Bible in 90 Days

¹⁵ Sabbath Observances. In those days I observed men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and also bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on their donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of merchandise into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. I warned them not to sell food on that day. ¹⁶ In addition, Tyrians who resided in Jerusalem were also bringing in fish and every other kind of merchandise and selling it to the Judahites on the Sabbath.

¹⁷ Therefore, I rebuked the nobles of Judah, saying to them: “What is this evil thing you are doing in profaning the Sabbath? ¹⁸ Is not this exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God has brought all this misery down upon us and upon this city? And now you are adding to the wrath that is befalling Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

¹⁹ When the evening shadows were falling on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut, and I further directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. Furthermore, I stationed some of my attendants at the gate to ensure that no merchandise would be brought in on the Sabbath day.^[a]

²⁰ On one or two occasions the merchants and dealers in goods of all kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem, ²¹ until I warned them, saying: “Why are you spending the night in front of the city wall? If you ever do so again, I will not hesitate to lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. ²² Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to act as guards at the gates, in order that the Sabbath day would be kept holy.

Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and have mercy on me in accordance with your great love and mercy.

²³ Mixed Marriages. In those days also I saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. ²⁴ Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, but none of them could speak the language of the Jews.

²⁵ Thereupon I reprimanded them and I cursed them, beat some of them and pulled out their hair, and I made them swear in the name of God: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons or to take away any of their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.

²⁶ “Did not King Solomon of Israel sin because of such women? Among all the nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Yet even he was led into sin^[b] by foreign women. ²⁷ Must we now hear that you have committed this very grave offense, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸ One of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of the high priest Eliashib, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. I drove him from my presence.

²⁹ Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests and the Levites.

³⁰ Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I drew up the regulations for the priests and the Levites, defining the duties of their office. ³¹ I also provided for the deliveries of wood at specific times and for the firstfruits.

Remember this in my favor, O my God.

Chapter 1

A Man Called Tobit. ¹ This book relates the story of Tobit,^[c] son of Tobiel, son of Hananiel, son of Aduel, son of Gabael of the family of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali. ² During the reign of Shalmaneser,^[d] king of Assyria, Tobit was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is south of Kedesh Naphtali in Upper Galilee, above Hazor and some distance to the west of Asher, north of Phogor.

The Suffering of the Righteous^[e]

Tobit, a Righteous Man Put to the Test

A Model Israelite. ³ I, Tobit, have traveled along the paths of truth and righteousness throughout all the days of my life. I carried out many charitable deeds for my kindred and for those of my people who had been sent into exile with me to Nineveh in the country of the Assyrians. ⁴ While I was still a youth in my own country, the land of Israel, the whole tribe of my ancestor Naphtali had forsaken the house of David and Jerusalem, even though this city had been designated out of all the tribes of Israel, so that all those tribes might offer their sacrifices in the place where the temple, the dwelling place of God, had been constructed and consecrated for the enduring use of all future generations. ⁵ All my kindred and the entire house of my ancestor Naphtali used to offer sacrifice on all the mountains of Galilee to the calf that Jeroboam, king of Israel, had erected in Dan.

⁶ I alone would frequently make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festivals, in accordance with the everlasting decree prescribed for all Israel. I would hasten to Jerusalem with the firstfruits of the fields and the firstborn of the flocks, the tithes of the cattle, and the first shearings of the sheep. ⁷ I would present these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar. To the Levites who were ministering at Jerusalem I would likewise give the tithes of grain, wine, olive oil, pomegranates, figs, and other fruits. In addition, for six consecutive years I would prepare a second tithe in money and bring it each year to disburse in Jerusalem.

⁸ A third tithe I would distribute among orphans and widows as well as among the converts who were dwelling among the Israelites. Every third year when I brought this third tithe, we would consume it together in accordance with the decree prescribed in the law of Moses and with the commands of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel; for when my father died, I was left an orphan.

⁹ When I achieved manhood, I married a woman named Anna, who was of our own lineage, and she bore me a son whom I named Tobiah.

¹⁰ Tobit Deported and Persecuted.^[f]After the Exile to Assyria, I came to Nineveh as a captive. All the members of my kindred and of my people ate the food of pagans, ¹¹ but I conscientiously avoided doing so. ¹² And because I remained faithful to God with my whole heart, ¹³ the Most High gave me favor and good standing with Shalmaneser, and I was entrusted with the task of purchasing everything he needed. ¹⁴ Until his death I used to travel to Media to buy supplies for him there, and I deposited pouches of money worth ten talents in the care of my kinsman Gabael, son of Gabri, who lived at Rages, in Media. ¹⁵ However, when Shalmaneser died and his son Sennacherib^[g] succeeded him as king, the roads into Media became dangerous, and so I could no longer travel there.

¹⁶ Courage in Burying the Dead. During the reign of Shalmaneser I carried out many charitable deeds for my kindred and my people. ¹⁷ I would give my bread to the hungry and my clothing to those in need, and if I saw one of my people who died and had been cast outside the walls of Nineveh, I would bury that person. ¹⁸ I also buried those who were put to death by Sennacherib when he fled from Judea during those days of judgment that the king of heaven decreed against him because of his blasphemies. In his anger he slew many Israelites; but I would steal their bodies and bury them, so that Sennacherib would look for them in vain. ¹⁹ But a certain citizen of Nineveh told the king that I was the one who was burying them in secret. When I learned that the king was aware of what I was doing and that he wanted to put me to death, I was overcome with fear and fled. ²⁰ Everything that I possessed was seized and confiscated for the royal treasury. Nothing was left to me except for my wife Anna and my son Tobiah.

²¹ However, less than forty days later the king was murdered by two of his sons, who then fled to the mountains of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon, who succeeded him as king, appointed Ahiqar, the son of my brother Anael, to be in charge of all the revenues of the kingdom, with control of the entire administration.^{[h] 22} Then Ahiqar took up my cause, and I was allowed to return to Nineveh. Ahiqar had been chief cupbearer, keeper of the seal, administrator, and treasurer under Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and so Esarhaddon had reappointed him. He was a relative of mine—my nephew.

Chapter 2

His Neighbors Deride Tobit’s Generosity. ¹ During the reign of Esarhaddon, therefore, I returned home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobiah were restored to me. At our festival of Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, an excellent dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat. ² The table was set for me, and an abundance of food was placed before me. I said to my son Tobiah, “Go out, my child, and find some poor man among our people exiled here in Nineveh. If he is wholeheartedly devoted to God, bring him back with you to share my meal. I will wait for you, my son, until you return.”

³ And so Tobiah went out to search for some poor person of our people. When he returned, he said, “Father!” I replied, “What is it, my son?” “Father,” he answered, “one of our people has been murdered and thrown into the marketplace, and he is still lying there strangled.” ⁴ I sprang up at once, leaving my dinner without having even tasted it; and I removed the body from the marketplace and put it in one of the rooms until sunset when I would be able to bury it. ⁵ When I returned, I bathed myself and ate my dinner in sorrow, ⁶ recalling the words pronounced by the prophet Amos against Bethel:

⁷ And I wept. When the sun had set, I went out, dug a grave, and buried him. ⁸ My neighbors jeered at me, saying, “Is he still unafraid? Once previously he had been hunted down under the penalty of death for this identical offense; yet here he is, after his escape, once again burying the dead.”

In the Heat of the Trial. ⁹ That same night, after bathing, I went into the courtyard and lay down to sleep by the courtyard wall, with my face uncovered because of the heat. ^10 [i]I was not aware that sparrows were poised on the wall above me. Their warm droppings fell into my eyes, causing white patches to form, and I had to go to the doctors for a cure. But the more they treated my eyes with their ointment, the more my vision was impaired by the white patches, until at last I became completely blind. For four years I remained sightless. All my kindred grieved at my situation, and Ahiqar took care of me for two years, until he departed for Elymais.^[j]

¹¹ At that time my wife Anna used to earn money by working in her rooms for payment, spinning wool and weaving cloth. ¹² When she delivered what she had made to those who had ordered the work, they would pay her. On the seventh day of the month Dystros,^[k] she completed a particular job of weaving and delivered it to her employers. They not only paid her the agreed-upon wages in full but also gave her a young goat for a meal. ¹³ When the goat entered my house, it began to bleat. I called to my wife and asked, “Where did you get this goat? Perhaps it was stolen. Return it to its owners. We have no right to eat anything stolen.” ¹⁴ But she reassured me, “It was given to me as a bonus in addition to my wages.” However, I did not believe her, and I insisted that she return it to its owners. I became very angry over this. She replied, “Where is your almsgiving? Where are your good deeds? Everyone can now see the kind of person you really are!”

Chapter 3

Tobit’s Prayer. ¹ With deep distress I groaned and wept aloud. Then, sobbing, I began to pray:

Sarah: Innocence Diabolically Offended^[m]

Sarah’s Misfortune.^{[n] 7} On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel,^[o] had to endure the insults of one of her father’s maids. ⁸ For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus had slain each of them before the marriage had been consummated as is customary. The servant girl said to her, “You are the one who has slain your husbands! Behold, you have already been given in marriage seven times, but you have experienced no joy with any of your husbands. ⁹ Just because your husbands are dead is no reason to abuse us. Join them, and may we never live to see any son or daughter of yours!”

¹⁰ On that day, deeply distressed, she went in tears to an upper room in her father’s house, intending to hang herself. But then she considered further, thinking: “Perhaps they will reproach my father, saying to him, ‘You had only one beloved daughter, but because of her misfortune she hanged herself.’ Thus I would cause my father in his old age to descend to Hades, overcome with sorrow. It would be far better for me not to hang myself but to beg the Lord to grant that I die so that I will no longer have to listen to these taunts.”

¹¹ Sarah’s Prayer.^[p]Then, with hands outstretched toward the window, she offered this prayer:

¹⁶ An Answer to Prayer.^[q]At that very moment the prayer of both these petitioners was heard in the glorious presence of God, ¹⁷ and Raphael^[r] was sent to heal them both. He was to remove the white patches from Tobit’s eyes so that he might once again behold God’s light with his own eyes, and he was to give Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, in marriage to Tobiah, son of Tobit, and then free her from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobiah had the right to claim her in marriage before any other suitor.

At the very moment that Tobit returned from the courtyard to his house, Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, descended from her upper room.

The Righteous Are Rewarded^[s]

Tobit’s Testament

Chapter 4

¹ That same day Tobit remembered the money he had left in the custody of Gabael at Rages in Media, ² and he said to himself, “I have now asked for death. Therefore, before I die, I should call my son Tobiah and tell him about this money.” ^3 [t]Therefore, he summoned his son Tobiah and said to him, “My son, when I die, give me a proper burial. Honor your mother, and do not abandon her during her lifetime. Do whatever pleases her, and never grieve her in any way. ⁴ Remember, my son, she endured many risks for your sake while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her beside me in one grave.

⁵ “Be faithful to the Lord all the days of your life, my son, and never succumb to the desire to sin or to transgress his commandments. Do good works all the days of your life, and do not walk in evil ways. ⁶ For if you lead an honest life, you will be successful, as will all those who live uprightly.^[u]

⁷ “Distribute alms from your possessions. If you do not avert your gaze from anyone who is poor, God will never turn his face away from you. ⁸ Your almsgiving should be in proportion to your means. If you have been blessed with great abundance, give much; if you possess little, do not be afraid to give even some of that. ⁹ In this way you will be accumulating for yourself a goodly treasure for the day of adversity. ¹⁰ For almsgiving delivers the donor from death and saves people from descending into darkness. ¹¹ Those who give alms have a worthy offering in the presence of the Most High.

¹² “My son, avoid all forms of immorality. Above all, choose a wife from among the lineage of your ancestors. Do not marry anyone who is not descended from your father’s tribe, for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my son, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our ancestors from of old, all took wives from their own kindred. They were blessed in their children, and their descendants will inherit the land. ¹³ Therefore, my son, you too must love your kindred; do not disdain them, the sons and daughters of your people, and do not be too proud to take a wife for yourself from among them. Such pride results in ruin and great anxiety. Idleness, too, leads to loss and dire poverty, since idleness is the mother of famine.

¹⁴ “Do not withhold until the following day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Be cautious, my son, in everything that you do, and let your behavior be disciplined. ¹⁵ Do not do to anyone what you yourself hate.^[v] Do not drink wine to excess or allow drunkenness to become your companion on your journey of life.

¹⁶ “Share your food with the hungry and your clothes with those who are in need of them. Whatever you have in excess, give as alms, and do so ungrudgingly. ¹⁷ Generously provide bread and wine at the graves of the just, but give nothing to sinners.^[w]

¹⁸ “Seek the advice of every wise person, and do not ignore any useful counsel. ¹⁹ Bless the Lord God at all times; ask him to guide you along straight paths and to grant success to all your plans and works. Pagan nations lack such guidance, unless the Lord himself who is the source of all good things chooses to grant it. The Lord exalts those he wills or casts them down even to the depths of Hades. Finally, my son, remember these precepts and never let them be effaced from your heart.

²⁰ “And now, my son, I must tell you that I have on deposit ten talents of silver in the care of Gabael, son of Gabri, at Rages in Media.^{[x] 21} Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. Great wealth is yours if you fear God, avoid every kind of sin, and do what is good in the sight of the Lord, your God.”

Tobiah’s Journey

Chapter 5

A Welcome and Mysterious Guide. ¹ Then Tobiah replied to his father Tobit, “I will do everything that you have commanded me, father. ² But how will I be able to retrieve the money from him inasmuch as he does not know me and I do not know him? What proof can I give him so that he can recognize me, trust me, and give me the money? And furthermore, I do not know what roads I must take to make this journey to Media.”

³ Then Tobit answered his son Tobiah, “We each signed a document that I divided into two parts, one for each of us. I kept one part, and I put the other part with the money. Twenty years have now elapsed since I left this money in his care. So now, my son, you must find a trustworthy man who will accompany you. We will pay him wages until you return. But go and collect the money from Gabael.”^[y]

⁴ So Tobiah went out to look for someone who knew the way to Media and would be willing to accompany him. Outside, he encountered the angel Raphael standing in front of him. Unaware that he was an angel of God, ⁵ Tobiah said to him, “Where do you come from, young man?” “I am an Israelite, one of your kindred,” he replied. “I have come here to look for work.” Then Tobiah said to him, “Do you know the way to Media?”

⁶ “Yes,” he answered. “I have been there many times. I am familiar with all the routes, and I know them well. I have often traveled to Media where I used to stay with Gabael, our kinsman who lives at Rages in Media. It generally takes two full days^[z] to travel from Ecbatana to Rages, inasmuch as Rages is situated in a mountainous area while Ecbatana is in the middle of a plain.”

⁷ Tobiah said to him “Wait for me, young man, while I go inside and tell my father. I need you to travel with me, and I shall pay you for your time.” ⁸ He replied, “Very well, I will wait for you, but do not be too long.”

⁹ Tobiah went back inside to tell his father Tobit what had transpired. He said to him, “I have found a fellow Israelite to make the journey with me.” Tobit said, “Call the man inside, my son, so that I may find out about his family and ascertain to what tribe he belongs, to ensure that he will be a trustworthy traveling companion for you.” Tobiah went back outside and summoned him. He said, “Young man, my father would like to talk with you.”

¹⁰ When Raphael entered the house, Tobit greeted him first. When Raphael said, “Joyous greetings to you,” Tobit replied, “What joy can I experience anymore? I am blind. I can no longer see the light of heaven. I live in darkness like the dead who no longer see the light. Though still alive, I am dead for all intents and purposes. I hear people speak but I cannot see them.” Raphael said, “Have courage! God in his providence will restore your sight. Have courage!”

Tobit then said, “My son Tobiah wishes to go to Media. Will you accompany him as his guide? I will pay your wages, brother.” “Yes,” he answered. “I can go with him. I am familiar with all the roads, for I have often been to Media. I have journeyed across all its plains and mountains, and I know all its roads.” ¹¹ Tobit said, “Brother, tell me what family and tribe you belong to.” ¹² Raphael asked, “Why do you need to know my family and my tribe? Are you seeking a family and a tribe or a hired man to accompany your son on his journey?” Tobit answered, “I want to be quite sure whose son you are and what your name is.”

¹³ Raphael replied, “I am Azariah,^[aa] son of Hananiah the elder, one of your relatives.” ¹⁴ Tobit said in answer, “Welcome! God save you, brother. Do not be offended at me for wanting to learn the truth about you and your family. As it so happens, you are a relative, and of a good and noble lineage. I knew Hananiah and Nathaniah, the two sons of Shemaiah the elder. They used to go on pilgrimage with me to Jerusalem, where we would worship together. They never strayed from the path of righteousness. Your kindred are worthy people. You indeed come of good stock. Welcome!”

¹⁵ Then he added, “I will pay you a drachma^[ab] a day and in addition allow you the same expenses as those for my son. If you go with my son, ¹⁶ I will even add a bonus to your basic wages.” Raphael replied, “I will go with him, so have no fear. We will depart from you in good health, and we will return to you in good health, because the route is safe.” ¹⁷ Tobit said, “God bless you, brother.”

Then Tobit called his son and said to him, “My son, prepare everything you need for the journey and set out with your kinsman. May God in heaven protect both of you on your journey there and return you to me safe and sound, and may his angel accompany you and ensure your safety, my son.”

Tobiah’s Leavetaking. Before departing on his journey, Tobiah kissed his father and mother. Tobit said to him, “Have a safe journey.” ¹⁸ However, his mother began to weep, and she said to Tobit, “Why must you send my child away? Is he not the staff on whom we lean as he supports us in whatever we do? ¹⁹ Do not pile money upon money. Rather let it serve as a ransom for our son. ²⁰ Let us be content with the life that the Lord has provided for us.”

²¹ “Do not worry,” Tobit replied. “Our son will depart from us in good health and will return to us in good health. Your eyes will see him on the day when he returns to you safe and sound. ²² So banish such thoughts. Do not be concerned about them, my sister. A good angel will accompany him, his journey will be successful, and he will return to us safe and sound.” ²³ Then she stopped weeping.

Chapter 6

Catch of a Large Fish. ¹ The youth left together with the angel, ² and the dog followed them out of the house and accompanied them. They journeyed until nightfall and then camped beside the Tigris River. ³ When the youth went down to bathe his feet in the river, a large fish leapt out of the water and tried to swallow his foot. He cried out, ⁴ but the angel said, “Take hold of the fish and don’t let it escape.” The youth took hold of the fish and pulled it to the shore. ⁵ The angel then said to him, “Cut the fish up and take out its gall, heart, and liver. Keep them with you, and throw out the entrails, for the gall, heart, and liver can be used as medicines.” ⁶ The youth cut the fish up and set aside the gall, heart, and liver. He broiled and ate part of the fish, salting the rest so that it could be used on the journey. Afterward they continued their travels together until they drew near to Media.

⁷ Then the youth posed this question to the angel: “Brother Azariah, what medicinal value can there be in the heart, liver, and gall of the fish?” ^8 [ac]He replied, “As far as the heart and liver are concerned, when you burn them and the smoke rises in the presence of someone, man or woman, who is afflicted by a demon or an evil spirit, that affliction will disappear for good and will never plague that person again. ⁹ As regards the gall, if you anoint the eyes of someone where white patches have appeared on them and then blow on those patches, the eyes will be healed.”

¹⁰ Raphael’s Counsels. When they had entered Media and were drawing near to Ecbatana, ¹¹ Raphael said to the youth, “Brother Tobiah!” He answered, “Here I am.” Raphael went on: “Tonight we must stay in the home of Raguel who is a relative of yours. He has a daughter named Sarah, ¹² but aside from her he has no other son or daughter. Since you are her next of kin, you above all others have the right to marry her and to inherit her father’s goods. This girl is sensible, brave, and very beautiful, and her father is a fine man.”

¹³ He continued: “Since you have the right to marry her, listen to me, brother. Tonight I will speak to her father and secure his approval to have her betrothed to you. When we return from Rages, we will hold her marriage celebration. I know that Raguel has no right to refuse your request or to betroth her to another man without incurring the death penalty as decreed in the Book of Moses. He clearly understands that you above all other men have the right to marry his daughter.

“So listen to me, brother. Tonight we will speak about the girl and arrange for her to be betrothed to you. And when we return from Rages, we will take her with us and bring her to your home.”

¹⁴ However, in reply to Raphael, Tobiah said, “Brother Azariah, I have heard that she has already been given in marriage seven times, and that each of her husbands died in the bridal chamber. The very night that they entered her room, they died, and I have heard people claim that it was a demon who killed them. ¹⁵ Therefore, I am afraid. The demon does not harm her because he loves her, but he kills any man who tries to approach her. I am my father’s only son, and if I should die, I fear that the resulting grief would bring my father and mother to their grave—and they have no other son to bury them.”

¹⁶ Raphael retorted, “Have you forgotten your father’s instructions to take a wife from his family? Now listen to me, brother. Do not worry about this demon. Take Sarah in marriage. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage. ¹⁷ When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the heart and liver of the fish and place them on the burning incense. ¹⁸ When the demon smells the odor that will arise, he will flee, and never again will he be seen near her.

“Then, before you go to bed with her, both of you must first stand up and pray. Beseech the Lord of heaven to grant you his mercy and protection. Do not be afraid; she was set apart for you before the world was created. You will save her, and she will go with you. Undoubtedly by her you will have children who will be like brothers to you. Do not worry!”

When Tobiah heard Raphael’s words and learned that Sarah was his kinswoman, related through his father’s lineage, he was filled with love for her, and his heart became set on her.^[ad]

Chapter 7

Raguel Welcomes His Guests. ¹ As they entered Ecbatana, Tobiah said, “Brother Azariah, take me directly to our kinsman Raguel.” So he brought him to the house of Raguel, where they found him sitting beside his courtyard gate. They greeted him first, and he replied, “Greetings to you, too, my brothers. You are welcome, and I wish you good health.”

When he brought them into his house, ² he said to his wife Edna, “This young man truly resembles my kinsman Tobit.” ³ Then Edna asked them, “Where are you from, brothers?” They replied, “We belong to the descendants of Naphtali, who are now in exile at Nineveh.” ⁴ “Do you know our kinsman Tobit?” she asked, and they answered, “Yes, we do.” “Is he well?” she inquired. ⁵ “He is alive and well,” they replied, and Tobiah added, “He is my father.”

⁶ Raguel leapt to his feet and, with tears in his eyes, he kissed him, saying, ⁷ “God bless you, my child. You are the son of a good and noble father. But how tragic it is that such an upright and charitable man has lost his sight!” He then embraced his kinsman Tobiah and wept. ⁸ His wife Edna also wept for Tobit, as did their daughter Sarah.

Sarah Is Given in Marriage to Tobiah. ⁹ Afterward Raguel slaughtered a ram from the flock and gave them a warm welcome. When they had bathed and reclined to eat, Tobiah said to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, please ask Raguel to give me my kinswoman Sarah in marriage.” ¹⁰ Raguel overheard this and said to the young man, “Eat and drink and be merry tonight, for no one else but you, my brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. In any event, I do not have the right to give her to anyone else, since you are my closest relative.

“However, my son, I must frankly reveal the truth to you. ¹¹ I have previously given her in marriage to seven of our kinsmen, and they all died on their wedding night when they entered her chamber. But for the moment, my child, eat and drink, and may the Lord show kindness in dealing with you both.” Tobiah answered, “I will neither eat nor drink anything until you give me what is mine.”

Raguel said to him, “I will do so. She is yours, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Book of Moses, and heaven itself decrees that she be given to you. Take your kinswoman; from now on you belong to her and she belongs to you. She is given to you from today forever. May the Lord of heaven look upon you favorably tonight, my child, and grant you mercy and peace.”

¹² Then Raguel summoned his daughter Sarah, and when she came to him, he took her by the hand^[ae] and gave her to Tobiah with these words: “Take her as your wife in accordance with the law and the decree written in the Book of Moses. Take her and bring her safe and sound to your father. And may the God of heaven bless both of you with peace and prosperity.” ¹³ Then, after summoning her mother and instructing her to bring him a scroll, he drew up and affixed his seal to a marriage contract^[af] stating that he gave Sarah to Tobiah as his wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. ¹⁴ Afterward they began to eat and drink.

¹⁵ Later on, Raguel called his wife Edna and said, “My sister, get the other room ready and bring her there.” ¹⁶ She went and made the bed in the room as he had instructed and brought Sarah there. After weeping over her, she wiped away her tears and said, ¹⁷ “Have courage, my daughter. May the Lord of heaven turn your grief to joy. Have courage, my daughter.” Then she departed.

Chapter 8

An Unusual Wedding Night. ¹ When they had finished eating and drinking and were ready to retire, they escorted the young man from the dining room to the bedroom. ² Then Tobiah recalled Raphael’s instructions. He removed the liver and heart of the fish from the bag where he had stored them, and he placed them on the embers of the incense. ³ The odor of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to Upper Egypt.^[ag] However, Raphael followed him there and bound him hand and foot. Then he returned at once.

^4 [ah]When the girl’s parents had left the room and closed the door behind them, Tobiah got out of bed and said to Sarah, “Arise, my beloved. Let us pray and implore our Lord to grant us his mercy and protection.” ⁵ She got up, and they started to pray and ask that they might be kept safe. Tobiah began by saying:

⁸ Then together they said, “Amen, amen,” ⁹ and they slept through the night.

But Raguel arose and summoned his servants, and they went outside and dug a grave, ¹⁰ for he said, “If Tobiah should die, we will be subjected to ridicule and scorn.” ¹¹ When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went back into the house and summoned his wife, ¹² saying, “Send one of the maids into the room to see whether Tobiah is still alive. If he should be dead, let us bury him so that no one will know anything about it.” ¹³ They summoned the maid, lit a lamp, and opened the bedroom door. After the maid went in and found them sound asleep together, ¹⁴ she came out and informed them that Tobiah was alive and that there was nothing wrong. ¹⁵ Then Raguel blessed the God of heaven with these words:

¹⁸ Then he instructed his servants to fill in the grave before daybreak.

¹⁹ The Great Wedding Feast. Having asked his wife to bake many loaves of bread, Raguel went out to his flock and selected two oxen and four rams and ordered them to be slaughtered. Thus they began to prepare for the feast.

²⁰ Then he called Tobiah and swore an oath to him: “You shall not depart from here for fourteen days.^[ai] Rather, you shall stay here eating and drinking with me, and you shall bring joy to my daughter’s heart after all the suffering she has endured. ²¹ Take at once half of everything I possess,^[aj] and then return with her safe and sound to your father. When my wife and I are dead, you will inherit the other half. Have courage, my son. I am your father and Edna is your mother, and now and forever we belong to you just as much as we belong to your wife. Have courage, my son.”

