Second Maccabees-Macabeem Bet

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Second Maccabees-Macabeem Bet

The Zadokite Victory Over The Greeks Part Two

1 The brothers, the Yahudim at Yahrushalayim and in the land of Yahudah, to the brothers, the Yahudim that are throughout Mitzrayim: brachot of health and shalom:

2 Ahlohim be gracious to you and remember His brit that He made with Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, His faithful avadim;

3 And give you all a lev to serve Him and to do His will with a tov courage and a willing mind;

4 And open your levavot to His Torah and mitzvoth and send you shalom,

5 And hear your tefillot and are echad with you and may He never forsake you in time of trouble.

6 And now we are here making tefillah for you.

7 During the time that Demetrius reigned, in the hundred and sixty ninth year, we the Yahudim wrote to you in the extremity of trouble that came upon us in those years, from the time that Yason and his company revolted from the set apart land and malchut,

8 And burned the porch and shed innocent dahm: then we made tefillah to YHUH and He heard us. We also offered sacrifices and fine flour and lit the lamps and set forth the Lechem Ha Panayim.

9 And now see that you keep Chag Sukkot in the ninth chodesh.

10 In the hundred and eighty eighth year, the people who were at Yahrushalayim and in Yahudah and the council in Yahudah, sent greetings of shalom and health to Aristobulus, melech Ptolemy’s master, who was of the stock of the anointed kohanim and to the Yahudim that were in Mitzrayim:

11 Seeing that Ahlohim has delivered us from great perils, we thank Him highly, since we were in battle against a melech.

12 For he cast them out that fought within the set apart city.

13 For when the leader was come into Persia and the army with him that seemed invincible, they were slain in the temple of Nanea by the deceit of Nanea's kohanim.

14 For Antiochus, as though he would marry her, came into the place and his chaverim who were with him, to receive money in name of a dowry.

15 Which when the kohanim of Nanea had set forth and he had entered with a small company into the complex of the Beit HaMikdash, they shut the Beit HaMikdash as soon as Antiochus had come in:

16 And opening a secret door in the roof, they threw stones like thunderbolts and struck down the captain, cut them in pieces, smote off their heads and cast them to those that were outside.

17 Blessed be our Ahlohim in all things, who has delivered up the wicked.

18 Therefore since we are now purposed to keep the purification of the Beit HaMikdash upon the twenty-fifth yom of the ninth chodesh, we thought it necessary to certify it for you, that you also might keep it just like Chag Matzoth and of the fire, which was given us when Nechemyah offered sacrifice, after that he had rebuilt the Beit HaMikdash and the altar.

19 For when our ahvot were led into Persia, the kohanim that were then devout took the fire of the altar secretly and hid it in a hollow place of a pit without mayim, where they kept it secure, so that the place was unknown to all men.

20 Now after many years, when it pleased Ahlohim, Nechemyah, being sent from the melech of Persia, sent of the posterity of those kohanim who had hidden it to the fire: but when they told us they found no fire but thick mayim;

21 Then he commanded them to draw it up and to bring it; and when the sacrifices were laid on it, Nechemyah commanded the kohanim to sprinkle the wood and the things laid there with the mayim.

22 When this was done and the time came that the shemesh shone, which before was hidden in a cloud, a great fire was kindled, so that every man marveled.

23 And the kohanim made a tefillah while the sacrifice was burning, both the kohanim and all the rest, starting with Yahunatan and the rest continuing, as Nechemyah did.

24 And the tefillah was after this manner; O YHUH,YHUH Ahlohim, Creator of all things, who are without fear and strong and tzadik and merciful and the only gracious Melech,

25 The only Giver of all things, the only Tzadik, The Almighty and everlasting, You who deliver Yisrael from all trouble and chose the ahvot and set them apart:

26 Receive the sacrifice for Your whole people Yisrael and preserve Your own portion and set it apart.

27 Gather those together that are scattered from us, deliver them that serve among the heathen, look upon them that are despised and abhorred and let the heathen know that You are our Ahlohim.

28 Punish them that oppress us and with pride do us wrong.

29 Plant Your people again in Your Makom Kadosh, as Moshe Rabeinu has spoken.

30 And the kohanim sang tehillim of hodu.

31 Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Nechemyah commanded the mayim that was left to be poured on the great stones.

32 When this was done, there was kindled a flame: but it was consumed by the ohr that shined from the altar.

33 So when this matter was known, it was told the melech of Persia, that in the place where the kohanim that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared mayim where Nechemyah had purified the sacrifices.

34 Then the melech, secured the place and made it set apart, after he had tried the matter.

35 And the melech took many gifts and bestowed them on those whom he would gratify.

36 And Nechemyah called this thing Naphthar, which is as much as to say, a cleansing: but many men call it Nephi.

2 It is also found in the records, that Yirmeyahu the navi commanded them who were carried away to take of the fire, as it has been designated:

2 And how that the navi, having given them The Torah, charged them not to forget the mitzvoth of YHUH and that they should not err in their minds, when they see images of silver and gold with their ornaments.

3 And with other such speeches he exhorted them, that The Torah should not depart from their levavot.

4 It was also contained in the same writing that the navi, being warned by Ahlohim, commanded the Mishkan and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the har, where Moshe Rabeinu climbed up and saw the heritage of Ahlohim.

5 And when Yirmeyahu came there, he found a hollow cave, where he laid the items of the Mishkan and the ark and the altar of incense and blocked the entrance.

6 And some of those that followed him came to mark the derech but they could not find it.

7 Which when Yirmeyahu knew it, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that Ahlohim regather his people again together and receive them to rachamim.

8 Then shall YHUH show them these things and the Tifereth of YHUH shall appear and the cloud also, as it was shown under Moshe Rabeinu and as when Shlomo longed that the place might be estimably set apart.

9 It was also declared that he being wise, offered the sacrifice of dedication and of the finishing of the Beit HaMikdash.

10 And as when Moshe Rabeinu made tefillah to YHUH, the fire came down from the shamayim and consumed the sacrifices: even so Shlomo made tefillah also and the fire came down from the shamayim and consumed the burnt offerings.

11 And Moshe Rabeinu said, Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was consumed.

12 So Shlomo kept those eight yamim.

13 The same things also were reported in the writings and commentaries of Nechemyah; and how he founding a library gathered together the acts of the melechim and the neviim and of Dawid and the letters of the melechim concerning the set apart gifts.

14 In like manner also Yahudah gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the war we had and they remain with us,

15 Therefore if you have need of them, send someone to get them for you.

16 Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we have written to you and you shall do well if you keep the same yamim.

17 We have tikvah also that the Ahlohim who delivered all His people and gave them all a heritage, the malchut, the kohanut and the sanctuary;

18 As He promised in The Torah, will shortly have rachamim upon us and gather us together out of every land under the shamayim into the set apart place: for He has delivered us out of great troubles and has purified the place.

19 Now as concerning Yahudah Maccabee and his brothers and the purification of the great Beit HaMikdash and the dedication of the altar;

20 And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and Eupator his son,

21 And the obvious signs that came from the shamayim, to those that behaved themselves boldly to their esteem for Yahudah: so that, being but a few, they overcame the whole country and chased away barbarous multitudes,

22 And recovered again the Beit HaMikdash known to all the olam over and freed the city and upheld the Torot which were in danger, YHUH being gracious to them with all chesed:

23 All these things, I say, being declared by Yason of Cyrene in five books, we will try to abridge in one volume.

24 For considering the infinite number and the difficulty which they find who desire to look into the narrations of the account, for the many details of the matter,

25 We have been careful, that they who will read it may have delight and that they that are desirous to commit it to memory, might have an easy task and that all into whose hands it comes might have benefits.

26 Therefore to us who have undertaken this painful labor of abridging, it was not easy but a matter of sweat and watching;

27 Even as it is not easy for him that prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others: yet for the brachot of many we will undertake gladly these great pains;

28 Leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular detail and laboring to follow the rules of an abridgement.

29 For as the master builder of a new bayit must care for the whole building; he that undertakes to decorate and paint it, must seek out fit things to adorn it with:even so I think it is with us.

30 To stand upon every point and go over things at large and to be curious in the particulars belongs to the first author of the account:

31 But to use brevity and avoid much laboring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment.

32 Here then, we will begin the actual account: only adding little to that which has been said, that it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue and to be short in the account itself.

3 Now when the set apart city was inhabited with all shalom and the Torot were kept very well because of the Shabbat-guarding piety of Chananyah the Kohen HaGadol and his hatred of Torah-less-ness,

2 It came to pass that even the melechim themselves esteemed the Makom Kadosh and magnified the Beit HaMikdash with their best gifts;

3 Insomuch that Seleucus of Asia of his own revenues bore all the costs belonging to the service of the sacrifices.

4 But one Shimon of the tribe of Binyamin, who was made overseer of the Beit HaMikdash, fell out with the Kohen HaGadol about disorder in the city.

5 And when he could not win over Chananyah, he went to Apollonius the son of Thraseas, who then was governor of Celosyria and Phoenicia,

6 And told him that the treasury in Yahrushalayim was full of infinite sums of money, so that the multitude of their riches which did not pertain to the account of the sacrifices was innumerable and that it was possible to bring all into the melech's hand.

