The First Book of Maccabees

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- 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.

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

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.

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

For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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.

And Judas returned again with his army that followed him,

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

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.

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

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.

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.

So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.

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.

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

So Israel had a great deliverance that day.

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

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.

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

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

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 armourbearer.

Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.

Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.

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

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

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.

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.

And all the army assembled together, and they went up into mount Sion.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gorgias took five thousand infantry, a thousand chosen cavalry, and the army moved out at night,

that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and strike them suddenly. The men of the citadel were his guides.

Judas heard of this, and he and the valiant men moved, that he might strike the king’s army which was at Emmaus

while the forces were still dispersed from the camp.

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.”

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.

They saw the camp of the Gentiles strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these were expert in war.

Judas said to the men who were with him, “Don’t be afraid of their numbers, or when they charge.

Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.

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.

Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.

The foreigners lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming near them.

They went out of the camp to battle. Those who were with Judas sounded their trumpets

and joined battle. The Gentiles were defeated, and fled into the plain.

But all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to(a) Gazara, and to the plains of Idumaea, Azotus, and Jamnia. About three thousand of those men fell.

Then Judas and his army returned from pursuing them;

and he said to the people, “Don’t be greedy for the spoils, because there is a battle before us.

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.”

While Judas was finishing this speech, a part of them appeared looking out from the mountain.

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.

But when they perceived these things, they were very afraid. Perceiving also the army of Judas in the plain ready for battle,

they all fled into the land of the(b) Philistines.

Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they took much gold, silver, blue, sea purple, and great riches.

Then they returned home, and sang a song of thanksgiving, and gave praise to heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.

Israel had a great deliverance that day.

The foreigners who had escaped came and told Lysias all the things that had happened.

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.

In the next year, he gathered together sixty thousand chosen infantry and five thousand cavalry, that he might subdue them.

They came into Idumaea and encamped at Bethsura. Judas met them with ten thousand men.

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(c) Philistines into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armor bearer.

Hem in this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed for their army and their cavalry.

Give them faintness of heart. Cause the boldness of their strength to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction.

Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with thanksgiving.”

They joined in battle; and about five thousand men of Lysias’ army fell. They fell down near them.

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.

But Judas and his kindred said, “Behold, our enemies are defeated. Let’s go up to cleanse the holy place and to rededicate it.”

All the army was gathered together, and they went up to mount Zion.

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;

and they tore their clothes, made great lamentation, put ashes upon their heads,

fell on their faces to the ground, (d) blew with the solemn trumpets,(e) and cried toward heaven.

Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the citadel until he had cleansed the holy place.

He chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law;

and they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place.

They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned.

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

and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place, until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them.

They took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar like the former.

They built the holy place and the inner parts of the house; and they consecrated the courts.

They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.

They burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple.

They set loaves upon the table, hung up the curtains, and finished all the work which they had done.

They rose up early in the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev, in(f) the one hundred forty eighth year,

and offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made.

At the time and day the Gentiles had profaned it, even then it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and with cymbals.

All the people fell on their faces, worshiped, and gave praise toward heaven, which had given them good success.

They celebrated the dedication of the altar eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.

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.

There was exceedingly great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.

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.

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.

Judas stationed a garrison to guard it. They fortified Bethsura to keep it, that the people might have a stronghold near Idumaea.

Footnotes

(a)4:15 Gr. Gazera.

(b)4:22 Gr. foreigners.

(d)4:40 Compare Numbers 31:6 .

(e)4:40 Gr. trumpets of signals.

(f)4:52 circa B.C. 165.