1 Maccabees 7-9

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 7

Expedition of Bacchides and Alcimus. ^1 (A)In the one hundred and fifty-first year,^[a] Demetrius, son of Seleucus, set out from Rome, arrived with a few men at a coastal city, and began to rule there. ² As he was entering the royal palace of his ancestors, the soldiers seized Antiochus and Lysias to bring them to him. ³ When he was informed of this, he said, “Do not show me their faces.” ⁴ So the soldiers killed them, and Demetrius assumed the royal throne.

⁵ Then all the lawless men and renegades of Israel came to him. They were led by Alcimus,^[b] who desired to be high priest. ⁶ They made this accusation to the king against the people: “Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends and have driven us out of our land. ⁷ So now, send a man whom you trust to go and see all the destruction Judas has wrought on us and on the king’s territory, and let him punish them and all their supporters.”

⁸ So the king chose Bacchides, one of the King’s Friends, who ruled the province of West-of-Euphrates, a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king. ⁹ He sent him and the renegade Alcimus, to whom he granted the high priesthood, with orders to take revenge on the Israelites. ¹⁰ They set out and, on arriving in the land of Judah with a great army, sent messengers who spoke deceitfully to Judas and his brothers in peaceful terms. ¹¹ But these paid no attention to their words, seeing that they had come with a great army.

¹² A group of scribes, however, gathered about Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for a just agreement. ^13 (B)The Hasideans were the first among the Israelites to seek peace with them, ¹⁴ for they said, “A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not do us any wrong.” ¹⁵ He spoke with them peacefully and swore to them, “We will not seek to injure you or your friends.” ¹⁶ So they trusted him. But he arrested sixty of them and killed them in one day, according to the words that he wrote:^[c]

¹⁸ Then fear and dread of them came upon all the people, who said: “There is no truth or justice among them; they violated the agreement and the oath that they swore.”

¹⁹ Bacchides withdrew from Jerusalem and camped in Beth-zaith.^[d] He had many of the men who deserted to him arrested and some of the people. He killed them and threw them into a great cistern. ²⁰ He handed the province over to Alcimus, leaving troops to help him, while he himself returned to the king.

²¹ Alcimus struggled to maintain his high priesthood, ²² and all those who were troubling the people gathered about him. They took possession of the land of Judah and caused great distress in Israel. ²³ When Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus and those with him were bringing upon the Israelites, even more than the Gentiles had, ²⁴ he went about all the borders of Judea and took revenge on the men who had deserted, preventing them from going out into the country. ²⁵ But when Alcimus saw that Judas and his followers were gaining strength and realized that he could not resist them, he returned to the king and accused them of grave crimes.

Defeat of Nicanor. ^26 (D)Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honored officers, who was a bitter enemy of Israel, with orders to destroy the people. ²⁷ Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large force and deceitfully sent to Judas^[e] and his brothers this peaceable message: ²⁸ “Let there be no fight between me and you. I will come with a few men to meet you face to face in peace.”

²⁹ So he came to Judas, and they greeted one another peaceably. But Judas’ enemies were prepared to seize him. ³⁰ When he became aware that Nicanor had come to him with deceit in mind, Judas was afraid of him and would not meet him again.^{(E) 31} When Nicanor saw that his plan had been discovered, he went out to fight Judas near Capharsalama.^{[f] 32} About five hundred men of Nicanor’s army fell; the rest fled to the City of David.^[g]

^33 (F)After this, Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being sacrificed for the king. ³⁴ But he mocked and ridiculed them, defiled them,^[h] and spoke arrogantly. ³⁵ In a rage he swore: “If Judas and his army are not delivered to me at once, when I return victorious I will burn this temple down.” He went away in great anger. ^36 (G)The priests, however, went in and stood before the altar and the sanctuary. They wept and said: ³⁷ “You have chosen this house to bear your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. ³⁸ Take revenge on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and do not let them continue.”

³⁹ Nicanor left Jerusalem and camped at Beth-horon, where the Syrian army joined him. ⁴⁰ But Judas camped in Adasa^[i] with three thousand men. Here Judas uttered this prayer: ^41 (H)“When they who were sent by the king^[j] blasphemed, your angel went out and killed a hundred and eighty-five thousand of them.^{(I) 42} In the same way, crush this army before us today, and let the rest know that Nicanor spoke wickedly against your sanctuary; judge him according to his wickedness.”

