God's New Revelations

The First Book of Maccabees

Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic

- 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.

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.
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.
3
In the first month of the hundred and fifty-second year they brought the army to Jerusalem:
4
And they arose, and went to Berea with twenty thousand men, and two thousand horsemen.
5
Now Judas had pitched his tents in Laisa, and three thousand chosen men with him:
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
12
And Bacchides was in the right wing, and the legion drew near on two sides, and they sounded the trumpets:
13
And they also were on Judas’ 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.
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:
15
And the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued them even to the mount Azotus.
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:
17
And the battle was hard fought, and there fell many wounded of the one side and of the other.
18
And Judas was slain, and the rest fled away.
19
And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of their fathers in the city of Modin.
20
And all the people of Israel bewailed him with great lamentation, and they mourned for him many days.
21
And said: How is the mighty man fallen, that saved the people of Israel!
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.
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.
24
In those days there was a very great famine, and they and all their country yielded to Bacchides.
25
And Bacchides chose the wicked men, and made them lords of the country:
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.
27
And there was a great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the day, that there was no prophet seen in Israel.
28
And all the friends of Judas came together, and said to Jonathan:
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.
30
Now therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince, and captain in his stead to fight our battles.
31
So Jonathan took upon him the government at that time, and rose up in the place of Judas his brother.
32
And Bacchides had knowledge of it, and sought to kill him.
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 of Asphar,
34
And Bacchides understood it, and he came himself with all his army over the Jordan on the sabbath day.
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.
36
And the children of Jambri came forth out of Madaba, and took John, and all that he had, and went away with them.
37
After this it was told Jonathan, and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri made a great marriage, and were bringing the bride out of Madaba, the daughter of one of the great princes of Chanaan, with great pomp.
38
And the remembered the blood of John their brother: and they went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain.
39
And they lifted up their eyes, and saw: and behold a tumult, and great preparation: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends, and his brethren to meet them with timbrels, and musical instruments, and many weapons.
40
And they rose up against them from the place where they lay in ambush, and slew them, and there fell many wounded, and the rest fled into the mountains, and they took all their spoils:
41
And the marriage was turned into mourning, and the noise of their musical instruments into lamentation.
42
And they took revenge for the blood of their brother: and they returned to the bank of the Jordan.
43
And Bacchides heard it, and he came on the sabbath day even to the bank of the Jordan with a great power.
44
And Jonathan said to his company: Let us arise, and fight against our enemies: for it is not now as yesterday, and the day before.
45
And behold the battle is before us, and the water of the Jordan on this side and on that side, and banks, and marshes, and woods: and there is no place for us to turn aside.
46
Now therefore cry ye to heaven, that ye may be delivered from the hand of your enemies. And they joined battle.
47
And Jonathan stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchides, but he turned away from him backwards.
48
And Jonathan, and they that were with him leaped into the Jordan, and swam over the Jordan to them:
49
And there fell of Bacchides’ side that day a thousand man: and they returned to Jerusalem,
50
And they built strong cities in Judea, the fortress that was in Jericho, and in Ammaus, and in Bethoron, and in Bethel, and Thamnata, and Phara, and Thopo, with high walls, and gates, and bars.
51
And he placed garrisons in them, that they might wage war against Israel:
52
And he fortified the city of Bethsura, and Gazara, and the castle, and set garrisons in them, and provisions of victuals:
53
And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in the castle in Jerusalem in custody.
54
Now in the year one hundred and fifty-three, the second month, Alcimus commanded the walls of the inner court of the sanctuary to be thrown down, and the works of the prophets to be destroyed: and he began to be destroyed: and he began to destroy.
55
At that time Alcimus was struck: and his works were hindered, and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak a word, nor give order concerning his house.
56
And Alcimus died at that time in great torment.
57
And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead: and he returned to the king, and the land was quiet for two years.
58
And all the wicked held a council, saying: Behold Jonathan, and they that are with him, dwell at ease, and without fear: now therefore let us bring Bacchides hither, and he shall take them all in one night.
59
So they went, and gave him counsel.
60
And he arose to come with a great army: and he sent secretly letters to his adherents that were in Judea, to seize upon Jonathan, and them that were with him: but they could not, for their design was known to them.
61
And he apprehended of the men of the country, that were the principal authors of the mischief, fifty men, and slew them.
62
And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him retired into Bethbessen, which is in the desert: and he repaired the breaches thereof, and they fortified it.
63
And when Bacchides knew it, he gathered together all his multitude: and sent word to them that were of Judea.
64
And he came, and camped above Bethbessen, and fought against it many days, and made engines.
65
But Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went forth into the country: and came with a number of men.
66
And struck Odares, and his brethren, and the children of Phaseron in their tents, and he began to slay, and to increase in forces.
67
But Simon and they that were with him, sallied out of the city, and burnt the engines.
68
And they fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them: and they afflicted him exceedingly, for his counsel, and his enterprise was in vain.
69
And he was angry with the wicked men that had given him counsel to come into their country, and he slew many of them: and he purposed to return with the rest into their country.
70
And Jonathan had knowledge of it, and he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him, and to restore to him the prisoners.
71
And he accepted it willingly, and did according to his words, and swore that the would do him no harm all the days of his life.
72
And he restored to him the prisoners which he before had taken out of the land of Juda: and he returned and went away into his own country, and he came no more into their borders.
73
So the sword ceased from Israel: and Jonathan dwelt in Machmas, and Jonathan began there to judge the people, and he destroyed the wicked out of Israel.

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.

