1 Maccabees 1-4

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Alexander the Great

1 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated^[a] King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)^{(A) 2} He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and slaughtered the kings of the earth. ³ He advanced to the ends of the earth and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.^{(B) 4} He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they paid him tribute.

⁵ After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. ⁶ So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷ And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.

⁸ Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. ⁹ They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years, and they caused many evils on the earth.^(C)

Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews

¹⁰ From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.^(D)

¹¹ In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the nations around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.”^{(E) 12} This proposal pleased them, ¹³ and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the nations.^{(F) 14} So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the customs of the nations,^{(G) 15} and made foreskins for themselves, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the nations and sold themselves to do evil.^(H)

Antiochus in Egypt

¹⁶ When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷ So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet.^{(I) 18} He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.^{(J) 19} They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

Persecution of the Jews

²⁰ After subduing Egypt, Antiochus turned back in the one hundred forty-third year and went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force.^{(K) 21} He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.^{(L) 22} He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off.^{(M) 23} He took the silver and the gold and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found.^{(N) 24} Taking them all, he went into his own land.

The Occupation of Jerusalem

²⁹ Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force.^{(Q) 30} Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him, but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel.^{(R) 31} He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. ³² They took captive the women and children and seized the livestock. ³³ Then they fortified the city of David with a large strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.^{(S) 34} They stationed there a sinful nation, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position;^{(T) 35} they stored up arms and food, and, collecting the spoils of Jerusalem, they stored them there and became a great menace,

Installation of Gentile Cults

⁴¹ Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people ⁴² and that all should give up their particular customs. All the nations accepted the command of the king.^{(X) 43} Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. ⁴⁴ And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, ⁴⁵ to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane Sabbaths and festivals,^{(Y) 46} to defile the sanctuary and the holy ones, ⁴⁷ to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals,^{(Z) 48} and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane ⁴⁹ so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰ He added,^[c] “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”^(AA)

⁵¹ In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town.^{(AB) 52} Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; ⁵³ they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.^(AC)

⁵⁴ Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah^{(AD) 55} and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶ The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. ⁵⁷ Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant or anyone who adhered to the law was condemned to death by decree of the king. ⁵⁸ They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. ⁵⁹ On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering.^{(AE) 60} According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised^{(AF) 61} and their families and those who circumcised them, and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.

⁶² But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. ⁶³ They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant, and they did die.^{(AG) 64} Very great wrath came upon Israel.

Mattathias and His Sons

2 In those days Mattathias son of John son of Simeon, a priest of the clan of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein.^{(AH) 2} He had five sons: John surnamed Gaddi,^{(AI) 3} Simon called Thassi,^{(AJ) 4} Judas called Maccabeus,^{(AK) 5} Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.^{(AL) 6} He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem ⁷ and said,

¹⁴ Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.^(AP)

Pagan Worship Refused

¹⁵ The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. ¹⁶ Many from Israel came to them, and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. ¹⁷ Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. ¹⁸ Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the nations and the people of Judah and those who are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.”^(AQ)

¹⁹ But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors,^{(AR) 20} I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors.^{(AS) 21} Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. ²² We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”^(AT)

²³ When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king’s command. ²⁴ When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal, and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and slaughtered him on the altar. ²⁵ At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. ²⁶ Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.^(AU)

²⁷ Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” ²⁸ Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.^(AV)

²⁹ At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, ³⁰ they, their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them.^{(AW) 31} And it was reported to the king’s officers and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David that those who had rejected the king’s command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.^{(AX) 32} Many pursued them and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the Sabbath day. ³³ They said to them, “Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live.” ³⁴ But they said, “We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the Sabbath day.”^{(AY) 35} Then the enemy^[f] quickly attacked them. ³⁶ But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places, ³⁷ for they said, “Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly.” ³⁸ So they attacked them on the Sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand persons.^(AZ)

³⁹ When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply. ⁴⁰ And all said to their neighbors: “If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the nations for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth.” ⁴¹ So they made this decision that day: “Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the Sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places.”^(BA)

Counter-Attack

⁴² Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law.^{(BB) 43} And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. ⁴⁴ They organized an army and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the nations for safety.^{(BC) 45} And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; ⁴⁶ they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys whom they found within the borders of Israel. ⁴⁷ They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. ⁴⁸ They rescued the law out of the hands of the nations and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.