Chapter 9

Tobiah Remembers His Primary Mission.^{[ak] 1} Then Tobiah sent for Raphael. ² “Brother Azariah,” he said, “take four servants and two camels with you and leave for Rages. ³ Go to Gabael’s house, give him the note of credit, and collect the money. Then invite him to come with you to the wedding celebration. ⁴ As you realize, my father must be counting the days, and if my return should be delayed by as little as a single day, he will be deeply grieved. You witnessed the oath that Raguel has sworn, and I cannot violate that oath.”

^5 [al]And so Raphael, together with the four servants and two camels, went to Rages in Media and lodged with Gabael. Raphael gave Gabael the note of credit, informed him about the marriage of Tobiah, son of Tobit, and invited him to the wedding feast. Gabael immediately arose and counted out to him the money bags with their seals still intact. Then they loaded them onto the camels.

⁶ The following morning they both arose early and set off to the wedding celebration. When they entered Raguel’s house, they found Tobiah reclining at table. He jumped up and greeted Gabael, who wept and blessed him with these words: “Good and noble son of a father equally good and noble, upright and generous, may the Lord bestow the blessing of heaven on you and your wife, as well as on your wife’s father and mother. Blessed be God, for I observe in Tobiah the very image of my cousin Tobit.”^[am]

Chapter 10

Anxiety of Tobiah’s Parents.^{[an] 1} Meanwhile, every day Tobit continued to estimate the number of days Tobiah would need for the journey there and for the return trip. When that time had elapsed and still his son had not returned, ² he said, “Is it possible that he has been detained there? Perhaps Gabael is dead and there is no one who is able to give him the money.” ³ And he began to worry. ⁴ His wife Anna said, “My son has perished and is no longer among the living.” And she began to weep, and to mourn over her son, saying, ⁵ “Alas, my child, the light of my eyes. Why did I permit you to make this journey?”

⁶ However, Tobit continued to reassure her: “Hush! Do not worry, my dear. He is all right. Probably something unexpected has happened to delay them. The man who is accompanying him is trustworthy and one of our kindred. So do not grieve for him, my dear. He will be here soon.”

⁷ But she retorted: “Let me alone and do not try to deceive me! My child has perished.” Each day she would go out and maintain her watch on the road her son had taken, and she would listen to no one. At sunset she would return home and mourn and weep throughout the night, unable to sleep.

The Return of Tobiah

Tobiah Insists on Returning Home.^[ao] After the fourteen days for the wedding celebration that Raguel had sworn to hold for his daughter had come to an end, Tobiah approached him and said, “Now please let me depart, for I am positive that my father and mother do not believe that they will ever see me again. So I beseech you, father, that you allow me to return home now to my father Tobit. I have already explained to you the condition in which I left him.”

⁸ Raguel replied, “My child, stay with me, and I will send messengers to your father to give him news of you.” ⁹ But Tobiah insisted, “No, I beg you to let me return home to my father.” ¹⁰ Without any further hesitation, Raguel turned over to Tobiah Sarah his bride, as well as half of all his possessions—male and female slaves, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, money, and household goods. ¹¹ Bidding them farewell, he prepared to send them on their way. Embracing Tobiah, he said, “Good-bye, my son. Have a safe journey. May the Lord of heaven grant prosperity to you and your wife Sarah. Hopefully, before I die, I will be able to see your children.”

¹² He then kissed his daughter Sarah and said to her: “My daughter, honor your husband’s father and mother, since from now on they are as much your parents as the ones who gave you life. Depart in peace, my daughter, and may I hear nothing but good reports about you as long as I live.” After this, he bade good-bye to them and let them go.

¹³ Then Edna said to Tobiah, “My child, and beloved brother, may the Lord bring you back home safely, and may I live long enough to see the children born to you and my daughter Sarah before I die. In the sight of the Lord I entrust my daughter into your keeping. Do not cause her suffering in any day of your life. Go in peace, my child. From now on I am your mother and Sarah is your beloved wife. May we all have good fortune for the rest of our lives.” Then she kissed them both and sent them away safe and sound.

¹⁴ When Tobiah was ready to leave Raguel’s house, he was filled with happiness and joy, and he blessed the Lord of heaven and earth, the King of all that exists, for ensuring the success of his journey. Finally he blessed Raguel and his wife Edna, saying, “May I honor you for the rest of my life.”

Chapter 11

The Aged Tobit Recovers His Sight.^{[ap] 1} As they neared Kaserin, which is close to Nineveh, ² Raphael said, “You know your father’s condition when we departed. ³ Let us hurry on ahead of your wife and prepare the house while she and the others journey on after us.” ⁴ As they went on together, Raphael then said to Tobiah, “Have the fish gall ready at hand.” And the dog followed them.

⁵ Meanwhile Anna was sitting, watching the road by which her son would come. ⁶ When she caught sight of his approach, she said to his father, “Tobit, your son is coming, and so is the man who served as his companion.”

⁷ Raphael said to Tobiah before he reached his father, “I am sure that his eyes will be opened. ⁸ Smear the fish gall on them. This medicine will cause the white patches to shrink and to peel away from his eyes. Then your father will recover his sight, and once again he will be able to see the light of day.”

⁹ Then Anna ran forward and threw her arms around her son. “Now I am ready to die, my son,” she said, “for I have seen you once again.” And she wept. ¹⁰ Then Tobit rose to his feet and came stumbling through the courtyard gate. Tobiah went up to him ¹¹ with the fish gall in his hand, and holding him firmly he blew into his eyes, saying, “Have courage, father!” ¹² He next applied the medicine to his eyes with great care, ¹³ and it made them sting. Then, with both hands, he peeled off the white patches, beginning at the corners of Tobit’s eyes. When Tobit saw his son, he threw his arms around him, ¹⁴ and weeping, he exclaimed, “I can see you, my son, the light of my eyes.” Then he said:

Then Tobit went inside, rejoicing and praising God with all his strength. Tobiah reported to his father about the success of his journey, saying that he had brought back the money with him, that he had married Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, and that Sarah would soon arrive at their home, since she was not far from the gates of Nineveh.

¹⁶ Tobit went out to the gates of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in-law, rejoicing and praising God. When the people of Nineveh observed him walking along vigorously without anyone guiding him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ Tobit related in their presence how God had been merciful to him and restored his sight. When he met Sarah, the wife of his son Tobiah, he blessed her in these words: “Welcome, my daughter. Blessed be God who has sent you to us, my daughter. Blessed are your father and mother. Blessed is my son Tobiah. Blessed are you, my daughter. Welcome now to your home, and enter with joyfulness and in blessedness, my daughter.”

And so that was a day of joy for all the Jews in Nineveh. ¹⁸ Ahiqar and his nephew Nadab also came to share in Tobit’s happiness. They celebrated Tobiah’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him.

Chapter 12

God’s Providence Revealed.^{[aq] 1} After the wedding celebrations had been completed, Tobit summoned his son Tobiah and said to him, “My son, it is time that you paid the wages owed to the man who journeyed with you, and in addition you should give him a bonus.” ² Tobiah replied, “Father, how much should I pay him? I would not be averse to giving him half of all the possessions he brought back with me. ³ He returned me to you safe and sound, he cured my wife, he brought back the money with me, and he healed you. How much extra should I give him?”

⁴ Tobit answered, “It would only be just, my son, for him to receive half of all that he brought back.” ⁵ So Tobiah called his companion and said, “For your wages take half of all that you brought back, and go in peace.”

^6 [ar][as]Raphael called both men aside privately and said to them, “Bless God, and in the presence of all the living praise him and acknowledge all the good things he has done for you. Bless and extol his name with hymns of praise. Proclaim to all people the deeds of God, and never cease to offer thanksgiving to him. ⁷ The secret of a king should be concealed, but the works of God should be publicly proclaimed as they deserve. Do what is good, and no evil will befall you.

⁸ “Prayer and fasting are worthy acts, but better than these is almsgiving with justice. A little with righteousness is better than much with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to hoard gold.^{[at] 9} For almsgiving saves us from death and purges every type of sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a long life, ¹⁰ but those who commit sin and do evil deeds are their own worst enemies.

¹¹ “I will now tell you the entire truth; nothing will be hidden from you. I have already said to you that it is prudent to keep a king’s secret but that the works of God should be publicly proclaimed as they deserve. ¹² I can now reveal to you, Tobit, that when you and Sarah prayed, I was the one who presented your supplications before the Glory of the Lord, as well as when you buried the dead. ¹³ On the occasion when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead man, ¹⁴ I was sent to test you.^[au] However, at the same time, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. ¹⁵ I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready to enter before the Glory of the Lord.”^[av]

¹⁶ The two men were deeply shaken and fell to the ground in fear. ¹⁷ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^[aw] Peace be with you. Praise God forevermore. ¹⁸ As for me, when I came to you, the decision was not in accord with my will but in accord with the will of God. Therefore, continue to bless him every day of your life and sing hymns of praise to him. ¹⁹ When you thought that you saw me eating, that was only a vision—I did not eat anything. ²⁰ Now raise yourselves from the ground and give thanks to God. I am about to ascend to him who sent me. Make a written record of all these things that have happened to you.”

²¹ He then ascended, and when they stood up they could no longer see him. ²² They kept blessing God by singing hymns of praise, and they gave thanks to him for the marvelous deeds he had accomplished when an angel of God had appeared to them.

Vision of the New Times

The Canticle of Tobit^[ax]

Chapter 13

Call for Conversion from Sin. ¹ Then Tobit in his joy composed this prayer:

The New Jerusalem, Light of the Nations

Tobit’s Prophecy

Chapter 14^[ay]

¹ So ended Tobit’s words of praise. He died peacefully at the age of one hundred and twelve and was buried with much honor in Nineveh. ² He was sixty-two years old when he lost his eyesight, and after he was cured he lived a happy life, gave alms, and continually blessed God and proclaimed his greatness.

³ Prior to his death, he summoned his son Tobiah and Tobiah’s seven sons, and issued these instructions: ⁴ “My son, take your children and hasten to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh. It will all take place. Everything will happen to Assyria and Nineveh that was spoken by the prophets of Israel sent by God. None of their words will be unfulfilled; everything will occur at the appointed time. You will be safer in Media than in Assyria or Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be accomplished. Not a single word of the prophecies will remain unfulfilled.

“All of our kindred who dwell in Israel will be scattered and carried off in exile out of that good land. The whole territory of Israel, even Samaria and Jerusalem, will be desolate. The temple of God there will be burned to the ground, and for a period of time it will be abandoned.^{[az] 5} However, God will once again have mercy on them and bring them back to the land of Israel. They will rebuild the temple of God, but it will not be comparable to the first one until the period when the appointed times will come. Then they will all return from their captivity and rebuild Jerusalem in splendor. And the temple of God will be rebuilt there, as the prophets of Israel have foretold.

⁶ “All the nations of the entire world will be converted and offer sincere worship to God. They will all renounce their idols who have deceitfully led them into error, ⁷ and with justice they will praise the eternal God. All of the Israelites who are spared in those days and remain firmly mindful of God will be gathered together. They will go to Jerusalem and dwell in safety forever in the land of Abraham, which will be given over to them. Those who sincerely love God will rejoice, whereas those who are guilty of sin and wickedness will disappear from the earth.

⁸ “Now, my children, I give you this injunction. Serve God faithfully and do what is pleasing to him. Teach your children to do what is right and to give alms, to be mindful of God and at all times to bless his name sincerely and with all their strength.

⁹ “So now, my son, depart from Nineveh; do not remain here. ¹⁰ Once you have buried your mother next to me, do not spend even one more night within the confines of this city, where the people are without shame as they engage in wickedness and deceit. Recall, my son, what Nadab^[ba] did to Ahiqar who had raised him. While still alive, Ahiqar was forced to hide in a grave. However, God’s justice did not allow this disgraceful outrage to remain unpunished, inasmuch as Ahiqar came out again into the light of day, while Nadab descended into eternal darkness because of his attempt on Ahiqar’s life.

“Because Ahiqar gave alms, he managed to escape the deadly trap that Nadab had set for him. However, Nadab himself fell into that trap and was destroyed. ¹¹ So, my children, you can see what almsgiving accomplishes, as well as what wickedness does—it leads to death. But now my breath fails me.”

¹² They placed him on his bed, where he died, and he received an honorable burial.

The Last Days of Tobiah

When his mother died, Tobiah buried her beside his father. Then he and his wife and children returned to Media and settled in Ecbatana with his father-in-law Raguel. ¹³ He treated his wife’s aging parents with great care and respect, and later he buried them in Ecbatana in Media.

Tobiah inherited the estate of Raguel as well as that of his father Tobit. ¹⁴ Greatly respected, he died at the age of one hundred and seventeen. ¹⁵ Before his death he heard of the destruction of Nineveh and witnessed the exile of the city’s inhabitants whom King Cyaxares^[bb] of Media had taken captive.

Tobiah praised God for everything he had inflicted on the inhabitants of Nineveh and Assyria. Before his death he rejoiced over the fate of Nineveh, and he blessed the Lord God forever and ever. Amen.

The Assyrian Threat^[bc]

Fall of the Empire of the Medes

Chapter 1^[bd]

War against the Medes. ¹ It was the twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,^[be] who ruled the Assyrians in the great city of Nineveh. During that period Arphaxad ruled over the Medes in Ecbatana, ² and he completely encircled this city with a wall constructed of hewn stones, each stone three cubits thick and six cubits long. The completed wall was seventy cubits high and fifty cubits thick. ³ At the city’s gates he erected towers one hundred cubits high, with a thickness of sixty cubits at its foundations. ⁴ He made its gates seventy cubits high and forty cubits wide to enable his entire army to march out in a body with his infantry arrayed in proper rank.

⁵ In those days, King Nebuchadnezzar waged war against King Arphaxad in the vast plain of the district of Regau. ⁶ Coming to his support were all the inhabitants of the hill country, all who dwelt along the Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Hydaspes,^[bf] and from the plain, Arioch, king of the Elamites. Thus many nations banded together to confront the forces of the Cheleoud.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Message to Many Peoples. ⁷ Then Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, sent messengers to all the inhabitants of Persia, and to all who lived in the west: those who dwelt in Cilicia and Damascus, Lebanon and Anti-lebanon, to all who lived along the seacoast, ⁸ to the peoples of Carmel and Gilead, Upper Galilee, and the great plain of Esdraelon, ⁹ to all those who were in Samaria and its towns, and beyond the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, Bethany, Chelous, Kadesh, and the River of Egypt, to Tahpanhes, Rameses, and the whole land of Goshen, ¹⁰ even beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt as far as the borders of Ethiopia. ¹¹ However, the inhabitants of all those lands paid no heed to the summons of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, and refused to join forces with him for the campaign. They were not afraid of him, regarding him as just a man. They sent his envoys away empty-handed and in disgrace.

¹² The Campaign against Arphaxad. Then Nebuchadnezzar’s anger was aroused against that entire region, and he swore by his throne and his kingdom to take revenge on all the territories of Cilicia, Damascus, and Syria, and also to put to the sword all the inhabitants of Moab, Ammon, the whole of Judea, and everyone in Egypt, as far as the coasts of the two seas.^{[bg] 13} In the seventeenth year he led his forces against King Arphaxad and defeated him in battle. He routed the whole army of Arphaxad, his entire cavalry force, and all his chariots. ¹⁴ He occupied his towns, and, advancing on Ecbatana, he seized its towers, plundered its marketplaces, and reduced its former splendor to ruin. ¹⁵ He captured Arphaxad in the mountain regions of Ragau and ran him through with his spears, destroying him once and for all. ¹⁶ Then he returned to Nineveh with all who had joined forces with him, an immense horde of warriors. There he and his army rested and feasted for one hundred and twenty days.

The Western Campaign

Chapter 2

Council of War against the West. ¹ In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was a conference in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about following through on his threat of vengeance against the entire region.^{[bh] 2} Summoning all of his ministers and nobles, he outlined to them his secret plan and asserted his determination to effect the total destruction of that entire area. ³ They then decreed that all those who had not responded to the king’s summons were to be put to death.

⁴ When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes,^[bi] the highest-ranking general in his army, and second only to him in power, and he said to him, ⁵ “Thus says the great king, the lord of all the earth: ‘Go forth from my presence and take with you men of unquestioned valor, one hundred and twenty thousand infantrymen and twelve thousand cavalry. ⁶ March against all the peoples of the west because they refused to comply with my command. ⁷ Advise them to have earth and water ready,^[bj] for I am moving against them in my wrath and I will cover the entire extent of their territory with the feet of my soldiers, to whom I will deliver them to be plundered. ⁸ Their wounded will fill their ravines and wadis, and all of their rivers will be choked to overflowing with their dead. ⁹ I will send them away as exiles to the ends of the earth.

¹⁰ “ ‘Therefore, go ahead of me and seize all of their territory for me. Should they surrender to you, hold them for me until the time comes for their punishment. ¹¹ As for those who resist, show them no mercy, but hand them over to slaughter and plunder throughout the entire region. ¹² For as I live,^[bk] and by my royal authority, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power. ¹³ Be careful not to disobey a single word of your lord, but carry out fully what I have commanded you—and do so without delay.’ ”

¹⁴ Campaign of Holofernes. Leaving the presence of his lord, Holofernes summoned all the commanders, generals, and officers of the Assyrian army. ¹⁵ In compliance with the orders of his lord, he mustered one hundred and twenty thousand picked troops and twelve thousand mounted archers, ¹⁶ and he organized them in the regular battle formation. ¹⁷ He took along a vast number of camels, donkeys, and mules to transport the baggage, and innumerable sheep, oxen, and goats for their food supply, ¹⁸ as well as ample rations for every man, and a great amount of gold and silver from the royal palace.

¹⁹ Then, in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, he set out with his whole army on the campaign to overrun the entire region to the west with their chariots, cavalry, and picked infantrymen. ²⁰ Accompanying them was a motley crowd like a swarm of locusts or the dust particles of the earth—a multitude too numerous to count.

Devastation of the Fertile Crescent^[bl]

²¹ Stages of the Campaign. They set out from Nineveh, and after marching for three days they reached the plain of Bectileth. From Bectileth they moved ahead to encamp near the mountains that lie to the north of Upper Cilicia. ²² From there Holofernes advanced into the hill country with his entire force—infantry, cavalry, and chariots. ²³ He ravaged Put and Lud and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert south of Chaldea.

²⁴ Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia and destroyed all the fortified cities along the Wadi Abron until he reached the sea. ²⁵ He seized the territory of Cilicia and slaughtered everyone who offered him the slightest resistance. Then he proceeded to the southern borders of Japheth, facing Arabia. ²⁶ He encircled the Midianites, set fire to their tents, and pillaged their sheepfolds. ²⁷ Following that, he swooped down into the plain of Damascus at the time of the wheat harvest. He razed all their fields, destroyed their flocks and herds, sacked their towns, laid waste to their countryside, and slew all their young men by the sword.

²⁸ Fear and dread of him seized all the inhabitants of the seacoast, those living in Sidon and Tyre and those located in Sur and Ocina as well as those found in Jamnia, while even the populations of Azotus and Ascalon were equally frightened of him.

Chapter 3

Capitulation of the West. ¹ Therefore, they sent envoys to him to sue for peace in these words: ² “We, the servants of the great king, Nebuchadnezzar, lie prostrate before you. Do with us as you wish. ³ Our dwellings, all our territory, and all our wheat fields and our flocks and herds and all our encampments are yours to do with as you please. ⁴ Our towns and their inhabitants are also at your service; come and deal with them as you see fit.”

⁵ After the envoys had been received by Holofernes and they told him all this, ⁶ he went down with his army to the seacoast and stationed garrisons in all the fortified towns, assigning picked men from them to serve as auxiliaries. ⁷ The people of these cities and all the inhabitants of the surrounding countryside welcomed him with garlands and dancing to the sound of tambourines.^{[bm] 8} Despite this, he demolished all their sanctuaries and cut down their sacred groves, thereby carrying out his commission to destroy all the gods of the land so that all the nations would worship Nebuchadnezzar alone and that only he would be invoked as a god by people of every tongue and tribe. ⁹ Finally, Holofernes advanced toward Esdraelon, in the neighborhood of Dothan, facing the great ridge of Judea. ¹⁰ He encamped between Geba^[bn] and Scythopolis and remained there for an entire month as he replenished the necessary supplies for his forces.

Campaign against Bethulia

The Israelites Prepare To Resist^[bo]

Chapter 4

Defensive Preparations. ¹ When the Israelites living in Judea heard of everything that Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of King Nebuchadnezzar, had done to the nations, and how he had pillaged and destroyed all their temples, ² they were filled with unspeakable dread at his approach and greatly concerned over the fate of Jerusalem and of the temple of the Lord, their God. ³ For they had just returned from exile a short time before, and only recently had the people of Judea been gathered together, with the sacred vessels, the altar, and the temple reconsecrated after their profanation.^{[bp] 4} Therefore, they notified the entire region of Samaria, Kona, Beth-horon, Belmain, and Jericho, Choba and Aesora, and the Valley of Salem. ⁵ The people of those areas established outposts on the summits of the high mountains, fortified their villages, and stored up food supplies from the recently harvested fields in preparation for war.

⁶ Joakim, the high priest in Jerusalem at that time, wrote to the inhabitants of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which is opposite Esdraelon, facing the plain near Dothan, ⁷ ordering them to occupy the mountain passes, since they were the only means of access to Judea. Since the narrow approach would not allow more than two men to advance abreast of each other, there would be no difficulty in preventing the advance of the attacking forces. ⁸ The Israelites carried out the orders issued by Joakim, the high priest, and by the senate^[bq] of the whole people of Israel in session at Jerusalem.

Prayer and Penance. ⁹ At the same time, all the men of Israel cried out to God with great fervor, humbling themselves before him and fasting. ¹⁰ They, together with their wives and children, their livestock, and every resident alien, hired laborer, and slave, wrapped themselves in sackcloth. ¹¹ And all the Israelite men, women, and children living in Jerusalem prostrated themselves in front of the temple, and with ashes on their heads they spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. ¹² They even draped the altar in sackcloth, and with one voice they prayed fervently, imploring the God of Israel not to allow their children to be carried off and their wives to be taken captive, the towns they had inherited to be destroyed, and their temple to be profaned and desecrated for the heathens to gloat over.

¹³ The Lord heard their prayers and looked kindly on them in their distress. For the people fasted for many days throughout Judea and before the temple of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Joakim the high priest and all the priests stood in the presence of the Lord and ministered to him. They wore sackcloth around their loins as they offered the daily burnt offerings, the votive offerings, and the freewill offerings of the people. ¹⁵ With ashes on their turbans they cried out to the Lord with all their power, imploring him to look with favor on the whole house of Israel.

A Council of War

Chapter 5

What People Is This? ¹ Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army, received the intelligence report that the Israelites had prepared for war, blockading the mountain passes, fortifying all the high peaks, and establishing barricades in the plains. ² Filled with rage, he summoned all the princes of the Moabites, the generals of the Ammonites, and the governors of the coastal regions.^{[br] 3} “Tell me, you Canaanites,” he demanded, “what people is this that dwells in the hill country? What towns do they inhabit? How large is their army? Whence do they derive their power and strength? Who rules as their king and leads their army? ⁴ Why have they alone, of all the peoples of the west, refused to come and meet with me?”

Discourse of Achior, the Good Pagan. ⁵ Then Achior,^[bs] the leader of all the Ammonites, said to him, “My lord, if it pleases you to allow your servant to speak, I shall provide you with the true facts about this people that lives nearby in the mountain district. Nothing that is untrue shall be spoken by the lips of your servant.

^6 [bt]“This people is composed of descendants from the Chaldeans. ⁷ At one time they settled in Mesopotamia because they refused to follow the gods of their ancestors who lived in Chaldea. ⁸ Since they had abandoned the ways of their ancestors and worshiped the God of heaven, the God they had come to know, they were banished from the presence of the gods of their forefathers. As a result, they fled to Mesopotamia, where they dwelt for a long time. ⁹ But their God commanded them to depart from the place where they were living and to migrate to Canaan.

“They settled there and acquired great wealth in gold and silver and vast herds of livestock. ¹⁰ Later, when a severe famine afflicted the land of Canaan, they went down to Egypt, where they remained as long as food was available in abundance for them. There they grew into so great a multitude that their numbers could not be counted. ¹¹ So the king of Egypt turned against them and exploited them by forcing them to labor at brickmaking and reducing them to slavery. ¹² They besought their God, and he afflicted the whole land of Egypt with incurable plagues.

“When the Egyptians expelled them, ¹³ their God dried up the Red Sea before them ¹⁴ and guided them along the route to Sinai and Kadesh-barnea. They drove out all the inhabitants of the desert, ¹⁵ settling in the land of the Amorites, and by their power they exterminated the entire population of Heshbon. Then they crossed over the Jordan and took possession of the whole hill country. ¹⁶ They drove out before them the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Shechemites, and all the Gergesites, and they dwelt in the mountains for a long time.

¹⁷ “As long as they did not sin before their God, they enjoyed prosperity, for their God who loathes wickedness was with them. ¹⁸ However, whenever they strayed from the path he had prescribed for them, they suffered tremendous losses in many battles and were led away as captives to foreign countries. The temple of their God was razed to the ground, and their towns were occupied by their enemies. ¹⁹ But now that they have returned to their God, they have come back from the lands where they had been scattered, have again taken possession of Jerusalem where their temple is located, and have settled in the mountain region that was uninhabited.

²⁰ “So now, my lord and master, if this people has committed the fault of sinning against their God, and if we can ascertain the accuracy of this report, then we can go up and conquer them. ²¹ But if they are a nation that is guiltless, then, my lord, it would be better for you to leave them alone, for their Lord and God will protect them, and we will then become the laughingstock of the whole world.”

²² Reaction of the Pagans. When Achior had finished with his recommendations, all the people crowding around the tent began to murmur. The officers of Holofernes and all the inhabitants of the seacoast and of Moab demanded that he be cut to bits. ²³ “We are not afraid of the Israelites,” they said. “They are a powerless people who are incapable of withstanding a strong attack. ²⁴ Therefore, let us move forward, Lord Holofernes. Your great army will swallow them up.”

Chapter 6

Holofernes’s Answer. ¹ When the uproar of the crowd surrounding the council had subsided, Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army, said to Achior in the presence of the whole contingent of the coastland peoples, of the Moabites, and of the Ammonite mercenaries: ² “Who do you think you are, Achior, you and your Ephraimite mercenaries, to prophesy among us as you have done today and to attempt to convince us not to make war against the people of Israel because their God will protect them? What god is there besides Nebuchadnezzar? He will send his forces and wipe them off the face of the earth. Their God will not save them.

³ “We, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, will destroy them as easily as if they were one man. They will not be able to withstand the strength of our cavalry. ⁴ We will tread them underfoot, their mountains will be drunk with their blood, and their plains will be filled with their corpses. They cannot possibly withstand us and will perish without a trace. Thus says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the earth. He has spoken, and none of his words will prove to be unfulfilled.

