The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 45: 1 Machabees

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3:37. So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went
forth from Antioch, the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and
forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went
through the higher countries.

3:38. Then Lysias chose Ptolemee, the son of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and
Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends.

3:39. And he sent with them forty thousand men, and seven thousand
horsemen: to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, according to
the king's orders.

3:40. So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched
near Emmaus, in the plain country.

3:41. And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and
they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into
the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were
joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.

3:42. And Judas, and his brethren, saw that evils were multiplied, and
that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders
the king had given to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them.

3:43. And they said, every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low
condition of our people, and let us fight for our people, and our
sanctuary.

3:44. And the assembly was gathered, that they might be ready for
battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.

3:45. Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert: there was
none of her children that went in or out: and the sanctuary was trodden
down: and the children of strangers were in the castle, there was the
habitation of the Gentiles: and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the
pipe and harp ceased there.

3:46. And they assembled together, and came to Maspha, over against
Jerusalem: for in Maspha was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel.

3:47. And they fasted that day, and put on haircloth, and put ashes upon
their heads: and they rent their garments:

3:48. And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles
searched for the likeness of their idols:

3:49. And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the first fruits and
tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days:

3:50. And they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: What shall
we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?

3:51. For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests
are in mourning, and are brought low.

3:52. And behold the nations are come together against us, to destroy
us: thou knowest what they intend against us.

3:53. How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless thou, O
God, help us?

3:64. Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice.

3:66. And after this, Judas appointed captains over the people, over
thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

3:66. And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed
wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should
return every man to his house, according to the law.

3:67. So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus.

3:68. And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready
against the morning, that you may fight with these nations that are
assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.

3:59. For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of
our nation, and of the holies:

3:60. Nevertheless, as it shall be the will of God in heaven, so be it
done.

1 Machabees Chapter 4

Judas routs the king's army. Gorgias flies before him. Lysias comes
against him with a great army, but is defeated. Judas cleanses the
temple, sets up a new altar, and fortifies the sanctuary.

4:1. Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best
horsemen; and they removed out of the camp by night.

4:2. That they might come upon the camp of the Jews and strike them
suddenly: and the men that were of the castle were their guides.

4:3. And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to
attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus.

4:4. For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp

The army was dispersed... That is, in different divisions, not
altogether encamped.

4:5. And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man;
and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from
us.

4:6. And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three
thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords:

Who neither had armour nor swords... Such as they wished for.

4:7. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the
men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were
trained up to war.

4:8. And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their
multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.

4:9. Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when
Pharaoh pursued them with a great army.

4:10. And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us,
and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this
army before our face this day:

4:11. And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and
delivereth Israel.

4:12. And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming
against them.

4:13. And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with
Judas sounded the trumpet.

4:14. And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled
into the plain.

4:15. But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword and they pursued
them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus,
and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand
men.

4:16. And Judas returned again with his army that followed him.

4:17. And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils; for there
is war before us:

4:18. And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye
now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the
spoils afterwards with safety.

4:19. And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them
appeared, looking forth from the mountain.

4:20. And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had
set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was
done.

4:21. And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear,
seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.

4:22. So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.

4:23. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got
much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great
riches.

4:24. And returning home, they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven,
because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.

4:25. So Israel had a great deliverance that day.

4:26 And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that
had happened.

4:27. And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged:
because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as
the king had commanded.

4:28. So the year following, Lysias gathered together threescore
thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue
them.

4:29. And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and
Judas met them with ten thousand men.

4:30. And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said:
Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of
the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the
camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of
his armour bearer.

4:31. Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them
be confounded in their host and their horsemen. 32 Strike them with
fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them
quake at their own destruction.

4:33. Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all
that know thy name praise thee with hymns.

4:34. And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five
thousand men.

4:35. And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold
the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die
manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come
again into Judea with greater numbers.

4:36. Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are
discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places, and to repair
them.

4:37. And all the army assembled together, and they went up into Mount
Sion.

4:38. And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and
the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or
on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.

4:39. And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put
ashes on their heads:

4:40. And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded
with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.

4:41. Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the
castle, till they had cleansed the holy places,

4:42. And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the
law of God.

4:43. And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that
had been defiled into an unclean place.

4:44. And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been
profaned, what he should do with it.

4:45. And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it
should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so
they threw it down.

4:46. And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple, in a
convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer
concerning them.

4:47. Then they took whole stones, according to the law and built a new
altar, according to the former:

4:48. And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within
the temple: and they sanctified the temple and the courts.

4:49. And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick,
and the altar of incense, and the table, into the temple.

4:50. And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that
were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.

4:51. And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and
finished all the works that they had begun to make.

4:52. And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of
the ninth month, (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and
forty-eighth year.

4:53. And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, upon the new
altar of holocausts which they had made.

4:54. According to the time, and according to the day wherein the
heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with
canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.

4:55. And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed
up to heaven, him that had prospered them.

4:56. And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they
offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.

4:57. And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and
escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged
doors upon them.

