1 Maccabees 5

Wycliffe Bible

5 And it was done, as (the) heathen men heard in compass, that the altar was builded, and the saintuary (or the sanctuary) as before, they were wroth greatly.

² And they thought for to do away, either destroy, the kin of Jacob, that was among them; and they began for to slay of the people, and pursue (after them).

³ And Judas overcame the sons of Esau in Idumea, and them that were in Acrabattene, for they sat about (the) men of Israel; and he smote them with a great wound.

⁴ And he thought on the malice of the sons of Bean, that were into (a) snare, and into (an) offence to the people of Israel, and espied it, either set ambushments to it, in (or on) the way(s).

⁵ And these were closed (up) (al)together from him in the towers; and he applied to them (or he encamped near them), and cursed them, and burnt with fire the towers of them, with all (the) men that were in them.

⁶ And he passed (over) to the sons of Ammon, and found (a) strong hand, and plenteous people, and Timothy (or Timotheus), (the) duke of them.

⁷ And he smote many battles with them, and they were broken in (or at) the sight of him; and he smote them.

⁸ And he took the city (of) Jazer, and (the) villages thereof; and he (re)turned again into Judea.

⁹ And (the) heathen men that were in Gilead, were gathered against (the) Israelites, that were in the coasts of them, to do away them [or to do them away]; and they fled into the strengthening (or the stronghold) of Dathema.

¹⁰ And they sent letters to Judas, and his brethren, and said, (The) Heathen men be gathered against us by compass, (so) that they do away us; [And they sent letters to Judas, and his brethren, saying, Heathen men be gathered against us by compass, that they do us away;]

¹¹ and they make ready for to come, and occupy the strengthening (or the stronghold), into which we fled; and Timothy (or Timotheus) is duke of the host of them.

¹² Now therefore come thou, and deliver us from their hands, for a multitude of us fell down;

¹³ and all our brethren that were in (the) places of Tubias, everywhere be slain; and they led away captive the wives of them, and (their) children, and took (their) spoils; and killed there almost a thousand men.

¹⁴ And yet (while these) epistles were read, and lo! other messengers came from Galilee, with coats rent (or torn), and told by these words,

¹⁵ and said, that men came together against them from Ptolemais, and Tyre, and Sidon, and all Galilee is [full-]filled with aliens, for to destroy us.

¹⁶ Soothly as Judas heard, and the people, these words, a great church (or a great congregation) came together, for to think what they should do to (or for) their brethren, that were in tribulation, and were overcome of (or by) them.

¹⁷ And Judas said to Simon, his brother, Choose to thee (some) men, and go, and deliver thy brethren in Galilee; I forsooth and my brother Jonathan, shall go into Gilead.

¹⁸ And (so) he left Joseph, son of Zechariah, and Azariah, dukes of the people, with the residue host in Judea to keeping (it) (or to guard it);

¹⁹ and (he) commanded to them, and said, Be ye sovereigns to this people, and do not ye smite battle against (the) heathen men, till we (re)turn again. [And he commanded them, saying, Before be ye to this people, and do not ye smite battle against heathen men, till we turn again.]

²⁰ And men were given to Simon three thousands, for to go into Galilee; to Judas soothly eight thousand, into Gilead. [And three thousand men be given to Simon, for to go into Galilee; to Judas soothly eight thousand, into Gilead.]

²¹ And Simon went into Galilee, and joined many battles with (the) heathen men. And (the) heathen men were all-broken from his face,

²² and he pursued them till to the gate of Ptolemais. And there fell down of (the) heathen men almost three thousand of men; and he took the spoils of them.

²³ And he took them that were in Galilee, and in Arbattis, with (their) wives, and (their) children, and all things that were to them; and brought (them) into Judea with great gladness.

²⁴ And Judas Maccabeus, and Jonathan, and his brethren passed (over) (the) Jordan, and went forth the way of three days into (the) desert.

²⁵ And (the) Nabathites (or the Nabateans) came against, (or towards, or unto) them, and received them peaceably, and told to them all things that befell to their brethren in Gilead;

²⁶ and that many of them were taken [or caught] in Bozrah, and Bosor, and in Alema, and in Casphor, and Maked, and Carnaim; all these were strong cities and great.

²⁷ But and in other cities of Gilead they be holden caught. And on the morrow they ordained for to move the host to those cities, and for to take (them), and (to) do away them in one day.

²⁸ And Judas turned, and his host, the way into (the) desert of Bozrah suddenly; and [he] occupied the city, and slew each male by the sharpness of (the) sword, and took all the spoils of them, and burnt it with fire.

²⁹ And they rose (up) thence in (the) night, and went unto the strengthening (or to the stronghold).

³⁰ And it was made in (the) springing of (the) day, when they raised (up) their eyes, and lo! much people, of whom was no number, bearing ladders and engines, for to take the strengthening (or the stronghold), and overcome them.

³¹ And Judas saw, that (the) battle (had) began, and (the) cry of battle ascended into heaven, as [a] trump (or with trumpets), and (a) great cry of (or from) (the) city.

³² And he said to his host, Fight ye today for your brethren.

³³ And he came, and three orders after them, and they cried with trumps, and cried in prayer. [And he came in three orders after them, and they cried with trumps, and cried in prayer.]

³⁴ And (the) hosts of Timothy (or of Timotheus) knew, that it was Maccabeus, and they fled from his face. And they have smitten them with (a) great wound; and there fell down of them in that day almost eight thousand of men.

