The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 45: 1 Machabees

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6:18. Now they that were in the castle, had shut up the Israelites round
about the holy places: and they were continually seeking their hurt, and
to strengthen the Gentiles.

6:19. And Judas purposed to destroy them: and he called together all the
people, to besiege them.

6:20. And they came together, and besieged them in the year one hundred
and fifty, and they made battering slings and engines.

6:21. And some of the besieged got out: and some wicked men of Israel
joined themselves unto them.

6:22. And they went to the king, and said: How long dost thou delay to
execute judgment, and to revenge our brethren?

6:23. We determined to serve thy father, and to do according to his
orders, and obey his edicts:

6:24. And for this they of our nation are alienated from us, and have
slain as many of us as they could find, and have spoiled our
inheritances.

6:25. Neither have they put forth their hand against us only, but also
against all our borders.

6:26. And behold they have approached this day to the castle of
Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified the strong hold of
Bethsura:

6:27. And unless thou speedily prevent them, they will do greater things
than these, and thou shalt not be able to subdue them.

6:28. Now when the king heard this, he was angry: and he called together
all his friends, and the captains of his army, and them that were over
the horsemen.

6:29. There came also to him from other realms, and from the islands of
the sea, hired troops.

6:30. And the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and
twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained to battle.

6:31. And they went through Idumea, and approached to Bethsura, and
fought many days, and they made engines: but they sallied forth, and
burnt them with fire, and fought manfully.

But they sallied forth... That is, the citizens of Bethsura sallied
forth and burnt them, that is, burnt the engines of the besiegers.

6:32. And Judas departed from the castle, and removed the camp to
Bethzacharam, over against the king's camp.

6:33. And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march
on fiercely towards the way of Bethzacharam: and the armies made
themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets:

6:34. And they shewed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries,
to provoke them to fight.

6:35. And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by
every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of
brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen
for every beast.

6:36. These before the time wheresoever the beast was they were there:
and whithersoever it went, they went, and they departed not from it.

These before the time... That is, these were ready for every occasion.

6:37. And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers which covered
every one of them: and engines upon them, and upon every one thirty-two
valiant men, who fought from above: and an Indian to rule the beast.

6:38. And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that
side, at the two wings, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to hasten
them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof.

6:39. Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold, and of brass, the
mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire.

6:40. And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high
mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on
warily and orderly.

6:41. And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of
their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of
the armour, for the army was exceeding great and strong.

6:42. And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the
king's army six hundred men.

6:43. And Eleazar, the son of Saura, saw one of the beasts harnessed
with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts; and it
seemed to him that the king was on it:

6:44. And he exposed himself to deliver his people, and to get himself
an everlasting name.

6:45. And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on
the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and
that side.

6:46. And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself
under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died
there.

6:47. Then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of
his army, turned away from them.

6:48. But the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem: and the
king's army pitched their tents against Judea and Mount Sion.

6:49. And he made peace with them that were in Bethsura: and they came
forth out of the city, because they had no victuals, being shut up
there, for it was the year of rest to the land.

6:50. And the king took Bethsura: and he placed there a garrison to keep
it.

6:51. And he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days: and he
set up there battering slings, and engines, and instruments to cast
fire, and engines to cast stones and javelins, and pieces to shoot
arrows, and slings.

6:52. And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought
for many days.

6:53. But there were no victuals in the city, because it was the seventh
year: and such as had stayed in Judea of them that came from among the
nations, had eaten the residue of all that which had been stored up.

6:54. And there remained in the holy places but a few, for the famine
had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man to his own
place.

6:55. Now Lysias heard that Philip; whom king Antiochus while he lived
had appointed to bring up his son, Antiochus, and to reign,

6:56. Was returned from Persia, and Media, with the army that went with
him and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom:

6:57. Wherefore he made haste to go, and say to the king and to the
captains of the army: We decay daily, and our provision of victuals is
small, and the place that we lay siege to is strong, and it lieth upon
us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom.

