1 Maccabees 9
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Bacchides Returns to Judea
9 When Deme′trius heard that Nica′nor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent Bac′chides and Al′cimus into the land of Judah a second time, and with them the right wing of the army. 2 They went by the road which leads to Gilgal and encamped against Mes′aloth in Arbe′la, and they took it and killed many people. 3 In the first month of the one hundred and fifty-second year[a] they encamped against Jerusalem; 4 then they marched off and went to Berea with twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry.
5 Now Judas was encamped in El′asa, and with him were three thousand picked men. 6 When they saw the huge number of the enemy forces, they were greatly frightened, and many slipped away from the camp, until no more than eight hundred of them were left.
7 When Judas saw that his army had slipped away and the battle was imminent, he was crushed in spirit, for he had no time to assemble them. 8 He became faint, but he said to those who were left, “Let us rise and go up against our enemies. We may be able to fight them.” 9 But they tried to dissuade him, saying, “We are not able. Let us rather save our own lives now, and let us come back with our brethren and fight them; we are too few.” 10 But Judas said, “Far be it from us to do such a thing as to flee from them. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our brethren, and leave no cause to question our honor.”
The Last Battle of Judas
11 Then the army of Bac′chides[b] marched out from the camp and took its stand for the encounter. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors. 12 Bac′chides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets; and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. 13 The earth was shaken by the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning till evening.
14 Judas saw that Bac′chides and the strength of his army were on the right; then all the stouthearted men went with him, 15 and they crushed the right wing, and he pursued them as far as Mount Azo′tus. 16 When those on the left wing saw that the right wing was crushed, they turned and followed close behind Judas and his men. 17 The battle became desperate, and many on both sides were wounded and fell. 18 Judas also fell, and the rest fled.
19 Then Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother and buried him in the tomb of their fathers at Mo′de-in, 20 and wept for him. And all Israel made great lamentation for him; they mourned many days and said,
21 “How is the mighty fallen,
the savior of Israel!”
22 Now the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars and the brave deeds that he did, and his greatness, have not been recorded, for they were very many.
Jonathan Succeeds Judas
23 After the death of Judas, the lawless emerged in all parts of Israel; all the doers of injustice appeared. 24 In those days a very great famine occurred, and the country deserted with them to the enemy. 25 And Bac′chides chose the ungodly and put them in charge of the country. 26 They sought and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bac′chides, and he took vengeance on them and made sport of them. 27 Thus there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them.
28 Then all the friends of Judas assembled and said to Jonathan, 29 “Since the death of your brother Judas there has been no one like him to go against our enemies and Bac′chides, and to deal with those of our nation who hate us. 30 So now we have chosen you today to take his place as our ruler and leader, to fight our battle.” 31 And Jonathan at that time accepted the leadership and took the place of Judas his brother.
The Campaigns of Jonathan
32 When Bac′chides learned of this, he tried to kill him. 33 But Jonathan and Simon his brother and all who were with him heard of it, and they fled into the wilderness of Teko′a and camped by the water of the pool of Asphar. 34 Bac′chides found this out on the sabbath day, and he with all his army crossed the Jordan.
35 And Jonathan[c] sent his brother as leader of the multitude and begged the Nabate′ans, who were his friends, for permission to store with them the great amount of baggage which they had. 36 But the sons of Jambri from Me′deba came out and seized John and all that he had, and departed with it.
37 After these things it was reported to Jonathan and Simon his brother, “The sons of Jambri are celebrating a great wedding, and are conducting the bride, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan, from Nad′abath[d] with a large escort.” 38 And they remembered the blood of John their brother, and went up and hid under cover of the mountain. 39 They raised their eyes and looked, and saw a tumultuous procession with much baggage; and the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons. 40 Then they rushed upon them from the ambush and began killing them. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled to the mountain; and they took all their goods. 41 Thus the wedding was turned into mourning and the voice of their musicians into a funeral dirge. 42 And when they had fully avenged the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of the Jordan.