³⁵ And Judas turned away into Mizpeh; and [he] overcame (it), and took it, and slew each male thereof, and took (the) spoils of it, and burnt it with fire.

³⁶ From thence he went, and took Casphor, and Maked, and Bosor, and other cities of Gilead.

³⁷ Forsooth after these words, Timothy (or Timotheus) gathered another host, and putted tents against Raphon, over the stream.

³⁸ And Judas sent for to behold the host, and they told again to him, and said, That all (the) heathen men that be in our compass, full much host, came together to him. [And Judas sent for to behold the host, and they told again to him, saying, For all heathen men that be in our compass came together to him, and a full much host.]

³⁹ And they hired (the) Arabians into help to (or for) them, and they have set (up their) tents over the stream, and be ready for to come to thee into battle. And Judas went against (or towards) them.

⁴⁰ And Timothy (or Timotheus) said to the princes of his host, When Judas nigheth (or approacheth), and his host, to the stream of water, if he passeth former (or over first) to us, we shall not be able to abide him, for he mighty shall be able to be against us.

⁴¹ Soothly if he dreadeth for to pass (over), and setteth (up his) tents beyond the flood (or on the other side of the river), pass we over to them, and we shall be able to be against him.

⁴² Forsooth as Judas nighed (or approached) to the stream of water, he ordained (the) scribes, either writers, of the people, beside the stream, and commanded to them, and said, [or saying], Leave ye none of (the) men, but come all (or let all come) into (the) battle.

⁴³ And he the former (or the first) passed over to them, and all the people after him. And all these heathen men were all-broken from the face of them, and they casted away their armours (or their arms, or weapons); and they fled to the temple, that was at Carnaim.

⁴⁴ And Judas occupied that city, and burnt the temple with fire, and all that were in it; and Carnaim was oppressed, and might not abide [or sustain] against the face of Judas.

⁴⁵ And Judas gathered all (the) Israelites that were in Gilead, from the least to the most, and (the) wives of them, and (their) children, and a full great host, (so) that they should come into the land of Judea.

⁴⁶ And they came till to Ephron, and this great city, put in the entry, was full strong; and there was not for to bow away from it, in (or on) (the) right half or (the) left, but the way was through the middle.

⁴⁷ And they that were in the city closed in them(selves), and stopped (up) the gates with stones. [And they that were in the city closed them(selves) in, and stopped the gates with stones.]

⁴⁸ And Judas sent to them with peaceable words, and said, [or saying], Pass we by your land, for to go into our land, and no man shall annoy (or shall harm) you, only on feet we shall go. And they would not open to them.

⁴⁹ And Judas commanded for to preach in (the) tents, either (the) host, that each man should apply, (or encamp at), in what place he was.

⁵⁰ And (the) men of virtue applied them (or And the fighting men encamped themselves), and he fought against that city all day and all night, and the city was betaken in(to) his hand(s).

⁵¹ And they slew each male by the sharpness of (the) sword, and drew up by the roots it [or and drew it up by the roots], and took the spoils thereof, and passed by all the city on the slain men.

⁵² And they passed over (the) Jordan, in the great field against the face of (or opposite) Bethshan.

⁵³ And Judas was gathering the last men, and admonished the people by all the way, till they came into the land of Judea.

⁵⁴ And they went up into the hill of Zion with gladness and joy, and offered burnt sacrifices, that no man of them fell down, or was dead, till they (re)turned again in peace.

⁵⁵ And in the days in which Judas was, and Jonathan, in the land of Gilead, and Simon, his brother, in Galilee, against the face of Ptolemais,

⁵⁶ Joseph, son of Zechariah, heard, and Azariah, prince of virtue (or the leaders of the hosts), the things done well [or the things well done], and (the) battles that were made.

⁵⁷ And he said, Make we also a name to (or for) us, and go we for to fight against (the) heathen men, that be in our compass.

⁵⁸ And he commanded to these that were in his host, and they went forth to Jamnia.

⁵⁹ And Gorgias went out of the city, and his men, against them, into (the) fight.

⁶⁰ And Joseph and Azariah were driven into, or unto, the ends of Judea; and there fell down in that day of the people of Israel, men to two thousands [or men (of) two thousands].

⁶¹ And a great wound was made in the people; for they heard not (or did not listen to) Judas and his brethren, and guessed them(selves) to do (something) strongly.

⁶² Forsooth they were not of (or from) the seed of those men, by which health (or deliverance) was made in Israel.

⁶³ And (the) men of Juda(s) were magnified greatly in the sight of all Israel (or And Judas and his men were greatly magnified in the sight of all Israel), and of all (the) heathen men, where the name of them was heard.

⁶⁴ And they came together, crying to them prosperity, either praisings.

⁶⁵ And Judas went out, and his brethren, and overcame the sons of Esau, in the land that is at the south; and he smote Hebron, and (the) villages thereof, and destroyed the wardings, or the walls, thereof, and burnt with fire (the) towers thereof in compass.

⁶⁶ And he moved (the) tents, for to go into the land of (the) aliens; and went through Samaria.

⁶⁷ In that day (some) priests fell down in battle, while they would (or desired to) do strongly, while (or for) without counsel they went out into battle.

⁶⁸ And Judas bowed away (or turned) into Azotus, in the land of (the) aliens, and destroyed (the) altars of them, and burnt in fire the spoils of their gods, and took (the) preys of (the) cities; and (then) (re)turned again into the land of Judea.