1 Maccabees · Catholic Public Domain Version
1 Maccabees 4 Catholic Public Domain Version
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Then Gorgias took five thousand men and a thousand chosen horsemen, and they moved out of the camp by night,
1 Gorgias took five thousand infantry, a thousand chosen cavalry, and the army moved out at night,
2 so that they might set upon the camp of the Jews and strike them suddenly. And the sons who were from the stronghold were their guides.
2 that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and strike them suddenly. The men of the citadel were his guides.
3 And Judas heard of it, and he rose up, with his powerful men, to strike the force from the king’s army that was in Emmaus.
3 Judas heard of this, and he and the valiant men moved, that he might strike the king’s army which was at Emmaus
4 For the army was still dispersed from the camp.
4 while the forces were still dispersed from the camp.
5 And Gorgias came by night, into the camp of Judas, and found no one, and he sought them in the mountains. For he said, “These men flee from us.”
5 Gorgias came into the camp of Judas at night and found no man. He sought them in the mountains; for he said, “These men are running away from us.”
6 And when it had become day, Judas appeared in the plain with only three thousand men, who had neither armor nor swords.
6 As soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men. However they didn’t have the armor and swords they desired.
7 And they saw the strength of the camp of the Gentiles, and the men in armor, and the horsemen surrounding them, and that these were trained to fight.
7 They saw the camp of the Gentiles strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these were expert in war.
8 And Judas said to the men who were with him: “Do not be afraid of their multitude, and do not dread their attack.
8 Judas said to the men who were with him, “Don’t be afraid of their numbers, or when they charge.
9 Remember in what way salvation came to our fathers in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army.
9 Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.
10 And now, let us cry out to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and he will remember the covenant of our fathers, and he will crush this army before our face this day.
10 Now let’s cry to heaven, if he will have us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this army before our face today.
11 And all nations shall know that there is One who redeems and frees Israel.”
11 Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.
12 And the foreigners lifted up their eyes, and they saw them coming against them.
12 The foreigners lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming near them.
13 And they went out of the camp into battle, and those who were with Judas sounded the trumpet.
13 They went out of the camp to battle. Those who were with Judas sounded their trumpets
14 And they came together. And the Gentiles were crushed, and they fled into the plains.
14 and joined battle. The Gentiles were defeated, and fled into the plain.
15 But the last of them all fell by the sword, and they pursued them even to Gazara, and even to the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia. And there fell from them as many as three thousand men.
15 But all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumaea, Azotus, and Jamnia. About three thousand of those men fell.
16 And Judas returned, with his army following him.
16 Then Judas and his army returned from pursuing them;
17 And he said to the people: “Do not desire the spoils; for there is war before us.
17 and he said to the people, “Don’t be greedy for the spoils, because there is a battle before us.
18 And Gorgias and his army are near us on the mountain. But stand firm now against our enemies, and fight against them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards, securely.”
18 Gorgias and his army are near us on the mountain. But stand now against our enemies and fight against them, and afterwards take the spoils with boldness.”
19 And while Judas was speaking these words, behold, a certain part of them appeared, looking out from the mountain.
19 While Judas was finishing this speech, a part of them appeared looking out from the mountain.
20 And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp. For the smoke that he saw declared what had happened.
20 They saw that their army had been put to flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.
21 When they had seen this, they became very afraid, seeing at the same time both Judas and his army in the plains prepared to do battle.
21 But when they perceived these things, they were very afraid. Perceiving also the army of Judas in the plain ready for battle,
22 So they all fled away into the encampment of the foreigners.
22 they all fled into the land of the Philistines.
23 And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they obtained much gold and silver, and hyacinth, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
23 Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they took much gold, silver, blue, sea purple, and great riches.
24 And returning, they sang a canticle, and they blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy is with every generation.
24 Then they returned home, and sang a song of thanksgiving, and gave praise to heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
25 And so, a great salvation occurred in Israel in that day.
25 Israel had a great deliverance that day.
26 But those among the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened.
26 The foreigners who had escaped came and told Lysias all the things that had happened.
27 And when he heard these things, he was discouraged, being alarmed to his very soul. For things had not occurred in Israel according to his wishes, nor as the king had commanded.
27 When he heard of it, he was confounded and discouraged, because the things he desired had not been done to Israel, nor had such things happened as the king commanded him.
28 And, in the following year, Lysias gathered together sixty thousand chosen men and five thousand horsemen, so that he might defeat them in warfare.
28 In the next year, he gathered together sixty thousand chosen infantry and five thousand cavalry, that he might subdue them.
29 And they came into Judea, and they positioned their camp in Bethzur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
29 They came into Idumaea and encamped at Bethsura. Judas met them with ten thousand men.
30 And they saw the strength of the army, and so he prayed, and he said: “Blessed are you, Savior of Israel, who crushed the assault of the powerful by the hand of your servant David, and who delivered up the camp of the foreigners into the hand of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armor bearer.
30 He saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said, “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who defeated the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and delivered the army of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armor bearer.
