1 Maccabees 9

Wycliffe Bible

9 In the meantime, where (or when) Demetrius heard that Nicanor fell, and his host, in battle, he putted to again for to send Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea, and the right half of the battle array [or and the right horn] with them.

² And they went the way that leadeth into Gilgal, and they setted (up their) tents in Mesaloth, that is in Arbela; and they occupied it, and slew many persons of men.

³ In the first month of the hundred and two and fifty year, they applied the host to Jerusalem (or they pitched their tents near Jerusalem).

⁴ And twenty thousand of men, and two thousand of horsemen, have risen, and went into Berea.

⁵ And Judas setted (up his) tents in Eleasa, and three thousand men chosen with him. [And Judas set tents in Eleasa, and three thousand chosen men with him.]

⁶ And they saw the multitude of the host, that they be many, and they dreaded greatly; and many withdrew them(selves) from (the) tents (or out of the host), and there (were) left not of them no but eight hundred men.

⁷ And Judas saw that his host fled away, and (that the) battle constrained him, and he was broken (al)together in heart, for he had not time to gather them, and he was discomforted [or dissolved].

⁸ And he said to these that were residue, Rise we, and go we to our adversaries, if we shall be able to fight against them.

⁹ And they turned away (from) him, and said, [or saying], We shall not be able to, but deliver we [now] our own lives, and (re)turn again we to our brethren, and then we shall fight against them; forsooth we be few.

¹⁰ And Judas said, Far be it for to do this thing, that we flee from them; and if our time hath nighed (or hath approached), die we in virtue (or bravely) for our brethren, and give we not crime to our glory.

¹¹ And the host (of Bacchides) moved from (their) tents, and they stood against (or before) them. And (the) horsemen were parted into two parts, and slingers and archers went before the host, and the first men of battle (were) all the mighty (men).

¹² Forsooth Bacchides was in the right horn, or battle array. And the legion of two parts came nigh, and cried with (the) trumps.

¹³ Forsooth and these that were on [or of] the part of Judas, cried also, and the earth was moved (al)together of (or by) the voice (or the noise) of (the) hosts, and (the) battle was joined from the morrowtide till to eventide [or from morrow unto even(ing)].

¹⁴ And Judas saw, that the part of Bacchides’ host was firmer in (or on) the right half, and all (the) steadfast in heart came together with him.

¹⁵ And the right part was all-broken of (or by) them; and he pursued them unto the hill of Azotus.

¹⁶ And they that were in the left horn, or battle array, saw, that the right horn, or battle array, was all-broken, and they (pur)sued (or followed) at the back after Judas, and them that were with him [or and they (pur)sued after Judas, and them that were with him at the back].

¹⁷ And the battle was made grievous, and there fell many wounded of these and of them.

¹⁸ And (then) Judas fell, and the others fled.

¹⁹ And Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers, in the city of Modin.

²⁰ And all Israel bewept him with great wailing, and mourned (for) many days, and said,

²¹ How fell the mighty, that made Israel safe.

²² And other words of (the) battles of Judas, and of (the) virtues that he did, and of his greatnesses, be not written (here); for those [or they] were full many.

²³ And it was done, after the death of Judas, all wicked men in all the coasts of Israel rose out (or rose up), and all that wrought wickedness came forth.

²⁴ In those days full great hunger was made, and all the country of them betook themselves to Bacchides with them.

²⁵ And Bacchides chose unpious men, and ordained them lords of the country.

²⁶ And they asked out (or they asked about), and sought (out) the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides; and he (a)venged on [or into] them, and scorned (them).

²⁷ And great tribulation was made in Israel, what manner was not from the day in which a prophet was not seen in Israel.

²⁸ And all the friends of Judas were gathered, and said to Jonathan,

²⁹ Since thy brother Judas is dead, there is no man like him, that shall go out against (our) enemies, Bacchides and them that be (the) enemies of our folk.

³⁰ Therefore now we choose thee today for to be prince and duke to us for him, for to fight our battle(s).

³¹ And (so) Jonathan received in that time the princehood, and rose (up) in the place of Judas, his brother.

³² And Bacchides knew (this), and sought for to slay him.

³³ And Jonathan knew (that), and Simon, his brother, and all that were with him, and [they] fled into (the) desert of Tekoa, and sat together at the water of the lake Asphar.

³⁴ And Bacchides knew (this), and in the day of sabbath he came, and all his host, over (the) Jordan.

³⁵ And Jonathan sent his brother (John,) (a) leader of that people [or duke of the people], and (he) prayed (the) Nabathites, (or the Nabateans), his friends, that he should betake to them his apparel, (or their baggage), that was plenteous.

³⁶ And (or But) (the) sons of Jambri went out of Medaba, and caught John, and all (the) things that he had, and went away, having (or taking) those things [or and went away, having them].

³⁷ After these words it was told again to Jonathan, and Simon, his brother, that the sons of Jambri make great weddings, and wed a wife of Nadabath, the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan, with great pride and apparel.

³⁸ And they bethought on the blood of John, their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under (the) covering of the hill.

³⁹ And they raised (up) their eyes, and saw, and lo! noise (or a commotion), and great apparel; and a spouse, or (the) husband, came forth, and his friends, and his brethren, against (or towards) them, with tympans, and musics, and many armours, (or many arms, or weapons).