43 When Bac′chides heard of this, he came with a large force on the sabbath day to the banks of the Jordan. 44 And Jonathan said to those with him, “Let us rise up now and fight for our lives, for today things are not as they were before. 45 For look! the battle is in front of us and behind us; the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that, with marsh and thicket; there is no place to turn. 46 Cry out now to Heaven that you may be delivered from the hands of our enemies.” 47 So the battle began, and Jonathan stretched out his hand to strike Bac′chides, but he eluded him and went to the rear. 48 Then Jonathan and the men with him leaped into the Jordan and swam across to the other side, and the enemy[e] did not cross the Jordan to attack them. 49 And about one thousand of Bac′chides’ men fell that day.
Bacchides Builds Fortifications
50 Bac′chides[f] then returned to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judea: the fortress in Jericho, and Emma′us, and Beth-hor′on, and Bethel, and Timnath, and[g] Phar′athon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars. 51 And he placed garrisons in them to harass Israel. 52 He also fortified the city of Beth-zur, and Gazar′a, and the citadel, and in them he put troops and stores of food. 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.
54 In the one hundred and fifty-third year,[h] in the second month, Al′cimus gave orders to tear down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He tore down the work of the prophets! 55 But he only began to tear it down, for at that time Al′cimus 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 Al′cimus died at that time in great agony. 57 When Bac′chides saw that Al′cimus was dead, he returned to the king, and the land of Judah had rest for two years.
The End of the War
58 Then all the lawless plotted and said, “See! Jonathan and his men are living in quiet and confidence. So now let us bring Bac′chides back, and he will capture them all in one night.” 59 And they went and consulted with him. 60 He started to come with a large force, and secretly sent letters to all his allies in Judea, telling them to seize Jonathan and his men; but they were unable to do it, because their plan became known. 61 And Jonathan’s men[i] seized about fifty of the men of the country who were leaders in this treachery, and killed them.
62 Then Jonathan with his men, and Simon, withdrew to Beth-ba′si in the wilderness; he rebuilt the parts of it that had been demolished, and they fortified it. 63 When Bac′chides learned of this, he assembled all his forces, and sent orders to the men of Judea. 64 Then he came and encamped against Beth-ba′si; he fought against it for many days and made machines of war.
65 But Jonathan left Simon his brother in the city, while he went out into the country; and he went with only a few men. 66 He struck down Odome′ra and his brothers and the sons of Phasi′ron in their tents. 67 Then he[j] began to attack and went into battle with his forces; and Simon and his men sallied out from the city and set fire to the machines of war. 68 They fought with Bac′chides, and he was crushed by them. They distressed him greatly, for his plan and his expedition had been in vain. 69 So he was greatly enraged at the lawless men who had counseled him to come into the country, and he killed many of them. Then he decided to depart to his own land.
70 When Jonathan learned of this, he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him and obtain release of the captives. 71 He agreed, and did as he said; and he swore to Jonathan[k] that he would not try to harm him as long as he lived. 72 He restored to him the captives whom he had formerly taken from the land of Judah; then he turned and departed to his own land, and came no more into their territory. 73 Thus the sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan dwelt in Michmash. And Jonathan began to judge the people, and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 9:3 160 b.c.
- 1 Maccabees 9:11 Gk the army
- 1 Maccabees 9:35 Gk he
- 9.37 Vulgate reads “Madaba” (i.e., Medeba, as in verse 36) for Nadabath.
- 1 Maccabees 9:48 Gk they
- 1 Maccabees 9:50 Gk he
- 1 Maccabees 9:50 Some authorities omit and
- 1 Maccabees 9:54 159 b.c.
- 1 Maccabees 9:61 Gk they
- 1 Maccabees 9:67 Other authorities read they
- 1 Maccabees 9:71 Gk him
Sirach 24-25
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
24 Wisdom will praise herself,
and will glory in the midst of her people.[a]
2 In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth,
and in the presence of his host she will glory:
3 “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I dwelt in high places,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven
and have walked in the depths of the abyss.
