1 Maccabees 4
Good News Translation
4 Gorgias took 5,000 infantry and 1,000 of his most experienced cavalry and left camp by night, 2 with men from the fort in Jerusalem as his guides. He had planned to make a surprise attack on the Jewish army, 3 but Judas learned of the plan and moved out with his men to attack the king's army at Emmaus 4 while Gorgias and his troops were still away from the camp. 5 When Gorgias and his army reached Judas' camp that night, they found no one there. They thought Judas and his men were trying to escape, so they started looking for them in the mountains.
6 At dawn Judas appeared in the plain with 3,000 men, not all of them as well armed as they would have liked. 7 They saw the huge Gentile army of experienced troops wearing armor and protected by cavalry. 8 But Judas said to his men,
Don't worry about the size of their army, and don't be frightened when they attack. 9 Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea when the king of Egypt was pursuing them with his army! 10 Now let us ask the Lord to have mercy on us. Let us pray that he will honor his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army when we attack today. 11 Then all the Gentiles will know that Israel has a God who rescues and saves them.
12 When the Gentiles saw Judas and his men preparing for battle, 13 they moved out of their camp to fight. Then Judas and his men sounded their trumpets 14 and attacked. The Gentiles broke ranks and fled to the plain, 15 but all the stragglers were killed. The Israelites pursued the enemy as far as Gezer, the plains of Idumea, and the towns of Azotus and Jamnia. Altogether they killed about 3,000 of the enemy.
16 When Judas and his army came back from the pursuit, 17-18 he said to his men,
Don't be greedy for loot. Gorgias and his army are nearby in the mountains, so there is still heavy fighting ahead of us. We must stand firm and fight. After that, you can safely take all the loot you want. 19 Judas was just finishing his speech when an enemy patrol on a scouting mission looked down from the mountains 20 and saw that their army had been put to flight; they could tell from the smoke that their camp was burning. 21 When they saw all this, they were terrified, and when they also saw that Judas' army was in the plain ready for battle, 22 they all fled to Philistia. 23 Then Judas returned to loot the enemy camp; he took large amounts of gold and silver, blue and purple cloth, and other rich plunder. 24 When the Jews came back to their own camp, they sang a hymn:
The Lord is worthy of praise; his mercy endures forever. 25 That day brought a great victory to the people of Israel.
Victory over Lysias(A)
26 The Gentile troops that escaped went to Lysias and reported all that had happened. 27 When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle, he was shocked and disappointed that Israel had not been defeated as the king had commanded.
28 In the following year Lysias gathered an army of 60,000 well-trained infantry and 5,000 cavalry, intending to conquer the Jews. 29 They marched into Idumea and camped at Bethzur. Judas came to meet them with 10,000 men. 30 (B)When Judas saw how strong the enemy's army was, he prayed,
We will praise you, Savior of Israel. You broke the attack of the giant by the hand of your servant David and you let Saul's son Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons defeat the entire Philistine army. 31 Now in the same way let your people Israel defeat our enemy. Put them to shame, in spite of all their confidence in their infantry and cavalry. 32 Make them afraid; let their bold strength melt away; let them tremble at the prospect of defeat. 33 We love and worship you; so let us kill our enemies, that we may then sing your praises.
34 The battle began, and in the hand-to-hand fighting about 5,000 of Lysias' men were killed. 35 When Lysias saw that his army was being defeated and when he saw the reckless courage of Judas and his men, who showed that they were ready to live or die with honor, he returned to Antioch. There he recruited some mercenaries and planned to return to Judea later with a much larger army.
The Purification of the Temple(C)
36 Judas and his brothers said,
Now that our enemies have been defeated, let's go to Jerusalem to purify the Temple and rededicate it. 37 So the whole army was assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38 There they found the Temple abandoned, the altar profaned, the gates burned down, the courtyards grown up in a forest of weeds, and the priests' rooms torn down. 39 In their sorrow, they tore their clothes, cried loudly, threw ashes on their heads, 40 and fell face down on the ground. When the signal was given on the trumpets, everyone cried out to the Lord.
41 Then Judas ordered some of his soldiers to attack the men in the fort, while he purified the Temple. 42 He chose some priests who were qualified and who were devoted to the Law. 43 They purified the Temple and took the stones that had been defiled and put them in an unclean place. 44 They discussed what should be done with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been desecrated 45 by the Gentiles, and decided to tear it down, so that it would not stand there as a monument to their shame. So they tore down the altar 46 and put the stones in a suitable place on the Temple hill, where they were to be kept until a prophet should appear and decide what to do with them. 47 (D)Then they took uncut stones, as the Law of Moses required, and built a new altar like the old one. 48 They repaired the Temple, inside and out, and dedicated its courtyards. 49 They made new utensils for worship and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table for the bread into the Temple. 50 They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and there was light in the Temple! 51 They placed the loaves of bread on the table, hung the curtains, and completed all the work.
52-54 (E)The twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev, in the year 148[a] was the anniversary of the day the Gentiles had desecrated the altar. On that day a sacrifice was offered on the new altar in accordance with the Law of Moses. The new altar was dedicated and hymns were sung to the accompaniment of harps, lutes, and cymbals. 55 All the people bowed down with their faces to the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord for giving them victory.