7 Now when Apollonius came to the melech and told him about the money, the melech chose Heliodorus his treasurer and sent him with a commandment to bring him the money.

8 So immediately Heliodorus took his journey; pretending to visit the cities of Celosyria and Phoenicia but in reality to fulfill the melech's purpose.

9 And when he had come to Yahrushalayim and had been courteously received by the Kohen HaGadol of the city, he told him what intelligence was given about the money and declared why he came and asked if these things were so indeed.

10 Then the Kohen HaGadol told him that there was such money laid up for the relief of widows and fatherless children:

11 And that some of it belonged to Hircanus son of Toviyah, a man of great dignity and not as that wicked Shimon had misinformed him: the sum was four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold:

12 And that it was altogether impossible that such wrongs should be done to them, that had committed it to the set apartness of the place and to the majesty and set apartness of the Beit HaMikdash, esteemed in all the olam.

13 But Heliodorus because of the melech's commandment given to him, said that it still must be brought into the melech's treasury.

14 So at the yom which he appointed he entered in to order this matter: therefore there was no small agony throughout the whole city.

15 But the kohanim, prostrating themselves before the altar in their kohanim vestments, called to the shamayim to Him that made a Torah concerning things given to be kept; that they should safely be preserved for those for whom the funds were designated.

16 Then whoever had looked the Kohen HaGadol in the face, it would have wounded his lev: for his countenance and the changing of his color declared the inward agony of his mind.

17 For the man was so full with fear and horror of the gooff, that it was obvious to them that looked upon him, what sorrow he had now in his lev.

18 Others ran flocking out of their houses to the general supplication because the place was about to come into contempt.

19 And the women, clothed with sackcloth under their breasts, abounded in the streets and the virgins that were kept in ran, some to the gates and some to the walls and others looked out of the windows.

20 And all, holding their hands toward the shamayim, made tefillah.

21 Then it would have pitied a man to see the falling down of the multitude of all sorts and the fear of the Kohen HaGadol being in such an agony.

22 They then called upon The Almighty YHUH to keep the things committed to trust, safe and secure for those who had committed them.

23 Nevertheless Heliodorus executed that which was decreed.

24 Now as he was there present himself with his guard around the treasury, YHUH of ruacheem and the Sar of all Power, caused a great vision, so that all who presumed to come in with him were astonished at the Power of Ahlohim, fainted and were very afraid.

25 For there appeared to them a horse with a great rider upon it and adorned with a very fair covering and He ran fiercely and smote at Heliodorus with His feet and it seemed that He that sat upon the horse had complete harness of gold.

26 Moreover two other young men appeared before Him, notable in strength, excellent in tifereth and in apparel, who stood by Heliodorus on either side; and scourged him continually and gave him many stripes.

27 And Heliodorus fell suddenly to the ground and was compassed with great darkness: but they who were with him took him up and put him into an animal shelter.

28 So they carried him out who before came with great speed and with all his guard into the treasury, being unable to help himself with his weapons: and obviously they acknowledged the Power of Ahlohim.

29 For he by the hand of Ahlohim was cast down and lay speechless without all tikvah of chayim.

30 But they praised YHUH, who had miraculously esteemed His own place: for the Beit HaMikdash; which a little before was full of fear and trouble, when Almighty YHUH appeared, was now filled with simcha and gilah.

31 Then immediately certain of Heliodorus' chaverim begged Chananyah to call upon YHUH to grant him his chayim, who lay ready to die.

32 So the Kohen HaGadol, suspecting that the melech should misconceive that some treachery had been done to Heliodorus by the Yahudim, offered a sacrifice for the health of the man.

33 Now as the Kohen HaGadol was making an keporah, the same young men in the same clothing appeared and stood beside Heliodorus, saying, Give Chananyah the Kohen HaGadol great hodu, because for his sake, YHUH has granted you chayim:

34 And seeing that you have been scourged from the shamayim, declare to all men the mighty Power of Ahlohim. And when they had spoken these words, they appeared no more.

35 So Heliodorus, after he had offered sacrifice to YHUH, made great vows to Him who had saved his chayim, saluted Chananyah and returned with his army to the melech.

36 Then he testified to all men the works of the great Ahlohim, which he had seen with his eyes.

37 And when the melech inquired of Heliodorus who might be a fit man to be sent yet once again to Yahrushalayim, he said,

38 If you have any enemy or traitor, send him there; and he shall be well-scourged, if he escape with his chayim. For in that place, no doubt; there is a special Power of Ahlohim.

39 For He who dwells in the shamayim has His eye on that place and defends it; and He beats and destroys them who come to hurt it.

40 And the things concerning Heliodorus and the keeping of the treasury, took place as recorded.

4 This Shimon now, of whom we spoke before, having been a betrayer of the money and of his country, slandered Chananyah, as if he had terrified Heliodorus and had been the worker of these evils.

2 So was he bold to call him a traitor, though he had served the city well and tended to his own nation and was so zealous for the Torot.

3 But when their hatred went so far, so that by one of Shimon's factions murders were committed,

4 Chananyah seeing the danger of this contention and that Apollonius, who was the governor of Celosyria and Phoenicia, raged and increased Shimon's malice,

5 He went to the melech, not to be an accuser of his countrymen but seeking the tov of all, both public and private:

6 For he saw that it was impossible that the state should be in shalom and Shimon cease his folly, unless the melech looked into the matter.

7 But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, called Epiphanes, took the malchut, Yason the brother of Chananyah labored underhandedly to become Kohen HaGadol,

8 Promising the melech by intercession three hundred sixty talents of silver and of another revenue eighty talents:

9 Beside this, he promised to assign a hundred fifty more, if he might have freedom to set up a place for exercise and for the training up of youth, in the fashions of the heathen and to make them of Yahrushalayim to become like Antiochians.

10 Which when the melech had granted and he had gotten into his hand the authority, he immediately brought his own nation to Hellenistic fashion.

11 And the royal privileges granted by special chen to the Yahudim by the means of Yochanan the abba of Eupolemus, who went as ambassador to Rome for friendship and aid, he took away; and putting down the governments which were according to The Torah, he brought up new customs against The Torah:

12 For he gladly built a place of exercise under the tower itself and brought the chief young men under his subjection and he seduced even the noblest.

13 Now such was the height of Hellenist fashions and increase of heathen manners, through the exceeding profaneness of Yason, that wicked wretch, and not really a Kohen HaGadol;

14 That the kohanim had no courage to serve anymore at the altar but despising the Beit HaMikdash and neglecting the sacrifices, hastened to be partakers of the unlawful allowance in the place of exercise, after the game of Discus called them forth;

15 Not living by the esteem of their ahvot but liking the kavod of the Hellenists best of all.

16 By that behavior, sore calamity came upon them: for they had them to be their enemies and avengers, whose customs they followed, so earnestly and to whom they longed to be like in all things.

17 For it is not a ohr thing to do wickedly against the Torot of Ahlohim: but the time following shall declare these things.

18 Now when the game that was used every fifth year was kept at Tyrus, the melech being present,

19 This ungracious Yason sent special messengers from Yahrushalayim, who were Antiochians, to carry three hundred pieces of silver to the sacrifice of the deity Hercules, which even the bearers of it thought it wrong to bestow it upon the sacrifice because it was not convenient and to be used for other things.

20 This money then, in regard to the sender, was appointed to Hercules' sacrifice; but because of the bearers of it, it was used for the making of ships.

21 Now when Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent into Mitzrayim for the coronation of melech Ptolemy Philometor, Antiochus, understanding him not to be well affected to his affairs, provided for his own safety: then he came to Yaffa and from there to Yahrushalayim:

22 Where he was esteemed and received by Yason and by the city and was brought in with torch aglow and with great shoutings: and so afterward went with his host to Phoenicia.

23 Three years afterward, Yason sent Menelaus, Shimon's brother, to bear the money to the melech and to put him in reminder of certain necessary matters.

24 But he being brought to the presence of the melech, when he had magnified him for the wonderful appearance of his power, bought the kohanut for himself, offering more than Yason by three hundred talents of silver.

25 So he came with the melech's mandate, bringing nothing worthy of making him the Kohen HaGadol but having the fury of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage beast.

26 Then Yason,who had undermined his own brother, being undermined by another, was compelled to flee into the country of the Ammonites.

27 So Menelaus got the position: but as for the money that he had promised to the melech, he took no tov order for it, although Sostratis the ruler of the castle required it:

28 For the gathering of the customs pertained to him. Therefore they were both called before the melech.

29 Now Menelaus left his brother Lysimachus in his place in the kohanut; and Sostratus left Crates, who was governor of the Cyprians.

30 While those things were going on, they of Tarsus and Mallos made insurrection because they were given to the melech's concubine, called Antiochus.

31 Then came the melech in all haste to appease matters, leaving Andronicus, a man in authority, for his deputy.

32 Now Menelaus, supposing that he had gotten a convenient time, stole certain vessels of gold out of the Beit HaMikdash and gave some of them to Andronicus and some he sold into Tyrus and the cities round about.

33 Which when Chananyah knew, he reproved him and withdrew into a sanctuary at Daphne, near Antioch.

34 Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus apart, asked him to get Chananyah into his hands; who being persuaded to do so and coming to Chananyah in deceit, gave him his right hand with oaths; and though he was suspected by him, yet he persuaded him to come forth to the Makom Kadosh: whom he immediately murdered without regard to tzedakah.