⁵ “As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, you have said these things in a moment of perversity. Therefore, you will not see my face again from this day until I have taken revenge on this brood of fugitives from Egypt. ⁶ Then when I return, the sword of my army or the spear of my servants will pierce your sides, and you will fall among the wounded. ⁷ My servants will now take you back into the hill country and leave you at one of the towns along the mountain passes. ⁸ You will not die until you perish together with them. ⁹ If you are truly confident that they will not fall into our hands, then there is no need for you to look so downcast. However, I have spoken, and none of my words will prove false in any respect.”

¹⁰ Achior in Bethulia. Then Holofernes ordered his servants who were standing by in his tent to seize Achior, transport him to Bethulia, and leave him for the Israelites. ¹¹ And so the servants took him into custody and escorted him out of the camp into the plain, and from there into the hill country, until they arrived at the springs below Bethulia. ¹² As soon as the men of the town saw them, they took up their weapons and ran out of the town to the top of the hill, and all the slingers prevented them from ascending by hurling stones on them. ¹³ Therefore, taking shelter below the hill, they bound Achior and left him lying at the foot of the hill. Then they returned to their master.

¹⁴ When the Israelites came down from their town and found him, they untied him and led him into Bethulia. They brought him before the magistrates of the town, ¹⁵ who at that time were Uzziah, son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris, son of Gothoniel, and Charmis, son of Melchiel. ¹⁶ Then they summoned all the elders of the town, and all the young men and women also hurried to the assembly. They had Achior stand in the midst of all the people, and Uzziah interrogated him about what had happened. ¹⁷ In reply he told them what had taken place at the council of Holofernes, what he himself had said in the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and all that Holofernes had boasted he would do to the house of Israel.

¹⁸ On hearing this, the people fell prostrate in worship of God and cried out, ¹⁹ “O Lord, God of heaven, behold their arrogance. Have pity on our people in their humiliation, and look kindly this day on those who are consecrated^[bu] to you.” ²⁰ Then they reassured Achior and praised him warmly. ²¹ Uzziah brought him from the assembly to his home, where he gave a banquet for the elders. All that night they called upon the God of Israel for assistance.

Siege of Bethulia

Chapter 7

Holofernes’s Maneuvers To Blockade Bethulia. ¹ The following day Holofernes issued orders to his whole army and all the allies who had joined him to initiate action against Bethulia, seize the passes up into the hill country, and engage the Israelites in battle. ² That same day their troops went into action, an army numbering one hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not to mention the baggage train and the foot soldiers charged with its maintenance—an immense multitude. ³ They encamped in the valley near Bethulia close to the spring, and they spread out in breadth toward Dothan as far as Balbaim, and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.

⁴ When the Israelites caught sight of this vast force, they were greatly terrified. “These men will now devour the whole country,” they said to one another. “Neither the high mountains nor the valleys nor the hills will ever be able to support their weight.” ⁵ Even so, they all took up their weapons, lit fires on their towers, and remained on guard throughout the night.

⁶ On the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in full view of the Israelites in Bethulia. ⁷ He reconnoitered the approaches to the town and located the springs that were the source of their water supply. He seized these and stationed detachments of soldiers to guard them before he returned to his main force.

⁸ All the chieftains of the Edomites and all the leaders of the Moabites, together with the commanders of the coastal region, jointly approached him. ⁹ “Please listen to our suggestion, my lord,” they said, “and your army will not sustain a single loss. ¹⁰ These Israelites do not rely on their spears but on the height of the mountains where they dwell, for it is extremely difficult to reach the peaks of the mountains. ¹¹ Therefore, my lord, do not employ a regular formation to attack them, and in this way not a single one of your troops will be lost.

¹² “Remain in your camp, and keep all your troops there with you. Station some of your soldiers to maintain control of the spring flowing from the base of the mountain, ¹³ since that is where all the people of Bethulia obtain their water. When they start dying of thirst, they will surrender their town. Meanwhile, we and our troops will ascend to the summits of the nearby mountains and set up camp there to ensure that not a single person will escape from that town. ¹⁴ They and their wives and children will waste away with hunger, and even before the sword strikes them their corpses will be strewn in the streets of their town. ¹⁵ In this way you will make them pay dearly for their defiance and their refusal to receive you peacefully.”

¹⁶ Their words pleased Holofernes and all his attendants, and he gave orders for their proposal to be carried out. ¹⁷ Accordingly, the army of the Moabites moved forward, together with five thousand Assyrians. They encamped in the valley and seized the water supply and the springs of the Israelites. ¹⁸ The Edomites and the Ammonites went up and encamped in the hill country opposite Dothan, and they sent some of their forces to the southeast opposite Egrebel, near Chusi, beside the Wadi Mochmur. The remainder of the Assyrian army took up positions in the plain; they filled the entire countryside, forming an immense encampment with the great multitude of their tents and supply trains.

¹⁹ The Israelites under Siege. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, their God, greatly disheartened at the realization that their enemies had surrounded them and cut off every avenue of retreat. ²⁰ For thirty-four days the entire Assyrian army, with infantry, chariots, and cavalry, kept them surrounded, until all the water jars possessed by the inhabitants of Bethulia were empty. ²¹ Their cisterns were also running dry, so that there was no day on which they had enough to drink, and their drinking water began to be rationed. ²² Their children fainted away, and the women and young men grew weak with thirst. They collapsed in the streets and the gateways of the town, for they had no strength left.

²³ Then all the people, including the young men, women, and children, gathered around Uzziah and the rulers of the town. They raised a great clamor of protest and said in the presence of all the elders: ²⁴ “May God judge between you and us. You have perpetrated a grave injustice on us by refusing to sue for terms of peace with the Assyrians. ²⁵ Now we have no one to help us. God has delivered us into their power, and they will find us lying prostrate before them from thirst and exhaustion. ²⁶ Therefore, surrender to them even now. Deliver the entire town as booty to the army of Holofernes and to all his forces. ²⁷ For it would be preferable for us to be conquered by them. Even though we would become their slaves, at least we would be alive and not have to witness our little ones dying before our eyes, and our wives and children gasping their last breath. ²⁸ By heaven and earth, and by our God, the Lord of our ancestors, who is punishing us for our own sins and those of our ancestors, we adjure you to do this very day what we have proposed.”

²⁹ The entire assembly then wailed bitter lamentations and called on the Lord God with loud cries. ³⁰ In response, Uzziah said to them: “Have courage, my people! Let us continue to hold out for five more days. By that time the Lord, our God will show his mercy toward us. He will not abandon us completely. ³¹ At the end of that period, if no help has reached us, I will do as you say.”^{[bv] 32} Then he dismissed the men to their posts, and they returned to the walls and towers of their town. The women and children were sent to their homes. Throughout the town there was a sense of impending doom.

Deliverance through a Woman

Judith the God-Fearer

Chapter 8

Pious, Beautiful, and Wealthy. ¹ Now in those days Judith learned about this situation. She was the daughter of Merari, son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Oziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphain, son of Ahitub, son of Elijah, son of Hilkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasdai, son of Simeon, son of Israel.^{[bw] 2} Her husband Manasseh, who belonged to her own tribe and clan, had died at the time of the barley harvest. ³ While he stood in the field supervising the binding of the sheaves, he suffered sunstroke. He took to his bed and died in Bethulia, his native city, and was buried with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon.

⁴ Judith remained home as a widow for three years and four months. ⁵ She set up a shelter for herself on the roof of her house, wearing sackcloth around her waist and dressed in mourning garb. ⁶ She fasted all the days of her widowhood except on the Sabbath eve and the Sabbath itself, the day before the new moon and the day of the new moon, and the festivals and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel. ⁷ She was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. Her husband Manasseh had left her gold and silver, men and women servants, livestock, and land, and she oversaw this inheritance. ⁸ No one had anything derogatory to say about her, for she was a deeply God-fearing woman.

The Elders Reproached. ⁹ When Judith heard about how the shortage had demoralized the people and about the harsh words of bitter complaint they had spoken against their ruler, and she learned of all that Uzziah had said to them in reply, as he had promised them under oath to hand over the town to the Assyrians at the end of five days, ¹⁰ she dispatched her maid who was in charge of all her possessions to ask Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of the city, to visit her. ¹¹ When they arrived, she said to them:

“Listen to me, rulers of the people of Bethulia. You were wrong to speak to the people as you did today, binding yourself by an oath between God and you, vowing to hand over the town to our enemies at the end of five days unless the Lord comes to our aid by that time. ¹² What right do you have to put God to the test this day, and to set yourselves above him in the disposal of human affairs? ¹³ You are laying down conditions for the Lord Almighty. Will you never understand anything? ¹⁴ If you cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or comprehend the workings of the human mind, how then can you fathom God who has made all these things, discern his mind, and understand his purposes?

“No, my brothers, do not provoke the anger of the Lord, our God. ¹⁵ For even if he does not decide to come to our aid within the next five days, he has the power to protect us at any time he pleases, or even to destroy us in the presence of our enemies. ¹⁶ It is not your right to impose conditions on the Lord, our God.

¹⁷ “Therefore, while we await the deliverance that is his to give, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our cry if it pleases him. ¹⁸ For in recent times and even today there has not been a single tribe or clan or district or town of ours that worships gods made with human hands, as was the case in days gone by. ¹⁹ It was due to such conduct that our ancestors were handed over to the sword and pillage and were utterly destroyed by our enemies. ²⁰ However, since we acknowledge no other god but the Lord, we sustain the hope that he will not desert us or any of our people.

²¹ “If we are captured, then all Judea will fall, and our temple will be pillaged, and God will make us pay with our blood for its desecration. ²² The blame for the slaughter and deportation of our kindred and the devastation of our land he will lay on our heads wherever among the nations we shall be enslaved. We will be a source of mockery and contempt in the eyes of our masters. ²³ Our enslavement will not become a source of eventual benefit to us, but the Lord, our God will use it to dishonor us.

²⁴ “Therefore, my brothers, let us set an example for our kindred. Their very lives depend upon us, and the defense of the sanctuary, the temple, and the altar is our responsibility. ²⁵ Despite all this, let us offer thanks to the Lord, our God, for he is putting us to the test as he did our ancestors. ²⁶ Remember how he dealt with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he was tending the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother. ²⁷ The Lord did not subject them to these fiery ordeals for vengeance but to test their loyalty, and so has he done with us. The Lord chastises those who worship him as a means of admonition.”^[bx]

²⁸ The Elders’ Accord. Then Uzziah said to her: “Everything that you have said was spoken with a sincere heart, and there is no one who can deny your words. ²⁹ Today has not been the first time that you have given evidence of your wisdom, for from your earliest years all the people have recognized your good sense and the right disposition of your heart. ³⁰ However, the people were so parched with thirst that they led us to make this promise and to take an oath that cannot be broken. ³¹ But you are a God-fearing woman. Therefore, pray for us now, petitioning the Lord to send rain to fill our cisterns so that we shall no longer be faint with thirst.”

³² “Listen to me,” Judith said to them. “I intend to do something that will be remembered by our descendants through all future generations. ³³ Be present at the town gate tonight to let me go out with my maid. Before the days have ended that have been designated by you to surrender the town to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand.

^34 [by]“But do not question me about the plan I have in mind, for I will not reveal anything to you until I have accomplished what I intend to do.” ³⁵ Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God be with you to take vengeance on our enemies.” ³⁶ Then they left her roof shelter and returned to their posts.

The Prayer of Judith^[bz]

Chapter 9

Tribal Memories. ¹ Then Judith prostrated herself, strewed ashes on her head, and uncovered the sackcloth she was wearing. At the same time when the evening incense was being offered in the temple of God in Jerusalem, Judith besought the Lord in a loud voice:

Trust Only in God

Judith Goes to War

Chapter 10

The Preparations. ¹ When Judith had concluded her petition to the God of Israel and had ended all these words, ² she rose from the ground where she had been lying prostrate, summoned her maid, and went down into the house, whose use she restricted only to Sabbaths and feast days. ³ Removing the sackcloth she had been wearing and laying aside her widow’s garb, she bathed her body with water and anointed herself with precious perfumes. She arranged her hair, tied a ribbon around it, and donned the festive attire she was accustomed to wear when her husband Manasseh was still alive. ⁴ She put sandals on her feet and arrayed herself with anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and all her jewelry. In this way she made herself beautiful enough to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her.

⁵ She gave her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, and she filled a bag with roasted grain, cakes of dried figs, bread, and cheese. Wrapping up all these provisions, she gave them to the maid as well.^[cc]

⁶ They then went out to the town gate of Bethulia, where they found Uzziah waiting with the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis. ⁷ When they beheld Judith transformed in looks and dressed quite differently, they were amazed at her beauty and said to her, ⁸ “May the God of our ancestors grant his favor to you and crown your efforts with success, so that the Israelites may be glorified and Jerusalem may be exalted.”

Judith bowed down to God. Then she said to them, ⁹ “Order that the town gate be opened for me so that I may go forth and carry out the things you have just said to me.” They complied with her request and ordered the young men to open the gate for her. ¹⁰ When they had done so, Judith went out, accompanied by her maid. The men of the city continued to watch her until she went down the mountain and crossed the valley, at which point they lost sight of her.

¹¹ In the Enemy Camp. As the two women were proceeding straight across the valley, they were intercepted by an Assyrian patrol. ^12 [cd]The soldiers took Judith into custody and asked her, “To what people do you belong? Where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I am a daughter of the Hebrews,” she replied, “and I am fleeing from them, because they are about to be delivered into your hands and become your prey. ¹³ I am on my way to see Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of your army, to give him a trustworthy intelligence report. I will show him a route by which he can gain control of the entire hill country without a single one of his men being either injured or slain.”

¹⁴ As the soldiers listened to what she had to say, they gazed upon her face and marveled at her beauty. ¹⁵ “By coming down so promptly to see our master, you have saved your life,” they said. “Go immediately to his tent. Some of us will escort you and present you to him. ¹⁶ When you are in his presence, do not be afraid. Just report to him what you have told us, and he will treat you well.” ¹⁷ Then they detailed a hundred of their men to serve as an escort for her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes.

¹⁸ When the news of her arrival spread through the tents of the camp, a crowd gathered around her as she stood outside the tent of Holofernes while he was being informed about her. ¹⁹ They were filled with admiration for her beauty, which caused them to feel a sense of wonder in respect to all the Israelites. They said to one another, “How can anyone despise these people who have women like this among them? It would be a wise move on our part not to leave a single one of their men alive, for if they get away, they will be able to beguile the entire world.”

Judith Meets Holofernes

²⁰ First Meeting. Then the bodyguards of Holofernes and all of his attendants came out and escorted her into the tent. ²¹ Holofernes was reclining on his bed under a canopy of purple and gold decorated with emeralds and other precious stones. ²² When they announced her to him, he came to the entrance of the tent, with lamps of silver borne before him. ²³ As Judith came into the presence of Holofernes and his attendants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face. She prostrated herself before him and paid him homage, but his attendants raised her up.

Chapter 11

¹ Then Holofernes said to her, “Have courage, woman! You have no reason to fear. I have never done harm to anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the whole earth. ² As for your people who dwell in the hill country, if they had not insulted me, I would never have raised my spear against them. They have brought this on themselves. ³ But now tell me why you have fled from them and have come over to us. In any case, you have guaranteed your safety by joining us. Have courage! You will survive this night and countless nights thereafter. ⁴ No one will harm you. On the contrary, you will be well treated, as is true of all the subjects of my lord, King Nebuchadnezzar.”

⁵ Judith replied, “Please listen to the words of your servant, and allow your handmaid to speak in your presence. I will utter no deceitful untruth to my lord this night. ⁶ If you follow the advice of your handmaid, God will grant success to your efforts, and my lord will not fail to achieve any of his purposes. ⁷ By the life of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of all the earth, and by the power of him who has sent you to bring a sense of order to the lives of all creatures! Not only do all people serve him through you, but even the wild beasts, the cattle, and the birds of the air as a result of your power will live in the service of Nebuchadnezzar and his entire house! ⁸ We have indeed heard of your wisdom and cleverness. You are renowned everywhere throughout the whole world as being unsurpassed in ability anywhere in the kingdom, a man of superior intellect and brilliant as a military tactician.

⁹ “We have also learned of Achior’s speech to your council. When the men of Bethulia spared him, he told them everything he had said to you. ¹⁰ Please do not disregard his words, but keep them in mind, for what he said is true. Our people cannot be punished nor will the sword prevail over them unless they sin against their God. ¹¹ But now, my lord, you will not experience any defeat or failure, for sin has permeated their lives and they are doomed to die.

¹² “Since their food supply is exhausted and their water is desperately low, they have decided to slaughter their animals, and they are determined to consume all the things that God by his laws has forbidden them to eat. ¹³ They have decided to eat the firstfruits of the grain and the tithes of oil and wine that they had consecrated and reserved for the priests who minister in the presence of our God in Jerusalem—things it is unlawful for any layperson to so much as touch. ¹⁴ They have sent messengers to Jerusalem to seek authorization from the council of elders, since even the people there have been doing these things. ¹⁵ On the very day that authorization arrives and they act upon it, they will be handed over to you to be destroyed.

¹⁶ “When I, your servant, learned all this, I fled from them. God has sent me to accomplish with you such deeds that will astonish people throughout the world whenever they learn about them. ^17 [ce]I, your servant, am a God-fearing woman, and I worship the God of heaven night and day. Now, my lord, I ask your authorization to remain with you. Every night your servant will go out into the valley and pray to God. He will reveal to me when they have committed their sinful acts. ¹⁸ Then I will come and let you know, so that you may go out with your whole army, and none of them will be able to withstand you. ¹⁹ I will guide you through Judea until you reach Jerusalem, and there I will set up your throne in the very center of the city. You will drive them as if they were sheep without a shepherd, and not even a dog will dare to growl at you. I have been granted foreknowledge of this; it was revealed to me, and I have been sent to proclaim it to you.”

²⁰ No Other Woman Is Her Equal! Her words pleased Holofernes and all his attendants. They marveled at her wisdom and exclaimed, ²¹ “No other woman from one end of the earth to the other is her equal in beauty and in wisdom of speech!” ²² Then Holofernes said to her, “God has done well in sending you ahead of your people so that victory will be ours and destruction will be the fate of those who have insulted my lord. ²³ Not only are you beautiful to behold, but you are eloquent in your wisdom. If you do as you have promised, your God shall be my God; furthermore, you shall dwell in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and you shall be renowned throughout the entire world.”

Chapter 12

Judith’s Conduct. ¹ Then he commanded them to bring her to the room where his silver dinnerware was kept, and he gave orders that a table be set for her with some of his own delicacies to eat and his own wine to drink. ² But Judith said, “I cannot partake of these, in case doing so might cause me to break our law. What I have brought with me will be sufficient for my needs.” ³ “Should your provisions run out,” Holofernes asked her, “where can we acquire more of the same kind to replenish your supply? None of your people are here with us.” ⁴ Judith replied, “As surely as you live, my lord, your servant will not use up the supplies I have with me before the Lord accomplishes by my hand what he has foreordained.”

⁵ Then the attendants of Holofernes led her into the tent, where she slept until midnight. Shortly before the morning watch she arose ⁶ and sent this message to Holofernes: “Please give orders, my lord, to allow your servant to go out and pray.” ⁷ Holofernes commanded his guards not to restrict her movements. She remained in the camp for three days, going out each night to the Valley of Bethulia and bathing in the spring of the camp. ⁸ After bathing, she would implore the Lord, the God of Israel, to guide her way toward the triumph of his people. ⁹ Then she would return, purified, to the camp and remain in the tent until she took her evening meal.

Judith Overcomes Holofernes

¹⁰ The Tragic Banquet. On the fourth day Holofernes held a banquet for his personal attendants only. None of his army officers was invited. ¹¹ He said to Bagoas, the eunuch in charge of his personal affairs, “Go to the Hebrew woman who is in your care and persuade her to come and join us and to eat and drink in our company. ¹² We would be disgraced if we let such a woman go without enjoying her favors. If we do not seduce her, she will laugh us to scorn.”

¹³ So Bagoas left the presence of Holofernes and approached Judith. “My fair maiden,” he said, “do not be reluctant to come to my lord and enjoy the honor of his company. Enjoy yourself, drink wine with us, and behave today like one of the Assyrian women who are in attendance at the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.” ¹⁴ “Who am I to refuse my lord?” Judith replied. “I am eager to do promptly whatever is pleasing to him, and that will be a source of joy to me until the day of my death.”

¹⁵ Thereupon she proceeded to adorn herself with her festive garments and all her feminine finery. Her maid went ahead of her and spread out on the ground for her in front of Holofernes the fleece^[cf] she had received from Bagoas on which she might recline while dining. ¹⁶ Then Judith came in and took her place. Holofernes was overcome with desire for her, and his passion was aroused. He had been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her from the day he had first laid eyes on her. ¹⁷ He said to her, “Drink, and be merry with us!” ¹⁸ “I will gladly do so, my lord,” Judith replied, “for today is the greatest day of my life.” ¹⁹ Then she took what her maid had prepared, and she ate and drank in his presence. ²⁰ Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank a great quantity of wine, more than he had ever drunk on any one day in his entire life.

Chapter 13

The Critical Moment. ¹ When the hour grew late, his attendants quickly withdrew. Bagoas closed the tent from the outside and excluded the attendants from the master’s presence. They withdrew to their beds, for the banquet had lasted so long that they were all exhausted.^{[cg] 2} Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes, who was sprawled on his bed, completely intoxicated. ³ Judith had instructed her maid to stand outside the bedchamber and to wait for her to come out, as was the case on the previous days. She had said that she would be going out to pray, and she explained this also to Bagoas.

Death of Holofernes. ⁴ When all had departed and no one of either great or minor importance was left in the bedchamber, Judith stood beside the bed of Holofernes and silently uttered this prayer: “O Lord, God of all power, look favorably in this hour on what I am doing for the glory of Jerusalem. ⁵ Now is the time to come to the aid of your heritage and to carry out my plan to crush the enemies who have risen up against us.”

⁶ She then went to the bedpost near the head of Holofernes and took the sword that hung there. ⁷ She drew close to his bed, grasped the hair of his head, and said, “Give me strength this moment, O Lord, God of Israel.” ⁸ Then with all her might she struck his neck twice and cut off his head.^{[ch] 9} Next she rolled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from its posts. After this she came out and handed over the head of Holofernes to her maid, ¹⁰ who put it in the food pouch. The two of them then left the camp together, as they were accustomed to do when going out to pray.

Liberation Proclaimed. They passed through the camp, circled around the valley, and ascended the mountain to Bethulia. As they approached its gates, ¹¹ Judith called out to the sentries from a distance, “Open up! Open the gate! God, our God, is with us, still exhibiting his power in Israel and his strength against our enemies. He has done so this very day.” ¹² When the people of the town heard her voice, they hurried down to the town gate and summoned the elders. ¹³ All the people, of both high and low rank, came running, for it hardly seemed credible that she had returned safely. They opened the gate and welcomed the women, lighting a fire to provide light, and gathering around them.

¹⁴ Judith then cried out in a loud voice: “Praise God! Praise him! Praise God who has not withdrawn his mercy from the house of Israel but has destroyed our enemies by my hand this very night!”

¹⁵ Then she removed the head from the food pouch and held it up for them to see. “Behold the head of Holofernes,” she said, “the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army, and here is the canopy under which he lay in a drunken daze. The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman. ¹⁶ As the Lord lives, who has protected me on my journey, I swear that it was my face that seduced him to his destruction, and that he committed no sinful act with me to cause my defilement or my disgrace.”^[ci]

¹⁷ Blessed Are You above All Other Women!^[cj] All the people were greatly astonished, and, bowing in worship to God, they spoke with a single voice: “Blessed are you, our God, for this day you have humiliated the enemies of your people.” ¹⁸ Then Uzziah said to her:

And all the people responded, “Amen! Amen!”

Triumph of the People of God

Response to the News of Holofernes’s Death

Chapter 14

Judith’s Counsel. ¹ Then Judith said to them, “Listen to me, my friends. Take this head and hang it upon the parapet of your wall. ² Then at daybreak, as soon as the sun rises, all of you should take up your weapons, and let all the able-bodied men march out of the city under the direction of a leader, as if you were about to march down to the plain to attack the Assyrian outpost. But do not go down. ³ Their soldiers will seize their weapons and go into the camp to rouse the commanders of the Assyrian army. When they rush to the tent of Holofernes and do not find him, panic will seize them and they will flee before you. ⁴ Then you and all who live within the borders of Israel will pursue them and cut them down in their tracks. ^5 [ck]But before you do all this, bring Achior the Ammonite to me so that he may see and recognize the man who treated the house of Israel with contempt and sent him to us as if to his death.”

Achior Summoned. ⁶ Therefore, they summoned Achior from the house of Uzziah. When he came and saw the head of Holofernes held up by one of the men in the assembly of the people, he fell forward in a dead faint. ⁷ After they revived him, he threw himself at the feet of Judith and did homage to her. “Blessed are you in every tent in Judah,” he said, “and the people of every nation who hear your name will be terror-stricken. ⁸ But now please tell me everything that you did during these days.”

In the presence of the people Judith recounted all that she had done from the day she left until the very moment she began speaking to them. ⁹ When she had finished speaking, the people raised a great shout, and the town resounded with their cries of jubilation. ¹⁰ Upon seeing all that the God of Israel had done, Achior believed firmly in God. Therefore, he was circumcised, and he became a member of the community of Israel, as he is to the present day.

¹¹ Consternation in the Camp.^[cl] At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall. Then all the Israelite men took up their weapons and marched out in companies to the mountain passes. ¹² When the Assyrians saw them, they sent word to their leaders, who immediately notified the generals and captains and all the other officers. ¹³ These in turn came to the tent of Holofernes and said to the steward in charge of all his personal affairs, “Wake up our master, for the slaves have had the audacity to come down to engage in battle against us, which will be their complete destruction.”

¹⁴ Bagoas went in and knocked at the entry of the tent, thinking Holofernes was sleeping with Judith. ¹⁵ But when no one answered, he parted the curtains, entered the bedchamber, and found him sprawled on the floor, dead, with his head missing. ¹⁶ He burst forth with a great cry, weeping and groaning and shouting, and he tore his garments. ¹⁷ Then he went into the tent that Judith had occupied, and when he did not find her, he rushed out to the assembled troops and shouted: ¹⁸ “The slaves have tricked us! A single Hebrew woman has brought disgrace on the house of King Nebuchadnezzar! Look! Holofernes is lying on the ground, headless!”

¹⁹ When the leaders of the Assyrian army heard these words, they tore their tunics and were greatly confounded. Loud cries and shouts arose in the camp.