The Last Words of Mattathias

⁴⁹ Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. ⁵⁰ Now, my children, show zeal for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

⁵¹ “Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations, and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name.^{(BD) 52} Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?^{(BE) 53} Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and became lord of Egypt.^{(BF) 54} Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.^{(BG) 55} Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel.^{(BH) 56} Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.^{(BI) 57} David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever.^{(BJ) 58} Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.^{(BK) 59} Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame.^{(BL) 60} Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.^(BM)

⁶¹ “And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.^{(BN) 62} Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms.^{(BO) 63} Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, for they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. ⁶⁴ My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.^(BP)

⁶⁵ “Here is your brother Simeon, who I know is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father.^{(BQ) 66} Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.^{[g](BR) 67} You shall rally around you all who observe the law and avenge the wrong done to your people. ⁶⁸ Pay back the nations in full, and obey the commands of the law.”

⁶⁹ Then he blessed them and was gathered to his ancestors. ⁷⁰ He died in the one hundred forty-sixth year and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.^(BS)

The Early Victories of Judas

3 Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, took command in his place.^{(BT) 2} All his brothers and all who had joined his father helped him; they gladly fought for Israel.^(BU)

¹⁰ Then Apollonius gathered together nations and a large force from Samaria to fight against Israel.^{(BZ) 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.^{(CA) 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.^{(CB) 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.^{(CC) 19} It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from heaven.^{(CD) 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.^{(CE) 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^[i] down the descent of Beth-horon to the plain; eight hundred of them fell, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.^{(CF) 25} Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror fell on the nations all around them.^{(CG) 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.^{(CH) 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.^(CI)

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.^{(CJ) 33} Lysias was also to take care of his son Antiochus until he returned.^{(CK) 34} And he turned over to Lysias^[j] 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,^{(CL) 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,^{(CM) 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.^(CN)

Preparations for Battle

³⁸ Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes and Nicanor and Gorgias, able men among the Friends of the king,^{(CO) 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.^{(CP) 41} When the traders of the region heard what was said to them, they took silver and gold in immense amounts and fetters^[k] and went to the camp to get the Israelites for slaves. And forces from Syria and the land of the Philistines^[l] joined with them.^(CQ)

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.

⁴⁶ Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah.^{(CS) 47} They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes.^{(CT) 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,^{(CU) 50} and they cried aloud to heaven, saying,

⁵⁴ Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout.^{(CW) 55} After this Judas appointed leaders of the people in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens.^{(CX) 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.^{(CY) 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.^{(CZ) 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.”

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.^{(DA) 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.^{(DB) 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.^{(DC) 9} Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them.^{(DD) 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.^{(DE) 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^{(DF) 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.^{(DG) 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^[m] had been put to flight and that the Jews^[n] 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.^{[o](DH) 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.^{(DI) 24} On their return they sang hymns and praises to heaven: “For he is good, for his mercy endures forever.”^{(DJ) 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.^{(DK) 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.^{(DL) 29} They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.^(DM)

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.^{(DN) 31} Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry.^{(DO) 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.^{[p](DP) 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.”^{(DQ) 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.^{(DR) 39} Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes^{(DS) 40} and fell face down on the ground. And they blew the signal trumpets, and they cried out to heaven.^(DT)

⁴¹ Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary.^{(DU) 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.^{(DV) 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.^{(DW) 47} Then they took unhewn^[q] stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one.^{(DX) 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.^{(DY) 50} Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.^{(DZ) 51} They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.^(EA)

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,^{(EB) 53} they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built.^{(EC) 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.^{(ED) 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.^{(EE) 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.^{(EF) 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.^(EG)

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.^{(EH) 61} Judas^[r] 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.^(EI)