31 Enclose this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be confounded in their soldiers and their horsemen.
31 Hem in this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed for their army and their cavalry.
32 Strike them with dread, and melt away the boldness of their strength, and let them shudder in their grief.
32 Give them faintness of heart. Cause the boldness of their strength to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction.
33 Cast them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.”
33 Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with thanksgiving.”
34 And they went forth to battle, and there fell from the army of Lysias five thousand men.
34 They joined in battle; and about five thousand men of Lysias’ army fell. They fell down near them.
35 But Lysias, seeing their flight and the boldness of the Jews, and that they were prepared either to live or to die with fortitude, went to Antioch and chose soldiers, so that they might come back to Judea with greater numbers.
35 But when Lysias saw that his troops were put to flight, and the boldness that had come upon those who were with Judas, and how they were ready either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch, and gathered together hired soldiers, that he might come again into Judea with an even greater army.
36 Then Judas and his brothers said: “Behold, our enemies have been crushed. Let us go up now to cleanse and renew the holy places.”
36 But Judas and his kindred said, “Behold, our enemies are defeated. Let’s go up to cleanse the holy place and to rededicate it.”
37 And all the army gathered together, and they ascended to Mount Zion.
37 All the army was gathered together, and they went up to mount Zion.
38 And they saw the sanctuary deserted, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned, and weeds growing up in the courts, as in a forest or as on the mountains, and the adjoining chambers demolished.
38 They saw the sanctuary laid desolate, the altar profaned, the gates burned up, shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests’ chambers pulled down;
39 And they rent their garments, and they made a great wailing, and they placed ashes on their heads.
39 and they tore their clothes, made great lamentation, put ashes upon their heads,
40 And they fell to the ground on their faces, and they sounded the trumpets of alarm, and they cried out toward heaven.
40 fell on their faces to the ground, blew with the solemn trumpets, and cried toward heaven.
41 Then Judas numbered men to fight against those who were in the stronghold, until they had cleansed the holy places.
41 Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the citadel until he had cleansed the holy place.
42 And he chose priests without blemish, whose will held to the law of God.
42 He chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law;
43 And they cleansed the holy places, and they took away the stones of defilement to an unclean place.
43 and they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place.
44 And he considered the altar of holocausts, which had been profaned, as to what he should do with it.
44 They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned.
45 And a good counsel fell upon them, to destroy it, lest it might become a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they demolished it.
45 A good plan came into their mind, that they should pull it down, lest it would be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they pulled down the altar
46 And they stored the stones in the mountain house, in a fitting place, until there should come a prophet, who would provide an answer about these.
46 and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place, until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them.
47 Then they took whole stones, according to the law, and they built a new altar, according to that which was before.
47 They took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar like the former.
48 And they rebuilt the holy places and the things that were in the inner parts of the temple, and they sanctified the temple and the courts.
48 They built the holy place and the inner parts of the house; and they consecrated the courts.
49 And they made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.
49 They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.
50 And they placed incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps, which were on the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple.
50 They burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple.
51 And they placed the bread on the table, and they hung up the veils, and they completed all the works which they had begun.
51 They set loaves upon the table, hung up the curtains, and finished all the work which they had done.
52 And they arose before the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, (which is the month of Kislev) in the one hundred and forty-eighth year.
52 They rose up early in the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev, in the one hundred forty eighth year,
53 And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, on the new altar of holocausts that they made.
53 and offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made.
54 According to the time and according to the day, on which the Gentiles had contaminated it, on the same day, it was renewed with canticles, and lutes, and lyres, and cymbals.
54 At the time and day the Gentiles had profaned it, even then it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and with cymbals.
55 And all the people fell upon their faces, and they adored, and they blessed, toward heaven, him that had prospered them.
55 All the people fell on their faces, worshiped, and gave praise toward heaven, which had given them good success.
56 And they kept the dedication of the altar for eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation and praise.
56 They celebrated the dedication of the altar eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
57 And they adorned the face of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. And they dedicated the gates and the adjoining chambers, and they set up doors on them.
57 They decorated the front of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. They dedicated the gates and the priests’ chambers, and made doors for them.
58 And there was very great rejoicing among the people, and the disgrace of the Gentiles was averted.
58 There was exceedingly great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
59 And Judas, and his brothers, and all the assembly of Israel decreed that the day of the dedication of the altar must be kept in its time, from year to year, for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, with joy and gladness.
59 Judas and his kindred and the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, with gladness and joy.
60 And they built up, at that time, Mount Zion, with high walls and strong towers all around, lest the Gentiles should at any time come and trample upon it, as they did before.
60 At that time, they fortified mount Zion with high walls and strong towers around it, lest perhaps the Gentiles might come and trample them down, as they had done before.
61 And he stationed a garrison there, to keep it, and he fortified it, in order to guard Bethzur, so that the people might have a fortification opposite the face of Idumea.
61 Judas stationed a garrison to guard it. They fortified Bethsura to keep it, that the people might have a stronghold near Idumaea.