1st Maccabees 9

CHAPTER 9

¹In the meantime, where Demetrius heard that Nicanor fell, and his host, in battle, he putted to again for to send Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea, and the right half of the battle array [or the right horn] with them.

²And they went the way that leadeth into Gilgal, and they setted tents in Mesaloth, that is in Arbela; and they occupied it, and slew many persons of men.

³In the first month of the hundred and two and fifty year, they applied the host to or pitched tents at Jerusalem.

⁴And twenty thousand of men, and two thousand of horsemen, have risen, and went into Berea.

⁵And Judas setted tents in Eleasa, and three thousand men chosen [or three thousand chosen men] with him.

⁶And they saw the multitude of the host, that they be many, and they dreaded greatly; and many withdrew them from tents, and there left not of them no but eight hundred men.

⁷And Judas saw that his host fled away, and battle constrained him, and he was broken altogether in heart, for he had not time to gather them, and he was discomforted [or dissolved] .

⁸And he said to these that were residue, Rise we, and go we to our adversaries, if we shall be able to fight against them.

⁹And they turned away him [or turned them away] , and said, We shall not be able to, but deliver we [now] our own lives, and turn again we to our brethren, and then we shall fight against them; forsooth we be few.

¹⁰And Judas said, Far be it for to do this thing, that we flee from them; and if our time hath nighed, die we in virtue for our brethren, and give we not crime to our glory.

¹¹And the host of Bacchides moved from tents, and they stood against them. And horsemen were parted into two parts, and slingers and archers went before the host, and the first men of battle, all the mighty.

¹²Forsooth Bacchides was in the right horn, or battle array . And the legion of two parts came nigh, and cried with trumps.

¹³Forsooth and these that were on [or of] the part of Judas, cried also, and the earth was moved altogether of the voice of hosts, and battle was joined from the morrowtide till to eventide [or from morrow unto even] .

¹⁴And Judas saw, that the part of Bacchides’ host was firmer in the right half, and all steadfast in heart came together with him.

¹⁵And the right part was all-broken of them; and he pursued them unto the hill of Azotus.

¹⁶And they that were in the left horn, or battle array , saw, that the right horn, or battle array , was all-broken, and they pursued at the back after Judas, and them that were with him.

¹⁷And the battle was made grievous, and there fell many wounded of these and of them.

¹⁸And Judas fell, and the others fled.

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

²⁰And all Israel bewept him with great wailing, and mourned many days, and said,

²¹How fell the mighty, that made Israel safe.

²²And other words of battles of Judas, and of virtues that he did, and of his greatnesses, be not written; for those [or they] were full many.

²³And it was done, after the death of Judas, all wicked men in all the coasts of Israel rose out, and all that wrought wickedness came forth.

²⁴In those days full great hunger was made, and all the country of them betook themselves to Bacchides with them.

²⁵And Bacchides chose unpious men, and ordained them lords of the country.

²⁶And they asked out, and sought the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides; and he avenged on [or into] them, and scorned.

²⁷And great tribulation was made in Israel, what manner was not from the day in which a prophet was not seen in Israel.

²⁸And all the friends of Judas were gathered, and said to Jonathan,

²⁹Since thy brother Judas is dead, there is no man like him, that shall go out against enemies, Bacchides and them that be enemies of our folk.

³⁰Therefore now we choose thee today for to be prince and duke to us for him, for to fight our battles.

³¹And Jonathan received in that time the princehood, and rose in the place of Judas, his brother.

³²And Bacchides knew, and sought for to slay him.

³³And Jonathan knew, and Simon, his brother, and all that were with him, and [they] fled into desert of Tekoa, and sat together at the water of the lake Asphar.

³⁴And Bacchides knew, and in the day of sabbath he came, and all his host, over Jordan.

³⁵And Jonathan sent his brother John , leader [or duke] of that people, and prayed Nabathites or Nabateans, his friends, that he should betake to them his apparel, that was plenteous.

³⁶And sons of Jambri went out of Medaba, and caught John, and all things that he had, and went away, having those things [or having them] .

³⁷After these words it was told again to Jonathan, and Simon, his brother, that the sons of Jambri make great weddings, and wed a wife of Nadabath, the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan, with great pride and apparel.

³⁸And they bethought on the blood of John, their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under covering of the hill.

³⁹And they raised their eyes, and saw, and lo! noise, and great apparel; and a spouse, or husband , came forth, and his friends, and his brethren, against them, with tympans, and musics, and many arms.

⁴⁰And they rose to them from ambushments, and slew them, and many wounded fell down, and the residues fled into the hill, and they took all the spoils of them;

⁴¹and weddings were converted into mourning, and voice of their musics into wailing.

⁴²And they avenged the vengeance of their brother’s blood, and [they] turned again to the brink of Jordan.

⁴³And Bacchides heard, and came in the day of sabbaths till to the utmost part of Jordan, in great strength.

⁴⁴And Jonathan said to his, Rise we, and fight against our enemies; for it is not today as yesterday, and the third day ago.

⁴⁵For lo! battle is even against; soothly the water of Jordan is on this half and on that half, and rivers, and marshes, and forests [or wild woods] , and there is no place of turning away.

⁴⁶Now therefore cry ye into heaven, that ye be delivered from hand of your enemies.

⁴⁷And battle was joined. And Jonathan stretched out his hand, for to smite Bacchides, and he turned away from him behind.

⁴⁸And Jonathan skipped down [or leaped out] , and they that were with him, into Jordan, and swam over Jordan to them.

⁴⁹And there fell of Bacchides part in that day a thousand men,

⁵⁰and they, that is, Bacchides and his men , turned again into Jerusalem; and builded strong cities in Judea, the strength that was in Jericho, and in Emmaus, and in Bethhoron, and Bethel, and Timnath-pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls, and gates, and locks.

⁵¹And he setted keeping in them, that they should haunt enmities in Israel;

⁵²and he strengthened the city Bethsura, and Gazara, and the high tower, and putted in them helps, and apparel of meats.

⁵³And he took the sons of princes of the country in hostage, or pledges , and putted them in the high tower in Jerusalem, in keeping.

⁵⁴And in the hundred year and three and fifty [or fiftieth] , in the second month, Alcimus commanded the walls of the holy inner house for to be destroyed, and the works of prophets for to be destroyed,

⁵⁵and he began for to destroy. In that time Alcimus was smitten, and the works of him were hindered. And his mouth was closed, and he was dissolved, either made feeble , by palsy, neither he might speak more a word, and command of his house.

⁵⁶And Alcimus was dead in that time, with great torment.

⁵⁷And Bacchides saw, that Alcimus was dead, and he turned again to the king, and the land was still two years.

⁵⁸And all wicked men thought, saying, Lo! Jonathan, and they that be with him, dwell in silence, and trust; now therefore bring we Bacchides, and he shall take them all in one night.

⁵⁹And they went forth, and gave counsel to him.

⁶⁰And he rose, for to come with much host. And he sent epistles privily to his fellows, that were in Judea, that they should catch Jonathan, and them that were with him; but they might not, for their counsel was known to them.

⁶¹And Jonathan caught of men of the country, that were princes of knighthood, fifty men, and slew them.

⁶²And Jonathan and Simon went, and they that were with him, into Bethbasi, that is in desert, and builded again the destroyed things thereof, and made it strong.

⁶³And Bacchides knew, and gathered all his multitude, and announced to them that were of Judea.

⁶⁴And he came, and setted tents above Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines.

⁶⁵And Jonathan left Simon, his brother, in the city, and went out into the country, and came with number;

⁶⁶and smote Odomera, and his brethren, and sons of Phasiron, in the tabernacles of them,

⁶⁷and [he] began for to smite, and wax in virtues. Simon soothly, and they that were with him, went out of the city, and burnt engines.

⁶⁸And they fought against Bacchides, and he was all-broken of them; and they tormented him greatly, for his counsel and his assailing was void.

⁶⁹And he was wroth against wicked men, that gave counsel to him for to come into their country, and slew many of them; forsooth he thought with others for to go into his country.

⁷⁰And Jonathan knew, and sent legates to him, for to make peace with him, and to yield to him prisoners.

⁷¹And willfully he took, and did by [or after] his words, and swore that he should not do to him any evil in all the days of his life.

⁷²And he yielded to him the captivity, that is, prisoners , which he took by prey before of the land of Judea. And he turned, and went into his land, and putted no more for to come into his coasts.

⁷³And sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan dwelled in Michmash, and there Jonathan began for to deem the people, and he destroyed the unfaithful [or unpious] men of Israel.