35 For which cause not only the Yahudim but many also of other goyim, took great indignation and were much grieved for the unjust murder of the man.

36 And when the melech was come again from the places around Kilikia, the Yahudim that were in the city and certain of the Greeks that abhorred the fact also, complained because Chananyah was slain without cause.

37 Therefore Antiochus was heartily sorry and moved to pity and wept because of the sober and modest behavior of him that was dead.

38 And being kindled with anger, immediately he took away Andronicus’ purple and ripped off his clothes and leading him through the whole city to that very place where he had committed impiety against Chananyah, there he slew the cursed murderer. So YHUH rewarded him his punishment, as he had deserved.

39 Now when many sacrileges had been committed in the city by Lysimachus with the consent of Menelaus and the fruit of it was spread abroad, the multitude gathered themselves together against Lysimachus, many vessels of gold being already carried away.

40 Whereupon the common people rising and being filled with rage, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men and began first to offer violence; one Auranus being the leader, a man far gone in years and no less in folly.

41 They then seeing the attempt of Lysimachus, some of them caught stones, some clubs, others taking handfuls of dust that was at hand, cast them all together upon Lysimachus and those that set upon them.

42 So many of them they wounded and some they struck to the ground and all of them they forced to flee: but they killed the thief who stole from the Beit HaMikdash next to the treasury.

43 Of these matters therefore there was an accusation laid against Menelaus.

44 Now when the melech came to Tyrus, three men that were sent from the senate pleaded the cause before him:

45 But Menelaus, being now convicted, promised Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes to give him much money, if he would pacify the melech toward him.

46 Whereupon Ptolemy taking the melech aside into a certain gallery, as if it were to take the air, brought him to be of another mind:

47 Insomuch that he discharged Menelaus from the accusations, who notwithstanding was the cause of all the mischief: and those poor men, who, if they had told their cause, yes, before the Scythians, should have been judged innocent, them he condemned to death.

48 So they who followed the matter for the city, for the people and for the set apart vessels, soon suffered unjust punishment.

49 So even they of Tyrus, moved with hatred of that wicked deed, caused them to be buried in esteem.

50 And so through the covetousness of those who were of power, Menelaus remained still in authority, increasing in malice and being a great traitor to the citizens.

5 About the same time Antiochus prepared his second voyage into Mitzrayim:

2 And it came to pass that through all the city, for the space almost of forty yamim, there were seen horsemen running in the air, in clothes of gold and armed with lances, like a band of soldiers,

3 And troops of horsemen in array, encountering and running one against another, with shaking of shields and multitude of pikes and drawing of swords and casting of darts and glittering of golden ornaments and harness of all sorts.

4 So every man made tefillah that that vision might turn to tov.

5 Now when there was gone forth a false rumor, as though Antiochus had been dead, Yason took at least a thousand men and suddenly made an assault upon the city; and they who were upon the walls were pushed back and the city at length was taken. Menelaus fled into the castle:

6 But Yason slew his own citizens without rachamim, not considering that to kill them of his own nation would be a most unhappy yom for him; but he thought like they had been his enemies and not his countrymen, whom he conquered.

7 However for all this he obtained not the authority but at the last received shame for the reward of his treason and fled again into the country of the Ammonites.

8 In the end therefore he had an unhappy return, being accused before Aretas the melech of the Arabians, fleeing from city to city, pursued by all men, hated as an apostate from the Torot and being held in abomination as an open enemy of his country and countrymen, he was cast out into Mitzrayim.

9 So he who had driven many out of their country perished in a strange land, retiring to the Lakedemonians and thinking that there he would find help by reason of his kindred:

10 And he that had cast out many unburied had none to mourn for him, nor any solemn funerals at all, nor sepulcher with his ahvot.

11 Now when this that was done came to the melech's ear, he thought that Yahudah had revolted: then moving out of Mitzrayim in a furious mind, he took the city by force of arms,

12 And commanded his men of war not to spare such as they met and to slay such as went up upon the houses.

13 So there was killing of young and old, taking away of men, women and children, slaying of virgins and infants.

14 And there were destroyed within the space of three whole yamim eighty thousand, forty thousand were slain in the conflict; and the rest were sold.

15 Yet he was he not content with this but presumed to go into the most set apart Beit HaMikdash of all the olam; Menelaus, that traitor to the Torot and to his own country, being his guide:

16 And taking the set apart vessels with polluted hands and with profane hands pulling down the things that were dedicated by other melechim for its use and the Kavod and esteem of the place, he gave them away.

17 And so haughty was Antiochus in mind, that he considered not that YHUH was angry for a while for the sins of them that dwelt in the city and therefore His eye was not upon the place.

18 For had they not been formerly wrapped in many sins, this man, as soon as he had come in, would have immediately been scourged and put back from his presumption, as Heliodorus was, whom Seleucus the melech sent to view the treasury.

19 Nevertheless Ahlohem did not choose the people for the place's sake but the place for the people's sake.

20 And therefore the place itself that was partaker with them of the adversity that happened to the nation, did afterward participate in the brachot sent from YHUH: and as it was forsaken in the wrath of The Almighty, so again, the great YHUH being contented, it was set up with all Kavod.

21 So when Antiochus had carried out of the Beit HaMikdash a thousand eight hundred talents, he departed in haste to Antioch, overbearing in his pride to make the land accessible and the sea passable by foot: such was the haughtiness of his mind.

22 And he left governors to vex the nation. At Yahrushalayim, he left Philip, for his country a Phrygian because his manners were more wicked than his own, he set him there;

23 And at Garizim Andronicus; and besides, Menelaus, who worse than all the rest bore a heavy hand over the citizens, having a malicious mind against his countrymen the Yahudim.

24 He sent also that detestable ringleader Apollonius with an army of twenty two thousand, commanding him to slay all those who were in their best age and to sell the women and the younger ones:

25 Who coming to Yahrushalayim and pretending shalom, held back until the set apart Shabbat, when taking the Yahudim keeping the set apart Yom, he commanded his men to arm themselves.

26 And so he slew all them who were celebrating the Shabbat and running through the city with weapons slew great multitudes.

27 But Yahudah Maccabee with about nine others, withdrew himself into the midbar and lived in the mountains after the manner of beasts, with his company, who fed on herbs continually, lest they should be partakers of the pollution.

6 Not long after this the melech sent an old man of Athens to compel the Yahudim to depart from the Torot of their ahvot and not to live after the Torot of Ahlohim:

2 And to pollute also the Beit HaMikdash in Yahrushalayim and to call it the temple of Yupiter Olympus; and that in Garizim, of Yupiter the Defender of Strangers, as they wanted to dwell in the place.

3 This mischief was very grievous to the people:

4 For the Beit HaMikdash was filled with parties and reveling by the goyim, who dallied with harlots and committed fornication with women within the courts of the set apart places and besides that brought in things that were not lawful in Torah.

5 The altar also was filled with profane things, which The Torah forbids.

6 Neither was it considered lawful for a man to keep the Shabbat Yamim or ancient fasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Yahudi.

7 And in the yom of the melech's birthday every single chodesh they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the Fast of Bacchus was kept, the Yahudim were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.

8 Moreover there went out a decree to the neighboring cities of the heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemy, against the Yahudim, that they should observe the same customs and be partakers of their sacrifices:

9 And whoever would not conform themselves to the manners of the goyim should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery.

10 For there were two women brought who had made brit-milah upon their children; whom they had openly led around the city, the babies hanging at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall.

11 And others, who had run together into nearby caves to keep the Shabbat yom secretly, being discovered by Philip, were all burnt together because they chose to keep themselves for the esteem of the most kadosh Yom.

12 Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged about these calamities but that they discern those punishments not to be for destruction but for a chastening of our nation.

13 For it is a sign of His great tovness, when wicked doers are not allowed a long time but in due time punished.

14 For YHUH deals with us not as with other goyim, whom He patiently waits to punish until they come to the fulness of their sins,

15 But when they come to the height of sin, afterwards He should take vengeance for us.

16 And therefore He never withdraws His rachamim from us: and though He corrects with adversity, yet He never forsakes His people.

17 But let this that we have spoken be for a warning to us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.

18 El-Azar, one of the main sophrim, an aged man and of a well-favored countenance, was constrained to open his mouth and to eat swine's flesh.

19 But he choosing rather to die with kavod, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it out and came of his own accord to the torment,

20 Spitting out the meat. In this he showed how everyone ought to stand fast and reject what isn’t lawful to taste in Torah, despite the intense desire to live.

21 Those in charge of the sacrifice had been chaverim of El-Azar for a long time; and because of this friendship they told him privately to bring meat that was lawful in Torah for him to eat.

22 He need only pretend to eat the pork, they said and in this way he would not be put to death.

23 But El-Azar made a decision worthy of his gray hair and advanced age. All his chayim he had lived in perfect obedience to YHUH’s kadosh Torah, so he replied, Kill me, here and now.

24 Such deception is not worthy of an ish of my years. Many young people would think that I had denied my emunah after I was ninety years old.

25 If I pretended to eat this meat, just to live a little while longer, it would bring shame and disgrace on me and lead many young people astray.

26 For the present I might be able to escape what you could do to me but whether I live or die, I cannot escape Almighty YHUH.

27 If I die bravely now, it will show that I deserved my long chayim.

28 It will also set a tov example of the way young people should be willing and glad to die for our kadosh and respected Torot. As soon as he said these things, he went off to be tortured.

29 And the very people who had treated him kindly a few minutes before, now turned against him, because they thought he had spoken like a madman.

30 When they had beaten him almost to the point of death, he groaned and said, YHUH possesses all kadosh daat. He knows I could have escaped these terrible sufferings and death, yet He also knows that I gladly suffer these things, because I fear Him.

31 So El-Azar died. But his courageous death was remembered as an example, not only by young people but by the entire nation as well.

7 It came to pass also, that seven brothers with their emma were taken and compelled by the melech against The Torah to taste swine's flesh and were tormented with scourges and whips.

2 But one of them that spoke first said this, What would you ask or learn about us? We are ready to die, rather than to transgress the Torot of our ahvot.

3 Then the melech, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot:

4 Which immediately being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spoke first and to cut off the other parts of his gooff, with the rest of his brothers and his emma looking on.

5 After the young man had been reduced to a helpless mass of breathing flesh, the melech gave orders for him to be carried over and thrown into one of the pans. As a cloud of smoke streamed up from the pan, the brothers and their emma encouraged one another to die bravely, saying;

6 YHUH Ahlohim sees us and in emet has comfort for us, as Moshe Rabeinu in his song, which witnessed to their faces, declared saying,YHUH shall grant rachamim to His avadim.

7 So when the first was dead, they brought the second to make him a laughing stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Will you eat the pork, before you are punished throughout every member of your gooff?

8 But he answered in Ivrit and said, No. So he also received the torment in order, as did the first.

9 And when he was at his last gasp, he said, You like a fury take us out of this present chayim but The Melech of the olam shall raise us up, who have died for His Torot, to everlasting chayim.

10 The soldiers began entertaining themselves with the third brother. When he was ordered to stick out his tongue, he quickly did so. Then he bravely held out his hands;

11 And said courageously, These hands I have from the shamayim; yet His Torot mean more to me than my hands; and from Him I have tikvah to receive them back again.

12 So the melech and those that were with him, marveled at the young man's courage, for he disregarded the pains.

13 Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and tortured the fourth in like manner.

14 So when he was ready to die he said this, It is tov, being put to death by men, to look for tikvah from Ahlohim, to be raised up again by Him: as for you, you shall have no resurrection to eternal chayim.

15 Afterward they brought the fifth also and tortured him.

16 Then he looked to the melech and said, You have Power over men. You are corruptible, doing what you will, yet do not think that Ahlohim has forsaken our nation.

17 Just wait and behold His great power, how He will torment you and your zera.

18 After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to die said, Be not deceived: for we suffer these things because of ourselves, having sinned against our Ahlohim. Therefore awful things are done to us.

19 But do not think, that you who have chosen to strive against Ahlohim, that you shall escape unpunished.

20 But the emma was the most amazing of them all and worthy of everlasting kavod: for when she saw her seven sons slain within the time of one yom, she endured it with a tov courage because of the tikvah that she had in YHUH.

21 Yes, she exhorted everyone of them in Ivrit, filled with a courageous ruach; She combined womanly emotion with manly courage.

22 I cannot tell how you came into my womb: for I neither gave you breath nor chayim, neither was it I that formed the members of everyone of you;

23 But doubtless The Creator of the olam, who formed the human race and who began all things, will also by His own rachamim, give you His Ruach and His chayim again, because you love His Torot more than your own chayim.

24 Antiochus was sure that the mother was making fun of him, so he did his best to convince her youngest son to abandon the Torot of his ancestors. He promised not only to make the boy rich and famous but to place him in a position of authority and to give him the title Chaver of the Melech.

25 But when the young man would not listen to him, the melech called his emma and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his chayim.

26 And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised him that she would counsel her son.

27 Leaning over her son, she fooled the cruel tyrant by saying in her native Ivrit, My son, have pity on me. Remember that I carried you in my womb for nine chodashem and nursed you for three years. I have taken care of you and looked after all your needs up to the present yom.

28 I beseech you, my son, look upon the shamayim and the earth and all that is in it and consider that Ahlohim made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise.

29 Fear not this tormentor but, being worthy of your brothers, receive your death, that I may receive you again in rachamim with your brothers.

30 While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said to the melech, What are you waiting for? I will not obey the melech's commandment: but I will obey the mitzvah of The Torah that was given to our ahvot by Moshe Rabeinu.

31 And you, who have been the author of all mischief against the Ivrim, shall not escape the hands of Ahlohim.

32 For we suffer because of our sins.

33 And though the living YHUH be angry with us a little while, for our chastening and correction, yet shall He be echad again with His avadim.

34 But you, O man without Ahlohim and of all other most wicked ones, be not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain tikvah, lifting up your hand against the avadim of Ahlohim:

35 For you have not escaped the mishpat of Almighty Ahlohim, who sees all things.

36 For our brothers, who now have suffered a short time of pain, are dead, yet are now under Ahlohim's brit of everlasting chayim: but you, through the mishpat of Ahlohim, shall receive just punishment for your pride.

37 But I, as my brothers, offer up my gooff and chayim for the Torot of our ahvot, beseeching Ahlohim that He would speedily have rachamim on our nation; and that you by torments and plagues may confess that He alone is YHUH;

38 And that in me and my brothers the wrath of The Almighty, which is justly brought upon our nation, may cease.

39 These words of ridicule made Antiochus so furious that he had the boy tortured even more cruelly than his brothers.

40 So this man died undefiled, having put his whole emunah in YHUH.

41 Last of all after the sons, the emma was put to deah.

42 But I have said enough about the Yahudim being tortured and being forced to eat pork and the intestines of sacrificial animals.

8 Then Yahudah Maccabee and they who were with him went secretly into the towns and called their relatives together and took to them all such as continued in the Yahudim's Torah and assembled about six thousand men.

2 And they called upon YHUH, that He would look upon the people who were trodden down of all; and also pity the Beit HaMikdash profaned by wicked men;

3 And that He would have rachamim on the city, very defaced and ready to be made even with the ground; and hear the dahm that cried to Him,

4 And remember the wicked slaughter of harmless infants and the blasphemies committed against His Name; and that He would show His hatred against the wicked.

5 Now when Maccabee had his company about him, he could not be overcome by the heathen: for the wrath of YHUH was turned into rachamim.

6 Therefore he came towns and cities unawares and burnt them up and got into his hands the most comfortable places and overcame them and put to flight no small number of his enemies.

7 But specifically he took advantage of the lyla for such secret attempts, so that the fruit of his set apartness was spread everywhere.

8 So when Philip saw that this man increased little by little and that things prospered with him still more and more, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Celosyria and Phoenicia, to yield more aid to the melech's affairs.

9 Then promptly choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special chaverim, he sent him with no fewer than twenty thousand of all goyim under him, to root out the whole generation of the Yahudim; and with him he joined also Gorgias a captain, who in matters of war had great experience.

10 So Nicanor undertook to make so much money of the captive Yahudim, to defray the tribute of two thousand talents, which the melech was to pay to the Romans.

11 So immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, proclaiming a sale of the captive Yahudim and promising that they should have ninety bodies for one talent, not expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from The Almighty Ahlohim.

12 Now when word was brought to Yahudah of Nicanor's coming and he had imparted to those who were with him that the army was at hand,

13 Then they who were fearful and distrusted the justice of Ahlohim fled and hid.

14 Others sold all that they had left and sought YHUH to deliver them, sold by the wicked Nicanor before they met together:

15 And if not for their own sakes, yet for the britot He had made with their ahvot and for His set apart and wonderful Name's sake, by which they were called.

16 So Maccabee called his men together, six thousand and exhorted them not to be stricken with terror by the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen, who came wrongly against them; but to fight manfully,

17 And to set before their eyes the injury that they had unjustly done to the set apart place and the cruel handling of the city, of which they made a mockery and also the taking away of the government of their ahvot:

18 For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in The Almighty who in an instant can cast down both them that come against us and also all of the olam.

19 Moreover, he reminded them what help their ahvot had found and how they were delivered, when under Sennacheriv a hundred and eighty-five thousand perished.

20 And he told them of the battle that they had in Bavel with the Galatians, how they came with only eight thousand in all to the battle, along with four thousand Makedonians and that the Makedonians being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed a hundred and twenty thousand because of the help that they had from the shamayim and so received a great booty.

21 So when he had made them bold with these words and ready to die for The Torah and the country, he divided his army into four parts;

22 And his brothers joined him, leaders of each band, Shimon and Joseph and Yahunatan, giving each one fifteen hundred men.

23 Also he appointed El-Azar to read the kadosh Torah: and when he had given them the password, The help of Ahlohim; himself leading the first band,

24 And by the help of The Almighty they slew over nine thousand of their enemies and wounded and maimed most of Nicanor's host and so put all to flight;

25 And took their money that was supposed to buy them as avadim and pursued them far: but lacking time they returned:

26 For it was the yom before the Shabbat and therefore they would no longer pursue them.

27 So when they had gathered their armor together and spoiled their enemies, they focused themselves about the Shabbat, yielding exceeding tehillot and hodu to YHUH, who had preserved them to that yom, which was the beginning of rachamim being poured out upon them.