Chapter 15

General Disbandment.^{[cm] 1} When the men who were still in their tents learned what had happened, they were thrown into confusion. ² Overcome with fear and trembling, they made no effort to band together in unity, but with one accord they all rushed out and fled by every road across the plain and through the mountains. ³ Those who had been stationed in the hills around Bethulia also took to flight. Then all the Israelite soldiers rushed out in pursuit of them.

⁴ Uzziah sent messengers to Betomasthaim, to Choba and Kona, and to the whole territory of Israel to inform them what had occurred and to urge all of them to attack the enemy and destroy them. ⁵ As soon as the Israelites heard the news, they all attacked the enemy with a unified spirit and cut them down all the way to Choba. Even the men from Jerusalem and the entire mountain region participated in the onslaught, for they too had been told of what had happened in the camp of the enemy. The men of Gilead and Galilee surrounded the flanks of the enemy and inflicted a great slaughter, even beyond Damascus and its borders.

⁶ The rest of the inhabitants of Bethulia fell on the camp of the Assyrians and plundered it, acquiring great riches. ⁷ And when the Israelites returned from the slaughter, they seized what remained. Even the villages and towns of the hill country and the plain acquired a great amount of booty, which was available in large quantities.

Ceremonies of Thanksgiving

The Honor of Our People!^{[cn] 8} Joakim the high priest and the elders of the Israelites who dwelt in Jerusalem came to witness for themselves the wonderful things that the Lord had done for Israel, and to meet Judith and offer her their congratulations. ^9 [co]When they came into her presence, they all blessed her with one accord and said to her:

And all the people responded, “Amen!”

¹¹ The entire populace looted the camp for thirty days. They presented Judith with the tent of Holofernes, all his silver dinnerware, his beds, his drinking vessels, and all his furniture. She accepted these gifts, harnessed her mules, hitched them to her wagons, and loaded the gifts on them.

¹² All the women of Israel gathered to see her. They sang her praises and performed a dance in her honor. She took branches of ivy^[cp] in her hands and distributed them among the women around her, ¹³ while she and those women crowned themselves with olive wreaths. Then, at the head of the procession, she led the women as they danced, while the men of Israel, in full armor, followed them, wearing garlands and singing hymns.

Judith’s Hymn of Thanksgiving

¹⁴ In the presence of all Israel, Judith began this hymn of thanksgiving, and the people joined her in singing it:^[cq]

Chapter 16

Thanksgiving at Jerusalem

¹⁸ The people then went to worship God at Jerusalem. As soon as the people were purified, they presented their holocausts, their free-will offerings, and their gifts. ¹⁹ Judith presented to God as a votive offering all the possessions of Holofernes that the people had given to her, as well as the canopy that she had taken for herself from his bedchamber. ²⁰ For three months the people continued their celebration in Jerusalem before the sanctuary, and Judith stayed with them.

Epilogue

²¹ When those days ended, they all returned to their homes. Judith went to Bethulia and remained on her estate. For the rest of her life she was honored throughout the whole country. ²² Even though she received many proposals of marriage, she gave herself to no man from the time that her husband Manasseh died and was gathered to his ancestors. ²³ Her reputation continued to grow as her years increased, and she lived in her husband’s house until her death at the advanced age of one hundred and five. She set her maid free, died in Bethulia, and was buried in the cave where her husband Manasseh was interred. ²⁴ The house of Israel mourned her for seven days. Prior to her death she distributed her property to the close relatives of her husband Manasseh and to her own relatives.

²⁵ During the lifetime of Judith and for a long time after her death, no one again dared to threaten the Israelites.^[cs]

Esther Chosen as Queen

Chapter 1

A Great Banquet.^{[ct] 1} This took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the king who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.^{[cu] 2} At that time, King Ahasuerus was reigning from the royal throne of the citadel of Susa, ³ and in the third year of his reign, he threw a great banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military commanders of Persia and Media were present, and so were the princes and the nobles of the provinces.

⁴ For a full one hundred and eighty days the king showcased the wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵ When these days were over, he threw a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of his palace, for all the people, from the least to the greatest, who lived in the citadel of Susa.

⁶ The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones. ⁷ Wine was served in golden goblets, each different from one another, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s beneficence. ⁸ By the order of the king, there were no limits on the drinks. For he instructed all the wine stewards to give everyone whatever was requested.

Queen Vashti Deposed. ⁹ Meanwhile, in the king’s royal palace, Queen Vashti^[cv] was giving a banquet for the women.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when King Ahasuerus was merry with wine, he summoned the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants—Mehuman, Biztha, Har-bona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas. ¹¹ He ordered them to bring the queen into his presence, wearing the royal crown, so he could show her off to the officials and all his guests, for she was lovely to look at. ¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the official command issued through the eunuchs. This embarrassed the king and made him furious.

¹³ Since it was his custom to consult experts in matters of law and justice, the king consulted with the wise men who understood the laws. ¹⁴ He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

¹⁵ The king asked, “What does the law say must be done about Queen Vashti, who disobeyed the command of King Ahasuerus issued through the eunuchs?”

¹⁶ It was Memucan, then, who replied in the presence of the king and the nobles: “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the nobles and peoples throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ For this behavior of the queen will become known to all the women, and they will disrespect their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti enter his presence, but she refused to come.’ ¹⁸ So this very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have learned about the queen’s behavior will react against the king’s nobles in like manner, resulting in no end of rancor and discord.

¹⁹ “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree inscribed in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed,^[cw] to the effect that Vashti is nevermore to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus and that her position be given to someone more worthy than she is. ²⁰ Then when the edict is published throughout his vast domain, all the women will respect their husbands, from the greatest to the least.”

²¹ The king and his nobles found this advice very acceptable, so the king acted upon Memucan’s words. ²² He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom—to every province in its own script and to each people in its own language—proclaiming in each people’s tongue that every man should be the master of his own house.^[cx]

Chapter 2

Esther Is Made Queen. ¹ After a time, the anger of King Ahasuerus abated, and he began to think of what Vashti had done and what he had decreed about her. ² At this point, the king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made to find beautiful young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his kingdom to bring all those beautiful young virgins into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed in the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who is in charge of the women, and let them receive beauty treatments. ⁴ Then let the girl who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he acted upon it.

⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai, son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish. ⁶ He had been carted off into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jeconiah, king of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah,^[cy] whom he had brought up because she had lost her father and mother. She was also known as Esther and was a beautiful young woman. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter after her father and mother had died.

⁸ When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and placed in the care of Hegai. Esther, too, was brought to the royal palace in the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the harem. ⁹ She pleased him and won his favor. So Hegai lost no time in furnishing her with cosmetics and provisions and in assigning her seven maids from the king’s palace while transferring her and the maids into the best place in the harem.

¹⁰ Now on the counsel of Mordecai, Esther did not mention her nationality or family to anyone. ¹¹ And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem, seeking to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

¹² Before each girl’s turn came when she could visit King Ahasuerus, she must have completed twelve months of prescribed beauty treatments: six months with oil of myrrh and another six with perfume and cosmetics. ¹³ When the girl went to visit the king, she received whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s royal palace. ¹⁴ She would go there in the evening and in the morning would come back to another part of the harem, which was in the care of Shaazgaz, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not visit the king again unless he summoned her by name.

¹⁵ As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of Mordecai, when it came time for her turn to visit the king, she asked nothing more than what the royal eunuch Hegai, who was in charge of the harem, suggested. Nevertheless, she won the admiration of all who saw her. ¹⁶ So, in the seventh year of his reign, in the tenth month, Tebeth,^[cz] Esther was brought to King Ahasuerus in the royal palace.

¹⁷ The king loved Esther more than any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. ¹⁸ Then the king gave a great banquet for all his nobles and administrators to honor Esther. He proclaimed a holiday^[da] throughout the provinces and gave gifts with royal liberality.

¹⁹ [Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy.^[db] To resume: When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, ²⁰ and Esther had still not revealed her family or nationality just as Mordecai had instructed her. For she was still following his advice as she had done when he was bringing her up.

²¹ During the time Mordecai spent at the king’s gate,^[dc] Bagathan and Thares, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became angry and plotted to kill King Ahasuerus. ²² However, Mordecai became aware of the plot and told Queen Esther about it, and she informed the king for Mordecai. ²³ When the matter was investigated and proved to be true, both men were hanged on a gibbet. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the king’s presence.]

Haman’s Plot To Destroy the Jews

Chapter 3

Mordecai Refuses To Honor Haman.^{[dd] 1} Sometime later, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, giving him a higher rank and seating him above all his royal nobles. ² All the royal officials who were at the king’s gate would kneel down and render homage to Haman, for that is what the king had ordered to be done toward him. But Mordecai refused to kneel and bow down to him.

³ The other officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you fail to obey the king’s command?” ⁴ Day after day they spoke to him about this, but he did not listen to them. So they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s explanation was acceptable, for he had informed them that he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman realized that Mordecai was not going to kneel down or pay him homage, he became enraged. ⁶ Moreover, he decided that it would not be enough to kill only Mordecai; having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he sought to destroy all the Jews—Mordecai’s people—in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Edict against the Jews.^{[de] 7} In the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, in the first month, Nisan, they cast the pur,^[df] (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman. And the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar.

⁸ Then Haman said to Ahasuerus, “There is a certain race of people scattered among the nations all over your empire who keep themselves separate. They observe customs that are not like those of any other people. Moreover, they do not obey the king’s laws, and it is not in the king’s best interests to tolerate them. ⁹ If it pleases the king, issue a decree to put them all to death, and I will deposit ten thousand talents into the royal treasury for those who bring it to pass.”

¹⁰ Therefore, the king removed the signet ring^[dg] from his finger and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ The king told him, “Keep the money, and do whatever you want with this race of people.”

¹² So on the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal secretaries were summoned, and at the dictation of Haman they wrote out—in the script of each province and in the language of each people^[dh]—an order to the king’s satraps, the governors of every province, and the nobles of the various peoples. This order was written in the name of King Ahasuerus himself and sealed with the royal signet ring. ¹³ This order was sent by couriers^[di] to all the provinces to the effect that all Jews, young and old, including women and children, should be put to death, destroyed, wiped out in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, and their goods seized as spoil.

Chapter B

A Copy of the Edict.^[dj]1 This is the copy of the edict:

“King Ahasuerus the Great writes the following to the governors of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending from India to Ethiopia and to their subordinate officials:² Having been established as the ruler of many nations and master of the entire world, it has always been my policy never to be overwhelmed with the arrogance of power but always to rule with fairness and kindness, so as to ensure for my subjects a life of tranquillity in this kingdom, with the assurance of safe passage for everyone within its borders and the restoration of the peace desired by all.

³ “When I sought the counsel of my advisors as to how this goal might be achieved, Haman, whose sound judgment, unfailing devotion, and steadfast loyalty have enabled him to achieve a rank second only to mine in the kingdom, spoke up.⁴ He informed us that, mingled among all the races of the world, there is one hostile people whose laws are opposed to those of all other nations and who continually act in defiance of royal ordinances, so that the unification of the empire that we envision cannot be accomplished.

⁵ “In the realization that this people stands uniquely alone in its continual hostility to all other nations, observes laws that are at complete variance with ours, and commits the most grievous of crimes, thereby undermining the stability of our government,⁶ we hereby decree that all the persons designated to you in the letters written by Haman, who was appointed to safeguard our interests and who is a second father to us, shall, with their wives and children, be totally destroyed by the swords of their enemies, without any sign of mercy or pardon, on the fourteenth day^[dk] of the twelfth month, Adar, of the present year.⁷ In this way, when these people, whose treacherous opposition to us has been of long duration, have descended into the netherworld by a violent death in a single day, our kingdom will once again enjoy perpetual stability and peace.”

(Chapter 3)

¹⁴ A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that they might be ready for that day. ¹⁵ The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to feast, but the city of Susa was perplexed.

Chapter 4

Mordecai Persuades Esther To Help. ¹ When Mordecai heard all that was going on, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city wailing loudly and sorrowfully. ² But he came to a halt at the entrance to the king’s gate because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed to go in. ³ (Similarly, in every province to which the king’s edict and order reached, the Jews went into great mourning, with fasting, mourning, and weeping. Many put on sackcloth and ashes.)

⁴ When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs went to her and told her about Mordecai, she became deeply troubled. She sent clothes for him to wear in place of the sackcloth, but he refused to do so. ⁵ Esther then called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been assigned to her service, and ordered him to find out what this action of Mordecai meant and why it was being done.

⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the public square in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of silver that Haman had promised to put in the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.

^8 [dl]“Remember the days of your lowly estate,” Mordecai had Hathach say, “when you were brought up in my charge; for Haman, who stands next to the king, has asked for our death.⁹ Invoke the Lord and speak to the king on our behalf; save us from death.”

⁸ Mordecai also gave him a copy of the edict that had been published in Susa, for the annihilation of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther. Hathach was to urge her to go into the king’s presence to plead for mercy and intercede with him for her people.

⁹ Hathach went back to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she gave him a message for Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the servants of the king and the people of the royal provinces are aware that any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner palace without being summoned suffers automatic death. The sole exception to this rule is if the king extends to such a person the golden scepter, which spares his life. Yet as for me, I have not been summoned by the king for thirty days.”

¹² When Esther’s words reached Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ Even if you remain silent now, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place;^[dm] but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows? Perhaps it was for just such a time as this that you obtained the royal dignity.”

¹⁵ Then Esther sent back this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, and assemble all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same thing. After that, I will go to the king—against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

¹⁷ Then Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Chapter C

The Prayer of Mordecai.^1 [dn]Calling to mind everything that the Lord had done, Mordecai prayed to him in these words:

² “O Lord God, King and ruler of all things, the entire universe is subject to your power, and no one can thwart you in your intention to save Israel.³ You made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under the firmament.⁴ You are Lord of all, and there is no one, O Lord, who can resist you.⁵ Since you know all things, O Lord, you realize that it was not because of insolence or pride or a desire for glory that I so acted in refusing to bow down to this haughty Haman.⁶ To ensure the salvation of Israel, I would gladly have kissed the soles of his feet.⁷ But I acted in this way so as not to place human glory above the glory of God. I will not bow down to anyone but you, my Lord, and I will not act in this way out of pride.

⁸ “Now, Lord, my God and King, O God of Abraham, spare your people, for our enemies are determined to exterminate us and to destroy the inheritance that has been yours from times of old.⁹ Do not forsake your people whom you redeemed and brought out of Egypt for yourself.¹⁰ Hear my prayer and have mercy on your heritage. Turn our sorrow into joy so that we may live to sing praise to your name, O Lord. Do not silence the lips of those who praise you.”

¹¹ And all the Israelites also cried aloud with all their strength, since death was before their eyes.

The Prayer of Esther.¹² Queen Esther, too, was seized with great anguish and sought recourse from the Lord.¹³ Removing her splendid robes, she put on garments of sadness and mourning. Instead of rich perfumes, she covered her head with dirt and ashes. She greatly mortified her body, and every part that she used to adorn elegantly, she now covered with her disheveled hair.

¹⁴ Then Esther prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, and said: “O my Lord, you alone are our King. Come to my assistance, for I am alone and have no one to help me but you.¹⁵ My life is in great danger.¹⁶ From my earliest days I was taught by my family that you, O Lord, chose Israel out of all the nations and our fathers from among all their forebearers, as an everlasting heritage, and that you have fulfilled all the promises you made to them.¹⁷ But now we have sinned against you, and you have handed us over to our enemies¹⁸ because we paid honor to their gods. You are just, O Lord.

¹⁹ “However, now our enemies are not satisfied with our bitter slavery. They have vowed to their idols²⁰ to annul the decree you have proclaimed and destroy your heritage, to silence the mouths of those who praise you and to destroy your altar and the glory of your house,^[do]21 and instead, to open the mouths of the nations to praise their worthless idols and to offer an earthly king everlasting praise.

²² “O Lord, do not consign your scepter to gods who do not exist. Do not let our enemies exult in our downfall, but turn their designs against them and make an example of the chief of our persecutors.²³ Remember us, O Lord. Reveal yourself in this time of our tribulation, and give me courage, O King of gods and Master of every dominion.²⁴ Give me the power of persuasive speech when I face the lion and enable me to turn his heart to hatred of the one who is our enemy so that he and all those who share his feelings may perish.²⁵ Save us by your arm and come to my aid, for I am alone and have no one on whom to rely but you, O Lord.

“You know all things.²⁶ You are fully aware that I hate the honors offered by the wicked and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised or of any alien.²⁷ You know the straits I am in. I loathe the symbol of my proud position that I wear on my head on days when I appear in public. I detest it as if it were an unclean rag, and I do not wear it on days when I am in private.²⁸ I, your servant, have never eaten at Haman’s table, nor have I attended any banquet of the king or drunk the wine of libations.²⁹ From the day I changed my state until now, I have experienced no joy except in you, O Lord, God of Abraham.³⁰ O God all-powerful, give heed to the pleas of those in despair. Deliver us from the power of the wicked and rescue me from my fear.”

Chapter D

Esther Appears before the King.^1 [dp]On the third day, having finished her prayers, Esther removed her penitential garments and arrayed herself in the splendor due to her state.² Thus beautifully adorned, she invoked the aid of God, who watches over and saves all, and took her two maids with her.³ One of them provided gentle support for her,⁴ while the other followed, bearing her train.⁵ She was radiant in the splendor of her beauty, and her countenance was joyous as though permeated with love, but her heart was filled with fear.⁶ She passed through one door after another and finally stood in the presence of the king. He was seated on his royal throne, clothed in all his kingly regalia adorned with gold and precious stones, so that his appearance was terrifying.

⁷ He looked up, and his face blazed with anger when he saw her. The queen grew faint, turned pale, and steadied herself against the head of the maid who preceded her.⁸ Then God changed the king’s mood from anger to one of gentleness. In alarm he sprang from his throne, held her in his arms until she revived, and soothed her with comforting words.⁹ “What is the matter, Esther?” he said to her. “I am your husband. Take courage.¹⁰ You shall not die, for our decree applies only to the common folk.¹¹ Come near!”¹² Then he raised his gold scepter and, touching her neck with it, embraced her and said: “Speak to me.”

¹³ She replied: “My lord, when I approached you, you looked like an angel of God, and I was filled with fear at your majestic presence.¹⁴ You are wonderful, my lord, and your face is enchanting.”¹⁵ As she said this, she fell in a faint.¹⁶ Then the king became troubled as his attendants sought to revive her.

Chapter 5

Esther’s Request to the King. [^1 [dq]On the third day, Esther donned her royal garments and positioned herself in the inner courtyard in front of the king’s hall. The king was seated on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ² When he spotted Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, he made her welcome by holding out the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.]

³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it should be half of my kingdom,^[dr] it will be given to you.”

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “I would like you and Haman to be my guests today at a banquet that I have prepared for you.”

⁵ Thereupon the king exclaimed, “Hurry, bring Haman here so that we may do what Esther wishes.” With that, the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.

⁶ As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now, what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even if it is up to half of my kingdom, it will be granted.”

⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If I have found favor with the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to another banquet that I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman’s Rage against Mordecai. ⁹ When Haman left that day he was happy and in a good mood. But when he caught sight of Mordecai at the king’s gate and noted that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was consumed with rage toward Mordecai. ¹⁰ Nonetheless, he was able to control himself and go home.

Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife, Zeresh, to join them. ¹¹ Haman boasted to them about his great wealth, his many sons, and about the honor the king had paid him by promoting him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² “And even more than this,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited me as the only one to the banquet with the king today, and tomorrow I am again invited to be her guest with the king. ¹³ Yet I get no pleasure out of any of this as long as I see that Jew Mordecai seated at the king’s gate.”

¹⁴ Then his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Why not have a gibbet set up, fifty cubits high,^[ds] and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” Haman liked the idea, and he had the gibbet built.

Vindication of the Jews

Chapter 6

Mordecai Is Honored. ¹ That night the king found it difficult to sleep, so he ordered the book of the chronicles of his reign to be brought in and read to him. ² During the reading, the passage came up about Mordecai uncovering the plot to assassinate King Ahasuerus on the part of Bagathan and Teresh, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the doorway.

³ The king asked, “How has Mordecai been honored and rewarded for this?”

The attendants said, “He has received neither honor nor reward.”

⁴ The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gibbet that he had built for him.

⁵ His attendants replied, “Haman is waiting in the court.”

“Let him come in,” the king said.

⁶ When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wants to reward?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “What man would the king rather reward than me?” ⁷ So he replied to the king, “For the man whom the king wants to reward, ^8 [dt]let there be brought in the purple robe that the king wore and the horse that he rode when the royal crown was placed on his head. ⁹ Then let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the noblest of the king’s officials. Let them robe the man the king wants to reward and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to reward.’ ”

¹⁰ Then the king said to Haman, “Go, right away. Get the robe and the horse and do for Mordecai the Jew—who sits at the king’s gate—what you have suggested. Do not leave out anything you have proposed.” ¹¹ So Haman procured the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai and had him ride through the city streets, proclaiming, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to reward.”

¹² Afterward, Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. Haman, however, hurried home, with his head covered^[du] in grief ¹³ and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends what had befallen him.

His friends and his wife, Zeresh, told him, “If Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of the Jewish race, you will not be able to overcome him but will surely suffer defeat, because the living God is with him.”

¹⁴ Haman Is Put to Death. While they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Chapter 7

¹ So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. ² And once again, on the second day as they were having wine, the king asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even if it is for half my kingdom, it will be granted you.”

³ Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been handed over to destruction, slaughter, and extinction. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have not said anything, because such distress would not be reason enough to disturb the king.”^[dv]

⁵ Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is it and where is the one who has done such a thing?”

⁶ Esther replied, “Our enemy is this wicked man Haman.”

In terror, Haman faced the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage, left his wine, and went out into the palace garden. But Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, since he feared that the king had already decided his fate.

⁸ So Haman threw himself upon the couch on which Esther was reclining. At that very moment the king was just returning from the palace garden to the banquet hall. The king exclaimed: “Will he also violate the queen while she is with me in my own house?”

The words were scarcely out of the king’s mouth when Haman’s face was covered. ⁹ Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs who attended the king, said, “There is a gibbet fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. Haman prepared it for Mordecai, who warned your majesty about the plot.”

The king said, “Hang him on it.” ¹⁰ So they hanged Haman on the gibbet he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger cooled down.

Chapter 8

The King’s Edict in Favor of the Jews. ¹ That same day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther all the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai was invited to come into the king’s presence, for Esther revealed how he was related to her. ² The king removed his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther placed Mordecai in charge of Haman’s property.

³ Then Esther spoke with the king again, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to revoke the evil plot that Haman, the Agagite, had set up against the Jews. ⁴ Then the king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and she arose and stood before him.

⁵ “If it pleases your majesty,” she said, “and seems the right thing to do, and if I have found favor with you so that you love me, let an order be issued to overrule the letters that Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote for the destruction of the Jews in all the royal provinces. ⁶ For how can I bear to see the evil that is about to fall on my people, and how can I behold the destruction of my race?”

⁷ King Ahasuerus then said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, “Now that I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been hanged on the gibbet because he attacked the Jews, ⁸ you may write another edict in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document that is written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”^[dw]

⁹ Then on the twenty-third day of the third month, Sivan, the king’s scribes were summoned. They wrote out all Mordecai’s words to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and nobles of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. These words were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also in the script and language of the Jews. ¹⁰ Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed the letters with the king’s signet ring, and sent them via mounted couriers, riding speedy royal horses. ¹¹ The king’s edict gave the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves as well as to destroy, kill, and annihilate, along with their wives and children, every armed group of any nation and province that should attack them, and to seize their goods as spoil.

Chapter E

A Copy of the Edict.^[dx]1 This is a copy of the edict:

“King Ahasuerus the Great to the governors of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending from India to Ethiopia, and to all our loyal subjects: Greetings!

² “Many people who have been the recipients of ever-increasing honors through the bountiful kindness of their benefactors tend to grow ever more arrogant.³ Not only do they plot to injure our subjects but, as their power tends to increase their insolent behavior, they even begin to scheme against their very benefactors.⁴ Not only do they make it impossible for others to experience gratitude, but they are so inundated in their own arrogance that the concept of goodness has become meaningless to them, and they even believe that they will escape the all-seeing God and his justice, which hates evil.

⁵ “In addition, it often happens that the deceitful schemes of friends who have been entrusted with the administration of public affairs⁶ influence their benefactors to become unwitting accomplices of theirs in the shedding of innocent blood. Thus, the sincere desire of rulers to achieve only the good of their subjects is thwarted by deceitful trickery.⁷ History is replete with stories of such evil, but never more so than at the present when we examine the evil wrought in our midst through the criminal deeds of those officials who disgraced their office of authority by their wicked conduct.⁸ From this moment on we shall direct all of our efforts to ensure the peace and tranquillity of all our subjects in the kingdom,⁹ revising our policies as necessary and giving equitable treatment in adjudicating matters that are brought before us.

¹⁰ “In this regard, Haman, son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian^[dy] without a trace of Persian blood or of the kindness that is part of our heritage, was the recipient of our hospitality.¹¹ He so completely enjoyed the goodwill that we extend to all nations that we regarded him as our father before whom all should bow down, and we proclaimed him to rank second in line to the royal throne.¹² However, unworthy of this dignity, Haman with unrestrained arrogance undertook to deprive us of our kingdom and our life.¹³ By acts of deceit he insisted that it was essential for us to order the destruction of Mordecai, our savior and constant benefactor, and of Esther, our innocent royal consort, together with their whole race.¹⁴ By such measures he sought to render us vulnerable and to transfer the sovereignty now enjoyed by the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁵ “However, we have determined that the Jews, who were marked for extermination by this thrice-wicked man, are no evildoers. On the contrary, they are governed by the most righteous laws¹⁶ and are children of the Most High, the living God of sovereign majesty who has ensured for us as well as for our ancestors the continuing prosperity of our kingdom.

¹⁷ “Therefore, I command you to ignore the letters sent by Haman, son of Hammedatha,¹⁸ for he who wrote them has been hanged, together with his entire household, at the gates of Susa. God, the ruler of the universe, has inflicted upon him the punishment he so richly deserved.

¹⁹ “Instead, post copies of this letter in every public place and permit Jews to be governed by their own laws.²⁰ Furthermore, ensure that on the day scheduled for their annihilation, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, they will receive your aid to defend themselves against their assailants in a time of oppression.²¹ For God, who rules over all things, has changed that day for his chosen people from a day of destruction to a day of joy.²² And therefore you, too, must include among your commemorative feasts this day as one for rejoicing,²³ so that both today and in the future it may be for us and for all loyal Persians a memorial of deliverance and a reminder of destruction for those who plot against us.

²⁴ “Any city or province that does not observe this edict shall be mercilessly destroyed by fire and sword. It will be made unaccessible not only to all people, but also to wild animals and birds forever.”

¹² The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar.