56 For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. With great joy they brought burnt offerings and offered fellowship offerings and thank offerings. 57 They decorated the front of the Temple with gold crowns and shields, rebuilt the gates and the priests' rooms and put doors on them. 58 Now that the Jews had removed the shame which the Gentiles had brought, they held a great celebration. 59 Then Judas, his brothers, and the entire community of Israel decreed that the rededication of the altar should be celebrated with a festival of joy and gladness at the same time each year, beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev and lasting for eight days.
60 Then they built high walls and strong towers around Mount Zion, so that the Gentiles could not come in and trample and defile it again. 61 Judas placed a detachment of soldiers there to guard the Temple. He also fortified the town of Bethzur, so that the people of Israel would have a fortress facing Idumea.
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 4:52 the year 148: This corresponds to 164 B.C.
1 Maccabees 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Battle at Emmaus
4 Now Gorgias took five thousand infantry and one thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night 2 to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides.(A) 3 But Judas heard of it, and he and his warriors moved out to attack the king’s force in Emmaus 4 while the division was still absent from the camp. 5 When Gorgias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, “These men are running away from us.”
6 At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armor and swords such as they desired.(B) 7 And they saw the camp of the nations, strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it, and these men were trained in war. 8 But Judas said to those who were with him, “Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge.(C) 9 Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them.(D) 10 And now, let us cry to heaven to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army before us today.(E) 11 Then all the nations will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.”
12 When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them, 13 they went out from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets(F) 14 and engaged in battle. The nations were crushed and fled into the plain, 15 and all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara and to the plains of Idumea and to Azotus and Jamnia, and three thousand of them fell.(G) 16 Then Judas and his force turned back from pursuing them, 17 and he said to the people, “Do not be greedy for plunder, for there is a battle before us; 18 Gorgias and his force are near us in the hills. But stand now against our enemies and fight them and afterward seize the plunder boldly.”
19 Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared coming out of the hills. 20 They saw that their army[a] had been put to flight and that the Jews[b] were burning the camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had happened. 21 When they perceived this, they were greatly frightened, and when they also saw the army of Judas drawn up in the plain for battle, 22 they all fled into the land of the Philistines.[c](H) 23 Then Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they seized a great amount of gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches.(I) 24 On their return they sang hymns and praises to heaven: “For he is good, for his mercy endures forever.”(J) 25 Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
First Campaign of Lysias
26 Those of the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened.(K) 27 When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged, for things had not happened to Israel as he had intended, nor had they turned out as the king had ordered. 28 But the next year he mustered sixty thousand picked infantry and five thousand cavalry to subdue them.(L) 29 They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.(M)
30 When he saw that their army was strong, he prayed, saying, “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul and of the man who carried his armor.(N) 31 Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry.(O) 32 Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. 33 Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.”
34 Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men; they fell before them.[d](P) 35 When Lysias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness that inspired those of Judas and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries in order to invade Judea again with an even larger army.
Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple
36 Then Judas and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.”(Q) 37 So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38 There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins.(R) 39 Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes(S) 40 and fell face down on the ground. And they blew the signal trumpets, and they cried out to heaven.(T)
41 Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary.(U) 42 He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43 and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. 44 They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned.(V) 45 And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the nations had defiled it. So they tore down the altar 46 and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them.(W) 47 Then they took unhewn[e] stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one.(X) 48 They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple and consecrated the courts. 49 They made new holy vessels and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.(Y) 50 Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.(Z) 51 They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.(AA)
52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year,(AB) 53 they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built.(AC) 54 At the very season and on the very day that the nations had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals.(AD) 55 All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed heaven, who had prospered them. 56 So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering.(AE) 57 They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests and fitted them with doors.(AF) 58 There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the nations was removed.
59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.(AG)
60 At that time they fortified Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers all around, to keep the nations from coming and trampling them down as they had done before.(AH) 61 Judas[f] stationed a garrison there to guard it; he also fortified Beth-zur to guard it, so that the people might have a stronghold that faced Idumea.(AI)
1 Maccabees 4
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
4 Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best horsemen: and they removed out of the camp by night.
2 That they might come upon the camp of the Jews, and strike them suddenly: and the men that were of the castle were their guides.
3 And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus.
4 For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp.
5 And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man, and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.
6 And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords.
7 And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war.
8 And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.
9 Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharao pursued them with a great army.
10 And now let us cry to heaven: and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day:
11 And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel.
12 And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them.
13 And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet.
14 And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled into the plain.
15 But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.
16 And Judas returned again with his army that followed him,
17 And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils: for there is war before us:
18 And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety.
19 And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared looking forth from the mountain.
20 And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.
21 And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.
22 So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.
23 And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
24 And returning home they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
25 So Israel had a great deliverance that day.
26 And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.
27 And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.
28 So the year following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.
29 And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
30 And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed, and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul and of his armourbearer.
31 Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.
32 Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.
33 Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name, praise thee with hymns.
34 And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.
35 And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.
36 Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places and to repair them.
37 And all the army assembled together, and they went up into mount Sion.
38 And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.
39 And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:
40 And they fell face down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.
41 Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places.
42 And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God:
43 And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.
44 And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it.
45 And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they threw it down.
46 And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them.
47 Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former:
48 And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the temple, and the courts.
49 And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.
50 And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.
51 And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.
52 And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and forty-eighth year.
53 And they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made.
54 According to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.
55 And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them.
56 And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.
57 And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors upon them.
58 And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
59 And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.
60 They built up also at that time mount Sion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come, and tread it down as they did before.
61 And he placed a garrison there to keep it, and he fortified it to secure Bethsura, that the people might have a defence against Idumea.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson