1 Maccabees 3
Good News Translation
The Early Victories of Judas(A)
3 Judas Maccabeus took the place of his father Mattathias. 2 All his brothers and all the loyal followers of his father gave him their support, and they were happy to carry on Israel's war.
3 Judas brought greater glory to his people.
In his armor, he was like a giant.
He took up his weapons and went to war;
with his own sword he defended his camp.
4 He was like a ferocious lion roaring as it attacks.
5 Judas hunted down those who broke the Law
and set fire to all who oppressed his people.
6 In fear of him, lawless men huddled together in terror,
not knowing which way to turn.
He advanced the cause of freedom by what he did.
7 He made life miserable for many kings,
but brought joy to the people of Israel.
We will praise him forever for what he did.
8 He went through the towns of Judea
and destroyed all the godless men.
He relieved Israel of its terrible suffering.[a]
9 His fame spread to the ends of the earth,
as he gathered together those who were threatened with death.
10 Then Apollonius assembled a Gentile army, including a large force from Samaria, to attack the people of Israel. 11 When Judas learned of this, he marched out to battle, defeated the army, and killed Apollonius. Many Gentiles lost their lives, and the rest fled. 12 When the spoils of war were collected, Judas took the sword of Apollonius and used it in battle until the day he died.
13 Seron, the general of the Syrian forces, learned that Judas had gathered together an army, consisting of a band of loyal men who were ready to fight under his command. 14 Seron said to himself,
I will make a reputation for myself throughout the empire by defeating Judas and his men, who have no respect for the king's command. 15 Then he began a new campaign against Judas and was joined by a strong force of godless men who were eager to help him take vengeance on Israel. 16 When he approached the pass at Beth Horon, Judas went out to meet him with a small group of men. 17 When Judas' men saw the army coming against them, they asked,
How can our little group of men fight an army as big as that? Besides, we have not eaten all day, and we are tired!
18 It is not difficult, Judas answered,
for a small group to overpower a large one. It makes no difference to the Lord whether we are rescued by many people or by just a few. 19 Victory in battle does not depend on who has the largest army; it is the Lord's power that determines the outcome. 20 Our enemies are coming against us with great violence, intending to plunder our possessions and kill our wives and children. 21 But we are fighting for our lives and for our religion. 22 When we attack, the Lord will crush our enemies, so don't be afraid of them.
23 As soon as Judas had finished speaking, he and his men made a sudden attack against Seron and his army and crushed them. 24 They pursued them down the pass at Beth Horon to the plain and killed about 800 men. Those who escaped fled to Philistia. 25 After that, Gentiles everywhere began to be afraid of Judas and his brothers. 26 His fame reached the ears of King Antiochus, and people in every nation talked about Judas and his victories.
The King Appoints Lysias as Governor
27 When Antiochus heard what had happened, he was furious. He ordered all the armies of his empire to assemble in one huge force. 28 From his treasury he paid a full year's wages to his soldiers and ordered them to be prepared for any emergency. 29 But then he found that the funds in his treasury were exhausted. Income from taxes had decreased because of the disorder and the troubles he had brought on the world by doing away with the laws which had been in force from the earliest times. 30 Antiochus had always given presents more lavishly than earlier kings, but now he was worried that he might not be able to continue this, or even to meet expenses—this had happened once or twice before. 31 He was very disturbed; but finally he decided to go to Persia, collect the taxes from the provinces there, and bring together a large sum of ready cash.
32 He appointed Lysias, an important man who had been granted the title
Relative of the King, as governor to take care of the king's affairs in the whole territory between the Euphrates River and the Egyptian border. 33 The king also made Lysias the guardian of his son Antiochus the Fifth until his own return. 34 He put Lysias in charge of all the elephants and of half his army, and then gave him detailed instructions about what he wanted done, and in particular, what he wanted done with the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem. 35 Lysias was ordered to send an army against the Jews, especially the Jews in Jerusalem, to break their power and destroy them, so that no trace of them would remain. 36 He was ordered to take their land and give it to foreigners, who would settle the whole area. 37 Taking the other half of his army, the king set out from Antioch, his capital city, in the year 147.[b] He crossed the Euphrates River and marched through Mesopotamia.
The Victories of Judas(B)
38 Lysias chose Nicanor, Gorgias, and Ptolemy son of Dorymenes as army commanders; all three were able men who bore the title
Friend of the King. 39 He put them in charge of 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry and ordered them to invade the land of Judea and destroy it as the king had commanded. 40 These commanders set out with their entire force, and when they came to the plains near Emmaus, they made camp. 41 A force from Idumea[c] and Philistia joined them. The merchants of the region heard about the strength of the army, and they came to the camp with chains and a large amount of money, hoping to buy some Jewish slaves.
42 Judas and his brothers saw that their situation was getting more and more difficult, with foreign armies camped within their own borders. They also learned that the king had commanded the complete destruction of the people. 43 So they determined to rebuild their ruined nation and fight for their country and the Temple. 44 Then the whole community came together to prepare for war and to pray for God's mercy.
45 Jerusalem was as empty as a wilderness;
no citizens left or entered the city.
The holy Temple was profaned by foreigners,
and Gentiles camped in the city's fort;
so joy departed from the people of Israel,
and the sound of music was heard no more.
46 Then Judas and his men assembled and marched to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because the people of Israel had previously had a place of worship there. 47 In deep mourning, they fasted all that day, put on sackcloth, threw ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes. 48 The Gentiles would have consulted their idols in such a situation, but the Israelites unrolled the book of the Law to search for God's guidance.49 They brought the priests' robes, the offerings of the first grain, and the tithes, and then they brought in some Nazirites who had completed their vows. 50 The whole community prayed,
Lord, what shall we do with these things? Where shall we take them, 51 now that your holy Temple has been trampled and profaned by Gentiles, and your priests mourn in disgrace? 52 The Gentiles have come to attack and destroy us. You know what they plan to do! 53 If you don't help us, how can we stand up against them?
54 Then they blew trumpets and shouted loudly.
55 After that, Judas divided his men into groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand, placing officers in charge of each group. 56 (C)Then, in obedience to the Law, he sent home everyone who had recently been married, built a house, or planted a vineyard, as well as anyone who was afraid. 57 Finally, the army marched out and took up positions south of Emmaus, 58 where Judas said to them:
Prepare yourselves for battle and be courageous! Be ready early tomorrow morning to fight these Gentiles who have joined forces to attack us and destroy us and our Temple. 59 It is better for us to die fighting than to stand idly by and watch the destruction of our nation and our Temple. 60 But the Lord will do what he pleases.
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 3:8 relieved Israel of its terrible suffering; or saved Israel from God's anger.
- 1 Maccabees 3:37 the year 147: This corresponds to 165 B.C.
- 1 Maccabees 3:41 Probable text Idumea; Greek Syria.
1 Maccabees 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Early Victories of Judas
3 Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, took command in his place.(A) 2 All his brothers and all who had joined his father helped him; they gladly fought for Israel.(B)
3 He extended the glory of his people.
Like a giant he put on his breastplate;
he bound on his armor of war and waged battles,
protecting the camp by his sword.
4 He was like a lion in his deeds,
like a lion’s cub roaring for prey.(C)
5 He searched out and pursued those who broke the law;
he burned those who troubled his people.(D)
6 Lawbreakers shrank back for fear of him;
all the evildoers were confounded;
and deliverance prospered by his hand.(E)
7 He embittered many kings,
but he made Jacob glad by his deeds,
and his memory is blessed forever.
8 He went through the cities of Judah;
he destroyed the ungodly out of the land;[a]
thus he turned away wrath from Israel.(F)
9 He was renowned to the ends of the earth;
he gathered in those who were perishing.
10 Then Apollonius gathered together nations and a large force from Samaria to fight against Israel.(G) 11 When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him, and he defeated and killed him. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled.(H) 12 Then they seized their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius and used it in battle the rest of his life.
