Alexander the Great

1 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated^[a] Dari′us, king of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) ² He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. ³ He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. ⁴ He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him.

⁵ After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. ⁶ So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷ And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.

⁸ Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. ⁹ They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their sons after them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.

Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews

¹⁰ From them came forth a sinful root, Anti′ochus Epiph′anes, son of Anti′ochus the king; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.^[b]

¹¹ In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us.” ¹² This proposal pleased them, ¹³ and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. ¹⁴ So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, ¹⁵ and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.

Antiochus in Egypt

¹⁶ When Anti′ochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷ So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. ¹⁸ He engaged Ptol′emy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptol′emy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. ¹⁹ And they captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

Persecution of the Jews

²⁰ After subduing Egypt, Anti′ochus returned in the one hundred and forty-third year.^[c] He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. ²¹ He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. ²² He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. ²³ He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures which he found. ²⁴ Taking them all, he departed to his own land.

The Occupation of Jerusalem

²⁹ Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force. ³⁰ Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel. ³¹ He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. ³² And they took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle. ³³ Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. ³⁴ And they stationed there a sinful people, lawless men. These strengthened their position; ³⁵ they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great snare.

Installation of Gentile Cults

⁴¹ Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, ⁴² and that each should give up his customs. ⁴³ All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. ⁴⁴ And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, ⁴⁵ to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and feasts, ⁴⁶ to defile the sanctuary and the priests, ⁴⁷ to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, ⁴⁸ and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, ⁴⁹ so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰ “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”

⁵¹ In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice, city by city. ⁵² Many of the people, every one who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; ⁵³ they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.

⁵⁴ Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year,^[d] they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah, ⁵⁵ and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶ The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. ⁵⁷ Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death. ⁵⁸ They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after month in the cities. ⁵⁹ And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering. ⁶⁰ According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, ⁶¹ and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.

⁶² But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. ⁶³ They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. ⁶⁴ And very great wrath came upon Israel.

A Letter to the Jews in Egypt

1 The Jewish brethren in Jerusalem and those in the land of Judea,

To their Jewish brethren in Egypt,

Greeting, and good peace.

² May God do good to you, and may he remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants. ³ May he give you all a heart to worship him and to do his will with a strong heart and a willing spirit. ⁴ May he open your heart to his law and his commandments, and may he bring peace. ⁵ May he hear your prayers and be reconciled to you, and may he not forsake you in time of evil. ⁶ We are now praying for you here.

⁷ In the reign of Deme′trius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year,^[a] we Jews wrote to you, in the critical distress which came upon us in those years after Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom ⁸ and burned the gate and shed innocent blood. We besought the Lord and we were heard, and we offered sacrifice and cereal offering, and we lighted the lamps and we set out the loaves. ⁹ And now see that you keep the feast of booths in the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and eighty-eighth year.^[b]

A Letter to Aristobulus

¹⁰ Those in Jerusalem and those in Judea and the senate and Judas,

To Aristobu′lus, who is of the family of the anointed priests, teacher of Ptol′emy the king, and to the Jews in Egypt,

Greeting, and good health.

¹¹ Having been saved by God out of grave dangers we thank him greatly for taking our side against the king.^{[c] 12} For he drove out those who fought against the holy city. ¹³ For when the leader reached Persia with a force that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nane′a by a deception employed by the priests of Nane′a. ¹⁴ For under pretext of intending to marry her, Anti′ochus came to the place together with his friends, to secure most of its treasures as a dowry. ¹⁵ When the priests of the temple of Nane′a had set out the treasures and Anti′ochus had come with a few men inside the wall of the sacred precinct, they closed the temple as soon as he entered it. ¹⁶ Opening the secret door in the ceiling, they threw stones and struck down the leader and his men, and dismembered them and cut off their heads and threw them to the people outside. ¹⁷ Blessed in every way be our God, who has brought judgment upon those who have behaved impiously.

Fire Consumes Nehemiah’s Sacrifice

¹⁸ Since on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev we shall celebrate the purification of the temple, we thought it necessary to notify you, in order that you also may celebrate the feast of booths and the feast of the fire given when Nehemi′ah, who built the temple and altar, offered sacrifices.

¹⁹ For when our fathers were being led captive to Persia, the pious priests of that time took some of the fire of the altar and secretly hid it in the hollow of a dry cistern, where they took such precautions that the place was unknown to any one. ²⁰ But after many years had passed, when it pleased God, Nehemi′ah, having been commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to get it. And when they reported to us that they had not found fire but thick liquid, he ordered them to dip it out and bring it. ²¹ And when the materials for the sacrifices were presented, Nehemi′ah ordered the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and what was laid upon it. ²² When this was done and some time had passed and the sun, which had been clouded over, shone out, a great fire blazed up, so that all marveled. ²³ And while the sacrifice was being consumed, the priests offered prayer—the priests and every one. Jonathan led, and the rest responded, as did Nehemi′ah. ²⁴ The prayer was to this effect:

“O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, who art awe-inspiring and strong and just and merciful, who alone art King and art kind, ²⁵ who alone art bountiful, who alone art just and almighty and eternal, who dost rescue Israel from every evil, who didst choose the fathers and consecrate them, ²⁶ accept this sacrifice on behalf of all thy people Israel and preserve thy portion and make it holy. ²⁷ Gather together our scattered people, set free those who are slaves among the Gentiles, look upon those who are rejected and despised, and let the Gentiles know that thou art our God. ²⁸ Afflict those who oppress and are insolent with pride. ²⁹ Plant thy people in thy holy place, as Moses said.”

³⁰ Then the priests sang the hymns. ³¹ And when the materials of the sacrifice were consumed, Nehemi′ah ordered that the liquid that was left should be poured upon large stones. ³² When this was done, a flame blazed up; but when the light from the altar shone back, it went out. ³³ When this matter became known, and it was reported to the king of the Persians that, in the place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, the liquid had appeared with which Nehemi′ah and his associates had burned the materials of the sacrifice, ³⁴ the king investigated the matter, and enclosed the place and made it sacred. ³⁵ And with those persons whom the king favored he exchanged many excellent gifts. ³⁶ Nehemi′ah and his associates called this “nephthar,” which means purification, but by most people it is called naphtha.^[d]