4:58. And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the
reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.

4:59. And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed,
that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season
from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the
month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.

4:60. They built up also at that time Mount Sion, with high walls, and
strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come,
and tread it down, as they did before.

4:61. And he placed a garrison there, to keep it, and he fortified it,
to secure Bethsura, that the people might have a defence against Idumea.

1 Machabees Chapter 5

Judas and his brethren attack the enemies of their country, and deliver
them that were distressed. Josephus and Azarius, attempting contrary to
order to fight against their enemies, are defeated.

5:1. Now it came to pass, when the nations round about heard that the
altar and the sanctuary were built up, as before, that they were
exceeding angry.

5:2. And they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that were among
them, and they began to kill some of the people, and to persecute them.

5:3. Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea, and them
that were in Acrabathane: because they beset the Israelites round about,
and he made a great slaughter of them.

5:4. And he remembered the malice of the children of Bean: who were a
snare and a stumblingblock to the people, by lying in wait for them in
the way.

5:5. And they were shut up by him in towers, and he set upon them, and
devoted them to utter destruction, and burnt their towers with fire, and
all that were in them.

5:6. Then he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a
mighty power, and much people, and Timotheus was their captain:

5:7. And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited in
their sight, and he smote them:

5:8. And he took the city of Gazer and her towns, and returned into
Judea.

5:9. And the Gentiles that were in Galaad, assembled themselves together
against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to destroy them: and
they fled into the fortress of Datheman.

5:10. And they sent letters to Judas, and his brethren, saying: The
heathens that are round about are gathered together against us to
destroy us:

5:11. And they are preparing to come, and to take the fortress into
which we are fled: and Timotheus is the captain of their host.

5:12. Now therefore come, and deliver us out of their hands, for many of
us are slain.

5:13. And all our brethren that were in the places of Tubin, are killed:
and they have carried away their wives, and their children, captives,
and taken their spoils, and they have slain there almost a thousand men.

5:14. And while they were yet reading these letters, behold there came
other messengers out of Galilee with their garments rent, who related
according to these words:

5:15. Saying, that they of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and of Sidon, were
assembled against them, and all Galilee is filled with strangers, in
order to consume us.

5:16. Now when Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly
met together to consider what they should do for their brethren that
were in trouble, and were assaulted by them.

5:17. And Judas said to Simon, his brother: Choose thee men, and go, and
deliver thy brethren in Galilee: and I, and my brother Jonathan, will go
into the country of Galaad:

5:18. And he left Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of
the people, with the remnant of the army in Judea, to keep it:

5:19. And he commanded them, saying: Take ye the charge of this people;
but make no war against the heathens, till we return.

5:20. Now three thousand men were allotted to Simon, to go into Galilee:
and eight thousand to Judas, to go into the land of Galaad.

5:21. And Simon went into Galilee, and fought many battles with the
heathens: and the heathens were discomfited before his face, and he
pursued them even to the gate of Ptolemais.

5:22. And there fell of the heathens almost three thousand men, and he
took the spoils of them.

5:23. And he took with him those that were in Galilee and in Arbatis,
with their wives, and children, and all that they had, and he brought
them into Judea with great joy.

5:24. And Judas Machabeus, and Jonathan, his brother, passed over the
Jordan, and went three days' journey through the desert.

5:25. And the Nabutheans met them, and received them in a peaceable
manner, and told them all that happened to their brethren in the land of
Galaad,

5:26. And that many of them were shut up in Barasa, and in Bosor, and in
Alima, and in Casphor, and in Mageth, and in Carnaim; all these strong
and great cities.

5:27. Yea, and that they were kept shut up in the rest of the cities of
Galaad, and that they had appointed to bring their army on the morrow
near to these cities, and to take them, and to destroy them all in one
day.

5:28. Then Judas and his army suddenly turned their march into the
desert, to Bosor, and took the city: and he slew every male by the edge
of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burnt it with fire.

5:29. And they removed from thence by night, and went till they came to
the fortress.

5:30. And it came to pass that early in the morning, when they lifted up
their eyes, behold there were people without number, carrying ladders
and engines to take the fortress, and assault them.

5:31. And Judas saw that the fight was begun, and the cry of the battle
went up to heaven like a trumpet, and a great cry out of the city:

5:32. And he said to his host: Fight ye today for your brethren.

5:33. And he came with three companies behind them, and they sounded
their trumpets, and cried out in prayer.

5:34. And the host of Timotheus understood that it was Machabeus, and
they fled away before his face and they made a great slaughter of them,
and there fell of them in that day almost eight thousand men.

5:35. And Judas turned aside to Maspha, and assaulted, and took it, and
he slew every male thereof, and took the spoils thereof, and burnt it
with fire.

5:36. From thence he marched, and took Casbon, and Mageth, and Bosor,
and the rest of the cities of Galaad.

5:37. But after this Timotheus gathered another army, and camped over
against Raphon, beyond the torrent.

