these things, or to twist his words, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold;

45 And whoever should do otherwise, or break any of these things, he should be punished.

46 So it appealed to all the people to deal with Shimon and to do as has been said.

47 Then Shimon accepted it and was well pleased to be Kohen HaGadol and captain and governor of the Yahudim and kohanim and to defend them all.

48 So they commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass and that they should be set up within the area of the Makom Kadosh in a conspicuous place;

49 Also that the copies of it should be laid up in the treasury, to the end that Shimon and his sons might have them.

15 Moreover Antiochus son of Demetrius the melech sent letters from the isles of the sea to Shimon the kohen and sar of the Yahudim and to all the people;

2 The contents were these: Melech Antiochus to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol and sar of his nation and to the people of the Yahudim, greeting:

3 Seeing that certain pestilent men have usurped the malchut of our ahvot and my purpose is to challenge it again, that I may restore it to the old estate and to that end have gathered a multitude of foreign soldiers together and prepared ships of war;

4 My meaning also being to go through the country, that I may be avenged of them that have destroyed it and made many cities in the malchut desolate:

5 Now therefore I confirm to you all the offerings which the melechim before me granted to you and whatever gifts besides that they granted.

6 I give you freedom also to coin money for your country with your own stamp.

7 And as concerning Yahrushalayim and the Makom Kadosh, let them be free; and all the armor that you have made and fortresses that you have built and keep in your hands, let them remain with you.

8 And if anything be, or shall be, owed to the melech, let it be forgiven to you from this time forth le-olam-va-ed.

9 Furthermore, when we have obtained our malchut, we will esteem you and your nation and your Beit HaMikdash, with great esteem, so that your esteem shall be known throughout the olam.

10 In the hundred and seventy fourth year Antiochus went into the land of his ahvot: at which time all the forces came together to him, so that few were left with Tryphon.

11 So being pursued by melech Antiochus, he fled to Dora, which lies by the sea side:

12 For he saw that troubles came upon him all at once and that his forces had forsaken him.

13 Then Antiochus camped against Dora, having with him one hundred twenty thousand men of war and eight thousand horsemen.

14 And when he had surrounded the city, he placed ships close to the town on the sea side and he vexed the city by land and by sea, neither did he allow any to go out or in.

15 In the meantime Numenius came and his company from Rome, having letters to the melechim and countries; in which were written these things:

16 Lucius, consul of the Romans to melech Ptolemy, greetings:

17 The Yahudim's ambassadors, our chaverim and associates, came to us to renew the old friendship and treaty, being sent from Shimon the Kohen HaGadol and from the people of the Yahudim:

18 And they brought a shield of gold of a thousand pounds.

19 We thought it tov therefore to write to the melechim and countries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against them, their cities, or countries, nor yet aid their enemies against them.

20 It seemed also tov to us to receive the shield from them.

21 If therefore there be any pestilent fellows who have fled from their country to you, deliver them to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol, that he may punish them according to their own Torah.

22 He wrote the same things likewise to Demetrius the melech and Attalus, to Ariarathes and Arsaces,

23 And to all the countries and to Sampsames and the Lakedemonians and to Delus and Myndus and Sicyon and Caria and Samos and Pamphylia and Lycia and Halicarnassus and Rhodus and Aradus and Cos and Side and Aradus and Gortyna and Knidus and Kuprus and Kurene.

24 And the copy of which they wrote to Shimon the Kohen HaGadol.

25 So Antiochus the melech camped against Dora the second yom, assaulting it continually and making engines, by which means he shut in Tryphon, that he could neither go out nor in.

26 At that time Shimon sent him two thousand chosen men to aid him; silver also and gold and much armor.

27 Nevertheless he would not receive them but broke all the britot which he had made with him before and became strange to him.

28 Furthermore he sent to him Athenobius, one of his chaverim, to commune with him and say, You withhold Yaffa and Aza; with the tower that is in Yahrushalayim, which are cities of my realm.

29 The borders of it you have wasted and done great hurt in the eretz and taken the dominion of many places within my malchut.

30 Now therefore deliver the cities which you have taken and the taxes of the places, where you have taken dominion outside the borders of Yahudah:

31 Or, else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and for the harm that you have done and the taxes of the cities, five hundred more talents: if not, we will come and fight against you

32 So Athenobius the melech's chaver came to Yahrushalayim: and when he saw the kavod of Shimon and the cupboard of gold and silver and his great presence, he was astonished and told him the melech's message.

33 Then answered Shimon and said to him, We have neither taken other men's land, nor held that which belongs to others but the inheritance of our ahvot, which our enemies had wrongfully in possession for a certain time.

34 So we, having opportunity, hold the inheritance of our ahvot.

35 And whereas you demand Yaffa and Aza, although they did great harm to the people in our country, yet will we give you a hundred talents for them. So Athenobius answered him not a word;

36 But returned in a rage to the melech and made a report to him of these words and of the kavod of Shimon and of all that he had seen: upon which the melech was exceedingly angry.

37 In the meantime Tryphon fled by ship to Orthosias.

38 Then the melech made Cendebeus captain of the sea coast and gave him an army of footmen and horsemen,

39 And commanded him to remove his army toward Yahudah; also he commanded him to build up Kidron and to fortify the gates and to war against the people; but as for the melech himself, he pursued Tryphon.

40 So Cendebeus came to Yamnia and began to provoke the people and to invade Yahudah and to take the people prisoners and slay them.

41 And when he had built up Cedrou, he set horsemen there and an army of footmen, so that they might make roads upon the derachot of Yahudah, as the melech had commanded him.

16 Then came up Yochanan from Aza and told Shimon his abba what Cendebeus had done.

2 So Shimon called his two eldest sons, Yahudah and Yochanan and said to them, I, my brothers my abba's bayit have always from my youth to this yom fought against the enemies of Yisrael; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Yisrael many times.

3 But now I am old and you, by YHUH's rachamim, are of a sufficient age: so go instead of me and my brother and go and fight for our nation and the help from YHUH be with you.

4 So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war with horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus and rested that lyla at Modin.

5 And when as they rose in the boker and went into the plain, behold, a mighty great army both of footmen and horsemen came against them: however there was a mayim brook between them.

6 So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he saw that the people were afraid to go over the mayim brook, he went first over himself and then the men seeing him passed through after him.

7 That done, he divided his men and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: for the enemies' horsemen were very many.

8 Then they sounded with the set apart shofars: and so Cendebeus and his army were put to flight, so that many of them were slain and the remnant got to the stronghold.

9 At that time was Yahudah Yochanan's brother wounded; but Yochanan still followed after them, until he came to Kidron, which Cendebeus had built.

10 So they fled even to the towers in the fields of Azotus; so he burned it with fire: so that there were slain of them about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into eretz Yahudah in shalom.

11 Moreover in the plain of Yericho Ptolemeus the son of Abubus was made captain and he had abundance of silver and gold:

12 For he was the Kohen HaGadol's son in law.

13 So his lev being lifted up, he thought to get the country for himself and then consulted deceitfully against Shimon and his sons to destroy them.

14 Now Shimon was visiting the cities that were in the country and taking care for the tov ordering of them; at which time he came down himself to Yericho with his sons, Mattityahu and Yahudah, in the hundred and seventy seventh year, in the eleventh chodesh;

15 Where the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a little place, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great banquet: however he had hid men there.

16 So when Shimon and his sons had drunk a lot, Ptolemy and his men rose up and took their weapons and came upon Shimon in the banqueting place and slew him and his two sons and certain of his avadim.

17 In which doing he committed a great treachery and recompensed evil for tov.

18 Then Ptolemy wrote these things and sent to the melech, that he should send him an army to aid him and he would deliver to him the country and cities.

19 He sent others also to Aza to kill Yochanan: and to the officers he sent letters to come to him, that he might give them silver and gold and rewards.

20 And others he sent to take Yahrushalayim and the har of the Beit HaMikdash.

21 Now one had run before to Aza and told Yochanan that his abba and brothers were slain and said, Ptolemy has sent to slay you also.

22 So when he heard it, he was very astonished: so he laid hands on them that were come to destroy him and slew them; for he knew that they sought to take him away.

23 As concerning the rest of the acts of Yochanan and his wars and worthy deeds which he did and the building of the walls which he made and his doings,

24 Behold, these are written in the chronicles of his kohanut, from the time he was made Kohen HaGadol after his abba. X

FIRST MACCABEES

• 1ˢͭ MACC 1:11 There have been many traitors among the children of Israel, the chief of them being Judah the man of Kerioth, who betrayed our Master Yahusha into the hands of the counterfeit kohanim.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 1:15 These were the Hellenists, looking to conform to the heathens, calling themselves uncircumcised, rejecting the confirmation of the brit.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 1:43 Religion always has been a cesspool for the collection of the lies of Prince Mastema, the not-so-great red dragon of Revelation 12, whom the Master Yahusha unceremoniously booted from the heavens (Luke 10:18) because of his rebellion against YAH (Isaiah 14:12-19; Ezekiel 28:11-19). YAH does not require religion of us but a heart-to-heart

• 1ˢͭ MACC 1:54 Matthew 24:15; Daniel12:11.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 2:1 A Zadokite from the true order of Zadok. The original Maccabees were true Torah kohanim, as opposed to the latter ones who became corrupt, as well as many with no Zadokite pedigree.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 2:38 Children.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 2:52 Genesis 15:6. Abraham was saved the same way anyone has been saved since Adam: not by good works but by mercy through the faith of and in the Master Yahusha.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 2:53 Genesis 41. Joseph was another living picture of our Master Yahusha, for he rose up out of a pit that was meant to be his grave and became second in command of Egypt, even as the Master Yahusha is the second over creation, next to YAH our Father.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 2:54 Numbers 27-14.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 3:6 This was the result of the Master Yahusha working with the Maccabees, making certain before the fact that Azazel would not succeed in disrupting the prophecies of His coming the first time to do the work of redemption and on His return to end the 6th day of the 7 millennia and to begin the 7th day.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 3:30 Antiochus was finding out that his arms are not long enough to box with the Master Yahusha.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 3:46 Messiah Yahusha.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 4:59 Those eight days, beginning on the 25th of the 9th Month, counting the last six days, plus the winter marker day (between 9/30 and 10/1) and ending on the 10th Month, the first day of the winter months. That’s the day that the Master Yahusha was teaching during Chanukah, as per John 10:22, where it says, “And it was at Jerusalem at Chanukah and it was winter.”

• 1ˢͭ MACC 7:41 Messiah Yahusha.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 9:6 They deserted the army, going AWOL.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 10:34 Contrary to rabbinic Judaism, “Chodesh” and “new moon” are no way synonymous, as per the books of Enoch and Jubilees.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 12:30 The River Eleutherus (el-loy-ther-oos): a river that was a border between Syria and Phoenicia.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 14:41 Messiah Yahusha.

• 1ˢͭ MACC 16:8 Could that have been Masada, the “stronghold”?

BACK TO MAIN MENU