(Chapter 8)

¹³ A copy of the text of the edict to be issued as law in every province was made known among all peoples of every nationality so that the Jews might be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.^[dz]

¹⁴ The couriers, riding the royal horses, sped forth in haste at the king’s command. And the edict was also promulgated in the citadel of Susa.

¹⁵ Mordecai departed from the king’s presence vested in royal garments of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and purple robe of fine linen, and the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. ¹⁶ For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, exaltation and triumph. ¹⁷ In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s edict arrived, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with banqueting and feasting. And many of the peoples of that land became Jewish, for they were seized with the fear of the Jews.

Chapter 9

Triumph of the Jews.^{[ea] 1} On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar, the edict of the king was to become effective. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had expected to become masters of them. But in a role reversal it was the Jews who became masters of their enemies. ² The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could withstand them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. ³ Moreover, all of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, out of fear of Mordecai. ⁴ Mordecai was powerful in the palace: his fame spread throughout the provinces, and his power kept on growing.

⁵ The Jews overcame all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did what they pleased to their enemies. ⁶ In the citadel of Susa, they killed and destroyed five hundred men. ⁷ They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Porathai, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, ¹⁰ the ten sons of Haman, son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. However, they did not engage in plundering.

¹¹ On the same day, the number of those slain in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king. ¹² He said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. But what must they have done in the other royal provinces! You shall again be granted whatever you ask, and whatever you request will be honored.”

¹³ “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “let the Jews in Susa be permitted again to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on gibbets.”

¹⁴ The king then gave an order that this should be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman. ¹⁵ The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death three hundred men in Susa. However, they did not engage in plundering.^[eb]

¹⁶ Meanwhile, the other Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and to obtain rest from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand^[ec] of them, but they did not engage in plundering. ¹⁷ This took place on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

¹⁸ The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth of the month of Adar. On the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and joy.

¹⁹ That is why rural Jews, who live in villages, observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of feasting and rejoicing, a holiday on which they give presents to one another. Instead, those who live in large cities celebrate the fifteenth of Adar as a day of feasting and joy and give presents to each other.^[ed]

²⁰ The Feast of Purim.^[ee] Mordecai recorded these events, and dispatched letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to both those who were near and those who were far off. ²¹ He commanded them to celebrate every year the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, ²² as the time when the Jews succeeded in obtaining relief from their enemies and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe these days as days of feasting and rejoicing, sending food to one another and gifts to the poor.

²³ So the Jews accepted all that Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴ For Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had hatched a plot to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their defeat and destruction. ²⁵ But when Esther entered the royal presence, the king gave written orders that the wicked scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should be turned against him instead and that he and his sons should be hanged on gibbets. ²⁶ (Therefore, these days were called Purim,^[ef] from the word pur.)

Because of everything mentioned in this letter and because of what they had seen and what they had experienced, ²⁷ the Jews took upon themselves, their descendants, and any who should join them,^[eg] the inviolable obligation to celebrate these two days every year in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.

²⁸ These days were to be remembered in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. Moreover, these days of Purim were never to fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should their memory die out among their descendants.

²⁹ Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail and of Mordecai the Jew, wrote with complete authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. ³⁰ And Mordecai sent documents about peace and security to all the Jews in the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of Ahasuerus’s kingdom. ³¹ Thus, there were established, for their appointed time, these days of Purim that Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had designated for the Jews, and as they had established for themselves and for their race, the duty of fasting and supplication. ³² Esther’s decree confirmed these rules concerning Purim, and it was recorded in the book.

Chapter 10

The Greatness of Mordecai.¹ King Ahasuerus imposed tribute throughout the land to its distant shores.² And all his acts of power and might, as well as an account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are set down in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia.³ Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his fellow Jews because he worked for the good of his people and was the herald of peace for his whole race.

Epilogue

Chapter F

Mordecai’s Dream Fulfilled.^[eh]1 Then Mordecai said: “All this is God’s doing,² for I remember the dream I had about these events, and not one of them has failed to be fulfilled—³ the tiny spring that became a river, the light that shone, the sun, the abundance of water. The river is Esther, whom the king married and established as queen.⁴ The two dragons are Haman and myself.⁵ The nations are those who joined together to extinguish the name of the Jews.⁶ And my nation is Israel who cried to God for deliverance and was saved.

“The Lord has saved his people and delivered us from all these evils. God has performed great signs and wonders such as have never before occurred among the nations.⁷ To accomplish this he prepared two lots,^[ei] one for the people of God and one for all the nations.⁸ These lots were cast at the prescribed hour and time, on the day of judgment before God and all the nations.⁹ And God remembered his people and rendered a verdict of justice in favor of his heritage.

¹⁰ “Therefore, they are to assemble with joy and gladness before God and celebrate these days in the month of Adar, on the fourteenth and fifteenth of that month, from generation to generation among his people Israel forever.”

A Postscript about Purim.¹¹ In the fourth year^[ej] of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and his son, Ptolemy, brought to Egypt the preceding letter about Purim, saying that it was genuine and had been translated by Lysimachus, son of Ptolemy, of the community of Jerusalem.

A Great Danger for the Faith

Chapter 1^[ek]

The Succession of Alexander the Great.^{[el] 1} After Alexander of Macedon, the son of Philip, had come from the land of Kittim^[em] and defeated Darius, the king of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king, in addition to his position as king of Greece. ² He engaged in many campaigns, captured strongholds, and executed kings. ³ In his advance to the ends of the earth, he plundered countless nations. When the earth was reduced to silence before him, his heart swelled with pride and arrogance.^{[en] 4} He recruited a very powerful army, and as provinces, nations, and rulers were conquered by him, they became his tributaries.

⁵ However, when all this had been accomplished, Alexander became ill, and he realized that his death was imminent. ⁶ Therefore, he summoned his officers, nobles who had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷ Then, in the twelfth year^[eo] of his reign, Alexander died.

⁸ After that, his officers assumed power in the kingdom, each in his own territory. ⁹ They all put on royal crowns after his death, as did their heirs who succeeded them for many years, inflicting great evils on the world.

¹⁰ From these there sprang forth a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of King Antiochus. Previously he had been a hostage in Rome. He began his reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greeks.^[ep]

¹¹ Hellenism in Palestine.^[eq] In those days there emerged in Israel a group of renegades who led many people astray, saying, “Let us enter into an alliance with the Gentiles around us. Many disasters have come upon us since we separated ourselves from them.” ¹² This proposal received great popular support, ¹³ and when some of the people immediately thereafter approached the king; he authorized them to introduce the practices observed by the Gentiles. ¹⁴ Therefore, they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to Gentile custom, ¹⁵ concealed the marks of their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. Thus they allied themselves to the Gentiles and sold themselves to the power of evil.

¹⁶ The Temple of Jerusalem Is Sacked.^[er] Once his kingdom had been firmly established, Antiochus was determined to become king of Egypt so that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷ He invaded Egypt with a massive force of chariots, elephants, and cavalry, supported by a large fleet. ¹⁸ When he engaged Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, in battle, Ptolemy fled in fear before him, amidst a great number of casualties. ¹⁹ The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the kingdom.

²⁰ After his return from his conquest of Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three, Antiochus advanced upon Israel and Jerusalem with a massive force. ²¹ In his arrogance he entered the sanctuary and removed the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures, ²² the table for the loaves of offering, the libation cups and bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, and the crowns. He stripped off all the gold decorations on the front of the temple, ²³ and he seized the silver and gold and precious vessels and all the hidden treasures he could find. ²⁴ Taking all this, he returned to his own country, having caused great bloodshed and boasted arrogantly of what he had accomplished.

²⁹ Two years later the king sent his chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah. When he came to Jerusalem with a powerful force, ³⁰ he deceitfully addressed the people there with sentiments of peace. Once he had gained their confidence, he suddenly launched a savage attack on the city and exterminated many of the people of Israel. ³¹ He plundered the city and set it on fire. He demolished its dwellings and the walls that encircled the city, ³² took the women and children captive, and seized the livestock. ³³ Then they rebuilt the City of David with a massive high wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.^{[es] 34} There they stationed a sinful race of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it, ³⁵ storing up arms and provisions, and depositing there the plunder they had collected from Jerusalem. Thus they posed a significant threat.

⁴¹ The Great Persecution.^[et] Then the king issued an edict to his whole kingdom that all of his subjects should become a united people, ⁴² with each nation abandoning its particular customs. All the Gentiles accepted the decree of the king, ⁴³ and many among the Israelites adopted his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.

⁴⁴ The king also sent messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah with edicts commanding them to adopt practices that were foreign to their country: ⁴⁵ to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the Sabbaths and feast days, ⁴⁶ to defile the temple and its priests, to build altars, temples, and shrines for idols, ⁴⁷ to sacrifice swine^[eu] and other unclean beasts, ⁴⁸ to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to allow themselves to be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination, ⁴⁹ so that they would forget the law and change all their observances. ⁵⁰ Anyone who refused to obey the command of the king was to be put to death.

⁵¹ These were the terms of the edicts he issued throughout his kingdom. He appointed inspectors to supervise all the people, and he commanded all the towns of Judah to offer sacrifices, town by town. ⁵² Many of the people, abandoning the law, joined them and committed evil deeds in the land, ⁵³ thereby driving Israel into hiding in every possible place of refuge.

⁵⁴ On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected upon the altar of holocausts the abomination that causes desolation, and pagan altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah. ⁵⁵ Incense was offered at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶ Any scrolls of the law that were found were torn to pieces and destroyed by fire. ⁵⁷ If any people were discovered in possession of a book of the covenant or acting in conformity with the law, they were condemned to death by the decree of the king.

⁵⁸ Month after month these wicked people used their power against any loyal Israelite found in the towns. ⁵⁹ On the twenty-fifth day of each month they offered sacrifice on the altar erected on top of the altar of holocausts. ⁶⁰ In accordance with the royal decree, any women who had their children circumcised were put to death, ⁶¹ with their infants hung from their necks; also put to death were their families and those who had circumcised them.

⁶² Despite all this, many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat any unclean food. ⁶³ They preferred to die rather than to be defiled by such food and profane the holy covenant, and they suffered death for their convictions. ⁶⁴ Great affliction was unleashed upon Israel.

The Great Days of the Resistance^[ev]

Resistance Begins: Mattathias (167–166 B.C.)

Chapter 2

Mattathias and His Sons. ¹ In those days Mattathias,^[ew] son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, departed from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. ² He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi; ³ Simon, who was called Thassi; ⁴ Judas, who was called Maccabeus;^{[ex] 5} Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus. ⁶ When he observed the sacrilegious acts that were being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, ^7 [ey]he said: “Alas! Why was I born to witness the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit by idly while she has been delivered over to her enemies, and the sanctuary given into the hands of foreigners?

¹⁴ Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and engaged in great mourning.

¹⁵ A Righteous Anger. The officers of the king who had been commissioned to enforce the apostasy came to the town of Modein to ensure that the sacrifices were being offered. ¹⁶ Many Israelites assembled around them, but Mattathias and his sons stood apart. ¹⁷ Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias in these words: “You are a leader in this town, respected and influential, and you have the support of your sons and brothers. ¹⁸ Now be the first to come forward and obey the decree of the king, as all the Gentiles have done, as well as the citizens of Judah and the people who remain in Jerusalem. Then you and your sons will be counted among the Friends of the King,^[ez] and you and your sons will be honored with gold and silver and many other gifts.”

¹⁹ However, Mattathias responded in a loud voice: “Even if every nation in the king’s dominions obeys him, each one forsaking the religion of its fathers and agreeing to submit to the king’s commands, ²⁰ I and my sons and my brothers will continue to observe the covenant of our fathers. ²¹ God forbid that we should ever forsake the law and its statutes. ²² We will not obey the king’s commands or deviate from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”

²³ As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, in accordance with the royal decree. ²⁴ When Mattathias observed this, he became inflamed with zeal. His righteous anger aroused, he sprang forward and slaughtered him on the altar. ²⁵ At the same time he also killed the officer of the king who was present to enforce the sacrifice, and he destroyed the altar. ²⁶ In this way he demonstrated his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas had done with Zimri, the son of Salu.

²⁷ Then Mattathias advanced through the town, shouting: “Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant come with me!” ²⁸ Then he and his sons fled to the hills, leaving behind in the town everything that they possessed. ²⁹ Many of the people who desired to live in accordance with justice and the law went down to the desert^[fa] and settled there, ³⁰ taking with them their sons, their wives, and their livestock, so oppressive were the sufferings that they had been forced to endure.

³¹ Shortly thereafter it was reported to the officers of the king and the forces stationed in Jerusalem, the City of David, that those who had refused to obey the king’s edict had retreated to hiding places in the desert. ³² A large force set out in pursuit and caught up with them; they encamped opposite them and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath. ³³ “Enough of this defiance!” they said. “Come out and obey the king’s edict, and your lives will be spared.” ³⁴ “We will not come out,” they replied, “nor will we do what the king commands and profane the Sabbath.”

³⁵ Then the enemy immediately launched an attack on them, ³⁶ but they did not retaliate, neither hurling rocks nor barricading their hiding places. ³⁷ They only said, “Let us all die in a state of innocence. Heaven and earth are our witnesses that you are massacring us without the slightest justification.” ³⁸ Therefore, the enemy attacked on the Sabbath and massacred them along with their wives, their children, and their livestock—one thousand persons in all.

³⁹ Mattathias Organizes the Resistance.^[fb] When Mattathias and his friends were informed of this, they grieved deeply for them. ⁴⁰ “If we all do as our kindred have done,” they said to one another, “and refuse to fight against the Gentiles in defense of our lives and our traditions, they will soon wipe us off the face of the earth.” ⁴¹ On that day they formulated this decision: “Let us fight against anyone who attacks us on the Sabbath, so that we will not all be killed, as happened to our kindred who died in their hiding places.”

⁴² Soon thereafter they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant warriors of Israel, each one a stout defender of the law. ⁴³ In addition, all those who were refugees from the persecution joined up with them, adding to their strength. ⁴⁴ After organizing an army, they struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their fury. Those who escaped them fled to the Gentiles for safety. ⁴⁵ Mattathias and his friends marched through the kingdom, destroying the pagan altars ⁴⁶ and forcibly circumcising all the uncircumcised boys they found within the borders of Israel. ⁴⁷ They hunted down their arrogant enemies, and their efforts prospered under their direction. ⁴⁸ Thus they defended the law against the Gentiles and their kings, and they did not allow the wicked to emerge triumphant.

⁴⁹ Last Words of Mattathias.^[fc] When the time drew near for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now grown strong; this is an age of turmoil and violent fury. ⁵⁰ Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and be willing to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

⁶⁵ “Here is your brother Simon who I know is a man of sound judgment. Always listen to him, for he will act as your father. ⁶⁶ Judas Maccabeus, a mighty warrior from his youth, will be the commander of your army and direct your battles against the peoples. ⁶⁷ Enroll in your cause all who observe the law, and in this way you will avenge the wrongs perpetrated on your people. ⁶⁸ Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the precepts of the law.”

⁶⁹ Then he blessed them and was gathered to his ancestors. ⁷⁰ He died in the year one hundred and forty-six and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors in Modein, and all Israel mourned him with great lamentation.^[fe]

The Holy War: Judas Maccabeus (166–161 B.C.)

Chapter 3

Eulogy of a Hero. ¹ Then his son Judas, who was known as Maccabeus, took his place. ² All his brothers and all who had allied themselves to his father gave him their support, and they enthusiastically continued to fight for Israel.

¹⁰ First Battles of Judas. Then Apollonius^[ff] united the Gentiles with a large army from Samaria to wage war against Israel. ¹¹ On learning this, Judas marched out to confront him, and he defeated and killed him. Many fell wounded, and those who survived took flight. ¹² Then their spoils were seized. The sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, who used it in his battles for the rest of his life.

¹³ When Seron, the commander of the Assyrian army, learned that Judas had mustered a large force of faithful soldiers prepared for battle, ¹⁴ he said, “I will make a name for myself and win great renown in the kingdom if I defeat Judas and his followers who have shown such contempt for the king’s edict.” ¹⁵ And once again a large army of unbelievers banded together to help him exact vengeance on the Israelites.

¹⁶ When he reached the ascent of Beth-horon,^[fg] Judas marched out to confront him with a small contingent. ¹⁷ However, when they observed the army that was gathered to do battle with them, his soldiers said to Judas, “How can we, as few as we are, fight against so great a multitude? Besides, we are faint with hunger, for we have eaten nothing all day.” ¹⁸ But Judas replied, “It is easy for many to be defeated by a few. In the sight of Heaven,^[fh] there is no distinction between deliverance by many and deliverance by a few. ¹⁹ Victory in war does not depend upon the size of the fighting force, but rather upon the strength that comes from Heaven. ²⁰ Our enemies have come against us in a display of insolence and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to plunder us. ²¹ However, we are fighting in defense of our lives and our laws. ²² He himself^[fi] will crush them before our eyes; therefore, do not be afraid of them.”

²³ When he had finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army, and they were crushed before him. ²⁴ He pursued them down the descent of Beth-horon as far as the plain. About eight hundred^[fj] of their men fell, and those who survived fled to the country of the Philistines. ²⁵ As a result, Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror seized the Gentiles all around them. ²⁶ His fame came to the attention of the king, and all the Gentiles talked about Judas and his battles.

²⁷ Syria Readies the Repression.^[fk] When King Antiochus learned about these developments, he was infuriated, and he ordered the mobilization of all the forces of his kingdom, a very powerful army.^{[fl] 28} He withdrew from his treasury enough money to provide his soldiers with a year’s pay in advance, and he ordered them to be prepared for action at a moment’s notice. ²⁹ Then he realized that this expenditure had exhausted the reserves in his treasury, and that the revenues from the province had dwindled as a result of the dissension and disaster he had caused for his empire by abolishing the laws that had been in effect from the earliest times. ³⁰ He thus began to fear that, as had happened on more than one occasion, he would not have sufficient funds to cover his normal expenses and the gifts that he had been accustomed to distribute more lavishly than had any of his predecessors on the throne. ³¹ Greatly concerned, he decided to go to Persia and levy tribute on those provinces and in this manner raise a large sum of money.

³² He therefore left Lysias, a distinguished nobleman of royal lineage, in charge of the king’s affairs from the Euphrates River to the Egyptian frontier, ³³ and he also gave him responsibility for the care of his son Antiochus^[fm] until he returned. ³⁴ He turned over to him half of his army, together with the elephants, and provided him with detailed instructions about all that he wanted done. As for the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem, ³⁵ Lysias was to send an army against them to crush and destroy the power of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to wipe out the memory of them from the land. ³⁶ Furthermore, he was to settle foreigners throughout the territory and to distribute their land by lot.

³⁷ The king then took the remaining half of his forces and set out from Antioch, his capital, in the year one hundred and forty-seven. He crossed the Euphrates River and advanced through the upper provinces.

³⁸ Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor^[fn] and Gorgias, powerful men among the Friends of the King, ³⁹ and under their command he sent forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to invade the land of Judah and destroy it in compliance with the king’s orders. ⁴⁰ Setting out with all their forces, they reached the plain in the region of Emmaus,^[fo] where they pitched camp. ⁴¹ When the local merchants heard the news of this army, they came to the camp with a large amount of silver and gold as well as fetters, seeking to purchase the Israelites for slaves. In addition, forces from Idumea and Philistia joined with them.

⁴² The Triumph of Judas.^[fp] Judas and his brothers realized how critical their situation had become, with opposing forces encamped within their territory. They also had learned of the orders that the king had issued for the total destruction of their people. ⁴³ Therefore, they said to one another, “Let us restore the shattered fortunes of our people and fight for our people and our sanctuary.”

⁴⁴ They then gathered together in a full assembly, both to prepare for battle and to offer prayers and implore mercy and compassion.

⁴⁶ After assembling, they made their way to Mizpah,^[fq] opposite Jerusalem, because in former times Mizpah had been a place of worship for Israel. ⁴⁷ That day they fasted, donned sackcloth, sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their garments. ⁴⁸ They unrolled the scroll of the law, seeking therein the guidance for which the Gentiles consulted the images of their gods. ⁴⁹ They also carried with them the priestly vestments and the firstfruits and the tithes, and they brought forth the Nazirites^[fr] who had completed the period of their vows. ⁵⁰ Then they cried aloud to Heaven: “What shall we do with these people, and where shall we take them? ⁵¹ Your sanctuary has been trampled underfoot and profaned, and your priests mourn in humiliation. ⁵² And now the Gentiles have formed an alliance to destroy us. You are well aware of what fate they plan for us. ⁵³ How will we be able to withstand them if you do not come to our aid?” ⁵⁴ Then they sounded the trumpets and raised a great shout.

⁵⁵ After this, Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ⁵⁶ He ordered to return to their homes those who were building houses, those who were just married, those who were planting vineyards, and those who were afraid, in accordance with the provisions of the law. ⁵⁷ Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus. ⁵⁸ “Arm yourselves and be brave,” Judas instructed. “In the morning be prepared to fight against these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. ⁵⁹ It is better that we die in battle than that we witness the misfortunes of our people and our sanctuary. Whatever Heaven wills, so will he do.”

Chapter 4

The Battle of Emmaus.^{[fs] 1} Gorgias took five thousand infantry and a thousand picked cavalry, and this detachment set out at night ² in order to launch a surprise attack on the camp of the Jews. Men from the citadel served as his guides. ³ However, Judas learned of their plan, and he and his soldiers moved out to attack the royal forces at Emmaus ⁴ while some of the troops were still dispersed away from the camp. ⁵ When Gorgias reached the camp of Judas by night, therefore, he found no one there, and he began to search for them in the mountains, saying, “These men are fleeing from us.”

⁶ At daybreak, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, although they lacked the armor and the swords they would have wished for. ⁷ They saw the camp of the Gentiles with its strong fortifications, flanked with cavalry, and a fighting force expert in the art of warfare. ⁸ Judas said to those who were with him: “Do not be afraid of their superior numbers or panic when they attack. ⁹ Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea when Pharaoh was pursuing them with his forces. ¹⁰ So now let us cry out to Heaven, asking him to show us his favor, to remember his covenant with our ancestors, and to destroy this army confronting us today. ¹¹ Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.”

¹² When the foreigners looked up and saw them advancing against them, ¹³ they came out of their camp to engage in battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets, ¹⁴ and the fighting began. The Gentiles were defeated and fled into the plain. ¹⁵ All those who were in the rear fell by the sword, and the rest were pursued as far as Gazara^[ft] and the plains of Judea, to Azotus and Jamnia, with about three thousand of them slain.

¹⁶ When Judas and his army broke off their pursuit, he said to the people: ¹⁷ “Do not be greedy for plunder, for we have yet another battle ahead of us. ¹⁸ Gorgias and his army are very close to us in the mountain area. Stand firm now against our enemies and defeat them. After that, you can safely take as much booty as you please.”

¹⁹ Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared, looking down from the mountain. ²⁰ They could see that their army had been put to flight and that their camp was being burned. The smoke that could be clearly seen indicated what had occurred. ²¹ When they perceived this, they were very much afraid, and when they also beheld the army of Judas in the plain, ready for battle, ²² they all fled into the territory of the Philistines.

²³ Then Judas went back to plunder the camp, and they confiscated a great amount of gold and silver, violet and purple cloths, and magnificent treasures. ²⁴ As they returned, they sang hymns of thanksgiving and praise to glorify Heaven, “for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.”^{[fu] 25} Thus Israel experienced a great deliverance that day.

²⁶ Victory over Lysias. Those foreigners who had managed to escape went to Lysias and reported to him everything that had occurred. ²⁷ When he heard the news, he was greatly disturbed and disappointed, because his plots against Israel had not turned out as he had intended and in accordance with the command of the king.

²⁸ So the following year he mobilized sixty thousand picked infantry and five thousand cavalry to defeat them. ²⁹ They marched into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur.^[fv] Judas confronted them with ten thousand men, ³⁰ and when he realized how strong their army was, he offered this prayer:

“Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David and delivered the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer. ³¹ Deliver this army into the hands of your people Israel, and destroy the pride of the enemy in their troops and cavalry. ³² Fill them with fear, weaken the boldness of their strength, and let them quake at their own destruction. ³³ Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, so that all who acknowledge your name will praise you with hymns.”

³⁴ Then both sides entered into battle, and in the hand-to-hand combat five thousand of the army of Lysias were slain. ³⁵ When Lysias saw his army being routed and the boldness of the soldiers of Judas who were prepared either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and began to recruit a force of mercenaries for a further invasion of Judea with an even larger army.

Restoration of the Temple^[fw]

³⁶ Then Judas and his brothers said: “Behold, our enemies have been crushed; let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” ³⁷ And so the entire army assembled, and they went up to Mount Zion. ³⁸ There they found the sanctuary desolate, the altar desecrated, the gates burned to the ground, the courts overgrown with weeds as in a thicket or on some mountain, and the chambers of the priests in ruins. ³⁹ Then they tore their garments and uttered loud cries of mourning; they sprinkled their heads with ashes ⁴⁰ and fell prostrate, with their faces to the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven.

⁴¹ Then Judas designated men to engage in combat with those in the citadel while he purified the sanctuary. ⁴² He appointed blameless priests who were devoted to the law; ⁴³ these purified the sanctuary and carried off the stones of the Abomination to an unclean place. ⁴⁴ They discussed what should be done about the altar of burnt offerings that had been desecrated, ⁴⁵ and they made the proper decision to demolish it so that it would not be a source of lasting shame to them inasmuch as the Gentiles had defiled it.^[fx]

Therefore, they tore down the altar ⁴⁶ and stored the stones in a suitable place on the temple hill until a prophet should appear on the scene to determine what should be done with them. ⁴⁷ They took unhewn stones, according to the law, and built a new altar fashioned after the former one. ⁴⁸ They also repaired the sanctuary and the interior of the temple and purified the courts. ⁴⁹ They made new sacred vessels and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. ⁵⁰ Then they burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamp on the lampstands to illuminate the temple. ⁵¹ Finally, they placed loaves of bread on the table and hung the curtains, thereby bringing to completion all of the work they had undertaken.

⁵² Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is, the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, ⁵³ they arose and offered sacrifice, in accordance with the law, on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had constructed. ⁵⁴ On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had desecrated it, on that very day it was dedicated with hymns, harps, flutes, and cymbals. ⁵⁵ All the people prostrated themselves in adoration and praised Heaven, who had granted success to their endeavors.

⁵⁶ They celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. ⁵⁷ They decorated the front of the temple with gold crowns and shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests and furnished them with doors. ⁵⁸ There was great rejoicing among the people inasmuch as the disgrace inflicted by the Gentiles had been removed. ⁵⁹ Then Judas, his brothers, and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days marking the rededication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days every year on the anniversary, beginning on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.