1
Demetrius heard that Nicanor had fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them.
2
They went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and took possession of it, and killed many people.
3
The first month of the one hundred fifty-second year, (a) they encamped against Jerusalem.
4
Then they marched away and went to Berea with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry.
5
Judas was encamped at Elasa with three thousand chosen men.
6
They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army. There were not left of them more than eight hundred men.
7
Judas saw that his army slipped away and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was very troubled in spirit, because he had no time to gather them together, and he became faint.
8
He said to those who were left, “Let’s arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.”
9
They tried to dissuade him, saying, “There is no way we are able; but let’s rather save our lives now. Let’s return again with our kindred, and fight against them; but we are too few.”
10
Judas said, “Let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them. If our time has come, let’s die in a manly way for our kindred’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our honor.”
11
The army marched out from the camp, and stood to encounter them. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the army, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle.
12
Bacchides was in the right wing. The phalanx advanced on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets.
13
The men by Judas’ side sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.
14
Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and all that were brave in heart went with him,
15
and the right wing was defeated by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus.
16
Those who were on the left wing saw that the right wing was defeated, and they turned and followed in the footsteps of Judas and of those who were with him.
17
The battle became desparate, and many on both sides fell wounded to death.
18
Judas fell, and the rest fled.
19
Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the tomb of his ancestors at Modin.
20
They wept for him. All Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said,
21
“How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!”
22
The rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, are not written; for they were exceedingly many.
23
It came to pass after the death of Judas, that the lawless emerged within all the borders of Israel. All those who did iniquity rose up.
24
In those days there was an exceedingly great famine, and the country went over to their side.
25
Bacchides chose the ungodly men and made them rulers of the country.
26
They inquired and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance on them and used them despitefully.
27
There was great suffering in Israel, such as was not since the time prophets stopped appearing to them.
28
All the friends of Judas were gathered together, and they said to Jonathan,
29
“Since your brother Judas has died, we have no man like him to go out against our enemies and Bacchides, and among those of our nation who hate us.
30
Now therefore we have chosen you this day to be our prince and leader in his place, that you may fight our battles.”
31
So Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up in the place of his brother Judas.
32
When Bacchides found out, he tried to kill him.
33
Jonathan, and Simon his brother, and all who were with him, knew it; and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoah, and encamped by the water of the pool of Asphar.
34
Bacchides found this out on the Sabbath day, and came—he and all his army—over the Jordan.
35
Jonathan sent his brother, a leader of the multitude, and implored his friends the Nabathaeans, that they might store their baggage, which was much, with them.
36
The children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and seized John and all that he had, and went their way with it.
37
But after these things, they brought word to Jonathan and Simon his brother that the children of Jambri were celebrating a great wedding, and were bringing the bride, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan, from Nadabath with a large escort.
38
They remembered John their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the cover of the mountain.
39
They lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a great procession with much baggage. The bridegroom came out with his friends and his kindred to meet them with timbrels, musicians, and many weapons.
40
They rose up against them from their ambush and killed them, and many fell wounded to death. The remnant fled into the mountain, and the Jews took all their spoils.
41
So the wedding was turned into mourning, and the voice of their musicians into lamentation.
42
They avenged fully the blood of their brother, and turned back to the marshes of the Jordan.
43
Bacchides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath day to the banks of Jordan with a great army.
44
Jonathan said to his company, “Let’s stand up now and fight for our lives, for things are different today than they were yesterday and the day before.
45
For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us. Moreover the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that side, and marsh and thicket. There is no place to escape.
46
Now therefore cry to heaven, that you may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies.”
47
So the battle was joined, and Jonathan stretched out his hand to strike Bacchides, and he turned away back from him.
48
Jonathan and those who were with him leapt into the Jordan, and swam over to the other side. The enemy didn’t pass over the Jordan against them.
49
About a thousand men of Bacchides’ company fell that day;
50
and he returned to Jerusalem. They built strong cities in Judea, the stronghold that was in Jericho, and Emmaus, Bethhoron, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.
51
He set garrisons in them to harass Israel.
52
He fortified the city Bethsura, Gazara, and the citadel, and put troops and stores of food in them.
53
He took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them under guard in the citadel at Jerusalem.
54
And in the one hundred fifty-third year,(b) in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He also pulled down the works of the prophets.
55
He began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give orders concerning his house.
56
Alcimus died at that time with great torment.
57
Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king. Then the land of Judah had rest for two years.
58
Then all the lawless men took counsel, saying, “Behold, Jonathan and his men are dwelling at ease and in security. Now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he will capture them all in one night.
59
They went and consulted with him.
60
He marched out and came with a great army, and sent letters secretly to all his allies who were in Judea, that they should seize Jonathan and those who were with him; but they couldn’t, because their plan was known to them.
61
Jonathan’s men seized about fifty of the men of the country who were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them.
62
Jonathan, Simon, and those who were with him, went away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong.
63
Bacchides found out about it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent orders to those who were of Judea.
64
He went and encamped against Bethbasi and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.
65
Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went out into the country, and he went with a few men.
66
He struck Odomera and his kindred, and the children of Phasiron in their tents.
67
They began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. Then Simon and those who were with him went out of the city, and set the engines of war on fire,
68
and fought against Bacchides, and he was defeated by them. They afflicted him severely; for his counsel and expedition was in vain.
69
They were very angry with the lawless men who gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. Then he decided to depart into his own land.
70
Jonathan learned of this and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives.
71
He accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and swore to him that he would not seek his harm all the days of his life.
72
He restored to him the captives which he had taken before out of the land of Judah, and he returned and departed into his own land, and didn’t come any more into their borders.
73
Thus the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan lived at Michmash. Jonathan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.

Footnotes

(a)9:3 circa B.C. 161.
(b)9:54 circa B.C. 160.