6:58. Now, therefore, let us come to an agreement with these men, and
make peace with them and with all their nation.

6:59. And let us covenant with them, that they may live according to
their own laws, as before. For because of our despising their laws, they
have been provoked, and have done all these things.

6:60. And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of
the princes: and he sent to them to make peace: and they accepted of it.

6:61. And the king and the princes swore to them: and they came out of
the strong hold.

6:62. Then the king entered into Mount Sion, and saw the strength of the
place: and he quickly broke the oath that he had taken, and gave
commandment to throw down the wall round about.

6:63. And he departed in haste and returned to Antioch, where he found
Philip master of the city: and he fought against him, and took the city.

1 Machabees Chapter 7

Demetrius is made king, and sends Bacchides and Alcimus the priest into
Judea, and after them Nicanor, who is slain by Judas with all his army.

7:1. In the hundred and fifty-first year, Demetrius, the son of
Seleucus, departed from the city of Rome, and came up with few men into
a city of the sea coast, and reigned there.

7:2. And it came to pass as he entered into the house of the kingdom of
his fathers, that the army seized upon Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring
them unto him.

7:3. And when he knew it, he said: Let me not see their face.

7:4. So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his
kingdom:

7:5. And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: and
Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest.

7:6. And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his
brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and he hath driven us out of
our land.

7:7. Now, therefore, send some men whom thou trustest, and let him go,
and see all the havoc he hath made amongst us, and in the king's lands:
and let him punish all his friends and their helpers.

7:8. Then the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends, that ruled
beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and
he sent him,

7:9. To see the havoc that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he
made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge upon the children of
Israel.

7:10. And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Juda:
and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brethren with
peaceable words, deceitfully.

7:11. But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they were
come with a great army.

7:12. Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the
scribes, to require things that are just:

7:13. And first the Assideans, that were among the children of Israel,
and they sought peace of them.

7:14. For they said: One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come,
he will not deceive us.

7:15. And he spoke to them peaceably: and he swore to them, saying: We
will do you no harm, nor your friends.

7:16. And they believed him. And he took threescore of them, and slew
them in one day, according to the word that is written: 7:17. The flesh
of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about
Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.

7:18. Then fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said:
There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the
covenant, and the oath which they made.

7:19. And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in
Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of them that were fled away from
him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit.

7:20. Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops
to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king. 7:21. But Alcimus did
what he could to maintain his chief priesthood.

7:22. And they that disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got
the land of Juda into their power, and did much hurt in Israel.

7:23. And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and they that were with
him, did to the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles.

7:24. And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took
vengeance upon the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth
any more into the country.

7:25. And Alcimus saw that Judas and they that were with him, prevailed:
and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to
the king, and accused them of many crimes.

7:26. And the king sent Nicanor, one of his principal lords, who was a
great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.

7:27. And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to
Judas and to his brethren deceitfully, with friendly words,

7:28. Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come
with a few men, to see your faces with peace.

7:29. And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: and
the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force.

7:30. And the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with
deceit: and he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any
more.

7:31. And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out
to fight against Judas, near Capharsalama.

7:32. And there fell of Nicanor's army almost five thousand men, and
they fled into the city of David.

7:33. And after this Nicanor went up into mount Sion: and some of the
priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably, and to shew him
the holocausts that were offered for the king.

7:34. But he mocked and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke
proudly,

7:35. And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered
into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this
house. And he went out in a great rage.

7:36. And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar
and the temple: and weeping, they said:

7:37. Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for thy name to be called
upon therein, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for
thy people.

7:38. Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the
sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continne any
longer.

7:39. Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to
Bethoron: and an army of Syria joined him.

7:40. But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas
prayed, and said:

7:41. O Lord, when they that were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed
thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five
thousand:

7:42. Even so destroy this army in our sight today and let the rest know
that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him
according to his wickedness.

7:43. And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month,
Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first
slain in the battle.

7:44. And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain they threw away their
weapons, and fled:

7:45. And they pursued after them one day's journey from Adazer, even
till ye come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with
signals.

