1 Maccabees 11

Wycliffe Bible

11 And the king of Egypt gathered an host, as gravel that is about the brink of the sea, and many ships; and sought for to wield the realm of Alexander in guile, and add it to his realm.

² And he went out into Syria with peaceable words, and they opened to him cities, and came to him; for why king Alexander commanded for to go out against him (or for king Alexander had commanded them to go and meet him), for he was (the) father of the king’s wife.

³ Soothly when Ptolemy entered into a city, he putted keepings of knights in each city.

⁴ And as he nighed to (or approached) Azotus, they showed to him the temple of Dagon burnt in (or with) fire, and Azotus, and other things thereof (that) were destroyed, and (the) bodies cast forth, and the burials of them that were slain in battle, which they made beside the way.

⁵ And they told to the king that Jonathan did these things, for to make envy to him; and (or but) the king was still.

⁶ And Jonathan came to the king with glory into Joppa, and they greeted them(selves) together; and they slept (or lodged) there.

⁷ And Jonathan went with the king till to the flood that is called Eleutherus, and (re)turned again into Jerusalem.

⁸ Soothly king Ptolemy wielded the lordship of (the) cities till to Seleucia, by the sea coast, and thought against Alexander evil counsels;

⁹ and sent legates (or ambassadors) to Demetrius, and said, [or saying], Come thou, make we betwixt us (a) covenant, and I shall give to thee my daughter, whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt reign in the realm of thy father.

¹⁰ For it rueth me, that I gave to him my daughter; for he sought for to slay me.

¹¹ And he despised him therefore, for he coveted the realm of him.

¹² And he took away his daughter, and gave her to Demetrius, and aliened him (or alienated himself) from Alexander; and his enmities were made known.

¹³ And Ptolemy entered into Antioch, and putted two diadems (on)to his head, of Egypt and of Asia.

¹⁴ Forsooth Alexander, the king, was in Cilicia in those days, for they rebelled, that were in those places.

¹⁵ And Alexander heard, and came to him into battle; and Ptolemy, the king, brought forth the host, and came to him in (or with) (a) strong hand, and drove him away.

¹⁶ And Alexander flew into Arabia, for to be defended there; soothly king Ptolemy was enhanced (or was exalted).

¹⁷ And Zabdiel of Arabia took away Alexander’s head, and sent (it) to Ptolemy.

¹⁸ And king Ptolemy was dead in the third day (after); and they that were in (the) strengths perished, of them that were within the castles (and those who were in the strongholds, perished by those who were in the villages).

¹⁹ And Demetrius reigned in the hundred year and seven and sixtieth.

²⁰ In those days Jonathan gathered them that were in Judea, for to overcome the high tower, that is in Jerusalem; and they made against it many engines.

²¹ And some wicked men, that hated their (own) folk, went to the king Demetrius [or went to king Demetrius], and told to him, that Jonathan besieged the high tower.

²² And as he heard (this), he was wroth, and anon (or at once) he came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan, that he should not besiege the high tower, but should come to him in haste, to speak together.

²³ Soothly as Jonathan heard (this), he commanded for to besiege (it still); and he chose (some) of the elder men of Israel, and (the) priests, and gave him(self) to peril.

²⁴ And he took gold, and silver, and cloth(es), and many other presents; and went to the king, to Ptolemais, and found grace in the sight of him.

²⁵ And some wicked men of his folk asked against him;

²⁶ and the king did to him, as they that were before him, did to him; and he enhanced (or exalted) him in (the) sight of all his friends,

²⁷ and ordained to him (the) princehood of (the) priesthood, and whatever other precious things (that) he had before; and made him prince of his friends.

²⁸ And Jonathan asked of the king, that he should make Judea free, and (also the) three princehoods of three places, and Samaria, and nigh coasts thereof; and he promised to him (in return) three hundred talents. (And Jonathan requested to the king, that he would make Judea, and the three regions of Samaria, free from tribute, or taxes; and he promised him three hundred talents in return.)

²⁹ And the king consented, and wrote to Jonathan epistles of (or about) all these things, containing (or in) this manner.

³⁰ King Demetrius to Jonathan, brother, health, and to the folk of (the) Jews.

³¹ The ensample of (the) epistle, which we have written to Lasthenes, our father, of you, we sent to you, that ye should know. (A copy of the letter, which we have written to Lasthenes, our kinsman, about you, we now send you, so that ye can know what I have written.)

³² King Demetrius to Lasthenes, father (or our kinsman), health.

³³ To the people of (the) Jews, our friends, and keeping which things be just with us, we deemed for to do well, for (the) benignity of them that they have with us.

³⁴ Therefor we ordained to them, all the coasts of Judea, and (the) three cities of offerings [or and three cities], Lydda, and Ramathaim, and Apherema, that be added to Judea, and Samaria (or from Samaria), and all the nigh coast of them, for to be sequestered, or parted, to all men doing sacrifice in Jerusalem, for these things that the king took before of them by all years, and for (the) fruits of the earth, and of apples (or to replace the things that the king received before from them yearly, or annually, out of the fruits of the earth, and of the trees).

³⁵ And of other things that pertained to us, of tithes, and tributes, from this time (forth) we forgive to them; and the plain places of salt-making, and the crowns that were borne to us (or the crown taxes, that be due to us), all things we grant to them;

³⁶ and nothing of these shall be void, from this time and into all time.

³⁷ Now therefore busy ye for to make (an) ensample (or a copy) of these things, and be it given to Jonathan, and be (it) put in the holy mount, and in the solemn [or in the holy] place, (or and set it upon the holy mount in a prominent place).

³⁸ And king Demetrius saw, that the land was still in his sight, and that nothing against-stood him, and left (or let go) all his host, each man into his (own) place, except the strange host (or except for the host of strangers, or of foreigners), that he drew from (the) isles of (the) heathen men; and all the hosts of his fathers were enemies to him.

³⁹ Forsooth one Tryphon was of the parts of Alexander before, and he saw that all the host grudged (or grumbled) against Demetrius; and he went to Imalcue (the) Arabian, that nourished (up) (or who had nursed) Antiochus, the son of Alexander.

⁴⁰ And he made great instance (or great insistence) to him, that he should betake him to him, for to reign instead of his father; and [he] told out to him, how great things Demetrius had done, and the enmities of his hosts against him; and he dwelt there many days.

⁴¹ And Jonathan sent to king Demetrius, that he should cast out them [or that he should cast them out], that were in the high tower in Jerusalem, and which were in (the) helps, or (the) strengths, (or in the strongholds), for they impugned Israel.

⁴² And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, and said, [or saying], Not only this I shall do to (or for) thee, and thy folk, but I shall make thee noble by glory, and thy folk, when it shall be covenable (or opportune).

⁴³ Now therefore rightly thou shalt do, if thou shalt send men into help to me (or shall send men to help me), for all mine host went away.

⁴⁴ And Jonathan sent to him three thousand of strong men, to Antioch; and they came to the king, and the king delighted in the coming of them.

⁴⁵ And there came together that were of the city sixscore thousand of men [or an hundred and twenty thousand of men], and would slay the king.

⁴⁶ And the king fled into the hall. And they that were of the city occupied the ways of the city, and begun for to fight.

⁴⁷ And the king called (the) Jews into help, and all came together to him, and all were scattered by the city; and slew in that day an hundred thousand of men,

⁴⁸ and [they] burnt the city, and took many spoils in that day, and delivered the king.

⁴⁹ And they saw, (they) that were of the city, that (the) Jews had taken the city as they would; and they were made unsteadfast in their soul, and cried to the king with prayers, and said, [or saying],

⁵⁰ Give to us right hands, and cease the Jews for to fight against us and the city.

⁵¹ And they casted away their armours, (or their arms, or weapons), and made peace. And (the) Jews were glorified in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all men that were in his realm, and were named in the realm. And they went again into Jerusalem, having many spoils.

⁵² And king Demetrius sat in the seat of his realm (or on the throne of his kingdom), and the land was still (or quiet) in his sight.

⁵³ And he lied (in) all things, whatever he said, and aliened him(self) from Jonathan, and yielded not to him by [or after] (the) benefices, which he had given to him; and Demetrius travailed him greatly. (But he lied in everything, whatever he said, and alienated himself from Jonathan, and yielded not to him after the benefits, which he had received from him; and so Demetrius troubled him greatly.)

⁵⁴ After these things Tryphon (re)turned again, and (had) Antiochus, a young child, with him; and (he) reigned, and putted on him a diadem.

⁵⁵ And all (the) hosts were gathered (un)to him, which king Demetrius (had) scattered; and they fought against him, and he flew, and turned backs.

⁵⁶ And Tryphon took (the) beasts, that is, (the) elephants of the host of Demetrius, and wielded Antioch.

⁵⁷ And Antiochus the young wrote to Jonathan, and said, [or saying], I ordain to thee (the high) priesthood, and I ordain thee on (the) four cities, (and) that thou be (one) of the king’s friends.

⁵⁸ And he sent to him golden vessels, into ministry (or for service), and gave to him power to drink in gold, and for to be in purple, and for to have a golden lace, either (an) ouch, (or a clasp, or a buckle).

⁵⁹ And he ordained Simon, his brother, duke from the ends of Tyre, till to the ends of Egypt.

⁶⁰ And Jonathan went out, and walked over the flood (or beyond the river) by the cities; and all the host of Syria was gathered to him into help. And he came to Ascalon, and they of the city came against him worshipfully (or they of the city came out to meet him honourably or with due honour or deference).

⁶¹ And from thence he went to Gaza, and they that were at Gaza closed (up) them(selves) (al)together, and he besieged it. And he burnt what things were in compass of the city, and spoiled it by (or for) prey.

⁶² And (the) men of Gaza prayed Jonathan, and he gave to them (the) right hand, either peace. And he took the sons of them in(to) hostage (or for hostages), or (as) pledges, and he sent them into Jerusalem, and walked through the country till to Damascus.

⁶³ And Jonathan heard, that the princes of Demetrius trespassed in Kedesh, that is in Galilee, with much host, willing (or desiring) to remove him from (the) need of the realm;

⁶⁴ and he came against them (or he came to meet them). Forsooth he left Simon, his brother, within the province.

⁶⁵ And Simon applied to (or encamped at) Bethsura, and fought against it (for) many days, and closed (up) (al)together them [or and closed them (up) (al)together].

⁶⁶ And they asked of him for to take right hands, and he gave (it) to them. And he casted out them from thence [or And he casted them out from thence], and took the city, and putted therein (a) strength (or a stronghold).

⁶⁷ And Jonathan and his host applied to the water of Gennesar, (or encamped at the Lake of Gennesaret or at Lake Galilee), and before the light they walked in the light of Asor [or and before the light they walked in the field of Asor].

⁶⁸ And lo! the hosts of aliens came against (them) (or met them) in the field, and setted to him espies, (or ambushments, or men in ambush), in the hills. Soothly he came against (them) of (or on) the contrary part.

⁶⁹ Soothly the espies or the ambushments, (that is, the men in ambush), rose up (out) of their places, and joined battle. And all that were of Jonathan’s part fled,

⁷⁰ and no man of them was left, no but Mattathias, son of Absalom, and Judas, son of Chalphi, prince(s) of (the) knighthood and host (or the leaders of the army).

⁷¹ And Jonathan rent (or tore) his clothings, and putted earth in (or on) his head, and prayed.

⁷² And Jonathan (re)turned again to them into battle, and (al)together turned them into flight, and fought (them).

⁷³ And they of his part that fled saw (this), and they (re)turned again to him, and pursued with him till to Kedesh, to their (own) tents, and fully [they] came till thither.

⁷⁴ And there felled down in that day of (the) aliens three thousand of them, and Jonathan (re)turned again into Jerusalem.