28 And after the Shabbat, when they had given part of the spoils to the maimed and the widows and orphans, the residue they divided among themselves and their avadim.

29 When this was done and they had made a common supplication, they sought the merciful YHUH to be reconciled with his avadim le-olam-va-ed.

30 Moreover of those that were with Timotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, they slew above twenty thousand and very easily got great possessions and divided among themselves many spoils and made the maimed, orphans, widows, yes and the aged also, equal in spoils with themselves.

31 And when they had gathered their armor together, they laid them up all carefully in convenient places and the remnant of the spoils they brought to Yahrushalayim.

32 They slew also Philarches, that wicked person, who was with Timotheus and had annoyed the Yahudim in many ways.

33 Furthermore at such time as they kept the feast for the victory in their country, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the set apart gates, who had fled into a little bayit; and so he received a reward fitting his Torah-less-ness.

34 As for that most ungracious Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to buy the Yahudim as avadim,

35 He was through the help of YHUH brought down by those he disdained; and putting off his wonderful apparel and discharging his company, he came like a fugitive eved through the midland to Antioch having very great disdain, for his army that was destroyed.

36 So he who was determined to make tov to the Romans their tribute by means of avadim in Yahrushalayim, spread the message abroad, that the Yahudim had Ahlohim to fight for them and therefore they could not be hurt because they followed the Torot that He gave them.

9 About that time came Antiochus with disdain out of the country of Persia

2 For he had entered the city called Persepolis and went about to rob the temple and to hold the city; then the multitude running to defend themselves with their weapons put them to flight; and so it happened, that Antiochus being put to flight by the inhabitants returned with shame.

3 Now when he came to Ecbatane, news was brought to him what had come upon Nicanor and Timotheus.

4 Then swelling with anger, he thought to seek revenge against the Yahudim for the disgrace done to him by those who made him flee. Therefore he commanded his charioteer to drive without ceasing and to start the journey, the mishpat of Ahlohim now following him. For he had spoken proudly saying, That he would come to Yahrushalayim and make it a common burying place of the Yahudim.

5 But YHUH Almighty, the Ahlohim of Yisrael, smote him with an incurable and invisible plague: for as soon as he had spoken these words, a pain of the bowels that was irremediable came upon him and heavy torment of his inner parts;

6 And that most justly: for he had tormented other men's bowels with many and strange torments.

7 However he had not ceased from his boasting but still was filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Yahudim and commanding to hurry the journey: but it came to pass that he fell down from his chariot violently; so that having a severe fall, all the members of his gooff were in pain.

8 And so he that a little before thought he might command the waves of the sea, (so proud was he beyond the condition of normal men) and weigh the high mountains in a balance, was now cast on the ground and carried in a horse carriage, showing forth to all the obvious Power of Ahlohim.

9 So that the worms rose up out of the gooff of this wicked man and while he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell away and the filthiness of his smell was obnoxious to all his army.

10 And the man who thought a little before that he could reach to the cochavim of the shamayim, no man could endure to carry due to his intolerable stink.

11 Therefore, being plagued, he began to cease his great pride and to come to the da’at of himself by the scourge of Ahlohim, his pain increasing every moment.

12 And when he himself could not abide with his own smell, he said these words, It is fitting to be subject to Ahlohim and that a man that is mortal should not proudly think of himself as if he were Ahlohim.

13 This wicked person vowed also to YHUH, who now no more would have rachamim upon him, saying this,

14 That the set apart city (which he was going in haste, to lay it even with the ground and to make it a common cemetery) he would set free:

15 And as touching the Yahudim, whom he had judged not worthy so much as to be buried but to be cast out with their children to be devoured by the fowls and wild beasts, he would make them all equal to the citizens of Athens:

16 And the set apart the Beit HaMikdash, which before he had spoiled, he would garnish with goodly gifts and restore all the set apart vessels with many more and out of his own revenue defray the charges belonging to the sacrifices:

17 Yes and that also he would become a Yahudi himself and go through all the olam that was inhabited and declare the Power of Ahlohim.

18 But for all this his pains would not cease: for the just mishpat of Ahlohim was come upon him: therefore despairing over his health, he wrote to the Yahudim the letter underwritten, containing the form of a supplication, after this manner:

19 Antiochus, melech and governor, to the tov Yahudim his citizens, bids much simcha, health and prosperity:

20 If you and your children fare well and your affairs be to your contentment, I give very great hodu to Ahlohim, having my tikvah in the shamayim.

21 As for me, I was weak, or else I would have remembered kindly your esteem and tov will, returning out of Persia and being taken with a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to care for the common safety of all:

22 Not distrusting my health but having great tikvah to escape this sickness.

23 But considering that even my abba, at the time he led an army into the high countries, appointed a successor,

24 So that, if anything happened unexpectedly, or if any tidings were brought that were grievous, they of the land, knowing to whom the state was left, might not be troubled:

25 Again, considering how that the princes that are on the borders and neighbors to my malchut, wait for opportunities and expect me to perish, I have appointed my son Antiochus melech, whom I often committed and commended to many of you, when I went up into the high provinces; to whom I have written as follows:

26 Therefore I make tefillah and request that you remember the benefits that I have done for you generally and that every man will be still faithful to me and my son.

27 For I am persuaded that he understanding my mind, will estimably and graciously yield to your desires.

28 So the murderer and blasphemer having suffered most grievously, even as he treated other men, so he died a miserable death in a strange country in the mountains.

29 And Philip, who was brought up with him, carried away his gooff, who also fearing the son of Antiochus went into Mitzrayim to Ptolemy Philometor.

10 Now Maccabee and his company,YHUH guiding them, recovered the Beit HaMikdash and the city:

2 And the altars which the heathen had built in the open street and also the pagan altars, they pulled down.

3 And having cleansed the Beit HaMikdash they made another altar and striking stones they took fire out of them and offered a sacrifice after two years and set forth incense and lights and the lechem ha panayim.

4 When that was done, they fell flat down and sought YHUH that they might come no more into such troubles; but if they sinned anymore against Him, that He Himself would chasten them with rachamim and that they might not be delivered to the blasphemous and barbarous goyim.

5 Now upon the same yom that the strangers profaned the Beit HaMikdash, on the very same yom it was cleansed again, namely the twenty fifth yom of the same chodesh, which is chodesh nine.

6 And they kept the eight yamim with gilah, as in the Chag Sukkot, remembering that not long before they had held the Chag Sukkot, when they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts.

7 Therefore they carried branches, fair boughs and palms also and sang tehillim to Him who had given them tov success in cleansing His place.

8 They ordained also by a common statute and decree, That every year those yamim should be kept by the whole nation of the Yahudim.

9 And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes.

10 Now will we declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of this wicked man, giving a summary of the calamities of the wars.

11 So when he was come to the keter, he set Lysias over the affairs of his realm and appointed him his chief governor of Celosyria and Phoenicia.

12 For Ptolemy, who was called Macron, choosing rather to do justice to the Yahudim for the wrong that had been done to them, sought to continue shalom with them.

13 When being accused by the melech's chaverim before Eupator and called traitor at every word because he had left Kuprus, that Philometor had committed to him and departed to Antiochus Epiphanes. Unable to command the respect due his office, he took poison and ended his chayim.

14 But when Gorgias was governor of the region, he hired soldiers and nourished war continually with the Yahudim:

15 And that being the case, the Idumeans, having gotten their hands on key strongholds, kept the Yahudim occupied and receiving those that were banished from Yahrushalayim, they went about to promote war.

16 Then they who were with Maccabee made supplication and sought Ahlohim that He would be their helper; and so they ran with violence upon the strongholds of the Idumeans,

17 And assaulting them strongly, they won the strongholds and kept off all that fought upon the wall and slew all that fell into their hands and killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

18 And because certain men, who were no less than nine thousand, had fled together into two very strong castles, having all manner of things convenient to sustain the siege,

19 Maccabee left Shimon and Joseph and Zacchai also and them who were with him, who were enough to besiege them and departed himself to those places which were more in need of his help.

20 Now they who were with Shimon, being led with covetousness, were persuaded for money through certain of those that were in the castle and took seventy thousand drachmas and let some of them escape.

21 But when it was told Maccabee what was done, he called the governors of the people together and accused those men, that they had sold their brothers for money and set their enemies free to fight against them.

22 So he slew those who were found traitors and immediately took the two castles.

23 And having tov success with his weapons in all things he took in hand, he slew in the two strongholds more than twenty thousand.

24 Now Timotheus, whom the Yahudim had overcome before, when he had gathered a great multitude of foreign forces and quite a few horses out of Asia, came as though he would take the Yahudim by force of arms.

25 But when he drew near, they who were with Maccabee turned themselves to make tefillah to Ahlohim and sprinkled earth upon their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth,

26 And fell down at the foot of the altar and sought Him to be merciful to them and to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as The Torah declares.

27 So after the tefillah they took their weapons and went on further from the city: and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by themselves.

28 Now the shemesh having risen, they joined both together; the one part having together with their virtue their refuge also to YHUH for a pledge of their success and victory: the other side making their rage the leader of their battle

29 But when the battle grew strong, there appeared to the enemies from the shamayim five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold and two of them led the Yahudim,

30 And took Maccabee between them and covered him on every side with weapons and kept him safe but shot arrows and lightnings against the enemies: so that being confounded with blindness and full of trouble, they were killed.

