1 Maccabees · Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 Maccabees 7 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 In the hundred and one and fiftieth year Demetrius the son of Seleucus came forth from Rome, and went up with a few men unto a city by the sea, and reigned there.
1 In the one hundred fifty first year, Demetrius the son of Seleucus came out of Rome, and went up with a few men to a city by the sea, and reigned there.
2 And it came to pass, when he would go into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army laid hands on Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them unto him.
2 It came to pass, when he would go into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army laid hands on Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him.
3 And the thing was known to him, and he said, shew me not their faces.
3 The thing became known to him, and he said, “Don’t show me their faces!”
4 And the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom.
4 So the army killed them. Then Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom.
5 And there came unto him all the lawless and ungodly men of Israel; and Alcimus was their leader, desiring to be high priest;
5 All the lawless and ungodly men of Israel came to him. Alcimus was their leader, desiring to be high priest.
6 and they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and have scattered us from our own land.
6 They accused the people to the king, saying, “Judas and his kindred have destroyed all your friends, and have scattered us from our own land.
7 Now therefore send a man whom thou trustest, and let him go and see all the havock which he hath made of us, and of the king’s country, and [how ] he hath punished them and all that helped them.
7 Now therefore send a man whom you trust, and let him go and see all the destruction which he has brought on us and the king’s country, and how he has punished them and all who helped them.”
8 And the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’s Friends, who was ruler in the country beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king.
8 So the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’s friends, who was ruler in the country beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king.
9 And he sent him, and that ungodly Alcimus, and made sure to him the high priesthood, and he commanded him to take vengeance upon the children of Israel.
9 He sent him and that ungodly Alcimus, whom he made the high priest; and he commanded him to take vengeance upon the children of Israel.
10 And they removed, and came with a great host into the land of Judah, and he sent messengers to Judas and his brethren with words of peace deceitfully.
10 They marched away and came with a great army into the land of Judah. He sent messengers to Judas and his kindred with words of peace deceitfully.
11 And they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they were come with a great host.
11 They paid no attention to their words; for they saw that they had come with a great army.
12 And there were gathered together unto Alcimus and Bacchides a company of scribes, to seek for justice.
12 A group of scribes gathered together to Alcimus and Bacchides to seek just terms.
13 And the Hasidaeans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them;
13 The Hasidaeans were the first among the children of Israel who sought peace from them,
14 for they said, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come with the forces, and he will do us no wrong.
14 for they said, “One who is a priest of the seed of Aaron has come with the army, and he will do us no wrong.”
15 And he spake with them words of peace, and sware unto them, saying, We will seek the hurt neither of you nor your friends.
15 He spoke with them words of peace, and swore to them, saying, “We won’t seek to harm you or your friends.”
16 And they gave him credence: and he laid hands on threescore men of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word which [the psalmist ] wrote,
16 They trusted him. Then he seized sixty men of them, and killed them in one day, according to the word which was written,
17 The flesh of thy saints [did they cast out, ] And their blood did they shed round about Jerusalem; And there was no man to bury them.
17 The flesh of your saints and their blood was shed all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
18 And the fear and the dread of them fell upon all the people, for they said, There is neither truth nor judgement in them; for they have broken the covenant and the oath which they sware.
18 The fear and the dread of them fell upon all the people, for they said, “There is neither truth nor justice in them; for they have broken the covenant and the oath which they swore.”
19 And Bacchides removed from Jerusalem, and encamped in Bezeth; and he sent and took away many of the deserters that were with him, and certain of the people, and he slew them, [and cast them ] into the great pit.
19 Bacchides withdrew from Jerusalem, and encamped in Bezeth. He sent and seized many of the deserters who were with him, and some of the people, and he killed them, throwing them into a large pit.
20 And he made sure the country to Alcimus, and left with him a force to aid him; and Bacchides went away unto the king.
20 He placed Alcimus in charge of the country and left with him a force to aid him. Then Bacchides went away to the king.
21 And Alcimus strove for his high priesthood.
21 Alcimus struggled to maintain his high priesthood.
22 And there were gathered unto him all they that troubled their people, and they got the mastery of the land of Judah, and did great hurt in Israel.
22 All those who troubled their people joined him, and they took control of the land of Judah, and did great damage in Israel.
23 And Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his company had done among the children of Israel, [even ] above the Gentiles,
23 Judas saw all the wrongs that Alcimus and his company had done among the children of Israel, even more than the Gentiles.
24 and he went out into all the coasts of Judaea round about, and took vengeance on the men that had deserted from him, and they were restrained from going forth into the country.
