2 MACCABEES 13

1In the hundred forty and ninth year tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with great multitudes against Judaea, 2and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, 1 each having a Greek force, a hundred and ten thousand footmen, and five thousand and three hundred horsemen, and two and twenty elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.

3And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he thought that he would be set over the government. 4But the King of kings stirred up the 2 passion of Antiochus against the wicked wretch; and when Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king commanded to bring him unto Beroea, and 3 to put him to death after the manner of that place. 5Now there is in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all round it a 4 gallery 5 descending sheer on every side into the ashes. 6Here him that is guilty of sacrilege, or hath attained a preeminence in any other evil deeds, they 6 all push forward into destruction. 7By such a fate it befell the breaker of the law, Menelaus, to die, without obtaining so much as a grave in the earth, and that right justly; 8for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sins 7 against the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, in ashes did he receive his death.

9Now the king, 8 infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had befallen them in his father’s time. 10But when Judas heard of these things, he gave charge to the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, beseeching him, if ever at any other time, so now to succour them that were at the point to be deprived of the law and their country and the holy temple, 11and not to suffer the people that had been but now a little while revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen. 12So when they had all done the same thing together, 9 beseeching the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should join him for service. 13And having gone apart with the elders he resolved that, before the king’s army should enter into Judaea and make themselves masters of the city, they should go forth and try the matter in fight by the help of 10 God. 14And committing the decision to the 11 Lord of the world, and exhorting them that were with him to contend nobly even unto death for laws, temple, city, country, 12 commonwealth, he pitched his camp by Modin. 15And given out to his men the watchword, VICTORY IS GOD’S, with a chosen body of the bravest young men he fell upon the camp by night and penetrated to the king’s 13 tent, and slew 14 of the 15 army as many as two thousand men, and 16 brought down the chiefest elephant with him that was in the 17 tower upon him. 16And at last they filled the 18 army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success. 17And this had been accomplished when the day was but now dawning, because of the Lord’s protection that gave 19 Judas help.

18But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made attempts by stratagem upon their positions, 19and upon a strong fortress of the Jews at Bethsura; he advanced, was turned back, failed, was defeated, 20And Judas conveyed such things as were necessary unto them that were within. 21But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made known to the enemy the secrets of his countrymen. He was sought out, and taken, and shut up in prison. 22The king treated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse, 23heard that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless, was confounded, made to the Jews an overture of peace, submitted himself and sware to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered sacrifice, honoured the sanctuary and the place, 24shewed kindness and graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even unto the 20 Gerrenians, 25came to Ptolemais. The men of Ptolemais were displeased at the treaty, for they had exceeding great indignation against the Jews: they desired to annul the articles of the agreement. 26Lysias 21 came forward to speak, made the best defence that was possible, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, departed unto Antioch. This was the issue of the inroad and departure of the king.