⁴³ The armies met in battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar. Nicanor’s army was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.^{(J) 44} When his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw down their weapons and fled. ⁴⁵ The Jews pursued them a day’s journey from Adasa to near Gazara, blowing the trumpets behind them as signals. ⁴⁶ From all the surrounding villages of Judea people came out and outflanked them. They turned them back, and all the enemies fell by the sword; not a single one escaped.

⁴⁷ Then the Jews collected the spoils and the plunder; they cut off Nicanor’s head and his right arm, which he had lifted up so arrogantly. These they brought and displayed in the sight of Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ The people rejoiced greatly, and observed that day as a day of much joy. ⁴⁹ They decreed that it should be observed every year on the thirteenth of Adar.^{[k] 50} And so for a few days^[l] the land of Judah was at rest.

Chapter 8

Eulogy of the Romans. ^1 [m]Judas had heard of the reputation of the Romans. They were valiant fighters and acted amiably to all who took their side. They established a friendly alliance with all who applied to them. ² He was also told of their battles and the brave deeds that they performed against the Gauls,^[n] conquering them and forcing them to pay tribute; ³ and what they did in Spain to get possession of the silver and gold mines there. ⁴ By planning and persistence they subjugated the whole region, although it was very remote from their own. They also subjugated the kings who had come against them from the far corners of the earth until they crushed them and inflicted on them severe defeat. The rest paid tribute to them every year. ⁵ Philip^[o] and Perseus, king of the Macedonians, and the others who opposed them in battle they overwhelmed and subjugated. ⁶ Antiochus^[p] the Great, king of Asia, who fought against them with a hundred and twenty elephants and with cavalry and chariots and a very great army, was defeated by them. ⁷ They took him alive and obliged him and the kings who succeeded him to pay a heavy tribute, to give hostages and to cede ⁸ Lycia, Mysia, and Lydia^[q] from among their best provinces. The Romans took these from him and gave them to King Eumenes. ^9 [r]When the Greeks planned to come and destroy them, ¹⁰ the Romans discovered it, and sent against the Greeks a single general who made war on them. Many were wounded and fell, and the Romans took their wives and children captive. They plundered them, took possession of their land, tore down their strongholds and reduced them to slavery even to this day. ¹¹ All the other kingdoms and islands that had ever opposed them they destroyed and enslaved; with their friends, however, and those who relied on them, they maintained friendship. ¹² They subjugated kings both near and far, and all who heard of their fame were afraid of them. ¹³ Those whom they wish to help and to make kings, they make kings; and those whom they wish, they depose; and they were greatly exalted. ¹⁴ Yet with all this, none of them put on a diadem or wore purple as a display of grandeur. ¹⁵ But they made for themselves a senate chamber, and every day three hundred and twenty men took counsel, deliberating on all that concerned the people and their well-being. ¹⁶ They entrust their government to one man^[s] every year, to rule over their entire land, and they all obey that one, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.

Treaty with the Romans. ¹⁷ So Judas chose Eupolemus, son of John, son of Accos, and Jason, son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance with them.^{(K) 18} He did this to lift the yoke from Israel, for it was obvious that the kingdom of the Greeks was subjecting them to slavery. ¹⁹ After making a very long journey to Rome, the envoys entered the senate chamber and spoke as follows: ²⁰ “Judas, called Maccabeus, and his brothers, with the Jewish people, have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, and to be enrolled among your allies and friends.” ²¹ The proposal pleased the Romans, ²² and this is a copy of the reply they inscribed on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem,^[t] to remain there with the Jews as a record of peace and alliance:^(L)

²³ “May it be well with the Romans and the Jewish nation at sea and on land forever; may sword and enemy be far from them. ²⁴ But if war is first made on Rome, or any of its allies in any of their dominions, ²⁵ the Jewish nation will fight along with them wholeheartedly, as the occasion shall demand; ²⁶ and to those who wage war they shall not give or provide grain, weapons, money, or ships, as seems best to Rome. They shall fulfill their obligations without receiving any recompense. ²⁷ In the same way, if war is made first on the Jewish nation, the Romans will fight along with them willingly, as the occasion shall demand, ²⁸ and to those who attack them there shall not be given grain, weapons, money, or ships, as seems best to Rome. They shall fulfill their obligations without deception. ²⁹ On these terms the Romans have made an agreement with the Jewish people. ³⁰ But if both parties hereafter agree to add or take away anything, they shall do as they choose, and whatever they shall add or take away shall be valid.

