1 Maccabees 6:51-53

New Catholic Bible

⁵¹ He besieged the sanctuary for many days, employing artillery, engines of war to hurl fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults. ⁵² The Jews for their part set up machines of their own to counter theirs, and they continued the battle for many days. ⁵³ However, there was no food in the storerooms because it was the sabbatical year, and those who had fled from the Gentiles and taken refuge in Judea had consumed the last of the reserves.