⁴⁰ And they rose (up) to (or against) them from (the) ambushments, and slew them, and many wounded fell down, and the residues fled into the hill, and they took all the spoils of them;

⁴¹ and (the) weddings were converted into mourning, and (the) voice of their musics (or the sound of their music) into wailing.

⁴² And (so) they (a)venged the vengeance of their brother’s blood, and (then) [they] (re)turned again to the brink of (the) Jordan.

⁴³ And Bacchides heard, and came in the day of sabbaths till to the utmost part of (the) Jordan, in (or with) great strength.

⁴⁴ And Jonathan said to his (men), Rise we (up), and fight against our enemies; for it is not today as yesterday, and the third day ago.

⁴⁵ For lo! (the) battle is even against (or before) (us); soothly the water of (the) Jordan is on this half and on that half, and rivers, and marshes, and forests [or and wild woods], and there is no place of turning away (or and there is no place for turning aside).

⁴⁶ Now therefore cry ye into heaven, (so) that ye be delivered from (the) hand of your enemies.

⁴⁷ And (the) battle was joined. And Jonathan straightened out (or stretched forth) his hand, for to smite Bacchides, and (or but) he turned away from him behind.

⁴⁸ And Jonathan skipped down [or leaped out], and they that were with him, into (the) Jordan, and swam over (the) Jordan to them.

⁴⁹ And there fell of Bacchides part in that day a thousand men,

⁵⁰ and they, that is, Bacchides and his men, (re)turned again into Jerusalem; and (re)builded (the) strong cities in Judea, the strength (or the stronghold) that was in Jericho, and in Emmaus, and in Beth-horon, and Bethel, and Timnath-pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls, and gates, and locks.

⁵¹ And he setted keeping in them, (so) that they should haunt enmities in (or upon) Israel;

⁵² and he strengthened the city (of) Bethsura, and Gazara, and the high tower, and putted in them helps, and apparel of meats (or food).

⁵³ And he took the sons of (the) princes of the country in (or for) hostage(s), or pledges, and putted them in the high tower in Jerusalem, in keeping.

⁵⁴ And in the hundred year and three and fifty [or And in the hundred year and three and fiftieth], in the second month, Alcimus commanded (that) the walls of the holy inner house for to be destroyed, and the works of (the) prophets for to be destroyed,

⁵⁵ and he began for to destroy (them). In (or At) that time Alcimus was smitten, and the works of him were letted (or were hindered). And his mouth was closed, and he was dissolved, either made feeble, by palsy, neither he might speak more a word, and command of (or to) his house.

⁵⁶ And Alcimus was dead in that time, with great torment.

⁵⁷ And Bacchides saw, that Alcimus was dead, and he (re)turned again to the king, and the land was still (for) two years.

⁵⁸ And all (the) wicked men thought, saying, Lo! Jonathan, and they that be with him, dwell in silence, and trust [or trusting]; now therefore bring we Bacchides (here), and he shall take them all in one night.

⁵⁹ And they went forth, and gave counsel to him.

⁶⁰ And he rose (up), for to come with much host. And he sent epistles privily to his fellows, that were in Judea, that they should catch Jonathan, and them that were with him; but they might not, for their counsel was known to them.

⁶¹ And Jonathan caught (those) of (the) men of the country, that were (the) princes of (the) knighthood, (about) fifty men, and slew them.

⁶² And Jonathan and Simon went, and they that were with him, into Bethbasi, that is in (the) desert, and (re)builded the destroyed things thereof, and made it strong.

⁶³ And Bacchides knew (this), and gathered all his multitude, and denounced (or announced) to them that were of Judea.

⁶⁴ And he came, and setted (up his) tents above Bethbasi, and fought against it (for) many days, and made engines (of war).

⁶⁵ And Jonathan left Simon, his brother, in the city, and went out into the country, and came with (a) number (of men);

⁶⁶ and smote Odomera, and his brethren, and (the) sons of Phasiron, in the tabernacles of them (or in their tents),

⁶⁷ and [he] began for to smite, and wax in virtues (or and to increase his forces). Simon soothly, and they that were with him, went out of the city, and burnt (up) (the) engines (of war).

⁶⁸ And they fought against Bacchides, and he was all-broken of (or by) them; and they tormented him greatly, for his counsel and his assailing was void (or was in vain).

⁶⁹ And he was wroth against (the) wicked men, that gave counsel to him for to come into their country, and slew many of them; forsooth he thought with others for to go (or to return) into his country.

⁷⁰ And Jonathan knew, and sent legates (or ambassadors) to him, for to make peace with him, and to yield to him (the Jewish) prisoners.

⁷¹ And willfully he took (or And willingly he accepted), and did by his words, and swore that he should not do to him any evil in all the days of his life. [And willfully he took, and did after his words, and swore him to doing to him nothing of evil all days of his life.]

⁷² And he yielded to him the captivity, that is, (the Jewish) prisoners, which he took by prey before (out) of the land of Judea. And he (re)turned, and went into his land, and putted no more for to come into his coasts (or into their land).

⁷³ And (so the) sword cease from Israel. And Jonathan dwelled in Michmash, and there Jonathan began for to deem the people, and he destroyed the unfaithful [or unpious] men (out) of Israel.