³¹ “Moreover, concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius is doing to them, we have written to him thus: ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews? ³² If they petition against you again, we will enforce justice and make war on you by sea and land.’”

Chapter 9

Death of Judas. ¹ When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he again sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah, along with the right wing of his army. ² They took the road to Galilee, and camping opposite the ascent at Arbela, they captured it^[u] and killed many people. ³ In the first month of the one hundred and fifty-second year,^[v] they encamped against Jerusalem. ⁴ Then they set out for Berea with twenty thousand men and two thousand cavalry. ⁵ Judas, with three thousand picked men, had camped at Elasa. ⁶ When they saw the great number of the troops, they were very much afraid, and many slipped away from the camp, until only eight hundred of them remained.

⁷ When Judas saw that his army was melting away just as the battle was imminent, he was brokenhearted, because he had no time to gather them together. ⁸ In spite of his discouragement he said to those who remained: “Let us go forward to meet our enemies; perhaps we can put up a good fight against them.” ⁹ They tried to dissuade him, saying: “We certainly cannot. Let us save our own lives now, and come back with our kindred, and then fight against them. Now we are too few.” ¹⁰ But Judas said: “Far be it from me to do such a thing as to flee from them! If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kindred and not leave a stain upon our honor!”

¹¹ Then the army of Bacchides moved out of camp and took its position for combat. The cavalry were divided into two squadrons, and the slingers and the archers came on ahead of the army, and in the front line were all the best warriors. Bacchides was on the right wing. ¹² Flanked by the two squadrons, the phalanx attacked as they blew their trumpets. Those who were on Judas’ side also blew their trumpets. ¹³ The earth shook with the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.

¹⁴ When Judas saw that Bacchides was on the right, with the main force of his army, all the most stouthearted rallied to him, ¹⁵ and the right wing was crushed; Judas pursued them as far as the mountain slopes.^{[w] 16} But when those on the left wing saw that the right wing was crushed, they closed in behind Judas and those with him. ¹⁷ The battle became intense, and many on both sides fell wounded. ¹⁸ Then Judas fell, and the rest fled.

¹⁹ Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their ancestors at Modein. ²⁰ All Israel wept for him with great lamentation. They mourned for him many days, and they said, ²¹ “How the mighty one has fallen, the savior of Israel!”^{(M) 22} The other acts of Judas, his battles, the brave deeds he performed, and his greatness have not been recorded; but they were very many.

III. Leadership of Jonathan

Jonathan Succeeds Judas. ²³ After the death of Judas, the lawless raised their heads in every part of Israel, and all kinds of evildoers appeared. ²⁴ In those days there was a very great famine, and the country deserted to them. ²⁵ Bacchides chose renegades and made them masters of the country. ²⁶ These sought out and hunted down the friends of Judas and brought them to Bacchides, who punished and derided them. ²⁷ There was great tribulation in Israel, the like of which had not been since the time prophets ceased to appear among them.

²⁸ Then all the friends of Judas came together and said to Jonathan: ²⁹ “Ever since your brother Judas died, there has been no one like him to lead us against our enemies, both Bacchides and those of our nation who are hostile to us. ³⁰ Now therefore we have chosen you today to be our ruler and leader in his place, to fight our battle.” ³¹ From that moment Jonathan accepted the leadership, and took the place of Judas his brother.

Bacchides Pursues Jonathan. ³² When Bacchides learned of it, he sought to kill him. ³³ But Jonathan and his brother Simon and all who were with him discovered this, and they fled to the wilderness of Tekoa^[x] and camped by the waters of the pool of Asphar. [³⁴ ]^[y]

³⁵ Jonathan sent his brother^[z] as leader of the convoy to implore his friends, the Nabateans, to let them deposit with them their great quantity of baggage.^{(N) 36} But the tribe of Jambri from Medaba^[aa] made a raid and seized and carried off John and everything he had.