31 And there were slain of footmen twenty thousand five hundred and six hundred horsemen.

32 As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very stronghold, called Gawra, where Chereas was governor.

33 But they who were with Maccabee laid siege against the fortress courageously for four yamim.

34 And they that were within, trusting in the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly and uttered wicked words.

35 Nevertheless early on the fifth yom, twenty young men of Maccabee's company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall and with a fierce courage killed all that they met there.

36 Others likewise ascending after them, while they were busied with them who were within, burnt the towers and kindling fires burnt the blasphemers alive; and others broke open the gates and, having received in the rest of the army, took the city,

37 And killed Timotheus, who was hidden in a certain pit and Chereas his brother, with Apollophanes.

38 When this was done, they praised YHUH with tehillim and hodu, who had done so great things for Yisrael and given them the victory.

11 Not long after these things, Lysias the melech's protector and cousin, who also managed the affairs, was upset for the things that were done.

2 And when he had gathered about eighty thousand with all the horsemen, he came against the Yahudim, thinking to make the city a habitation for the goyim,

3 And to gain wealth from the Beit HaMikdash from the other altars of the heathen and to set the office of the Kohen HaGadol on sale every year:

4 Not at all considering the Power of Ahlohim but puffed up with his ten thousands of footmen and his thousands of horsemen and his eighty elephants.

5 So he came to Yahudah and drew near to Beth Sura, which was a strong town but near Yahrushalayim, about half a mile and he laid a hard siege against it.

6 Now when they that were with Maccabee heard that he besieged the strongholds, they and all the people with lamentation and tears sought YHUH that He would send a tov malach to deliver Yisrael.

7 Then Maccabee himself first of all took weapons, exhorting the others that they would jeopardize themselves together with him to help their brothers: so they went forth together with a willing mind.

8 And as they were at Yahrushalayim, there appeared before them on horseback one in white clothing, shaking his armor of gold.

9 Then they praised the merciful Ahlohim all together and took lev, seeing that they were ready not only to fight with men but with the most cruel beasts and to pierce through walls of iron.

10 So they marched forward in their armor, having a helper from the shamayim: for YHUH was merciful to them.

11 And giving a charge upon their enemies like lions, they slew eleven thousand footmen and sixteen hundred horsemen and put all the others to flight.

12 Many of them also being wounded escaped naked; and Lysias himself fled away shamefully and so escaped.

13 Who, as he was a man of binah, considered what loss he had had and considering that the Ivrim could not be overcome because The Almighty Ahlohim helped them, sent to them,

14 And persuaded them to agree to all reasonable conditions and promised that he would persuade the melech that he had to be a chaver to them.

15 Then Maccabee consented to all that Lysias sought, being careful of the common tov; and whatever Maccabee wrote to Lysias concerning the Yahudim, the melech granted it.

16 For there were letters written to the Yahudim from Lysias to this effect: Lysias to the people of the Yahudim I send greetings:

17 Yochanan and Avshalom, who were sent from you, delivered to me the petition subscribed and made request for the performance of the contents of it.

18 Therefore whatever things were fit to be reported to the melech, I have declared them and he has granted as much as might be.

19 And if then you will keep yourselves loyal to the state, from now on also will I endeavor to be a means of your tov.

20 But of the particulars I have given order both to these and the others that came from me, to commune with you.

21 Farewell. The hundred forty eighth year, the twenty fourth yom of the pagan chodesh.

22 Now the melech's letter contained these words: Melech Antiochus to his brother Lysias sends greeting:

23 Since our abba is translated to the ahlahim, our will is that they who are in our realm live quietly, that everyone may attend on his own affairs.

24 We understand also that the Yahudim would not consent to our abba to be brought to the custom of the goyim but would rather keep their own manner of living: for this cause, they require of us that we should allow them to live after their own Torot.

25 So our mind is that this nation shall be in shalom and we have determined to restore to them their Beit HaMikdash, that they may live according to the customs of their ahvot.

26 You shall do well therefore to send to them and grant them shalom, that when they are certain of our intent, they may be of tov comfort and always go cheerfully about their own affairs.

27 And the letter of the melech to the nation of the Yahudim was after this manner: Melech Antiochus sends greeting to the council and the rest of the Yahudim:

28 If you fare well, that’s what we like; we are also in tov health.

29 Menelaus declared to us, that your desire was to return home and to follow your own business:

30 So they who will depart shall have safe conduct until the thirtieth yom of the chodesh Aviv with security.

31 And the Yahudim shall use their own kind of meats and Torot, as before; and none of their derachot shall be molested by things ignorantly done by us.

32 I have sent also Menelaus, that he may comfort you.

33 Farewell. In the hundred and forty eighth year and the fifteenth yom of the chodesh Aviv.

34 The Romans also sent to them a letter containing these words: Quintus Memmius and Titus Manlius, ambassadors of the Romans, sends greetings to the people of the Yahudim.

35 Whatever Lysias the melech's cousin has granted, we also are well pleased with it.

36 But as to the matters that he decided are to be referred to the melech, as soon as you have considered them, send someone promptly, so that we may make proposals appropriate for you. For we are on our way to Antioch.

37 Therefore send someone quickly, that we may make propoals to you.

38 Farewell. This hundred forty eighth year, the fifteenth yom of the chodesh Aviv.

12 When these britot were made, Lysias went to the melech and the Yahudim were about their farming.

2 But of the governors of several places, Timotheus and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus and Demophon and beside them Nicanor the governor of Kuprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live in shalom.

3 The men of Yaffa also did a wicked deed: they made the Yahudim that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.

4 Who accepted it according to the common decree of the city, longing to live in shalom and suspecting nothing, so when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.

5 When Yahudah heard of this cruelty done to his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to get ready.

6 And calling upon YHUH the Tzadik Shophet, he came against those murderers of his brethren and burnt the port by lyla and set the boats on fire and those that fled from there he slew.

7 And when the town was defeated, he went backward, as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Yaffa.

8 But when he heard that the Yamnites were minded to do in like manner to the Yahudim that dwelt among them,

9 He came upon the Yamnites also by lyla and set fire on the port and the navy, so that the ohr of the fire was seen at Yahrushalayim thirty miles off.

10 Now when they were gone from there about a mile in their journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians attacked him.

11 Then there was a very severe battle; but Yahudah's side by the help of Ahlohim got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, sought Yahudah for shalom, promising both to give him cattle and to appease him otherwise.

12 Then Yahudah, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them shalom: then they shook hands and so they departed to their tents.

13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls and inhabited by people of diverse countries; and the name of it was Caspis.

14 But they who were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and protections that they behaved themselves rudely toward them who were with Yahudah, railing and blaspheming and uttering such words as were not to be spoken.

15 So Yahudah with his company, calling upon YHUH Tzevaot, who without rams or engines of war had cast down Yericho in the time of Yahusha, gave a fierce assault against the walls,

16 And took the city by the will of Ahlohim and made large slaughters, so that a lake, a quarter mile wide nearby, being filled full, was seen running with dahm.

17 Then they departed from there ninety four miles and came to Characa to the Yahudim that are called Tubieni.

18 But as for Timotheus, they did not find him in those places, for before he had dispatched anything, he left, leaving a very strong garrison in a certain stronghold.

19 However Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Yahudah' captains, went forth and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.

20 And Yahudah set up his army by groups and went against Timotheus, who had about one hundred twenty thousand men and two thousand five hundred horsemen.

21 Now when Timotheus had da’at of Yahudah's coming, he sent the women and children and the their baggage to a fortress called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege and hard to enter, by reason of many narrow places.

22 But when Yahudah’s first group came into sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of Him who sees all things, scattered, one running this derech, another that derech, so that they were often hurt by their own men and wounded with the points of their own swords.

23 Yahudah also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men.

24 Timothy himself was captured by the troops of Dositheus and Sosipater. But he was very shrewd and managed to convince them that many of their relatives were his prisoners and would be put to death if anything happened to him.

25 Finally, after he had promised to send their relatives home safely, they let him go free.

26 Then Yahudah marched forth to Carnion and to the temple of Atargatis and there he slew twenty five thousand persons.

27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Yahudah removed the army toward Ephron, a strong city, in which Lysias abode and a great multitude of diverse goyim and the strong young men kept the walls and defended them mightily: in which also was great provision of engines and darts.

28 But when Yahudah and his company had called upon Almighty Ahlohim, who with His Power breaks the strength of His enemies, they won the city and slew twenty five thousand of them that were inside,

29 From there they departed to Scythopolis, which lies seventy five miles from Yahrushalayim,

30 But when the Yahudim that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them and treated them kindly in the time of their adversity;

31 They gave them hodu, desiring to be friendly to them: and so they came to Yahrushalayim, as Chag Shavuot was approaching.

32 And after the moed, called Shavuot , they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,

33 Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen.

34 And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Yahudim were slain.

35 Then a Yahudi from the city of Tob, a powerful cavalry soldier by the name of Dositheus, grabbed Gorgias by his cloak and started dragging him away by brute force, intending to take the worthless man alive. But suddenly one from the Thracian cavalry rushed at Dositheus and chopped off his arm, allowing Gorgias to escape to the city of Marisa.

36 Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long and were weary, Yahudah called upon YHUH, that He would show Himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.

37 And with that he began in Ivrit to shir Psalms with a loud voice and rushing upon Gorgias' men who were taken by surprise, he put them to flight.

38 So Yahudah gathered his army and came into the city of Odollam and when the Yom Shabbat came, they purified themselves, as the custom was and kept the Shabbat in the same place.

39 And upon the yom following, as usual, Yahudah and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain and to bury them with their kinsmen in their ahvot's graves.

40 Now under the coats of everyone that was slain, they found things consecrated to the idols of the Yamnites, which is forbidden for the Yahudim by The Torah. Then every man saw that this was the cause why they were slain.

41 All the men therefore were praising YHUH, the Tzadik Shophet, who had revealed the things that were hidden,

42 They made tefillah fervently and pleaded with Him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Yahudah exhorted the people to keep themselves from such sin, because they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.

43 And when he had made a collection throughout the company of about four pounds of silver, he sent it to Yahrushalayim to offer a sin offering, doing in it very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the promised resurrection:

44 For if he had not hoped that those who were slain could rise again, it had been vain for him to make tefillah in hoping that those who were dead, would be raised.

45 And also he perceived that there was great chen laid up for those that died for a tzadik purpose, it was a set apart and tov thought. So then he made tefillah for the dead, hoping that Ahlohim had delivered them from sin.

13 In the hundred forty ninth year it was told Yahudah that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Yahudah,

2 And with him Lysias his protector and ruler of his affairs, having with them a Grecian power of a hundred ten thousand footmen and five thousand three hundred horsemen , twenty two elephants and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.

3 Menelaus, trying to take advantage of the situation, went over to their side and urged them on, not because he was concerned for the country but because he hoped to be confirmed as Kohen HaGadol.

4 But YHUH the Melech of all melechim, made Antiochus furious with Menelaus. Lysias proved to Antiochus that this criminal had been the source of all his troubles, so Antiochus ordered him to be taken to the city of Berea and put to death in the way that it was done there.

5 In that city there is a tower about 75 feet high. It is filled with ashes and all around the inside of the tower is a platform sloping down into the ashes.

6 And whoever was convicted of sacrilege or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him to death.

7 Menelaus was put to death in that way, without even having the privilege of a burial

8 And that was just what he deserved. He had often profaned the kadosh ashes of the altar fire in the Beit HaMikdash and now he met his death in ashes.

9 Now the melech came with a barbarous and haughty mind to do far worse to the Yahudim than had been done in his abba's time.

10 Which things when Yahudah perceived, he commanded the multitude to call upon YHUH lyla and yom, that like at other times, He would now also help them, being at the point to be put away from Torah from their country and from the set apart Beit HaMikdash:

11 And that He would not allow the people, who had been restored to their country, to be in subjection to the blasphemous goyim.

12 So when they had all done this together and sought the merciful YHUH with weeping and fasting and lying flat upon the ground three yamim long, Yahudah, having exhorted them, commanded that they should be ready.

13 And Yahudah, who met privately with the zechanim, determined that before the melech's host should enter into Yahudah and get to the city, to go forth and fight first with the help of YHUH.

14 So when he had committed all to The Creator of the olam and exhorted his soldiers to fight bravely, even to death, for the Torot, the Beit HaMikdash, the city, the country and the commonwealth, he camped near Modin:

15 And having given the key word to them that were around him, Victory is of YHUH, with the most valiant and best young men he went into the melech's tent by lyla and slew in the camp about four thousand men and most of the elephants and all who were upon them.

16 Everyone in camp was terrified and in panic when Yahudah and his men finally left victoriously.

17 This was done in the break of the yom because the protection of YHUH helped him.

18 Now when the melech had taken a taste of the power of the Yahudim, he went about to find a better way to defeat them,

19 And marched toward Beth Sura, which was a stronghold of the Yahudim: but he was put to flight, failed and lost many of his men:

20 For Yahudah had sent to them who were defending the fort, such things as were necessary.

21 But Rhodocus, who was in the Yahudim's army, disclosed the secrets to the enemies; therefore he was sought for and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.

22 The melech made a second attempt to come to terms with the people of Bethzur and when he had reached an agreement with them, he withdrew his forces. Then he went to attack Yahudah but again he was defeated.

23 Meanwhile, Philip had been left at Antioch in charge of the government but Melech Antiochus learned that he had revolted. The melech did not know what to do, so he initiated shalom talks with the Yahudim, agreed to their terms and promised to be just in his treatment of them. To put the treaty into effect, he offered a sacrifice, gave a generous gift to show his respect for the Beit HaMikdash,

24 And received Yahnudah well, After that, the melech appointed Hegemonides to be governor of the territory between the cities of Ptolemais and Gerar.

25 Nevertheless, when he came to Ptolemais: the people of that city were not content with this agreement; because they were grieved, they sought to make the britot void:

26 But Lysias made a public speech, defending the brit as well as he could. After he had calmed the people down and convinced them that he was right, he returned to Antioch. In this way Melech Antiochus' invasion was turned into a retreat.

14 Three years later, Yahudah and his men learned that Demetrius son of Seleucus had sailed into the port of Tripolis with a powerful army and a fleet.

2 It was reported that he had killed Melech Antiochus and his guardian Lysias and had taken over the country.

3 There was a man by the name of Alcimus, who had formerly been Kohen HaGadol but who had gladly adopted the Greek way of chayim during the revolt. Realizing that he could never again be Kohen HaGadol and fearful of what the Yahudim might do to him,

4 He went to see Melech Demetrius in the year 151. On this occasion he presented the melech with a gold keter and a palm branch, together with some olive branches traditionally presented to the Beit HaMikdash but he said nothing about his plans.

5 Later, however, he got the chance to put his foolish plans into effect when Demetrius summoned him to a meeting of his advisers and asked him what the Yahudim were intending to do. Alcimus said,

6 The followers of Yahudah think of themselves as devout and patriotic; they love war and are constantly inciting the people to rebellion and will never leave the nation in shalom.

7 It is their fault that I no longer hold the esteemed position of Kohen HaGadol, to which I am entitled by birth. And so I have come here,

8 Primarily out of a genuine concern for your interests as melech but also out of consideration for my own people, for the foolish policies of Yahudah and his followers have brought terrible suffering on our entire nation.

9 When your majesty has examined all the details of these matters, please act in your usual kind and generous manner to relieve the oppression of our nation and its people.

10 As long as Yahudah is alive, it will be impossible for our nation to enjoy shalom.

11 As soon as Alcimus had finished his speech, the other advisers quickly seized this opportunity to arouse Demetrius' anger against Yahudah, because they also hated him.

12 So Melech Demetrius immediately appointed Nicanor, who was the commander of his elephant forces, to be governor of Yahudah and sent him there,

13 With orders to kill Yahudah, scatter his followers and make Alcimus Kohen HaGadol of the greatest Beit HaMikdash in all the olam.

14 All the foreigners in Yahudah, who had fled from Yahudahs' attacks, now rushed to join forces with Nicanor, because they thought that any defeat or trouble that came to the Yahudim would be to their own advantage.

15 The Yahudim heard that Nicanor was attacking and that the foreigners in their country were giving him their support. So they threw dirt on themselves and made tefillah to their Ahlohim, who had chosen their nation as His possession le-olam-va-ed and had never failed to help them in time of need.

16 Then Yahudah, their leader, gave the orders and they immediately marched out to engage the enemy in battle near the village of Adasa.

17 Yahudahs' brother Shimon was fighting Nicanor but was gradually losing the battle because of an unexpected move on the part of the enemy.

18 However, when Nicanor heard how bravely and courageously Yahudah and his men were fighting for their country, he decided not to settle the matter in battle.

19 Instead, he sent Posidonius, Theodotus and Matityahu to make a treaty with the Yahudim.

20 After the terms of the brit had been worked out in detail, Nicanor informed his troops and they unanimously agreed.

21 Then a yom was set on which the leaders would meet in private. Ceremonial chairs were brought out from each camp and set up.

22 Yahudah had taken the precaution of placing battle-ready troops in strategic places, in case of sudden treachery on the part of the enemy. But the two leaders had a friendly meeting.

23 Nicanor stayed on in Yahrushalayim for some time after that. He did not mistreat the Yahudim in any way and even sent away the people who had come over to his side.

24 The two men became the best of chaverim and Yahudah was Nicanor's constant companion.

25 Nicanor urged him to marry and start a family. So Yahudah did this and settled down to a chayim of shalom.

26 When Alcimus noticed how well Nicanor and Yahudah were getting along, he obtained a copy of the brit and went to see Melech Demetrius. He told the melech that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, because he had appointed the traitor Yahudah to be his successor.

27 These false accusations infuriated the melech and in his anger he wrote to Nicanor, informing him that he was dissatisfied with the brit and ordering him to arrest Yahudah and send him to Antioch at once.

28 When this message reached Nicanor, he was hurt and didn't know what to do, because he did not like having to break an agreement with a man who had kept his part of the bargain.

29 Yet it was impossible for him to ignore the melech's command, so he began looking for a way to trap Yahudah.

30 Yahudah, however, noticed that Nicanor was becoming hostile and rude toward him and he knew that this was a bad ot. So he gathered a large number of his followers and went into hiding.