13 When Seron, the commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had gathered a large company, including a body of faithful soldiers who stayed with him and went out to battle, 14 he said, “I will make a name for myself and win honor in the kingdom. I will make war on Judas and his companions, who scorn the king’s command.” 15 Once again a strong army of godless men joined him and went up with him to help him, to take vengeance on the Israelites.
16 When he approached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him with a small company.(I) 17 But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, “How can we, few as we are, fight against so great and so strong a multitude? And we are faint, for we have eaten nothing today.” 18 Judas replied, “It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by few.(J) 19 It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from heaven.(K) 20 They come against us in great insolence and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children and to despoil us, 21 but we fight for our lives and our laws.(L) 22 He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of them.”
23 When he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army, and they were crushed before him. 24 They pursued them[b] down the descent of Beth-horon to the plain; eight hundred of them fell, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.(M) 25 Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror fell on the nations all around them.(N) 26 His fame reached the king, and the nations talked of the battles of Judas.
The Policy of Antiochus
27 When King Antiochus heard these reports, he was greatly angered, and he sent and gathered all the forces of his kingdom, a very strong army.(O) 28 He opened his coffers and gave a year’s pay to his forces and ordered them to be ready for any need. 29 Then he saw that the money in the treasury was exhausted and that the tribute payments from the country were small because of the dissension and disaster that he had caused in the land by abolishing the laws that had existed from the earliest days. 30 He feared that he might not have such funds as he had before for his expenses and for the gifts that he used to give more lavishly than preceding kings. 31 He was greatly perplexed in mind; then he determined to go to Persia and collect the tribute payments from those regions and raise a large fund.(P)
32 He left Lysias, a distinguished man of royal lineage, in charge of the king’s affairs from the River Euphrates to the borders of Egypt.(Q) 33 Lysias was also to take care of his son Antiochus until he returned.(R) 34 And he turned over to Lysias[c] half of his forces and the elephants and gave him orders about all that he wanted done. As for the residents of Judea and Jerusalem,(S) 35 Lysias was to send a force against them to wipe out and destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem; he was to banish the memory of them from the place,(T) 36 settle strangers in all their territory, and distribute their land by lot. 37 Then the king took the remaining half of his forces and left Antioch his capital in the one hundred and forty-seventh year. He crossed the Euphrates River and went through the upper provinces.(U)
Preparations for Battle
38 Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes and Nicanor and Gorgias, able men among the Friends of the king,(V) 39 and sent with them forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to go into the land of Judah and destroy it, as the king had commanded. 40 So they set out with their entire force, and when they arrived they encamped near Emmaus in the plain.(W) 41 When the traders of the region heard what was said to them, they took silver and gold in immense amounts and fetters[d] and went to the camp to get the Israelites for slaves. And forces from Syria and the land of the Philistines[e] joined with them.(X)
42 Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the king had commanded to do to the people to cause their final destruction. 43 But they said to one another, “Let us restore the ruins of our people and fight for our people and the sanctuary.” 44 So the congregation assembled to be ready for battle and to pray and ask for mercy and compassion.
45 Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;
not one of her children went in or out.
The sanctuary was trampled down,
and strangers held the citadel;
it was a lodging place for the nations.
Joy was taken from Jacob;
the flute and the harp ceased to play.(Y)
46 Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah.(Z) 47 They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes.(AA) 48 And they opened the book of the law to inquire into those matters about which the nations consulted the likenesses of their gods. 49 They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred up the nazirites who had completed their days,(AB) 50 and they cried aloud to heaven, saying,
“What shall we do with these?
Where shall we take them?
51 Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,
and your priests mourn in humiliation.(AC)
52 Here the nations are assembled against us to destroy us;
you know what they plot against us.
53 How will we be able to withstand them,
if you do not help us?”
54 Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout.(AD) 55 After this Judas appointed leaders of the people in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens.(AE) 56 Those who were building houses or were about to be married or were planting a vineyard or were fainthearted, he told to go home, according to the law.(AF) 57 Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.
58 And Judas said, “Arm yourselves and be courageous. Be ready early in the morning to fight with these nations who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.(AG) 59 It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. 60 But as his will in heaven may be, so shall he do.”
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