7:46. And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and
they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they
were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as
one.

7:47. And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off
Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out,
and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem.

7:48. And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with
great joy.

7:49. And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the
thirteenth of the month of Adar.

7:50. And the land of Juda was quiet for a short time.

1 Machabees Chapter 8

Judas hears of the great character of the Romans: he makes a league with
them.

8:1. Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful
and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of
them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with
them, and that they are mighty in power.

8:2. And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts which they
had done in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them under
tribute:

They heard, etc... What is here set down of the history and character of
the ancient Romans, is not an assertion, or affirmation of the sacred
writer: but only a relation of what Judas had heard of them.

8:3. And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that
they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that
are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel
and patience:

8:4. And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and
kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had
overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute
every year.

8:5. And that they had defeated in battle Philip and Perses the king of
the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had
conquered them:

Ceteans... That is, the Macedonians.

8:6. And how Antiochus, the great king of Asia, who went to fight
against them, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and
chariots, and a very great army, was routed by them.

8:7. And how they took him alive, and appointed to him, that both he and
they that should reign after him, should pay a great tribute, and that
he should give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,

8:8. And the country of the Indians, and of the Medes, and of the
Lydians, some of their best provinces: and those which they had taken
from them, they gave to king Eumenes.

Eumenes... King of Pergamus.

8:9. And that they who were in Greece, had a mind to go and to destroy
them: and they had knowledge thereof,

8:10. And they sent a general against them, and fought with them, and
many of them were slain, and they carried away their wives, and their
children captives, and spoiled them, and took possession of their land,
and threw down their walls, and brought them to be their servants unto
this day.

8:11. And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted
them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.

8:12. But with their friends, and such as relied upon them, they kept
amity, and had conquered kingdoms that were near, and that were far off:
for all that heard their name, were afraid of them.

8:13. That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and
whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were greatly
exalted.

8:14. And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to
be magnified thereby.

8:15. And that they had made themselves a senate house, and consulted
daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in counsel always for the
people, that they might do the things that were right:

8:16. And that they committed their government to one man every year, to
rule over all their country, and they all obey one, and there is no envy
nor jealousy amongst them.

To one man... There were two consuls: but one only ruled at one time,
each in his day.-Ibid. No envy, etc... So Judas had heard: and it was so
far true, with regard to the ancient Romans, that as yet no envy or
jealousy had divided them into such open factions and civil wars, as
they afterwards experienced in the time of Marius and Sylla, etc.

8:17. So Judas chose Eupolemus, the son of John, the son of Jacob, and
Jason, the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make a league of
amity and confederacy with them:

8:18. And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians,
for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

8:19. And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into
the senate house, and said:

8:20. Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews,
have sent us to you to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may
be registered your confederates and friends.

8:21. And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.

8:22. And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again,
graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with
them there for a memorial of the peace, and alliance. 8:23. GOOD
SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews by sea, and by
land, for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.

8:24. But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their
confederates, in all their dominions:

8:25. The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall
direct, with all their heart:

8:26. Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish
them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to
the Romans: and they shall obey their orders, without taking any thing
of them.

8:27. In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the
Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the
time shall permit them:

8:28. And there shall not be given to them that come to their aid,
either wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the
Romans: and they shall observe their orders without deceit.

8:29. According to these articles did the Romans covenant with the
people of the Jews.

8:30. And, if after this, one party or the other shall have a mind to
add to these articles, or take away any thing, they may do it at their
pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be
ratified.

8:31. Moreover, concerning the evils that Demetrius, the king, hath done
against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou made thy
yoke heavy upon our friends and allies, the Jews.

8:32. If, therefore, they come again to us complaining of thee, we will
do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.

1 Machabees Chapter 9

Bacchides is sent again into Judea: Judas fights against him with eight
hundred men and is slain. Jonathan succeeds him and revenges the murder
of his brother John. He fights against Bacchides. Alcimus dies
miserably. Bacchides besieges Bethbessen. He is forced to raise the
siege and leave the country.