24 He went out into all the borders of Judea and took vengeance on the men who had deserted from him, and they were restrained from going out into the country.
25 But when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company waxed strong, and knew that he was not able to withstand them, he returned to the king, and brought evil accusations against them.
25 But when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company had grown strong, and knew that he was not able to withstand them, he returned to the king, and brought evil accusations against them.
26 And the king sent Nicanor, one of his honourable princes, a man that hated Israel and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the people.
26 Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man who hated Israel and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the people.
27 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great host; and he sent unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with words of peace, saying,
27 Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army. He sent to Judas and his kindred deceitfully with words of peace, saying,
28 Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few men, that I may see your faces in peace.
28 “Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few men, that I may see your faces in peace.”
29 And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. And the enemies were ready to take away Judas by violence.
29 He came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. The enemies were ready to seize Judas by violence.
30 And the thing was known to Judas, [to wit, ] that he came unto him with deceit, and he was sore afraid of him, and would see his face no more.
30 This was known to Judas, that he came to him with deceit, and he was very afraid of him, and would see his face no more.
31 And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered; and he went out to meet Judas in battle beside Capharsalama;
31 Nicanor found out that his plan was disclosed; and he went out to meet Judas in battle beside Capharsalama.
32 and there fell of Nicanor’s side about five hundred men, and they fled into the city of David.
32 About five hundred men of Nicanor’s army fell, and the rest fled into the city of David.
33 And after these things Nicanor went up to mount Sion: and there came some of the priests out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the whole burnt sacrifice that was being offered for the king.
33 After these things, Nicanor went up to mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, with some of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burned sacrifice that was being offered for the king.
34 And he mocked them, and laughed at them, and entreated them shamefully, and spake haughtily,
34 He mocked them, laughed at them, derided them shamefully, spoke arrogantly,
35 and sware in a rage, saying, Unless Judas and his army be now delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I come again in peace, I will burn up this house: and he went out in a great rage.
35 and swore in a rage, saying, “Unless Judas and his army are now delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I return safely, I will burn up this house!” And he went out in a great rage.
36 And the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and they wept, and said,
36 The priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and they wept, and said,
37 Thou didst choose this house to be called by thy name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people:
37 “You chose this house to be called by your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people.
38 take vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to live any longer.
38 Take vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and don’t allow them to live any longer.”
39 And Nicanor went forth from Jerusalem, and encamped in Bethhoron, and there met him the host of Syria.
39 Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem and encamped in Bethhoron, and there the Syrian army met him.
40 And Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed and said,
40 Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men. Judas prayed and said,
41 When they that came from the king blasphemed, thine angel went out, and smote among them a hundred and fourscore and five thousand.
41 “When those who came from the king blasphemed, your angel went out, and struck among them one hundred eighty-five thousand.
42 Even so discomfit thou this army before us to-day, and let all the rest know that he hath spoken wickedly against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness.
42 Even so, crush this army before us today, and let all the rest know that he has spoken wickedly against your sanctuary. Judge him according to his wickedness.”
43 And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar the armies joined battle: and Nicanor’s army was discomfited, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.
43 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar, the armies met in battle. Nicanor’s army was defeated, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.
44 Now when his army saw that Nicanor was fallen, they cast away their arms, and fled.
44 Now when his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw away their weapons and fled.
45 And they pursued after them a day’s journey from Adasa until thou comest to Gazara, and they sounded an alarm after them with the solemn trumpets.
45 They pursued them a day’s journey from Adasa until you come to Gazara, and they sounded an alarm after them with the signal trumpets.
46 And they came forth out of all the villages of Judaea round about, and closed them in; and these turned them back on those, and they all fell by the sword, and there was not one of them left.
46 Men came out of all the surrounding villages of Judea, and outflanked them. These turned them back on those, and they all fell by the sword. There wasn’t one of them left.
47 And they took the spoils, and the booty, and they smote off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so haughtily, and brought them, and hanged them up beside Jerusalem.
47 The Jews took the spoils and the booty, and they cut off Nicanor’s head and his right hand, which he had stretched out so arrogantly, and brought them, and hung them up beside Jerusalem.
48 And the people were exceeding glad, and they kept that day as a day of great gladness.
48 The people were exceedingly glad, and they kept that day as a day of great gladness.
49 And they ordained to keep this day year by year, [to wit, ] the thirteenth day of Adar.
49 They ordained to keep this day year by year on the thirteenth day of Adar.
50 And the land of Judah had rest a little while.
50 So the land of Judah had rest a few days.