⁶⁰ At that time they fortified Mount Zion, encircling it with high walls and strong towers to prevent the Gentiles from coming and trampling over it as they had done in the past. ⁶¹ Judas stationed a garrison there to guard it, and he also fortified Beth-zur so that the people would have a stronghold facing Idumea.

New Military Operations^[fy]

Chapter 5

War against Nearby Tribes. ¹ When the Gentiles in the surrounding area heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary had been rededicated, they became greatly angered. ² They determined to destroy the descendants of Jacob who were living in their midst, and they began to persecute and massacre the people. ³ Then Judas made war on the descendants of Esau at Akrabattene^[fz] in Idumea because they were besieging the Israelites. He inflicted on them a massive defeat, overcame them, and took their spoils. ⁴ He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean,^[ga] who had proved to be a snare and a stumbling block to the people with their ambushes on the roads. ⁵ Having blockaded them in their towers, he vowed to effect their total destruction. Then he set ablaze their towers with all the people in them. ⁶ Next, he crossed over to attack the Ammonites,^[gb] where he was confronted by a strong army and a large crowd of people, with Timothy as their leader. ⁷ He engaged in many battles with them, and they were crushed and struck down. ⁸ After capturing Jazer^[gc] and its villages, he returned to Judea.

Judas Called Upon for Help. ⁹ The Gentiles in Gilead^[gd] banded together against the Israelites who were living in their territory, with the intention of destroying them. However, the Israelites fled to the stronghold of Dathema ¹⁰ and sent the following letter to Judas and his brothers: “The Gentiles around us have banded together to destroy us, ¹¹ and they are preparing to come and seize this stronghold in which we have taken refuge. Timothy is in command of their army. ¹² Please come immediately and rescue us from their clutches, for many of us have already fallen. ¹³ All of our kindred who dwelt among the Tobiads have been killed, and the Gentiles have carried off their wives and children, confiscated their property, and slain about a thousand people there.”

¹⁴ While the letter was still in the process of being read, other messengers, with their garments torn, arrived from Galilee with a similar message, ¹⁵ reporting that the people of Ptolemais, Tyre, and Sidon^[ge] had united with the whole of Galilee of the Gentiles to destroy them. ¹⁶ When Judas and the people heard these reports, they convened a great assembly to determine what they should do for their beleaguered kindred who were under attack by their enemies.

¹⁷ Judas said to his brother Simon, “Choose as many troops as you need and go forth to rescue your kindred in Galilee, while my brother Jonathan and I will go to Gilead.”

¹⁸ He left the remainder of his forces under the command of Joseph, son of Zechariah, and Azariah, a leader of the people, to defend Judea. ¹⁹ “Take charge of these people,” he commanded them, “but do not engage the Gentiles in battle until we come back.” ²⁰ Simon was allotted three thousand men for the march on Galilee, while eight thousand men were assigned to Judas for the march on Gilead.

²¹ Victories in Galilee and Gilead. Simon advanced into Galilee and engaged in many battles with the Gentiles, who were crushed before him. ²² He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais. About three thousand of the Gentiles were slain, and he gathered their spoils. ²³ Then he took back with him the Jews who were in Galilee and Arbatta,^[gf] with their wives and children and all their possessions, and he brought them to Judea with great rejoicing.

²⁴ Meanwhile, Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan and journeyed for three days through the desert. ²⁵ There they encountered some Nabateans^[gg] who received them peacefully and reported to them everything that had happened to their kindred in Gilead: ²⁶ “Many of them have been surrounded in Bozrah, in Bosor near Alema, in Chaspho, Maked, and Carnaim”—all of these towns were large and fortified— ²⁷ “and some have been shut up in the other towns of Gilead. The enemy plans to attack and capture these strongholds tomorrow and to destroy all the people inside them in a single day.”

²⁸ Judas and his army immediately changed direction, crossing the desert to Bozrah. He captured the city, put the entire male population to the sword, confiscated all their possessions, and set the place on fire. ²⁹ During the night he led his army from that place and journeyed to the stronghold of Dathema. ³⁰ At dawn they caught sight of an innumerable horde who were bringing forth ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold, and already beginning the assault on those besieged. ³¹ When Judas saw that the attack had begun and heard a war cry rising to heaven from the city, accompanied by trumpet blasts and loud shouts, ³² he said to the men of his army: “Fight this day for your kindred!”

³³ He advanced behind them with three columns, sounding their trumpets and shouting in prayer. ³⁴ When the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabeus, they fled before him. He inflicted a crushing defeat on them, and about eight thousand of their men fell that day. ³⁵ Then he moved on toward Alema and attacked and captured it. He slew every male in it, plundered the town, and set it afire. ³⁶ From there he moved on and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.

³⁷ After these things, Timothy gathered another army and pitched camp opposite Raphon, on the other side of the stream. ³⁸ Judas sent men to reconnoiter their camp, and they returned to him with this report: “All the Gentiles in this area have come to his support, encompassing a very large force. ³⁹ They have also hired Arab mercenaries to assist them. They are encamped across the stream and are prepared to attack you.” Judas therefore went forward to engage them in battle.

⁴⁰ As Judas and his army were approaching the stream, Timothy said to the officers of his forces, “If he crosses over to us first, we shall not be able to resist him, and he will surely defeat us. ⁴¹ However, if he is fearful and camps on the other side of the river, we will cross over to him and defeat him.”

⁴² When Judas reached the stream, he stationed the scribes^[gh] of the people alongside it and gave them this command, “Do not allow anyone to encamp, but order them all to enter the battle.” ⁴³ He himself was the first one to cross over to the attack, and his entire army followed him. The Gentiles were crushed; at his approach they threw down their arms and fled to the temple^[gi] at Carnaim. ⁴⁴ The Jews captured that city and then burned down the temple with all who were inside. Thus Carnaim was captured, and no further resistance was offered to Judas.

⁴⁵ Then Judas assembled all the Israelites who dwelt in Gilead, both great and small, with their wives and their children and their possessions, an enormous company of people, to escort them to the land of Judah. ⁴⁶ When they reached Ephron,^[gj] a large, strongly fortified town situated along the road, they discovered that it was impossible to bypass it to either the right or the left; they had no other option than to pass through it. ⁴⁷ However, the inhabitants of the town barricaded the gates with stones and denied them passage. ⁴⁸ Judas then conveyed to them the following peaceful message: “We wish to pass through your territory in order to reach our own. No one will do you any harm. We will simply pass through on foot.” However, they refused to open their gates to him.

⁴⁹ Judas then issued an order that all of his forces should remain where they were. ⁵⁰ After they took up their positions, he led them in an assault on that town the entire day and all through the night, and it was delivered into his hands. ⁵¹ After he put every male to the sword, razed the town to the ground, and plundered it, he marched through it over the bodies of the dead.

⁵² Then they crossed the Jordan into the extensive plain^[gk] opposite Beth-shan. ⁵³ Judas continued to rally the stragglers and to encourage the people throughout the journey until they reached the land of Judah. ⁵⁴ They ascended Mount Zion with joy and gladness and offered burnt offerings because they had returned safely without the loss of a single person.

⁵⁵ Israelite Commanders Defeated at Jamnia. While Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and Simon their brother was in Galilee outside Ptolemais, ⁵⁶ Joseph, son of Zechariah, and Azariah, the commanders of the army, heard about their valiant deeds and the heroic battles that they had fought, ⁵⁷ and they said, “Let us also make a name for ourselves by going out to fight against the Gentiles in our area.”

⁵⁸ Therefore, they issued orders to the forces under their command to march against Jamnia. ⁵⁹ Gorgias and his men came out of the town to confront them in battle. ⁶⁰ Joseph and Azariah were routed, and they were pursued to the borders of Judea. On that day about two thousand Israelites were slain. ⁶¹ Thus the people suffered a massive defeat because they had not heeded the instructions of Judas and his brothers, but instead attempted to match their brave accomplishments. ⁶² However, they did not belong to the family of those through whom the deliverance of Israel was to be achieved.

⁶³ The Israelites’ Success over the Edomites and the Philistines. The valiant Judas and his brothers became greatly renowned throughout Israel and among all the Gentiles, wherever their name was heard, ⁶⁴ and crowds thronged around them to offer them praise. ⁶⁵ Then Judas and his brothers went forth and attacked the descendants of Esau in the country toward the south. He conquered Hebron^[gl] and its villages, destroying its fortifications and burning down the towers encircling it. ⁶⁶ He then marched into the land of the Philistines and passed through Marisa. ⁶⁷ On that day, several priests who inadvisedly went out to fight in their desire to prove their courage fell in battle. ⁶⁸ Judas next turned toward Azotus in the land of the Philistines. He destroyed their altars and burned the statues of their gods, plundered their towns, and then returned to the land of Judah.

Chapter 6

Defeat and Death of Antiochus IV.^{[gm] 1} As King Antiochus was going through the upper provinces, he heard that Elymais,^[gn] a city in Persia, was renowned for its wealth in silver and gold, ² and that its temple was very rich, containing gold shields, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander, the son of Philip, the king of Macedon and the first to reign over the Greeks. ³ Therefore, he journeyed there in an attempt to capture and plunder the city, but he was unsuccessful because the people of the city had become aware of his designs ⁴ and rose up in battle against him. He was put to flight and had to withdraw in great disappointment and retreat toward Babylon.

⁵ While he was still in Persia, a messenger brought him the news that the armies that had invaded the land of Judah had been routed, ⁶ that Lysias—who had advanced with a massive force—had been put to flight by the Israelites, that the Israelites had grown increasingly strong as a result of the weapons, equipment, and abundant spoils they had captured from the armies they had destroyed, ⁷ that they had pulled down the Abomination he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls as they had done in the past and had fortified his city of Beth-zur.

⁸ When the king heard this report, he was distraught and deeply shaken. Sick with grief because his plans had failed, he retreated to his bed. ⁹ He lay there for many days, overwhelmed repeatedly with disappointment,^[go] and he realized that he was at the point of death.

¹⁰ Therefore, he summoned all his Friends and said to them: “Sleep is gone from my eyes, and my heart is overwhelmed with anxiety. ¹¹ I have asked myself: ‘Why have I been brought to these depths of despair, inasmuch as during my reign I was always kind and greatly beloved?’ ¹² But now I recall the evil deeds I perpetrated in Jerusalem in seizing all its vessels of silver and gold and unjustifiably ordering the extermination of the inhabitants of Judah. ¹³ I am certain that this is the reason why these misfortunes have afflicted me, and why I am dying here of bitter grief in a strange land.”

¹⁴ Then he summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and appointed him ruler over his entire kingdom. ¹⁵ He gave him his crown, his robe, and his signet ring, entrusting him with the authority to educate his son Antiochus and train him to be king. ¹⁶ King Antiochus died in Persia, in the year one hundred and forty-nine.^[gp]

¹⁷ Judas Besieges the Citadel of Jerusalem. When Lysias learned that the king was dead, he designated the king’s son Antiochus,^[gq] whom he had brought up from childhood, to succeed him as king, and he gave him the name Eupator.

¹⁸ Meanwhile, the men garrisoned in the citadel were blockading the Israelites in the sanctuary, taking advantage of every opportunity to harm them and thereby further the cause of the Gentiles. ¹⁹ Judas therefore resolved to bring about their destruction, and he mobilized all the people to besiege them. ²⁰ They assembled and stormed the citadel in the year one hundred and fifty, employing catapults and engines of war whose construction he had ordered. ²¹ Some of those besieged in the garrison escaped, joined by some godless Israelites. ²² They approached the king and said:

“How much longer are you going to delay in your pursuit of justice and avenging our comrades? ²³ We were happy to serve your father, to follow his instructions, and to obey his commands. ²⁴ As a result, our own kindred have besieged the citadel and turned against us. They have put to death as many of us as they have been able to capture, and they have plundered our property. ²⁵ Furthermore we are not the only ones against whom they have taken action, for they have attacked all the lands throughout your territory. ²⁶ At this very moment they are besieging the citadel in Jerusalem, determined to capture it, and they have fortified the sanctuary and Beth-zur. ²⁷ Unless you quickly make some move to impede them, they will do far worse things than these, and you will not be able to stop them.”

²⁸ The Battle of Beth-zur. The king became enraged when he heard this, and he summoned all his Friends, his generals, and the commanders of his cavalry. ²⁹ He also recruited mercenary forces from other kingdoms and from the islands of the seas. ³⁰ His forces numbered one hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand cavalry, and thirty-two elephants trained for war. ³¹ They advanced through Idumea and besieged Beth-zur, continuing the attack for many days. They also constructed engines of war, but the defenders made a raid and set them on fire, fighting courageously.

³² Then Judas left the citadel and encamped at Beth-zechariah,^[gr] opposite the camp of the king. ³³ The king rose at daybreak, and after a forced march along the road to Beth-zechariah, his forces drew up in battle formation and sounded their trumpets. ³⁴ The elephants were roused for battle by being given a mixture of grapes and mulberries to drink. ³⁵ These beasts were distributed among the phalanxes. With each elephant there were stationed a thousand men arrayed in coats of mail, with bronze helmets. In addition, five hundred picked cavalry were assigned to each beast. ³⁶ They anticipated every move made by the elephant; wherever it went, they immediately accompanied it, never leaving its side. ³⁷ On each elephant, for its protection, and fastened to its back by a harness, was a strong wooden tower that held four soldiers who fought from that position, as well as an Indian driver. ³⁸ The rest of the cavalry were stationed on either side of the army, so that they could harass the enemy while being protected by the phalanxes.

³⁹ When the sun shone on the gold and bronze shields, the mountains blazed with their reflection and gleamed like burning torches. ⁴⁰ Part of the king’s army was stationed on the high hills, while others were assembled in the plain. They advanced steadily and in good order, ⁴¹ and seized all who trembled as they heard the clamor raised by this vast multitude as they marched and by the clash of their arms, for their army was a very large and powerful force.

⁴² Judas and his army advanced to give battle, and six hundred of the king’s army were slain. ⁴³ Eleazar, called Avaran, noted that one of the elephants was adorned with royal armor. Since it was larger than all the other beasts, he thought that the king must be astride it, ⁴⁴ and he gave his life to save his people and win for himself everlasting renown. ⁴⁵ He courageously charged toward it through the midst of the phalanx, killing men right and left, so that they fell back on all sides at his approach. ⁴⁶ He got in position under the elephant and stabbed it from below, slaying it. The beast fell to the ground on top of him, and he died there.

⁴⁷ When the Jews saw the strength and ferocity of the royal forces, they retreated before them. ⁴⁸ A part of the king’s army marched up to Jerusalem to attack them, and the king encamped at both Judea and Mount Zion. ⁴⁹ He made terms of peace with the people of Beth-zur, and they evacuated the town, for they had no provisions there that would enable them to withstand a siege, since that was a sabbatical year^[gs] in the land. ⁵⁰ The king then occupied Beth-zur and stationed a garrison there to defend it.

⁵¹ He besieged the sanctuary for many days, employing artillery, engines of war to hurl fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults. ⁵² The Jews for their part set up machines of their own to counter theirs, and they continued the battle for many days. ⁵³ However, there was no food in the storerooms because it was the sabbatical year, and those who had fled from the Gentiles and taken refuge in Judea had consumed the last of the reserves. ⁵⁴ Only a few men remained in the sanctuary; the rest scattered to their own homes, for the famine proved too severe for them.

⁵⁵ Offer of a Peace Treaty. Lysias heard that Philip, whom King Antiochus, prior to his death, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus to be king, ⁵⁶ had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had accompanied the king, and that he was attempting to seize control of the government. ⁵⁷ Therefore, he quickly gave orders to withdraw, saying to the king, to the commanders of the army, and to the soldiers, “Every day we are growing weaker, our provisions are running low, the place we are besieging is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom demand our attention. ⁵⁸ Let us now come to terms with these people and make peace with them and with their entire nation. ⁵⁹ Let us grant them permission to live in accordance with their laws as they used to do, for it was on account of our abolition of these laws that they became angry and were provoked into doing all these things.”

⁶⁰ This proposal met with the approval of the king and his commanders, and he presented the Jews with peace terms, which they accepted. ⁶¹ Therefore, the king and his commanders ratified the treaty by oath, and accordingly the Jews emerged from their stronghold. ⁶² However, when the king entered Mount Zion and saw how strongly the place was fortified, he broke the oath that he had sworn and gave orders to demolish the encircling wall. ⁶³ Then he departed and returned in haste to Antioch. He found Philip in control of the city, but he engaged in battle against him and took the city by force.

The Rise of the Hasmoneans

Judah Renews the Resistance

Chapter 7

Demetrius Becomes King.^{[gt] 1} In the year one hundred and fifty-one, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, departed from home and, arriving with a few men at a town on the seacoast, began to rule there. ² As he was entering the royal palace of his ancestors, his troops seized Antiochus and Lysias with the intention of handing them over to him. ³ However, when he was informed of this act, he said, “Keep them out of my sight.” ⁴ The soldiers therefore executed them, and Demetrius ascended the royal throne.

Alcimus Invents Intrigues for the New King. ⁵ Then all the renegades and godless men of Israel approached him, led by Alcimus^[gu] who had designs on the high priesthood. ⁶ They brought to the king this accusation against the people: “Judas and his brothers have killed all your Friends and have driven us out of our country. ⁷ Send a man whom you trust to go forth and inspect the devastation that Judas has wreaked on us and on the lands ruled by the king, and authorize him to punish him and all their allies.”

⁸ The king chose Bacchides, one of the Friends of the King, who was the governor of West-of-Euphrates, an influential personage in the kingdom, and a loyal supporter of the king. ⁹ He sent him and the godless Alcimus, whom he appointed as high priest, with orders to exact vengeance on the Israelites. ¹⁰ They set out, and when they arrived with a large army in the land of Judah, they sent envoys to Judas and his brothers to suggest deceitful proposals of peace. ¹¹ But the latter placed no trust in their words, since they saw the immense force that had accompanied them.

¹² However, a group of scribes approached Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for just terms of peace. ¹³ The Hasideans were the first among the Israelites to request a peace agreement, ¹⁴ for they said, “A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not be a party to any wrongful act.” ¹⁵ Alcimus engaged in peace talks with them, and he swore this oath to them: “We will not attempt to injure you or your friends.” ¹⁶ However, once he had gained their confidence, he arrested sixty of them and put them to death in one day, in fulfillment of the words of Scripture:

¹⁸ Then fear and dread of them fell on the whole people. “There is no truth or justice among them,” they said. “They have violated their agreement and their sworn oath.”

¹⁹ Bacchides then withdrew from Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-zaith,^[gv] where he ordered the arrest of many of those who had deserted to him, along with some of the people. He slaughtered them and cast them into an immense pit. ²⁰ After that he placed Alcimus in charge of the province, leaving an army with him to give him support, while he himself went back to the king.

²¹ The War Springs Up Anew. Alcimus used every means to continue in his role as high priest, ²² and all those who were reckoned as troublemakers rallied to his support. They gained control of the land of Judah and inflicted great damage on Israel. ²³ When Judas saw all the wrongs that Alcimus and his supporters had inflicted on the Israelites, exceeding anything that the Gentiles had done, ²⁴ he went throughout the territory of Judea, punishing those who had deserted and preventing them from gaining access to rural areas. ²⁵ When Alcimus saw that Judas and his supporters were gaining considerable strength and realized that he would not be able to withstand them, he returned to the king and brought malicious charges against them.

²⁶ Nicanor Is Entrusted with Putting Down the Insurgents. Then the king sent Nicanor,^[gw] one of his most distinguished officers and a bitter enemy of Israel, with orders to destroy the people. ²⁷ Having arrived in Jerusalem with a large force, he sent to Judas and his brothers this deceitful message couched in peaceful terms: ²⁸ “Let there be no fighting between you and me. I shall come with a small escort to have a peaceful meeting with you.”

²⁹ When he came to Judas, they greeted each other peaceably, but the enemy had made plans to kidnap Judas. ³⁰ When Judas became aware that Nicanor’s visit had a treacherous purpose, he became afraid and refused to meet him again. ³¹ After Nicanor realized that his plot had been uncovered, he marched out to meet Judas in battle near Caphar-salama.^{[gx] 32} About five hundred of Nicanor’s men were slain; the rest fled to the City of David.

³³ After these events, Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king. ³⁴ But he mocked and jeered at them, defiled them,^[gy] and spoke arrogantly, ³⁵ swearing in his rage: “Unless Judas and his army are turned over to me immediately, I will burn this temple to the ground when I return victorious.” Then he went off in great anger. ³⁶ At this turn of events, the priests went in and stood tearfully before the altar and the sanctuary, saying: ³⁷ “You have chosen this house to bear your name and to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. ³⁸ Exact vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies and grant them no reprieve.”

³⁹ Judas Routs the Enemy. Nicanor left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-horon, where he was joined by an army from Syria. ⁴⁰ Meanwhile, Judas pitched camp in Adasa^[gz] with three thousand men, where he offered this prayer: ⁴¹ “When the messengers from the king were guilty of blasphemy, your angel sent forth and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men. ⁴² In the same way, crush this army before us today, so that everyone will come to know that Nicanor has spoken blasphemously against your sanctuary. Judge him according to his wickedness.”

⁴³ The armies met in battle on the thirteenth of the month of Adar. Nicanor’s army was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. ⁴⁴ When his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw down their arms and fled. ⁴⁵ The Jews pursued them a day’s journey, from Adasa as far as Gazara, sounding their trumpets in warning as they followed. ⁴⁶ People emerged from all the surrounding villages of Judea and hemmed in Nicanor’s forces, driving them back to confront their pursuers. They all fell by the sword, without a single one managing to escape.

⁴⁷ Then the Jews collected the spoils and the booty. They cut off Nicanor’s head and the right hand that he had stretched out so arrogantly, and they brought them to Jerusalem to be put on display there. ⁴⁸ The people rejoiced greatly and celebrated that day as a great festival. ⁴⁹ They decreed that this occasion was to be observed each year on the thirteenth day of Adar.^{[ha] 50} And for a short time the land of Judah was at peace.

Chapter 8

The Prestige of Rome.^{[hb] 1} Judas heard of the reputation of the Romans—how they were mighty men who favored all who joined themselves to them and made an alliance with all who came to them and were strong and powerful. ² He had also been told of the battles they had fought and of the brave deeds that they had performed against the people of Gaul^[hc] as they conquered them and forced them to pay tribute, ³ and what they had done in the province of Spain, seizing the silver and gold mines there ⁴ and by their planning and persistence gaining control of the entire country even though it was considerably distant from their own. They also had subdued kings who had come against them from the ends of the earth,^[hd] crushing them and inflicting heavy losses on them, while the rest paid tribute to them every year.

⁵ Philip^[he] and Perseus, the king of the Macedonians, and the others who had engaged in battle against them had been crushed by them and subjugated. ⁶ They had also defeated Antiochus the Great, the king of Asia, who had attacked them with one hundred and twenty elephants, and with cavalry and chariots and a very large army. ^7 [hf]They had taken him alive and imposed terms of surrender that obligated him and his successors to pay a substantial annual tribute, give hostages, ⁸ and surrender portions of his best provinces—the countries of India, Media, and Lydia—which they took from him and gave to King Eumenes. ⁹ When the Greeks devised a plan to attack and destroy them, ¹⁰ the Romans got wind of it and sent against them a single general.^[hg] In the ensuing battle many of the Greeks were wounded and fell, and the Romans took captive their wives and children, tore down their strongholds, and enslaved them, a status that they endure even to the present day. ¹¹ All of the other kingdoms and islands that opposed them they destroyed and subjugated.

¹² However, with their friends and those who depended on them for protection, they maintained strong ties of friendship. They had subdued kings far and near, and all who heard of their reputation were terrified of them. ¹³ Those whom they wished to help ascend to a throne became kings; those whom they wished to depose were overthrown. As a result, they were greatly exalted. ¹⁴ Yet for all this not one of them ever put on a crown or wore purple as an emblem of authority. ¹⁵ They had built a senate house where each day three hundred and twenty senators deliberated on how best to achieve the well-being of the people. ¹⁶ They entrusted one man^[hh] each year to rule over them and their dominions; all obeyed this one man without any envy or jealousy.

¹⁷ Alliance with Rome. Therefore, Judas chose Eupolemus, son of John, son of Accos, and Jason, son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to make a treaty of friendship and alliance, ¹⁸ in the hope that in this way they would escape the yoke, for they could clearly see that the kingdom of the Greeks was reducing Israel to a state of slavery. ¹⁹ Following a very lengthy journey to Rome, the envoys entered the senate chamber and spoke these words: ²⁰ “Judas Maccabeus and his brothers and the Jewish people have sent us to conclude a treaty of alliance and peace with you and to enroll ourselves as your allies and friends.” ²¹ This proposal pleased the Romans, ²² and this is a copy of their reply, which they inscribed on tablets of bronze^[hi] and sent to Jerusalem, where it would remain in the possession of the Jews as a record of peace and alliance:

²³ “May good fortune attend the Romans and the Jewish nation at sea and on land forever. May sword and foe be far from them. ²⁴ But if war should be instigated against Rome or any of her allies throughout her dominions, ²⁵ the Jewish nation shall provide them with their wholehearted support as the occasion shall demand. ²⁶ To the enemy that instigates that war they shall not give or provide grain, arms, money, or ships. Thus have the Romans decreed, and they shall fulfill their obligations without receiving any recompense. ²⁷ In the same way, if war should be instigated against the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall provide them with their wholehearted support as the occasion shall demand. ²⁸ To the enemy that instigates that war they shall not give grain, arms, money, or ships. Thus have the Romans decreed, and they shall fulfill their obligations without any breach of faith. ²⁹ In these terms the Romans have made a treaty with the Jewish people. ³⁰ Subsequently, if both parties should decide to make any addition or deletion, they shall have the authority to do so, and any such addition or deletion that they make shall be deemed valid.

³¹ “Concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius is perpetrating against the Jewish people, we have written to him as follows: ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews? ³² If they have any further complaint to make against you, we shall uphold their rights and make war on you by land and sea.’ ”^[hj]

Chapter 9

The Heroic Death of Judas. ¹ When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah for a second time, and with them the right wing of his army. ² They took the road to Galilee and, besieging Mesaloth in Arbela,^[hk] they captured it and killed many people. ³ In the first month of the year one hundred and fifty-two they encamped outside Jerusalem,^{[hl] 4} and from there they marched to Berea with twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry.

⁵ Judas meanwhile had encamped at Elasa with three thousand picked men. ⁶ When his men saw the immense number of the enemy forces, they were greatly terrified, and many slipped away from the camp, until only eight hundred men remained.

⁷ When Judas realized that the battle was imminent and that his army was melting away, he became despondent, for he had no time to redeploy them. ⁸ But despite being disheartened, he said to those who remained, “Let us rise up and advance against the enemy. We may have sufficient strength to defeat them.” ⁹ His men tried to dissuade him, saying, “We do not have the necessary strength. Let us save our own lives now and return to fight them when our kindred have joined up with us. Right now we are too few.” ¹⁰ But Judas replied, “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 kindred and leave no stain upon our honor.”

¹¹ Then the army of Bacchides marched out from the camp and was arrayed in battle position. The cavalry was divided into two squadrons. The slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, and the most skilled warriors were in the front line. ¹² Bacchides was on the right wing. The phalanx, flanked by the two squadrons, advanced to the sound of the trumpets, and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. ¹³ The earth shook with the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening. ¹⁴ Observing that Bacchides and the main strength of his army were on the right, Judas, with his most valiant men at his side, ¹⁵ drove back the right wing and pursued them as far as Mount Azotus.^{[hm] 16} But when those on the left wing observed that the right wing had been crushed, they reversed direction and closely followed Judas and his men, attacking them from the rear. ¹⁷ The battle was fought desperately, and many on both sides fell. ¹⁸ Judas was among those who fell, and the rest fled.

¹⁹ Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their ancestors at Modein. ²⁰ All Israel wept over him with great mourning for many days, saying, ²¹ “How tragically the mighty one has fallen, the savior of Israel!” ²² The rest of the acts of Judas, the battles that he waged, the valorous deeds that he performed, and his greatness have not been recorded, for they were very numerous.

The Politics of Jonathan (160–143 B.C.)

²³ Jonathan Succeeds Judas. After the death of Judas, the renegades came out of hiding in all parts of Israel, and all the evildoers reappeared. ²⁴ In those days there was a severe famine, and the country went over to their side. ²⁵ Bacchides chose godless men to be in charge of the country. ²⁶ These searched out and hunted down the friends of Judas and brought them to Bacchides, who took his revenge on them and mocked them. ²⁷ There was great distress^[hn] in Israel, the likes of which had not been since the days when the 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 lead us against our enemies and Bacchides, as well as against those of our own nation who are hostile to us. ³⁰ Therefore, today we have chosen you to take his place as our ruler and our leader, and to fight our battle.” ³¹ Thereupon Jonathan accepted the leadership in the place of his brother Judas.

³² Jonathan and Simon Retaliate. When Bacchides learned of this, he made plans to kill Jonathan, ³³ but Jonathan and his brother Simon and all who were with him heard about it, and they took refuge in the wilderness of Tekoa,^[ho] where they encamped by the waters of the pool of Asphar. ³⁴ Bacchides learned of this on the Sabbath day, and he crossed the Jordan with his entire army.

³⁵ Jonathan sent his brother^[hp] to act as leader of the multitude and to ask the Nabateans, with whom he was friendly, for permission to store with them the great quantity of baggage that they had brought with them. ³⁶ However, the sons of Jambri made a sortie from Medeba,^[hq] captured John, and carried off the baggage. ³⁷ Some time afterward the news was reported to Jonathan and his brother Simon: “The sons of Jambri are celebrating a great wedding, and with a large retinue they are escorting from Nadabath the daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan.” ³⁸ Remembering how their brother John had been slain, they went up and hid themselves under the cover of a mountain.

³⁹ As they kept watch, they observed a tumultuous procession come into sight carrying a great amount of baggage. The bridegroom came forth, escorted by his fully armed friends and his kindred, to welcome the bridal party with tambourines and musicians. ⁴⁰ The Jews sprang on them from their place of ambush and began to slay them. Many fell wounded, and the rest fled toward the mountain; and the Jews gathered up all their spoil. ⁴¹ Thus the wedding was turned into mourning and the sound of their music into lamentation.^{[hr] 42} Having thereby gained revenge for the blood of their brother, the Jews returned to the marshes of the Jordan.

⁴³ “Let Us . . . Fight for Our Lives.” When Bacchides heard of this, he came with a huge force to the banks of the Jordan on the Sabbath. ⁴⁴ Then Jonathan said to those with him, “Let us get up now and fight for our lives, for today things have changed considerably from the way they used to be. ⁴⁵ In front of us the battle awaits; behind us are the waters of the Jordan on one side and marshland and thickets on the other. There is no way out. ⁴⁶ Cry out to Heaven that you may be saved from our enemies.” ⁴⁷ Once the battle had begun, Jonathan raised his arm to strike Bacchides, but Bacchides managed to elude him and escaped to the rear. ⁴⁸ Jonathan then leapt into the Jordan and swam across to the other side with his men. However, the enemy did not pursue them across the Jordan. ⁴⁹ On that day Bacchides lost about one thousand men.

⁵⁰ Bacchides Builds Strongholds. After returning to Jerusalem, Bacchides built strongholds in Judea with high walls, gates, and bars: the fortress in Jericho, Emmaus, Beth-horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, ⁵¹ and he stationed a garrison in each to harass Israel. ⁵² He also fortified the city of Beth-zur, Gazara, and the citadel, and in them he placed soldiers and stores of provisions. ⁵³ He took the sons of the leading men of the country as hostages and placed them under guard in the citadel at Jerusalem.

⁵⁴ Alcimus Dies Paralyzed. In the year one hundred and fifty-three, in the second month, Alcimus ordered the demolition of the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary, thereby destroying the work of the prophets. ⁵⁵ However, he had only begun the work of demolition when he suffered a stroke. His mouth was closed and he was paralyzed, unable to utter a word or give commands concerning his house. ⁵⁶ Before much time had passed, he died in great agony. ⁵⁷ On learning that Alcimus was dead, Bacchides returned to the king, and the land of Judah was left in peace for two years.

⁵⁸ Bacchides Negotiates with Jonathan. Then all the renegades gathered together in council. “Now is the time,” they said, “with Jonathan and his people living in peace and security, for us to bring back Bacchides, and he will capture all of them in a single night.” ⁵⁹ Therefore, they went and consulted with him. ⁶⁰ Bacchides set out with a large force, simultaneously sending letters secretly to all his allies in Judea that instructed them to seize Jonathan and his men. However, they were unable to do so because their plot became known, ⁶¹ and Jonathan and his men arrested about fifty of the ringleaders in this treacherous plan and put them to death.

⁶² Then Jonathan withdrew with Simon and his companions to Bethbasi^[hs] in the desert. He rebuilt the fortifications that had been demolished and strengthened them. ⁶³ When Bacchides learned of this, he assembled his entire army and sent instructions to his supporters in Judea. ⁶⁴ Then he came and encamped opposite Bethbasi, and after constructing engines of war, he fought against it for many days.

⁶⁵ Leaving his brother Simon in the city, Jonathan went out into the country area accompanied by only a few men. ⁶⁶ He struck down Odomera and his kindred and the people of Phasiron in their encampment, all of whom had been preparing to set out to join in the battle.^{[ht] 67} Meanwhile, Simon and his forces made a sortie from the town and set fire to the engines of war. ⁶⁸ Moving against Bacchides, they exerted such pressure that they inflicted a severe defeat upon him. Inasmuch as his plans for a military assault had been frustrated, ⁶⁹ Bacchides vented his anger on the renegades who had advised him to undertake this invasion. He slew many of them and then decided to return to his own land.

⁷⁰ When Jonathan learned of this, he sent envoys to negotiate terms of peace with him and obtain the release of the captives. ⁷¹ Bacchides agreed to Jonathan’s proposals and swore that he would never again try to cause him harm for the rest of his life. ⁷² He handed over the prisoners he had previously taken captive from the land of Judah. Then he returned to his own land and never again came into their territory.

⁷³ Thus the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan settled in Michmash,^[hu] from where he began to serve as judge for the people and to exile the renegades from Israel.

Chapter 10

Jonathan Is Named High Priest.^{[hv] 1} In the year one hundred and sixty, Alexander Epiphanes,^[hw] the son of Antiochus, arrived by sea and occupied Ptolemais. The people there welcomed him, and he began to reign. ² When King Demetrius heard of this, he assembled a very large army and marched out to engage him in battle. ³ Demetrius also sent a letter to Jonathan honoring him and expressing the desire for continued peace, ⁴ for he thought to himself, “Let us move first to make peace with him before he makes peace with Alexander against us, ⁵ recalling all the wrongs that we inflicted upon him and his brothers and his nation.”

⁶ So Demetrius gave Jonathan the authority to raise an army and to procure arms and to designate himself as an ally; and he also ordered the hostages in the citadel to be released to him. ⁷ Thereupon Jonathan went to Jerusalem and read the letter to all the people and to those in the citadel. ⁸ They were all greatly frightened when they heard that the king had given him authority to raise an army. ⁹ They released the hostages to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.

¹⁰ Jonathan then took up residence in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city. ¹¹ He ordered those entrusted with the work to build the walls and to encircle Mount Zion with squared stones for its fortification, and this task was accomplished.

¹² The foreigners who occupied the fortresses built by Bacchides abandoned them; ¹³ all of them deserted their posts and fled to their own lands. ¹⁴ Only in Beth-zur did some remain of those who had forsaken the law and the commandments, for it served as a place of refuge.

¹⁵ King Alexander was informed of all the proposals made by Demetrius to Jonathan, and he was also told of the battles that Jonathan and his brothers had fought, of the heroic deeds that they had accomplished, and of the hardships that they had endured. ¹⁶ His response was, “Shall we ever come across another man like him? Let us take steps to make him our friend and ally.” ¹⁷ He therefore wrote a letter to him in these words:

¹⁸ “King Alexander sends greetings to his brother Jonathan. ¹⁹ We have heard that you are a mighty warrior and worthy to be our friend. ²⁰ We have therefore appointed you today to be the high priest of your nation. You are also to have the title ‘Friend of the King,’ supporting our interests and maintaining friendly relations with us.” In addition he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold.

²¹ Jonathan put on the sacred vestments in the seventh month of the year one hundred and sixty, at the Feast of Booths.^[hx] He also raised an army and procured a large supply of arms.

²² Political Turning Point. When Demetrius learned of these developments, he was greatly distressed, and he said, ²³ “How did we allow Alexander to get ahead of us in gaining the friendship of the Jews and thus strengthening his position? ²⁴ I too will write to them in conciliatory terms and offer them honors and gifts as an inducement to support me.”

²⁵ Therefore, he sent them this message: “King Demetrius sends greetings to the Jewish nation. ²⁶ We have heard of how you have honored our agreement with us and have continued to maintain our friendship, and that you have not transferred your allegiance to our enemies. At this news we rejoice. ²⁷ If you now continue to keep faith with us, we will reward you handsomely for what you do on our behalf, ²⁸ granting you numerous exemptions and bestowing gifts on you.

²⁹ “I now free you and exempt all the Jews from payments of tribute, from the tax on salt, and from the crown levies.^{[hy] 30} From this day henceforth, I also renounce the third of the grain harvest and the half of the fruit harvest to which I am entitled. From this day and for all time I will not collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts annexed to it from Samaria. ³¹ Jerusalem and its surroundings, its tithes and its revenues, shall be sacred and free from tax. ³² I also relinquish my authority over the citadel in Jerusalem and transfer it to the high priest, so that he may station within it men of his own choosing to guard it. ³³ Every Jew carried off into captivity from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom I set free without ransom, and all their taxes, even those on their livestock, are to be voided. ³⁴ Let all feast days, Sabbaths, new moon festivals, appointed days, and the three days that precede and the three days that follow a festival be days of exemption and release for all the Jews in my kingdom. ³⁵ No one will have the authority to exact any payment from them or to impose any burden on them in any matter whatsoever.

³⁶ “Thirty thousand Jews will be enrolled in the king’s army, and they will receive the standard benefits given to all the forces of the king. ³⁷ Some of them will be stationed in the major strongholds of the king; others will be appointed to positions of trust in the kingdom. Their officers and commanders will be appointed from their own number, and they will be allowed to observe their own laws, as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.

³⁸ “As for the three districts that have been annexed to Judea from the province of Samaria, let them be so incorporated with Judea that they will be considered to be under one ruler and will obey no authority other than the high priest. ³⁹ Ptolemais and the adjoining land I bestow as a gift to the sanctuary in Jerusalem so that the necessary expenses of the sanctuary may be met.^{[hz] 40} I also promise an annual grant of fifteen thousand shekels out of the king’s revenues from appropriate places. ⁴¹ As for the additional funds that the officials have not paid as was done in previous years, they shall henceforth be handed over for the needs of the temple. ⁴² Furthermore, the five thousand silver shekels that used to be taken annually from the income of the temple will no longer be collected, since these funds belong to the priests who minister there.

⁴³ “All who take refuge in the temple in Jerusalem or in any of its precincts because of money owed to the king or any other debt will be released without any forfeiture of property they possess in my kingdom. ⁴⁴ The cost of the rebuilding and restoration of the structures of the sanctuary are to be taken from the revenues of the king. ⁴⁵ Likewise, the cost of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and fortifying it all around, and of rebuilding the walls in Judea, are to be covered by the royal revenues.”

⁴⁶ When Jonathan and the people heard these proposals, they put no faith in them and refused to accept them, for they remembered the great evils that Demetrius had perpetrated in Israel and the harsh oppression he had inflicted on them. ⁴⁷ They favored Alexander, for he had been the first to make peaceful overtures to them, and they remained his allies throughout his life.

⁴⁸ King Alexander assembled a great army and encamped opposite Demetrius. ⁴⁹ When the two kings met in battle, the army of Demetrius fled, and Alexander pursued him and defeated his soldiers. ⁵⁰ The battle raged fiercely until sunset, and Demetrius was killed on that day.

⁵¹ Alexander Allies Himself with Egypt.^[ia] Alexander sent envoys to Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, with this message: ⁵² “Now that I have returned to my kingdom and taken my seat on the throne of my ancestors and established my rule by crushing Demetrius and thereby gaining control of my country— ⁵³ for I met him in battle, defeated him and his army, and now occupy the throne of his kingdom— ⁵⁴ let us therefore enter into an alliance of friendship with one another. Give me your daughter as my wife; as your son-in-law, I will give gifts to you and to her that are in keeping with your royal position.”

⁵⁵ King Ptolemy said in his reply: “Happy was the day on which you returned to the land of your ancestors and took your seat on the throne of their kingdom. ⁵⁶ I hereby agree to your request, but please come to me at Ptolemais so that we may meet each other, and I will become your father-in-law, as you have proposed.”

⁵⁷ In the year one hundred and sixty-two, Ptolemy set out from Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra and came to Ptolemais, ⁵⁸ where King Alexander met him. Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage, and their wedding was celebrated at Ptolemais with great pomp, as is customary with such royal occasions.

⁵⁹ Jonathan Is Named Governor.^[ib] King Alexander then wrote to Jonathan, asking him to come and meet him. ⁶⁰ Jonathan went amidst great pomp to Ptolemais, where he met the two kings. He presented them and their Friends with silver and gold and many gifts and thus won their favor. ⁶¹ Some troublemaking renegades from Israel united themselves in opposition to him, but the king paid no heed to them. ⁶² Rather, he issued orders that Jonathan should be divested of his own garments and be clothed in royal purple, and this was done. ⁶³ The king then seated him at his side and said to his officers, “Accompany him to the center of the city and proclaim that no one is to bring charges against him on any matter or to make trouble for him in any way.”

⁶⁴ When his accusers observed the honor that was paid to him in this proclamation and saw him clothed in his purple robe, they all fled. ⁶⁵ The king also honored him by enrolling him as one of his Chief Friends, and he appointed him as commander and governor of the province. ⁶⁶ Then Jonathan returned in peace and joy to Jerusalem.

⁶⁷ Jonathan Defeats Apollonius. In the year one hundred and sixty-five, Demetrius,^[ic] the son of Demetrius, came from Crete to the land of his ancestors. ⁶⁸ When King Alexander learned of this, he was greatly disturbed, and he returned to Antioch. ⁶⁹ Demetrius appointed Apollonius as governor of Coelesyria,^[id] and the latter assembled a large force, encamped at Jamnia, and sent the following message to Jonathan the high priest: ⁷⁰ “You are the only one who has seen fit to rise up against us. Because of you, I have been assailed by ridicule and brought into disgrace. Why do you flaunt your authority against us in the hill country? ⁷¹ If you have such confidence in your forces, come down to meet us in the plain, and there we can test each other’s strength. The power of the cities is ready to support me. ⁷² Make an inquiry to find out who I am and the identity of the others who are supporting me. You will be told that you cannot make a stand against us. Your ancestors were twice put to flight in their own land. ⁷³ Now you too will not be able to withstand my cavalry and such an army in the plain, where there is not a stone or a pebble or a place to flee.”

⁷⁴ When Jonathan heard this message from Apollonius, his spirit was aroused. He set out from Jerusalem with ten thousand picked men, and his brother Simon joined him with reinforcements. ⁷⁵ He encamped outside Joppa, where the people of the city had closed its gates against him because Apollonius had a garrison there. ⁷⁶ However, when they began the siege, the people of the city became terrified, and they opened the gates, whereupon Jonathan took possession of Joppa.

⁷⁷ When Apollonius learned of this, he assembled three thousand cavalry and a large force of infantry. He marched to Azotus as though he were planning to march through it, but at the same time he advanced into the plain, confident in the strength of such a large number of cavalry. ⁷⁸ Jonathan pursued him as far as Azotus, where the armies engaged in battle. ⁷⁹ Apollonius, however, had left a thousand cavalry concealed behind them. ⁸⁰ Jonathan realized that there was an ambush behind him, for his army was surrounded and showered with arrows from morning until evening. ⁸¹ But his men held their ground as Jonathan had ordered, while the enemy’s horses became weary.

⁸² At that point, when the cavalry was exhausted, Simon led his forces forward and engaged the enemy phalanx in battle. Overwhelmed by him, they took to flight. ⁸³ The horsemen scattered over the plain and fled to Azotus, seeking refuge in Beth-dagon, the temple of their idol. ⁸⁴ However, Jonathan burned and plundered Azotus and its surrounding villages, and he destroyed by fire both the temple of Dagon and the men who had taken refuge in it. ⁸⁵ The number of those who fell by the sword, together with those who were burned to death, totaled about eight thousand men. ⁸⁶ Then Jonathan left there and encamped outside Ashkelon, and the people of that city came out to meet him with great pomp. ⁸⁷ He and his men then returned to Jerusalem laden with a great deal of booty.

⁸⁸ When King Alexander heard of these events, he conferred even greater honors on Jonathan. ⁸⁹ He sent him a gold buckle, which it was customary to present to the King’s Kinsmen,^[ie] and he also gave him Ekron and all its territory as a possession.

Chapter 11

Demetrius II Becomes King. ¹ The king of Egypt then gathered a huge army, as numerous as the sands on the seashore, and also a great fleet of ships. His purpose was to take possession of Alexander’s kingdom by subterfuge and add it to his kingdom. ² He set out for Syria with protestations of peace, and the people of the towns opened their gates to him and went out to meet him. King Alexander had commanded them to do so, since Ptolemy was his father-in-law. ³ However, on entering the towns, Ptolemy stationed troops as a garrison in each one.

⁴ When he reached Azotus, he was shown the burnt-out temple of Dagon, Azotus and its outlying areas demolished, corpses strewn everywhere, and the charred remains of those burned by Jonathan in the fighting and stacked up in heaps along his route. ⁵ In an attempt to turn the king against Jonathan, they explained to him what Jonathan had done, but the king said nothing. ⁶ Jonathan met the king with pomp at Joppa, and they exchanged greetings and spent the night there. ⁷ Jonathan accompanied the king as far as the river called Eleutherus,^[if] and then he returned to Jerusalem.

⁸ King Ptolemy took possession of the cities along the seacoast as far as Seleucia by the sea,^[ig] and he continued to devise wicked plans against Alexander. ⁹ He sent envoys to King Demetrius, saying: “Come, let us make a pact with each other. I will give you in marriage my daughter whom Alexander has married, and you will reign over the kingdom of your father. ¹⁰ I regret that I gave my daughter to him, for he has sought to kill me.”^{[ih] 11} He made this deceitful accusation against Alexander because he coveted his kingdom. ¹² After taking his daughter away from him and giving her to Demetrius, Ptolemy ended his friendship with Alexander, and their enmity became clearly manifest. ¹³ Then Ptolemy entered Antioch and assumed the crown of Asia in addition to the crown of Egypt that he already possessed.

¹⁴ King Alexander was in Cilicia at that time because the people of that region were in revolt, ¹⁵ but when he was informed about what was occurring, he marched against Ptolemy, who opposed him with a strong force and put him to flight. ¹⁶ Alexander fled to Arabia to seek protection, and King Ptolemy’s triumph was complete ¹⁷ when Zabdiel the Arab cut off Alexander’s head and sent it to Ptolemy. ¹⁸ However, three days later King Ptolemy died, and his men in the fortified cities were killed by the inhabitants there. ¹⁹ Thus Demetrius became king in the year one hundred and sixty-seven.

²⁰ Jonathan Makes a Pact with Demetrius. At this juncture Jonathan mustered the men of Judea for an attack on the citadel in Jerusalem, and they set up a large number of engines of war to use against it. ²¹ However, some renegades who were traitors to their own nation went to the king and informed him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel. ²² When Demetrius heard this report, he was furious, and he immediately set out for Ptolemais. He also wrote to Jonathan, ordering him to end the siege and to meet him for a conference at Ptolemais as soon as possible.

²³ When Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the siege. Then, selecting some elders of Israel and priests to accompany him, he placed himself in jeopardy ²⁴ by taking silver, gold, clothing, and numerous other gifts and journeying to Ptolemais, where by means of these gifts he won the favor of Demetrius. ²⁵ Although some renegade Jews of his own nation brought charges against him, ²⁶ the king treated him just as his predecessors had done and honored him in the presence of all his Friends. ²⁷ He confirmed him in the high priesthood and in all the other positions of honor he had previously held, and he had him enrolled among his Chief Friends.

²⁸ Jonathan asked the king to exempt Judea and the three districts^[ii] of Samaria from tribute, and promised him three hundred talents in return. ²⁹ The king consented and wrote the following letter to Jonathan about all these matters:

³⁰ “King Demetrius sends greetings to his brother Jonathan and to the Jewish nation. ³¹ For your own information we are sending you a copy of the letter that we wrote to our kinsman Lasthenes^[ij] concerning you, as follows: ³² ‘King Demetrius sends greetings to his father Lasthenes. ³³ Since the Jewish people are our friends and fulfill their obligations to us, we have decided to reward them. ³⁴ Therefore, we confirm their possession of the territory of Judea and of the three districts of Aphairema, Lydda, and Ramathaim. These districts, with all their dependencies, were annexed to Judea from Samaria for the benefit of all those who offer sacrifices for us at Jerusalem instead of paying the royal taxes that the king formerly received from them every year from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees. ³⁵ From this day forward we also release them from the payment of other revenues that are due to us—that is, tithes, and tribute, the tax on the salt pits, and the crown taxes. ³⁶ These provisions shall be irrevocable from this moment for all time. ³⁷ Be sure, therefore, to have a copy of them made and given to Jonathan, so that it may be displayed in a conspicuous place on the holy mountain.’ ”

³⁸ Jonathan’s Forces Save Demetrius. When King Demetrius saw that the country was at peace under his rule and that there was no opposition to him, he dismissed his forces, sending all of them to their own homes except for the foreign troops that he had recruited from the islands of the nations. As a result, all the soldiers who had served under his predecessors hated him. ³⁹ Trypho, one of Alexander’s former supporters, observed that all the soldiers were grumbling against Demetrius. He went to see Imalkue the Arab, who was bringing up Antiochus, Alexander’s young son, ⁴⁰ and repeatedly urged him to hand over the boy to him so that he could become king in place of his father. During his stay there for many days, he also reported to Imalkue everything that Demetrius had done and the hatred that his soldiers felt toward him.

⁴¹ Meanwhile, Jonathan sent a report to King Demetrius asking that he withdraw his troops from the citadel in Jerusalem and from the strongholds, for they showed constant hostility toward Israel. ⁴² In reply, Demetrius sent this message back to Jonathan: “I will not only do this for you and your nation, but I will also confer great honor upon you and your nation whenever the opportunity presents itself. ⁴³ In return, please do me the favor of sending men to fight for me, because all my troops have deserted.”

⁴⁴ Therefore, Jonathan sent three thousand skilled fighting men to him at Antioch, and when they reached the king, he was delighted at their arrival, ⁴⁵ for the people, one hundred and twenty thousand strong, had massed together in the center of the city, intending to kill him. ⁴⁶ However, the king took refuge in the palace, while the people seized control of the main streets of the city and began to fight. ⁴⁷ The king then summoned the Jews to come to his aid. They immediately rallied around him and then spread out through the city. On that day they killed about one hundred thousand of its inhabitants, ⁴⁸ after which they set fire to the city and seized a great amount of booty. Thus they saved the life of the king.

⁴⁹ When the people of the city realized that the Jews had the city at their mercy, their courage failed them, and they cried out to the king, making this entreaty: ⁵⁰ “Grant us terms of peace, and order the Jews to stop fighting against us and our city.” They threw down their arms and made peace. ⁵¹ The Jews thus gained glory in the eyes of the king and of all his subjects in the kingdom, and they returned to Jerusalem with a great amount of spoil.

⁵² However, when King Demetrius felt secure on his royal throne and the land was peaceful under his rule, ⁵³ he broke all the promises he had made and became estranged from Jonathan. Instead of rewarding Jonathan for all the services he had rendered him, he treated him very harshly.

⁵⁴ Jonathan Enters the Service of Antiochus VI. After this, Trypho returned, bringing with him the young boy Antiochus,^[ik] who was crowned king. ⁵⁵ All the soldiers that Demetrius had discharged rallied to Antiochus and fought against Demetrius, who was routed and fled. ⁵⁶ Trypho captured the elephants and took control of Antioch.

⁵⁷ Then the young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan as follows: “I confirm you in the high priesthood, place you in authority over the four districts, and appoint you as one of the King’s Friends.” ⁵⁸ He also sent him a dinner service of gold plate and gave him the right to drink from gold vessels, to dress in royal purple, and to wear a gold buckle. ⁵⁹ He also appointed Jonathan’s brother Simon as governor of the region from the Ladder of Tyre^[il] to the frontiers of Egypt.

⁶⁰ Jonathan then set out and traveled through West-of-Euphrates^[im] and its cities, and the whole Syrian army rallied to his support. When he reached Ashkelon, the people of the city received him with great honor. ⁶¹ From there he proceeded to Gaza, but the people of Gaza closed their gates to him. Therefore, he besieged Gaza, burning down its suburbs and plundering them. ⁶² Then the people of Gaza pleaded with Jonathan for mercy, and he granted them peace, taking the sons of their rulers as hostages and sending them to Jerusalem. He then traveled through the country as far as Damascus.

⁶³ Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had arrived at Kadesh in Galilee with a large army, intending to remove him from office. ⁶⁴ He went forth to confront them, leaving his brother Simon in the province. ⁶⁵ Simon encamped opposite Beth-zur, attacked it for many days, and blockaded the inhabitants within it. ⁶⁶ Finally, they sued for peace, which he granted to them, although he expelled them from the town, took possession of it, and stationed a garrison there.

