1 Maccabees 9:50-57
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Bacchides Builds Fortifications
50 Then Bacchides[a] returned to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judea: the fortress in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Beth-horon, and Bethel, and Timnath, and[b] Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.(A) 51 And he placed garrisons in them to harass Israel. 52 He also fortified the town of Beth-zur, and Gazara, and the citadel, and in them he put troops and stores of food.(B) 53 And he took the sons of the leading men of the land as hostages and put them under guard in the citadel at Jerusalem.(C)
54 In the one hundred and fifty-third year, in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to tear down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He tore down the work of the prophets!(D) 55 But he only began to tear it down, for at that time Alcimus was stricken, and his work was hindered; his mouth was stopped, and he was paralyzed, so that he could no longer say a word or give commands concerning his house. 56 And Alcimus died at that time in great agony. 57 When Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king, and the land of Judah had rest for two years.(E)
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