1 Now it came to pass, after that Alexander the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece, coming out of the land of Cethim, had overthrown Darius king of the Persians and Medes:

⁷ And he called his servants the nobles that were brought up with him from his youth: and he divided his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.

⁸ And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.

⁹ And his servants made themselves kings every one in his place:

¹⁰ And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years, and evils were multiplied in the earth.

¹¹ And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

¹² In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us.

¹³ And the word seemed good in their eyes.

¹⁴ And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.

¹⁵ And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations: