2 Maccabees 13:1-8

Common English Bible

Events in Modein and Beth-zur

13 In year 149^[a] the news reached Judas’ followers that Antiochus Eupator was moving against Judea with a large army. ² With him was Lysias, Antiochus’ guardian and head of the government. Each one had a Greek force of one hundred ten thousand foot soldiers, fifty-three hundred cavalry, and twenty-two elephants, as well as three hundred chariots armed with scythes. ³ Menelaus also joined them and encouraged Antiochus with many lies, not out of a concern for the safety of his homeland but because he expected that he would be set over the government. ⁴ The king of kings, however, aroused Antiochus’ anger against the sinner. When Lysias informed the king that this man was the cause of all the evils, Antiochus commanded that Menelaus be brought to Beroea and executed according to the custom there. ⁵ That place has a tower seventy-five feet tall and full of ashes with a steep rim on all sides leading into the ashes. ⁶ Here anyone guilty of temple robbery or other similar crimes is thrown down to their death. ⁷ In this manner the lawless Menelaus died. He didn’t receive a proper burial. ⁸ This was completely just, since he had committed many sins against the altar whose fire and ashes were holy, so in ashes he died.