2 Maccabees 8

Wycliffe Bible

8 Forsooth Judas Maccabeus, and they that were with him, entered privily into (the) castles (or entered privately, or secretly, into the towns); and called together cousins, and friends, and took them that dwelt in Judea [or in Jewry], or in (the) keeping of the law of (the) Jews, and led out men to six thousands.

² And they called the Lord to (or for) help, for to behold on the people, that was defouled of (or who were trampled upon by) all men; (and) for to have mercy on the temple, that was defouled of (or defiled by) unpious men;

³ and for to have mercy on (the) destroying of the city, that was anon to be made plain (al)together (or that was at once to be levelled to the ground); and for to hear the voice of (the) blood crying to him,

⁴ and for to have mind on the wickedest deaths of little children innocents, and of (the) blasphemies given to (or against) his name; and for to have indignation on (or for) these things.

⁵ And Maccabeus, with the multitude gathered, was made unsufferable to (the) heathen men; for the wrath of the Lord was converted into mercy.

⁶ And he above-came to castles and cities, unwarned (or And he came unannounced into towns and cities), and burnt them (up); and occupied covenable (or opportune) places, and gave not few slayings of (his) enemies.

⁷ Soothly in (the) nights he was most borne to seek out runnings; and fame of his virtue was shed out, either showed, everywhere.

⁸ Forsooth Philip saw, that the man by little and little came to increase, and that full often things befell to him in prosperity; and he wrote to Ptolemy, duke of Celosyria and Phenice (or to Ptolemeus, the governor of Greater Syria and Phoenicia), that he should bear help to the king’s needs.

⁹ And he swiftly sent Nicanor (the son) of Patroclus, (one) of the former, (or the first), or (the) worthier, friends, and gave to him not less than twenty thousands of armed folks mingled (al)together, for to do away all the kin of (the) Jews; and joined to him Gorgias, a knightly man, and most expert (or experienced) in things of battle [or in things of battle most expert].

¹⁰ Forsooth Nicanor promised steadfastly to the king, that he should fill the tribute that was to be given to (the) Romans, two thousands of talents, (out) of (or from) the (sale of the) captivity of (the) Jews (or the Jewish captives).

¹¹ And anon (or at once) he sent to (the) cites of the sea coast, and called together to (or for) even-buying of (the) prisoners, or of (the) bondmen, of (the) Jews; and promised, that he shall sell ninety bondmen for a talent, not beholding to the vengeance that should (pur)sue him of Almighty God (or not expecting the vengeance that would follow him from Almighty God). [And anon he sent to cities of the sea coast, calling together to even-buying of bond men of Jews; promising him to selling ninety bondmen for one talent, not beholding to vengeance that was to following him of the Almighty.]

¹² Forsooth when Judas found (out about this), he showed (or told) to these Jews that were with him, (about) the coming of Nicanor.

¹³ Of which [or Of whom] some inwardly dreaded, and believed not to (or in) the rightwiseness of God, and were turned into flight;

¹⁴ others soothly, if any left of them, came (or others sold all that they had left, and came), and together besought the Lord, for to deliver them from (the) wicked Nicanor, which had sold them before that he came nigh;

¹⁵ and though not for them(selves), but for the testament (or for the covenant) that was to (or with) the fathers of them, and for the calling to help of his holy name and great on them.

¹⁶ Forsooth Maccabeus called together seven thousands that were with him, and prayed, that they should not be reconciled to (the) enemies, neither should dread the multitude of (the) enemies wickedly coming against them, but strongly should fight;

¹⁷ having before the(ir) eyes, the despite that was done in the holy place, unjustly of (or by) them, and also the wrong of the city, had in scorning; yet also the ordinances of (the) eld men destroyed [or yet also the ordinances of (the) old men destroyed (al)together].

¹⁸ For why he said, They soothly trust in armours, (or in arms, or in weapons) (al)together and hardiness; forsooth we trust in the Lord Almighty, that may do away with one looking, both them that come against us, and all the world.

¹⁹ Forsooth he admonished them also of (the) helps of God, that were done against, (or towards, or for) (their) fathers; and that under Sennacherib an hundred thousand fourscore thousand and five thousand [or an hundred fourscore and five thousand] perished;

²⁰ and of the battle that was to them against (the) Galatians, in Babylon; whether if it come to the thing, or (the) truth, when all fellows Macedonians doubted [or doubting], they six thousands alone slew an hundred thousand and twenty thousands [or an hundred and twenty thousands], for (or because of) (the) help given to them from heaven; and for these things they had full many benefices.

²¹ By these words they were made steadfast, and ready for to die for (the) laws and (the) country.

²² Therefore he ordained his brethren leaders to (or of) each order, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, and made subject to each a thousand and five hundred (men).

²³ Also to this thing, when the holy book was read to them of Ezra, and a token was given of God’s help, he was duke (or the leader) in the first battle array, and joined battle with Nicanor.

²⁴ And for the Almighty was made (the) helper to (or of) them, they slew over nine thousand of men; forsooth they constrained the more part of Nicanor’s host, made feeble by wounds, for to flee.

²⁵ Forsooth when the riches [or the monies] of them, that came to (or for) the buying of them, were taken up, on each side they pursued them; but they (re)turned again, closed (al)together by an hour;

²⁶ for why it was before (the) sabbath, for which cause they lasted not (in) pursuing (them).

²⁷ Forsooth they gathered the armours of them, and (the) spoils, and did (the) sabbath, and blessed the Lord [or blessing the Lord], that delivered them in (or unto) this day, dropping into (or upon) them (the) beginning of mercy.

²⁸ Forsooth after the sabbath, they parted (the) spoils to the feeble folks, and fatherless, and motherless, and widows; and they with theirs had the residues.

²⁹ When these things were thus done, and commonly of (or by) all men beseeching was made, they asked the merciful Lord, for to be reconciled into the end to his servants.

³⁰ And of these that were with Timothy (or with Timotheus) and Bacchides, striving against themselves, they slew over twenty thousand, and they wielded his strengths (or his strongholds); and they parted more preys, and made even portion to (the) feeble folks, (and the) fatherless, and motherless, and widows, but and (also) to (the) elder men.

³¹ And when they had gathered the armours of them, diligently they putted together, or kept, all things in covenable (or in suitable) places; forsooth they bare to Jerusalem the residue spoils.

³² And they slew Philarches, that was with Timothy (or Timotheus), a man full of great trespasses, that had tormented (the) Jews in many things.

³³ And when (the) feasts of [or for] (the) victory were done in Jerusalem, they burnt them that had burnt (the) holy gates, that is to say (or including), Callisthenes, when he had flown into an house; for why worthy meed (or reward) was yielded to them for their unpiousnesses.

³⁴ Forsooth the wickedest Nicanor, that brought a thousand merchants to the selling [or to (the) buying] of (the) Jews,

³⁵ was meeked, or made low, by (the) help of the Lord, of them which he guessed none (or by them whom he thought to be nothing); and when he had put away the cloth(es) of glory, he fled alone by privy places, and came to Antioch, and had (the) highest infelicity, or wretchedness, of (or over) the death of his host. [meeked, or made low, by help of the Lord, of them which he guessed none; the cloth(es) of glory put down, by middle earth fleeing alone, came to Antioch, having highest infelicity, or most wretchedness, of the death of his host.]

³⁶ And he that (had) promised him(self) to restore tribute to (the) Romans, of (or from) the captivity of (the) men of Jerusalem, preached now that (the) Jews had one defender God, and for (or because of) him, they were unable for to be wounded, for they (pur)sued laws ordained of him (or for they followed the laws ordained by him).