5:38. And Judas sent men to view the army: and they brought him word,
saying: All the nations, that are round about us, are assembled unto him
an army exceeding great:

5:39. And they have hired the Arabians to help them, and they have
pitched their tents beyond the torrent, ready to come to fight against
thee. And Judas went to meet them.

5:40. And Timotheus said to the captains of his army: When Judas and his
army come near the torrent of water, if he pass over unto us first, we
shall not be able to withstand him: for he will certainly prevail over
us.

5:41. But if he be afraid to pass over, and camp on the other side of
the river, we will pass over to them, and shall prevail against him.

5:42. Now when Judas came near the torrent of water, he set the scribes
of the people by the torrent, and commanded them, saying: Suffer no man
to stay behind: but let all come to the battle.

5:43. And he passed over to them first, and all the people after him,
and all the heathens were discomfited before them, and they threw away
their weapons, and fled to the temple that was in Carnaim.

5:44. And he took that city, and the temple he burnt with fire, with all
things that were therein: and Carnaim was subdued, and could not stand
against the face of Judas.

5:45. And Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the
land of Galaad, from the least even to the greatest, and their wives and
children, and an army exceeding great, to come into the land of Juda.

5:46. And they came as far as Ephron: now this was a great city, situate
in the way, strongly fortified, and there was no means to turn from it
on the right hand or on the left, but the way was through the midst of
it.

5:47. And they that were in the city shut themselves in, and stopped up
the gates with stones: and Judas sent to them with peaceable words,

5:48. Saying: Let us pass through your land, to go into our own country,
and no man shall hurt you; we will only pass through on foot. But they
would not open to them.

5:49. Then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the camp, that
they should make an assault, every man in the place where he was.

5:50. And the men of the army drew near, and he assaulted that city all
the day, and all the night; and the city was delivered into his hands:

5:51. And they slew every male with the edge of the sword, and he razed
the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through all the city
over them that were slain.

5:52. Then they passed over the Jordan to the great plain that is over
against Bethsan.

5:53. And Judas gathered together the hindmost, and he exhorted the
people, all the way through, till they came into the land of Juda.

5:54. And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered
holocausts, because not one of them was slain, till they had returned in
peace.

5:55. Now in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of
Galaad, and Simon his brother in Galilee, before Ptolemais,

5:56. Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captain of the
soldiers, heard of the good success, and the battles that were fought,

5:57. And he said: Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight
against the Gentiles that are round about us.

5:58. And he gave charge to them that were in his army, and they went
towards Jamnia.

5:59. And Gorgias and his men went out of the city, to give them battle.

5:60. And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued unto
the borders of Judea: and there fell on that day, of the people of
Israel, about two thousand men, and there was a great overthrow of the
people:

5:61. Because they did not hearken to Judas and his brethren, thinking
that they should do manfully.

5:62. But they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was
brought to Israel.

5:63. And the men of Juda were magnified exceedingly in the sight of all
Israel, and of all the nations where their name was heard.

5:64. And the people assembled to them with joyful acclamations.

5:65. Then Judas and his brethren went forth and attacked the children
of Esau, in the land towards the south, and he took Chebron and her
towns: and he burnt the walls thereof, and the towers all round it.

5:66. And he removed his camp to go into the land of the aliens, and he
went through Samaria.

5:67. In that day some priests fell in battle, while desiring to do
manfully they went out unadvisedly to fight.

5:68. And Judas turned to Azotus, into the land of the strangers, and he
threw down their altars, and he burnt the statues of their gods with
fire: and he took the spoils of the cities, and returned into the land
of Juda.

1 Machabees Chapter 6

The fruitless repentance and death of Antiochus. His son comes against
Judas with a formidable army. He besieges Sion: but at last makes peace
with the Jews.

6:1. Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he
heard that the city of Elymais in Persia, was greatly renowned, and
abounding in silver and gold,

6:2. And that there was in it a temple exceeding rich; and coverings of
gold, and breastplates, and shields, which king Alexander, son of
Philip, the Macedonian, that reigned first in Greece, had left there.

6:3. So he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it; but he
was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the
city.

6:4. And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from
thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.

6:5. And whilst he was in Persia there came one that told him how the
armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:

6:6. And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight
before the face of the Jews, and that they were grown strong by the
armour, and power, and store of spoils which they had gotten out of the
camps which they had destroyed:

6:7. And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up
upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the
sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also, his city.

6:8. And it came to pass, when the king heard these words, that he was
struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon
his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him
as he imagined.

6:9. And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more
upon him, and he made account that he should die.

6:10. And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone
from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for
anxiety:

6:11. And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and
into what floods of sorrow wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and
beloved in my power!

6:12. But now I remember the evils that I did in Jerusalem, from whence
also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver, that were in it,
and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.

6:13. I know, therefore, that for this cause these evils have found me:
and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.

6:14. Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he made him regent
over all his kingdom.

6:15. And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he
should go to Antiochus, his son, and should bring him up for the
kingdom.

6:16. So king Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-
nine.

6:17. And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he set up
Antiochus, his son, to reign, whom he had brought up young: and he
called his name Eupator.

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