9:1. In the mean time, when Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army
were fallen in battle, he sent again Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea;
and the right wing of his army with them.

9:2. And they took the road that leadeth to Galgal, and they camped in
Masaloth, which is in Arabella: and they made themselves masters of it,
and slew many people.

9:3. In the first month of the hundred and fifty-second year they
brought the army to Jerusalem:

9:4. And they arose and went to Berea, with twenty thousand men, and two
thousand horsemen.

9:5. Now Judas had pitched his tents in Laisa, and three thousand chosen
men with him:

9:6. And they saw the multitude of the army that they were many, and
they were seized with great fear: and many withdrew themselves out of
the camp, and there remained of them no more than eight hundred men.

9:7. And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and the battle pressed
upon him, and his heart was cast down: because he had not time to gather
them together, and he was discouraged.

9:8. Then he said to them that remained: Let us arise, and go against
our enemies, if we may be able to fight against them.

9:9. But they dissuaded him, saying: We shall not be able, but let us
save our lives now, and return to our brethren, and then we will fight
against them: for we are but few.

9:10. Then Judas said: God forbid we should do this thing, and flee away
from them: but if our time be come, let us die manfully for our
brethren, and let us not stain our glory.

9:11. And the army removed out of the camp, and they stood over against
them: and the horsemen were divided into two troops, and the slingers,
and the archers, went before the army, and they that were in the front
were all men of valour.

9:12. And Bacchides was in the right wing, and the legion drew near on
two sides, and they sounded the trumpets:

9:13. And they also that were on Judas's side, even they also cried out,
and the earth shook at the noise of the armies: and the battle was
fought from morning even unto the evening.

9:14. And Judas perceived that the stronger part of the army of
Bacchides was on the right side, and all the stout of heart came
together with him:

9:15. And the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued them
even to the mount Azotus.

9:16. And they that were in the left wing saw that the right wing was
discomfited, and they followed after Judas, and them that were with him,
at their back:

9:17. And the battle was hard fought, and there fell many wounded of the
one side and of the other.

9:18. And Judas was slain, and the rest fled away.

9:19. And Jonathan and Simon took Judas, their brother, and buried him
in the sepulchre of their fathers, in the city of Modin.

9:20. And all the people of Israel bewailed him with great lamentation,
and they mourned for him many days.

9:21. And said: How is the mighty man fallen, that saved the people of
Israel!

9:22. But the rest of the words of the wars of Judas, and of the noble
acts that he did, and of his greatness, are not written: for they were
very many.

9:23. And it came to pass, after the death of Judas, that the wicked
began to put forth their heads in all the confines of Israel, and all
the workers of iniquity rose up.

9:24. In those days there was a very great famine, and they and all
their country yielded to Bacchides.

9:25. And Bacchides chose the wicked men, and made them lords of the
country:

9:26. And they sought out, and made diligent search after the friends of
Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance of them, and
abused them.

9:27. And there was a great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since
the day, that there was no prophet seen in Israel.

9:28. And all the friends of Judas came together, and said to Jonathan:

9:29. Since thy brother Judas died there is not a man like him to go
forth against our enemies, Bacchides, and them that are the enemies of
our nation.

9:30. Now, therefore, we have chosen thee this day to be our prince, and
captain, in his stead, to fight our battles.

9:31. So Jonathan took upon him the government at that time, and rose up
in the place of Judas, his brother,

9:32. And Bacchides had knowledge of it, and sought to kill him.

9:33. And Jonathan, and Simon, his brother, knew it, and all that were
with them: and they fled into the desert of Thecua, and they pitched by
the water of the lake Asphar,

9:34. And Bacchides understood it, and he came himself, with all his
army, over the Jordan, on the sabbath day.

9:35. And Jonathan sent his brother, a captain of the people, to desire
the Nabutheans his friends, that they would lend them their equipage,
which was copious.

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