31 When Nicanor realized that Yahudah had outsmarted him, he went to the great and kadosh Beit HaMikdash at the time when the kohanim were offering sacrifice and ordered them to surrender Yahudah to him.

32 But the kohanim declared under oath that they had no idea where Yahudah was hiding.

33 Then Nicanor raised his right arm in the direction of the Beit HaMikdash and made a solemn threat: If you do not hand Yahudah over to me as a prisoner, I will level YHUH's Beit HaMikdash to the ground, demolish this altar and on this spot build a esteemed pagan temple to Dionysus.

34 Then he left and immediately the kohanim lifted their arms toward the shamayim and made tefillah to YHUH, The Faithful Defender of our nation:

35 YHUH, you are in need of nothing, yet it has pleased You to place Your Beit HaMikdash here and to live among us.

36 You alone are kadosh and Your Beit HaMikdash has only recently been purified, so now protect its set apartness le-olam-va-ed.

37 One of the leaders in Yahrushalayim, a man by the name of Razis, was denounced to Nicanor. It was said that he had helped his people in many ways and was so highly respected by them that he was known as an abba of the Yahudim.

38 During the early yamim of the revolution he had risked his chayim for the Yahudim and had been brought to trial because of his loyalty.

39 Wanting to show clearly how much he disliked the Yahudim, Nicanor sent more than 500 soldiers to arrest Razis;

40 Because he thought his arrest would be a crippling blow to the Yahudim.

41 The soldiers were about to capture the tower where Razis had gone. They were forcing open the gates to the courtyard and the order had been given to set the door on fire. Razis realized there was no escape, so he tried to commit suicide with his sword;

42 Preferring to die with esteem rather than suffer humiliation at the hands of evil men.

43 Under the pressure of the moment, Razis misjudged the thrust of the sword and it did not kill him. So, while the soldiers were swarming into the room, he rushed to the wall and jumped off like a brave hero into the crowd below.

44 The crowd quickly moved back and he fell in the space they left.

45 Still alive and burning with courage, he got up and with blood gushing from his wounds, he ran through the crowd and finally climbed a steep rock.

46 Now completely drained of blood, he tore out his intestines with both hands and threw them at the crowd and as he did so, he made tefillah for YHUH of chayim and ruach to give them back to him. That was how he died.

15 Nicanor learned that Yahudah and his men were in the region of Shomron and so he decided to attack them on a Shabbat, when he could do so without any danger to himself.

2 The Yahudim who were forced to accompany his army begged him not to do such a cruel and savage thing but to respect the yom that the all seeing YHUH had esteemed and made the most kadosh of all yamim.

3 Then Nicanor, the lowest creature on earth, asked if there was some sovereign ruler in the shamyim who had commanded them to esteem the Shabbat.

4 And the Yahudim replied,Yes; the living YHUH, who rules in the shamyim, commanded us to esteem the Shabbat.

5 But Nicanor answered, I am the ruler on earth and I order you to take up your weapons and to do what the melech commands. However, he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan.

6 In his arrogance Nicanor had boasted that he would set up a monument in regard to his upcoming victory over Yahudah.

7 But Yahudah was fully confident that YHUH would help him,

8 So he urged his men not to be afraid of the enemy. He encouraged them to remember how the Almighty had helped them in times past and to rest assured that He would give them victory this time also.

9 He renewed their tikvah by reading to them from The Torah and the Neviim and by reminding them of the battles they had already won.

10 When his men were ready for battle, he gave them their orders and at the same time pointed out how the goyim could not be trusted, because they never kept their britot.

11 He armed all his men, not by encouraging them to trust in shields and spears but by inspiring them with courageous words. He also lifted their morale by telling them about his dream, a kind of vision that they could trust in.

12 He told them that he had seen a vision of Chananyah, the former Kohen HaGadol, that great and wonderful man of humble and gentle disposition, who was an outstanding orator and who had been taught from childhood how to live a virtuous chayim. With outstretched arms Chananyah was making tefillah for the entire Yahudi nation.

13 Yahudah then saw an impressive white haired man of great dignity and authority.

14 Chananyah said: This is YHUH's navi Yirmeyahu, who loves the Yahudim and offers many tefillot for us and for Yahrushalayim, the kadosh city.

15 Then Yirmeyahu stretched out his right hand and gave Yahudah a golden sword, saying as he did so,

16 This kadosh sword is a gift from YHUH. Take it and destroy your enemies.

17 The eloquent words that Yahudah spoke encouraged everyone to be brave and inspired boys to fight like men. Their city, their emunah and their Beit HaMikdash were in danger. So the Yahudim made up their minds not to waste any time but to make a daring attack against the enemy and bravely decide their fate in hand to hand combat.

18 They were not so concerned about their own mishpachot and relatives, as they were about their kadosh Beit HaMikdash.

19 And the people who had to stay in Yahrushalayim, were deeply concerned about how a battle on open ground would turn out.

20 Everyone was waiting to see who would win the battle. The enemy troops were already moving forward, with their cavalry on each side of them and their elephants placed in strategic positions.

21 Yahudah looked at the huge enemy force, the variety of their weapons and their fierce elephants. Then he raised his hands toward the shamayim and made tefillah to YHUH, who works nisim, because he knew that YHUH gives victory to those who deserve it, not to those who have a strong army.

22 Yahudah said: YHUH, when Hizqiyahu was melech of Yahudah, you sent your malach, who killed 185,000 of Melech Sennacherib's men.

23 Now once again, YHUH of the shamayim, send your tov malach to make our enemies shake and tremble with fear.

24 With Your great Power, destroy these people who have slandered You and have come out to attack Your chosen people. So Yahudah ended his tefillah.

25 Nicanor and his army moved forward to the sound of trumpets and battle shirim;

26 But Yahudah and his men went into battle calling on YHUH for help.

27 So by fighting with their hands and making tefillah to YHUH in their levavot, the Yahudim killed more than 35,000 of the enemy. How grateful they were for the help they had received from YHUH.

28 When the battle was over and they were going home celebrating their victory, they noticed Nicanor in full armor lying dead on the battlefield.

29 Then with loud shouts they gave tehilla to YHUH in their native language.

30 Yahudah the Maccabee, who had always fought with all his gooff and nefesh for his own people, never losing the patriotism of his youth, ordered his men to cut off Nicanor's head and right arm and to take them to Yahrushalayim.

31 When they arrived in the city, he called together all the people, stationed before the kohanim before the altar and sent for the men in the fort.

32 He showed them the head of the evil Nicanor and the arm which that wicked man had arrogantly stretched out against the kadosh Beit HaMikdash of Almighty YHUH.

33 Then he cut out the tongue of that Torahless man, promising to feed it bit by bit to the birds and to hang up his head opposite of the Beit HaMikdash, as evidence of what his foolishness did for him.

34 Everyone there looked up to the shamayim and gave hodu to YHUH, who had revealed His Power and had kept His Beit HaMikdash from being defiled.

35 Yahudah hung Nicanor's head from the wall of the fort, as a clear proof to everyone of YHUH's help.

36 By unanimous vote it was decided that this yom would never be forgotten but would be celebrated each year on the evening of Mordechai's Yom, Purim, which is the thirteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh.

37 That is how things turned out for Nicanor. The city of Yahrushalayim remained in the possession of the Yahudim from that time on, so I will end my account here.

38 If it is well written and to the point, I am pleased; if it is poorly written and uninteresting, I have still done my best.

39 We know it is unhealthy to drink wine or mayim alone, whereas wine mixed with mayim makes a delightfully tasty drink.

So also a tov account skillfully written, gives pleasure to those who read it. With this I conclude. X

SECOND MACCABEES

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 1:9 This celebration for the eight days, 9/25 through 10/1 (according to Enoch’s principles) is what we now call Chanukah, “Rededication,” which all believers in the Master Yahusha ought to celebrate, since He is the Orchestrator of the outcome—preserving the House of Judah, so as to fulfill the prophecies of His coming. He set the example to observe it when He was teaching on that last day of Chanukah in the Temple (John 10:22).

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 3:32 Wisdom on his part, for how soon would the king believe the actual truth of the matter?

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 4:12 Some translations say he made them live in brothels, most say that he made them wear a hat. The Latin says that he seduced the noblest men. It could have been that the “hat” was the vail of the male prostitutes, of which Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 11:7.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 5:21 Proverbs 16:1.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 7:37 Isaiah 45:23.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 10:5 See footnote for 17:9.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 10:8 Any believer in the Master Yahusha should be overjoyed to celebrate Chanukah, for it was He who orchestrated the outcome by giving His servants the victory over Antiochus Epiphanes and all their enemies, so that the prophecies concerning His first and second comings would not be disrupted, as the Prince Mastema, the devil, was striving for.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 11:23 In other words, YAH persuaded them to mind their own business. It certainly was not the business of the heathen melechim to make the Jews conform to their apostasies.

• 2ᵑͩ MACC 12:32 This is Chag Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, an annual renewal of the brit that YAH made with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, which the Master Yahusha’s disciples observed, seen in Acts Ch. 2, for that purpose in the Temple. Thus they were obediently in the Temple and not starting a church to replace the irreplaceable Israel.

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