1 Maccabees 1:29-54

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

²⁹ And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.

³⁰ And after two full years the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Juda, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude.

³¹ And he spoke to them peaceable words in deceit: and they believed him.

³² And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel.

³³ And he took the spoils of the city, and burnt it with fire, and threw down the houses thereof, and the walls thereof round about:

³⁴ And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed.

³⁵ And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and made it a fortress for them:

³⁶ And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men, and they fortified themselves therein: and they stored up armour, and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem;

³⁷ And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.

³⁸ And this was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil devil in Israel.

³⁹ And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.

⁴⁰ And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, and the city was made the habitation of strangers, and she became a stranger to her own seed, and her children forsook her.

⁴¹ Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness, her festival days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach, her honours were brought to nothing.

⁴² Her dishonour was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning.

⁴³ And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law.

⁴⁴ And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus.

⁴⁵ And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.

⁴⁶ And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Juda: that they should follow the law of the nations of the earth,

⁴⁷ And should forbid holocausts and sacrifices, and atonements to be made in the temple of God.

⁴⁸ And should prohibit the sabbath, and the festival days, to be celebrated.

⁴⁹ And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.

⁵⁰ And he commanded altars to be built, and temples, and idols, and swine's flesh to be immolated, and unclean beasts.

⁵¹ And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses, and abominations, to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God.

⁵² And that whosoever would not do according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death.

⁵³ According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed rulers over the people that should force them to do these things.

⁵⁴ And they commanded the cities of Juda to sacrifice.