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1In the one hundred fifty-first year of Greek rule, Demetrius son of Seleucus left Rome with a few men and arrived at a coastal city. There he proclaimed himself king.[#7:1a The 151st year of Greek rule was 161 b.c.; #7:1b Demetrius was the rightful heir to the Seleucid throne. He had been held hostage in Rome, because his uncle, Antiochus Epiphanes, had usurped the throne from him.]
2As he was entering the royal palace of his ancestors, the armies there captured Antiochus Eupator and Lysias, intending to bring them to him.
3When Demetrius heard this, he said, “I don’t even want to see them!”
4So the army killed them, and Demetrius assumed the throne of his kingdom.
5Then all the ungodly and wicked Israelites came to Demetrius. They were led by Alcimus, who wanted to be made high priest.
6They accused their own people, saying, “Judas and his brothers have killed all your favored leaders and have driven us from our land.
7Therefore, send someone you trust who can survey all the damage that Judas has caused us and the king’s lands. Let him punish Judas and his men and all who help them.”
8So the king chose Bacchides, one of his favored leaders who governed the province west of the Euphrates River. He was a prominent figure in the kingdom and was faithful to King Demetrius.
9He sent Bacchides and the wicked Alcimus, whom he made high priest, to take revenge on the Israelites.
10They set out and arrived in Judea with a large army. Alcimus sent messengers to Judas and his brothers with deceitful words of peace,[#7:10 Greek the land of Judah; also in 7:22, 50.]
11but Judas did not believe them, for he saw that the enemy had come with a large army.
12Nevertheless, some teachers of religious law went to Alcimus and Bacchides to inquire about just terms.
13These Hasidean teachers were the first to seek peace from the two men.[#7:13 Greek The Devout; see note on 2:42.]
14They reasoned, “A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army. He will not deceive us.”
15Alcimus spoke words of peace and vowed to them, “We will do no harm to you or your friends,”
16and they believed him. But he took sixty of them in one day and killed them, as had been written in the Scriptures:
17“They have scattered the bodies of your holy ones.
Their blood has been shed all around Jerusalem,
and no one is left to bury the dead.”
18Then all the people became very fearful. They said, “They don’t know what it means to be truthful, for they have broken the agreement that they guaranteed with an oath.”
19Bacchides moved the camp from Jerusalem to Beth-zaith. He seized many of those who deserted to him and also some Jews, and he slaughtered them all and threw them into a large pit.[#7:19a Or many of his own soldiers who had deserted.; #7:19b Greek some of the people.]
20He entrusted the country to Alcimus and left some troops to help him. Then Bacchides went back to the king.
21Alcimus continually fought to maintain his position as high priest,
22and some Jewish dissenters joined his cause. They took control of Judea and did much harm to Israel.
23Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus and his companions did to the Israelites. They were worse than the Gentiles.
24So Judas marched throughout the whole territory of Judea, taking revenge on those who had deserted and preventing them from leaving their towns.
25Alcimus realized that Judas and his companions were gaining control, and he knew he could not stand against them. So he went back to the king and accused Judas and his men of many serious crimes.
26Nicanor, one of the king’s most honored generals, despised Israel, so the king sent him to destroy the people there.
27Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large army, and he sent Judas and his brothers a deceitful message of peace:
28“There is no need for us to fight each other. I will come with a few men to speak to you in peace.”
29So he came to see Judas, and they greeted each other peaceably. All the while, Nicanor’s men were preparing to kidnap Judas.
30But Judas learned of this deceitful plot, so he was cautious and would not meet Nicanor again.
31When Nicanor realized his plot had been discovered, he went out to fight against Judas near Caphar-salama.
32But about five hundred of Nicanor’s men were killed, and the survivors fled into the City of David.
33After this, Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests and elders came out to meet him peaceably. They showed him the burnt offerings that were being offered on behalf of the king.
34But he mocked and derided them, cursing and spitting at them as he angrily swore,
35“Unless Judas and his army are handed over to me, I will burn this house down when I return.” Then he left in a terrible rage.
36The priests went into the Temple and stood facing the altar and the sanctuary. They wept and prayed,
37“You have chosen this house to honor your name
and to be a house of prayer and petition for your people.
38Take vengeance on this man and his army;
let them die by the sword.
Remember their blasphemies;
let them live no longer.”
39Nicanor and his army left Jerusalem and set up camp near Beth-horon, where the Syrian army joined him.
40Judas and 3,000 of his troops set up camp in Adasa. He prayed,
41“When the messengers of King Sennacherib blasphemed you, your angel went out and killed 185,000 of the Assyrians.
42In the same way, utterly destroy this army before us today. Let everyone still alive know that Nicanor has blasphemed your sanctuary, and judge him as his wickedness deserves.”
43The armies attacked each other on March 8. Nicanor’s army was completely defeated, and he himself was the first to fall in battle.[#7:43 Greek on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, of the Hebrew lunar calendar. The text does not specify the year, but this battle probably occurred on March 8, 161 b.c. or March 27, 160 b.c.]
44When Nicanor’s men saw that he was dead, they threw down their weapons and fled.
45The Jews chased them for about eighteen miles, from Adasa as far as Gazara, and their trumpets kept sounding the battle call.[#7:45 Greek a day’s journey.]
46People came out of all the towns of Judea and drove the enemy back to the pursuing Jewish army, which killed them all by the sword—not a single one was left alive.
47The Jews carried away all the goods, and they cut off Nicanor’s head and his right hand, which he had so arrogantly raised against them. They brought his head and hand to Jerusalem and put them on display for all to see.
48The people were overjoyed and spent that day in festive celebration.
49Judas decreed that there should be a celebration each spring to commemorate the victory.[#7:49 Greek each year on the thirteenth day of Adar, of the Hebrew lunar calendar; see note on 7:43.]
50So Judea enjoyed peace and quiet for a short time.