6 In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth,
and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.
7 Among all these I sought a resting place;
I sought in whose territory I might lodge.
8 “Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment,
and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent.
And he said, ‘Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.’
9 From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,
and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.
10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
11 In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place,
and in Jerusalem was my dominion.
12 So I took root in an honored people,
in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance.
13 “I grew tall like a cedar in Leb′anon,
and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
14 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-ged′i,[b]
and like rose plants in Jericho;
like a beautiful olive tree in the field,
and like a plane tree I grew tall.
15 Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices,
and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor,
like gal′banum, on′ycha, and stacte,
and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
and my branches are glorious and graceful.
17 Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud,
and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.[c]
19 “Come to me, you who desire me,
and eat your fill of my produce.
20 For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey,
and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb.
21 Those who eat me will hunger for more,
and those who drink me will thirst for more.
22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with my help will not sin.”
Wisdom and the Law
23 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,
the law which Moses commanded us
as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.[d]
25 It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon,
and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
26 It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates,
and like the Jordan at harvest time.
27 It makes instruction shine forth like light,
like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
28 Just as the first man did not know her perfectly,
the last one has not fathomed her;
29 for her thought is more abundant than the sea,
and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
30 I went forth like a canal from a river
and like a water channel into a garden.
31 I said, “I will water my orchard
and drench my garden plot”;
and lo, my canal became a river,
and my river became a sea.
32 I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it shine afar;
33 I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,
and leave it to all future generations.
34 Observe that I have not labored for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.[e]
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
25 My soul takes pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of the Lord and of men;[f]
agreement between brothers, friendship between neighbors,
and a wife and a husband who live in harmony.
2 My soul hates three kinds of men,
and I am greatly offended at their life:
a beggar who is proud, a rich man who is a liar,
and an adulterous old man who lacks good sense.
3 You have gathered nothing in your youth;
how then can you find anything in your old age?
4 What an attractive thing is judgment in gray-haired men,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
5 How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in honorable men!
6 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 With nine thoughts I have gladdened my heart,
and a tenth I shall tell with my tongue:
a man rejoicing in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes;
8 happy is he who lives with an intelligent wife,
and he who has not made a slip with his tongue,
and he who has not served a man inferior to himself;
9 happy is he who has gained good sense,
and he who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 How great is he who has gained wisdom!
But there is no one superior to him who fears the Lord.
11 The fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom shall be likened the one who holds it fast?[g]
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a wife!
14 Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15 There is no venom[h] worse than a snake’s venom,[i]
and no wrath worse than an enemy’s wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon
than dwell with an evil wife.
17 The wickedness of a wife changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18 Her husband takes his meals among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing[j] bitterly.
19 Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.
21 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.[k]
22 There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 A dejected mind, a gloomy face,
and a wounded heart are caused by an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
are caused by the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech in an evil wife.
26 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
Footnotes
- Sirach 24:1 Or will glorify herself in the midst of the people.
- Sirach 24:14 Other authorities read on the beaches
- Sirach 24:17 Other authorities add 18 I am the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope; being eternal, I therefore am given to all my children, to those who are named by him.
- Sirach 24:23 Other authorities add 24 “Do not cease to be strong in the Lord, cleave to him so that he may strengthen you; the Lord Almighty alone is God, and besides him there is no savior.”
- Sirach 24:34 Gk it
- Sirach 25:1 Syr Vg: Gk In three things I was beautiful and I stood in beauty before the Lord and men
- Sirach 25:11 Other authorities add 12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.
- Sirach 25:15 Cn: Gk head
- Sirach 25:15 Cn: Gk head
- Sirach 25:18 Other authorities read and listening he sighs
- Sirach 25:21 Heb Syr: Some Gk authorities read for her beauty
Proverbs 23:1-4
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what[a] is before you;
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 Do not toil to acquire wealth;
be wise enough to desist.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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