³⁷ After this, word was brought to Jonathan and his brother Simon: “The tribe of Jambri are celebrating a great wedding, and with a large escort they are bringing the bride, the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan, from Nadabath.” ³⁸ Remembering the blood of John their brother, they went up and hid themselves under cover of the mountain. ³⁹ As they watched there appeared a noisy throng with much baggage; then the bridegroom and his friends and kinsmen had come out to meet them with tambourines and musicians with their instruments. ⁴⁰ Jonathan and his party rose up against them from their ambush and killed them. Many fell wounded; the rest fled toward the mountain; all their spoils were taken. ⁴¹ Thus the wedding was turned into mourning, and the sound of their music into lamentation. ⁴² Having taken their revenge for the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of the Jordan.

⁴³ When Bacchides heard of it, he came on the sabbath to the banks of the Jordan with a large force. ⁴⁴ Then Jonathan said to his companions, “Let us rise up now and fight for our lives, for today is not like yesterday and the day before. ⁴⁵ The battle is before us, behind us are the waters of the Jordan, on either side of us, marsh and thickets; there is no way of escape.^{[ab] 46} Cry out now to Heaven so that you may be delivered from the hand of our enemies.” ⁴⁷ When they joined battle, Jonathan raised his hand to strike Bacchides, but Bacchides backed away from him. ⁴⁸ Jonathan and those with him jumped into the Jordan and swam across to the other side, but the enemy did not pursue them across the Jordan. ⁴⁹ About a thousand men on Bacchides’ side fell that day.

⁵⁰ On returning to Jerusalem, Bacchides built strongholds in Judea: the Jericho fortress, as well as Emmaus, Beth-horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.^{[ac] 51} In each he put a garrison to harass Israel. ⁵² He fortified the city of Beth-zur, Gazara and the citadel, and put troops in them and stores of provisions. ⁵³ He took as hostages the sons of the leading people of the country and put them in custody in the citadel at Jerusalem.^(O)

⁵⁴ In the one hundred and fifty-third year, in the second month,^[ad] Alcimus ordered the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary to be torn down, thus destroying the work of the prophets. But he only began to tear it down. ⁵⁵ Just at that time Alcimus was stricken, and his work was interrupted; his mouth was closed and he was paralyzed, so that he could no longer utter a word or give orders concerning his household. ⁵⁶ Alcimus died in great agony at that time. ⁵⁷ Seeing that Alcimus was dead, Bacchides returned to the king, and the land of Judah was at rest for two years.

⁵⁸ Then all the lawless took counsel and said: “Jonathan and those with him are living in peace and security. Now then, let us have Bacchides return, and he will capture all of them in a single night.” ⁵⁹ So they went and took counsel with him. ⁶⁰ When Bacchides was setting out with a large force, he sent letters secretly to all his allies in Judea, telling them to seize Jonathan and his companions. They were not able to do this, however, because their plan became known. ⁶¹ In fact, Jonathan’s men seized about fifty of the men of the country who were leaders in the conspiracy and put them to death.

⁶² Then Jonathan and those with him, along with Simon, withdrew to Bethbasi^[ae] in the wilderness; he rebuilt its ruins and fortified it. ⁶³ When Bacchides learned of this, he gathered together his whole force and sent word to those who were in Judea. ⁶⁴ He came and camped before Bethbasi, and constructing siege engines, he fought against it for many days.

⁶⁵ Leaving his brother Simon in the city, Jonathan, accompanied by a small group of men, went out into the countryside. ⁶⁶ He struck down Odomera and his kindred and the tribe of Phasiron in their encampment; these men had begun to attack and they were going up with their forces. ⁶⁷ Simon and those with him then sallied forth from the city and set fire to the siege engines. ⁶⁸ They fought against Bacchides, and he was crushed. They caused him great distress, because the enterprise he had planned was in vain. ⁶⁹ He was enraged with the lawless men who had advised him to invade the province. He killed many of them and resolved to return to his own country.

⁷⁰ Jonathan learned of this and sent ambassadors to agree on peace with him and to obtain the release of the prisoners. ⁷¹ He agreed to do as Jonathan asked. He swore an oath to him that he would never try to do him any harm for the rest of his life; ⁷² and he released to him the prisoners he had previously taken from the land of Judah. Thereupon he returned to his own land and never came into their territory again. ⁷³ Then the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan settled in Michmash;^[af] he began to judge the people and he eliminated the renegades from Israel.