⁶⁷ Meanwhile Jonathan and his army encamped by the Lake of Gennesaret. Early in the morning they marched to the Plain of Hazor.^{[in] 68} There in the plain was the army of the foreigners advancing to attack, having first prepared an ambush against him in the mountains. ⁶⁹ While the main force made a frontal attack, the troops in ambush emerged from their place of concealment and joined in the fighting. ⁷⁰ All of the men with Jonathan fled; not one of them was left except for Mattathias, son of Absalom, and Judas, son of Chalphi, the commanders of the army. ⁷¹ Jonathan tore his clothes, threw dust on his head, and prayed. ⁷² Then he resumed the battle and completely routed the enemy, who took to flight. ⁷³ When the fugitives from Jonathan’s army observed this, they returned to his banner and joined him in the pursuit of the enemy as far as their camp in Kadesh, where they encamped. ⁷⁴ About three thousand of the foreign troops fell on that day. Jonathan then returned to Jerusalem.

Chapter 12

Jonathan Renews Friendship with Rome and Sparta. ¹ When Jonathan saw that the times were favorable, he selected men to send to Rome for the purpose of confirming and renewing the treaty of friendship with the Romans. ² He also sent letters to the same effect to Sparta and elsewhere.

³ Upon reaching Rome, the envoys entered the senate chamber and said, “The high priest Jonathan and the Jewish people have sent us to renew their treaty of friendship and alliance with you.” ⁴ The Romans provided them with letters that requested the authorities in various locations to give the envoys safe conduct to the land of Judah.

⁵ This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans: ^6 [io]“Jonathan the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people send greetings to their brothers the Spartans. ⁷ Quite some time ago a letter was sent to Onias^[ip] the high priest from Arius your king, stating that you are indeed our brothers, as the attached copy shows. ⁸ Onias welcomed the envoy with honor and accepted the letter, on which was set forth a clear declaration of alliance and friendship. ⁹ Although we have no need of such things, inasmuch as we have as a source of encouragement the sacred books^[iq] in our possession, ¹⁰ we have decided to request the renewal of our pact of family ties and friendship with you so that we may not become estranged from you, for a great many years have elapsed since you last contacted us.

¹¹ “We, for our part, remember you constantly in the sacrifices we offer and in our prayers at our festivals and on other appointed days, for it is right and proper to remember brothers.^{[ir] 12} We rejoice in your renown. ¹³ We ourselves, however, have endured many trials and wars, and the kings in our vicinity have been attacking us. ¹⁴ We did not want to bother you and our other allies and friends during these wars, ¹⁵ inasmuch as we have the support of Heaven to help us. Therefore, we were delivered from our enemies, and they have been humbled. ¹⁶ And so we have chosen Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, and we have sent them to the Romans to renew our former pact of friendship and alliance. ¹⁷ We have also instructed them to visit you and greet you and deliver this letter about the renewal of our pact of family ties. ¹⁸ Please send us a reply to this letter.”

¹⁹ This is a copy of the letter that was sent to Onias: ²⁰ “Arius, the king of the Spartans, sends greetings to Onias the high priest. ²¹ A document has been uncovered that states that the Spartans and the Jews are brothers, both being descended from Abraham. ²² And now that we have learned of this, we ask that you write to us with news of your welfare. ²³ We, on our part, affirm that your livestock and your possessions belong to us and that ours belong to you, and we are instructing our envoys to give you a promise to this effect.”

²⁴ Jonathan Thwarts the Syrian Offensive. When Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had returned to wage war against him with an even larger army than previously, ²⁵ he set forth from Jerusalem and met them in the region of Hamath,^[is] thereby giving them no opportunity to invade his own territory. ²⁶ He sent spies into their camp who returned and informed him that the enemy was preparing to attack the Jews that night. ²⁷ Therefore, at sunset Jonathan commanded his troops to remain awake and fully armed throughout the night, prepared for battle, and he stationed outposts all around the camp. ²⁸ When the enemy learned that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, they were terrified, and their courage failed them. After lighting fires in the camp, they then withdrew. ²⁹ However, Jonathan and his men were not aware of their withdrawal until morning, for they saw the fires burning. ³⁰ Although Jonathan pursued them, he was unable to overtake them, for they had crossed the River Eleutherus. ³¹ And so, Jonathan turned aside to attack the Arabs who are called Zabadeans,^[it] and he thoroughly routed them and engaged in plunder. ³² Then he moved on to Damascus, marching through that entire region.

³³ Simon also set out and advanced as far as Ashkelon and its neighboring strongholds. He then turned toward Joppa and occupied it, ³⁴ for he had heard that its inhabitants intended to hand over this stronghold to the supporters of Demetrius, and he stationed a garrison there to guard it.

³⁵ Jonathan Erects Fortifications in Jerusalem and Judea. When Jonathan returned, he convened the elders of the people and secured their agreement to build strongholds in Judea, ³⁶ to increase the height of the walls in Jerusalem, and to erect a high barrier between the citadel and the city so that the citadel would be isolated and its occupants would be unable to engage in commerce with the city. ³⁷ The people worked together to rebuild the city. Part of the wall above the valley to the east had collapsed, and the quarter called Chaphenatha was also repaired. ³⁸ Simon meanwhile rebuilt Adida in the Shephelah, and he strengthened its fortifications with gates and bars.

³⁹ Jonathan Falls into the Hands of His Enemies. Meanwhile, Trypho set his sights on becoming king of Asia, assuming the crown, and launching an attack on King Antiochus. ⁴⁰ However, he was afraid that Jonathan would not allow him to do this and might even resort to war to prevent him from doing so. Therefore, he set out and marched to Beth-shan, in the hope of seizing him and putting him to death. ⁴¹ Jonathan marched out to confront him with forty thousand picked warriors and arrived at Beth-shan.

⁴² When Trypho saw that Jonathan was confronting him with a large army, he was hesitant about launching an attack against him. ⁴³ Instead he received him with honor, commended him to all his Friends, and gave him gifts. He also ordered his Friends and all his soldiers to obey him as they would himself. ⁴⁴ Then he said to Jonathan, “Why have you put all your soldiers to so much trouble when we are not at war? ⁴⁵ Send them back home after first choosing a few of them to remain with you, and journey with me to Ptolemais. I will hand it over to you together with the other strongholds and the remaining troops and all the officials, and then I will depart for home. That was my purpose in coming here.”

⁴⁶ Jonathan believed that he was being truthful and did as he had suggested. He dismissed his forces, and they returned to the land of Judah. ⁴⁷ However, he kept three thousand men with him, two thousand of whom he left in Galilee while one thousand accompanied him. ⁴⁸ But as soon as Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people of the city closed the gates and seized him, and they slew with the sword all those who had accompanied him.

⁴⁹ Trypho sent soldiers and cavalry into Galilee and the Great Plain^[iu] to destroy all of Jonathan’s men. ⁵⁰ When these learned that Jonathan had been captured and his forces had been slaughtered, they encouraged one another and marched in close formation, ready for battle. ⁵¹ Their pursuers, realizing that they were prepared to fight for their lives, turned back. ⁵² Thus they all returned home safely to the land of Judah. They grieved over Jonathan and his companions and were in great fear, and all Israel was plunged into mourning.

⁵³ All the surrounding nations were determined to destroy them. “They have no leader or ally,” they said. “Now let us attack them and wipe out every memory of them from all peoples.”

Simon Achieves Independence (143–134 B.C.)

Chapter 13

Simon Becomes Leader of Israel. ¹ When Simon heard that Trypho had assembled a large army to invade and destroy the land of Judah, ² and he saw that the people were trembling with fear, he went up to Jerusalem. Assembling the people, ³ he exhorted them in these words: “You yourselves are fully aware of what I and my brothers and the house of my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary. You also know about the battles we have fought and the hardships we have endured. ⁴ As a result, all of my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel, and I alone am left. ⁵ Far be it from me, then, to give priority to my own life in any time of oppression, for I am not of any greater worth than my brothers. ⁶ Rather, I will avenge my nation and the sanctuary and your wives and children, for all the nations have united to destroy us because of their hatred for us.”

⁷ These words rekindled the spirit of the people, ⁸ and they replied by shouting, “You are our leader in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan. ⁹ Fight our battles, and we will do whatever you tell us.” ¹⁰ Therefore, Simon assembled all the fighting men and hurried to complete the walls of Jerusalem, fortifying it on every side. ¹¹ He sent Jonathan, the son of Absalom, with a large force to Joppa; Jonathan drove out the people who were there and occupied the town.

¹² Simon Prevents Trypho from Invading Judah. Then Trypho departed from Ptolemais with a large army to invade the land of Judah, bringing Jonathan with him under guard, ¹³ while Simon encamped in Adida, opposite the plain. ¹⁴ When Trypho learned that Simon had assumed the role of his brother Jonathan and that he was prepared to engage in battle with him, he sent envoys to say to him, ¹⁵ “We are detaining your brother Jonathan because of the money that he owed to the royal treasury in connection with the offices he held. ¹⁶ Send us a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons as hostages to ensure that when he is set free he will not revolt against us, and we will release him.”

¹⁷ Although Simon was positive that they were speaking deceitfully to him, he had the money and the boys brought to him, fearing to provoke great hostility among the people, who might say ¹⁸ that Jonathan perished because Simon would not send Trypho the money and the boys. ¹⁹ Therefore, he sent both the boys and the one hundred talents, but Trypho broke his word and refused to release Jonathan. ²⁰ Next, Trypho set out to invade and ravage the country. He made a detour along the road that leads to Adora,^[iv] but Simon and his army kept marching opposite him every place he went.

²¹ The men in the citadel sent messages to Trypho, urging him to come to their aid by way of the desert and to send them supplies. ²² Trypho prepared his entire cavalry force to go, but that night it snowed so heavily that he was unable to proceed. Therefore, he withdrew into Gilead. ²³ When he drew near to Baskama,^[iw] he had Jonathan put to death and buried him there. ²⁴ Then Trypho returned to his own country.

²⁵ Jonathan’s Funeral. Simon sent for the body of his brother Jonathan and buried him in Modein, the city of his ancestors. ²⁶ There was great lamentation for him throughout Israel, and the mourning lasted for many days. ²⁷ Over the tomb of his father and brothers Simon erected a tall monument that was visible from a great distance, composed of polished stone back and front. ²⁸ He also erected seven pyramids, facing each other, for his father and mother and four brothers. ²⁹ For the pyramids he devised an elaborate setting of tall columns, surmounted by trophies of armor as a perpetual memorial, and next to the armor he placed carved ships that could be seen by all who sailed the sea. ³⁰ This tomb, which he built at Modein, remains to this day.

³¹ A New Political Autonomy.^[ix] Trypho next dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus. He killed him ³² and usurped his position as king, claiming the crown of Asia and inflicting great havoc on the country. ³³ Meanwhile, Simon rebuilt the strongholds of Judea, strengthening them with high towers, great walls, and bolted gates, and he stocked the strongholds with provisions. ³⁴ He also sent selected emissaries to King Demetrius with a request that he grant tax relief to the country, since Trypho had done little else except plunder the land. ³⁵ King Demetrius responded favorably to his request with the following letter:

³⁶ “King Demetrius sends greetings to Simon the high priest and the Friend of Kings, and to the elders and the Jewish people. ³⁷ We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that you sent, and we are willing to enter into a treaty of peace with you and to write to our officials with instructions to grant you an exemption from the payment of tribute. ³⁸ All of our previous guarantees to you remain in force, and the strongholds that you have built shall remain in your possession. ³⁹ We pardon any errors or offenses committed up to now, and we remit the crown tax that you owe. Moreover, any other tax that formerly was collected in Jerusalem is hereby canceled. ⁴⁰ If any of you are qualified to be enrolled in our service, let them be enrolled. Let there be peace between us.”

⁴¹ Thus in the year one hundred and seventy, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, ⁴² and the people began to write in their documents and contracts: “In the first year of Simon, the great high priest, commander and leader of the Jews.”^[iy]

⁴³ Simon Captures Gazara. About that time, Simon besieged Gazara^[iz] and surrounded it with troops. He constructed a siege-machine, and after he had brought it up to the town, he opened a breach in one of the towers and captured it. ⁴⁴ The men leapt from the siege-machine into the city, and a great tumult arose there. ⁴⁵ The men of the city, with their wives and children, mounted the walls with their garments torn, and they cried out loudly, imploring Simon to make peace with them. ⁴⁶ “Do not treat us as our wickedness deserves,” they said, “but according to your mercy.”

⁴⁷ Simon reached an agreement with them and did not destroy them. However, he expelled them from the city, and he purified the houses that contained idols. Then he entered the city with hymns and songs of praise. ⁴⁸ After removing everything from it that was unclean, he settled there people who observed the law. He also strengthened its fortifications and built a residence for himself.

⁴⁹ The Citadel Surrenders.^[ja] The occupants of the citadel in Jerusalem were prevented from coming out and going into the countryside to buy and sell. Thus they were in a state of famine, and many of them died of starvation. ⁵⁰ Then they implored Simon to make peace with them, and he granted their request. Expelling them from the citadel, he cleansed it of its defilement. ⁵¹ On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, the Jews entered the citadel with shouting and the waving of palm branches, to the accompaniment of lyres and cymbals and harps and the singing of hymns and canticles, because a great enemy of Israel had been destroyed. ⁵² Simon decreed that this day should be observed each year with rejoicing. He also strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill alongside the citadel, and he took up residence there with his men. ⁵³ And since his son John had now reached manhood, he appointed him as commander of all the forces, with his residence in Gazara.^[jb]

Chapter 14

Capture of Demetrius. ¹ In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius assembled his forces and marched into Media to obtain support for his war against Trypho.^{[jc] 2} When Arsaces,^[jd] the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive. ³ The general marched forth and defeated the army of Demetrius. He captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who imprisoned him.

Glory of Simon^[je]

¹⁶ Renewal of the Alliance with Rome and Sparta. When the people heard in Rome and as far away as Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved.^{[jf] 17} But when they heard that his brother Simon had succeeded him as high priest and that he was governing the country and the towns in it, ¹⁸ they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew the treaty of friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers, Judas and Jonathan. ¹⁹ The terms of the treaty were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.

²⁰ This is a copy of the letter sent by the Spartans: “The rulers and the citizens of Sparta send greetings to Simon the high priest and to the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers. ²¹ The envoys you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and fame, and we were overjoyed to receive them. ²² We have made a record of their report in the archives of our public assembly, as follows: ‘Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, have come to us to reaffirm their friendship with us. ²³ The people have been pleased to receive these men with honor and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this document has been made for Simon the high priest.’ ”

²⁴ After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing one thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.

²⁵ Homage Rendered to Simon. When the people heard an account of these events, they said, “How can we possibly thank Simon and his sons? ²⁶ He and his brothers and the house of his father have stood firm and repulsed the enemies of Israel, ensuring the nation’s freedom.” Therefore, they engraved an inscription on bronze tablets and affixed them to pillars on Mount Zion. ^27 [jg]The following is a copy of the inscription:

“On the eighteenth day of Elul,^[jh] in the year one hundred and seventy-two, the third year of the high priesthood of Simon, ²⁸ in Asaramel, in a great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following resolution was approved:

²⁹ “ ‘Because wars were a frequent occurrence in our country, Simon, the son of Mattathias, a priest of the line of Joarib, and his brothers have placed their lives in jeopardy by confronting the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and the law might be preserved, and in this way they have brought great glory to their nation. ³⁰ After Jonathan had rallied his nation and become their high priest, he was gathered to his ancestors. ³¹ When enemies resolved to invade and to devastate their country and to lay hands on their sanctuary, ³² Simon next came forward to fight for his nation, spending a large portion of his personal wealth to equip the soldiers of his nation and pay their wages. ³³ He fortified the towns of Judea, including Beth-zur on the Judean frontier, a location that had formerly been used by the enemy to store their arms, and he stationed there a garrison of Jewish soldiers. ³⁴ He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, formerly occupied by the enemy. He resettled Jews there and provided them with everything that was necessary for their restoration.

³⁵ “ ‘When the people recognized Simon’s loyalty and the glory that he was determined to win for his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of everything he had accomplished and for the loyalty and justice he had maintained toward his nation, as in every possible way he sought to exalt his people.

³⁶ “ ‘In his time and under his leadership the Gentiles were driven out of their country, including those in the City of David in Jerusalem who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth and defile the environs of the sanctuary and do grave damage to the state of its purity. ³⁷ He installed Jewish soldiers in this citadel and fortified it for the greater security of the land and the city, and he also heightened the walls of Jerusalem. ³⁸ As a result of all this, King Demetrius confirmed him in the office of high priest, ³⁹ made him one of his Friends, and conferred the highest honors on him. ⁴⁰ For he had heard that the Romans were addressing the Jews as friends and allies and brothers, and that they had received Simon’s envoys with great honor.

⁴¹ “ ‘The Jewish people and their priests have therefore resolved that Simon is to be their permanent leader and high priest until a true prophet shall appear. ⁴² He is to act as their governor and to have complete charge of the sanctuary and its functions, and in addition the supervision of the country, its weapons, and its strongholds, ⁴³ and is to be obeyed by all the people. All contracts made in the country are to be written in his name. He shall be entitled to be clothed in royal purple and to wear gold ornamentation.

⁴⁴ “ ‘None of the people or the priests are to have the lawful authorization to nullify any of these decisions, or to oppose any of his commands, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in royal purple or wear a gold brooch. ⁴⁵ Whoever acts in opposition to these decisions or rejects any of them is to be liable to punishment.

⁴⁶ “ ‘All of the people have agreed to grant Simon the authority to act in accordance with these decisions. ⁴⁷ Simon has accepted and has agreed to serve as high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and the priests, and to be the protector of them all.’ ”

⁴⁸ It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets and placed in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the temple, ⁴⁹ and that copies of it were to be deposited in the treasury, where they would be in the keeping of Simon and his sons.

Chapter 15

Antiochus VII Recognizes Simon’s Titles. ¹ Antiochus,^[ji] the son of King Demetrius, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to the entire nation. ² It read as follows:

“King Antiochus sends greetings to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to the Jewish nation. ³ Whereas certain scoundrels have seized control of the kingdom of my ancestors, I intend to assert my claim to it so that I may restore it to its former state. I have recruited a large force of mercenaries and have equipped warships. ⁴ My intention is to land in my country and take revenge on those who have ravaged my kingdom and laid waste many of its cities.

⁵ “Therefore, I now confirm all the tax exemptions that the kings who preceded me granted to you and any other privileges that they conferred upon you. ⁶ I authorize you to mint your own coinage as money for your country. ⁷ Jerusalem and its temple are to be free. All the weapons you have prepared and all the strongholds you have built and now occupy shall remain in your hands. ⁸ All debts you now owe to the royal treasury and any such future debts shall be canceled from this time forward forever. ⁹ When we again gain control of our kingdom, we shall bestow the highest possible honors on you and your nation and the temple, so that your glory will be manifest to the entire world.”

¹⁰ Antiochus VII Besieges Trypho at Dor.^[jj]In the year one hundred and seventy-four, Antiochus invaded the land of his ancestors, and all the troops rallied to him, leaving Trypho with only a few supporters. ¹¹ With Antiochus in full pursuit, Trypho fled to Dor, which borders the sea, ¹² for he now comprehended how desperate his situation was inasmuch as his troops had deserted him. ¹³ Antiochus encamped opposite Dor with one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and eight thousand cavalry. ¹⁴ He surrounded the town while his ships intensified the blockade from the sea. He thus put pressure on the town from land and sea, and he permitted no one to leave or to enter it.

¹⁵ Rome Issues an Edict in Favor of the Jews. In the meantime, Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome with letters such as this addressed to the various kings and nations:

^16 [jk]“Lucius, the consul of the Romans, sends greetings to King Ptolemy. ¹⁷ Envoys from the Jews, our friends and allies, have come to us to renew our original treaty of friendship and alliance. They were sent by Simon the high priest and the Jewish people, ¹⁸ and they brought with them a gold shield weighing one thousand minas. ¹⁹ Therefore, we have decided to write to various kings and countries with the edict that they are not to seek to harm them or to wage war against them or their cities or their country, and that they are not to enter into an alliance with those who war against them. ²⁰ We have decided to accept the shield from them. ²¹ Therefore, if any rebels have fled to you from their country, you are to hand them over to Simon the high priest so that he may punish them according to their law.”

²² The consul sent the same message to King Demetrius, to Attalus,^[jl] Ariarthes, and Arsaces, ²³ and to the following countries: Sampsames, Sparta, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene. ²⁴ A copy of the letter was also sent to Simon the high priest.

²⁵ Antiochus Gives Simon an Ultimatum. King Antiochus besieged Dor for a second time, continuously assaulting it with his troops and the siege-machines he had constructed. He blockaded Trypho, preventing any movement either into or out of the town. ²⁶ Simon sent to Antiochus two thousand picked men to support him together with silver and gold and a great amount of military equipment. ²⁷ However, Antiochus refused to accept his aid. Instead, he broke all the agreements he had previously drawn up with Simon and became estranged from him.

²⁸ Antiochus sent Athenobius, one of his Friends, to confer with Simon and say: “You are occupying Joppa and Gazara and the citadel in Jerusalem, cities that are part of my kingdom. ²⁹ You have laid waste their territories, done immense damage to the country, and seized control of many places in my kingdom. ³⁰ Therefore, either hand over the cities you have seized and relinquish the tribute money you have exacted from the places you have conquered beyond the frontier of Judea, ³¹ or else pay me five hundred talents of silver for the devastation you have caused and another five hundred talents to compensate for the tribute money of the cities. If you refuse to do this, we will come and make war on you.”

³² So Athenobius, the king’s Friend, came to Jerusalem and was astounded upon observing the magnificence of Simon’s court, the gold and silver vessels on his sideboard, and the rich display of his wealth. When he delivered the king’s message to him, ³³ Simon said to him in reply:

“We have neither taken foreign land nor seized possession of the property of others. We have merely reclaimed our ancestral heritage that for a period of time had been unjustly seized by our enemies. ³⁴ Now that we have the opportunity, we fully intend to maintain possession of the heritage of our ancestors. ³⁵ As regards Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, these towns were causing great damage among our people and in our land. However, we are willing to pay you one hundred talents for these cities.”

³⁶ Athenobius offered no response, but he returned to the king filled with wrath. When he reported to him what Simon had said and described the splendor of Simon and of everything he had seen, the king was enraged.

³⁷ The Syrian Army Invades Judea.^[jm] Meanwhile Trypho boarded a ship and escaped to Orthosia. ³⁸ Then the king appointed Cendebeus as commander-in-chief of the coastal region and gave him infantry and cavalry forces. ³⁹ He ordered him to deploy his troops against Judea, to rebuild Kedron^[jn] and fortify its gates, and to make war on the Jewish people while the king himself continued his pursuit of Trypho. ⁴⁰ When Cendebeus arrived in Jamnia, he began to harass the people and to invade Judea, taking prisoners and slaying them. ⁴¹ He rebuilt Kedron and stationed cavalry and infantry there so that they could go forth and patrol the roads of Judea, as the king had ordered.

Chapter 16

Simon’s Sons Repulse the Invader. ¹ John then went up from Gazara and reported to Simon his father what Cendebeus was doing. ² Simon summoned his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them, “My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth until today, and on many occasions we were successful in saving Israel. ³ Now I am old, but by the mercy of Heaven you have achieved maturity. Take my place and my brother’s, and go out and fight for our nation. And may the help of Heaven be with you.”

⁴ John then selected twenty thousand of the country’s infantry and cavalry, and they marched against Cendebeus. After spending the night at Modein, ⁵ they marched into the plain early in the morning, where a large force of infantry and cavalry was waiting to attack them, with a stream lying between the two armies. ⁶ John and his troops lined up in position facing them. When he realized that his soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, John himself crossed over first. On seeing this, his men followed him across. ⁷ Then he divided his army into two sections, with the cavalry centered between them, for the cavalry of the enemy were very numerous. ⁸ They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight. Many of them fell wounded, and the rest fled to the refuge in the stronghold. ⁹ Judas, the brother of John, fell wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebeus reached Kedron, which he had rebuilt. ¹⁰ When some of the enemy fled to the towers on the plain of Azotus, John set fire to these towers, and about two thousand of the enemy perished. He then returned safely to Judea.

¹¹ Simon Assassinated by His Son-in-Law. Ptolemy,^[jo] the son of Abubus, had been appointed governor of the plain of Jericho, and he possessed a great amount of silver and gold, ¹² for he was the son-in-law of the high priest. ¹³ However, he became ambitious, determining to gain control of the country, and he therefore made treacherous plans to do away with Simon and his sons.

¹⁴ Simon, who was inspecting the towns of the country and attending to their needs, went down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat.^{[jp] 15} The son of Abubus received them treacherously at the small fortress called Dok,^[jq] which he had built. He entertained them at a sumptuous banquet, while his men were concealed in nearby hiding places. ¹⁶ When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up and seized their weapons. Rushing against Simon in the banquet hall, they killed him and his two sons and some of his servants. ¹⁷ By this act of vicious treachery he returned evil for good.

¹⁸ Then Ptolemy wrote a report about his deed and forwarded it to the king, asking that troops be sent to aid him and that the country and its towns be placed under his rule. ¹⁹ He sent some troops to Gazara to do away with John, and he wrote letters to his military commanders inviting them to come to him so that he might reward them with silver, gold, and gifts. ²⁰ He also sent other troops to seize control of Jerusalem and the temple mount. ²¹ However, someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and his brothers had been murdered and that Ptolemy was sending men to kill him too. ²² On hearing this, John was greatly shocked. When the men came to kill him, he had them arrested and put to death, for he had been forewarned of their mission to destroy him.

²³ The rest of the history of John^[jr] and his wars and the brave deeds that he performed, the walls he built, and the rest of his achievements ²⁴ are recorded in the annals^[js] of his high priesthood from the time when he succeeded his father as high priest.

Letters to the Jews in Egypt^[jt]

Chapter 1

The First Letter (124 B.C.)^[ju]

¹ The Jews in Jerusalem and those in the land of Judea send greetings to their Jewish kindred in Egypt and extend to them their best wishes for peace. ² May God grant you prosperity and continue to remember his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants. ³ May he give to all of you a desire to worship him and to do his will with a courageous heart and a well disposed spirit. ⁴ May he open your mind to his law and his commandments and bring peace to your lives. ⁵ May he hear your prayers and be propitious to you, and never forsake you in a time of adversity. ⁶ Even at this very moment we are offering prayers for you here.

⁷ In the reign of Demetrius, in the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you during the period of persecution and crisis that befell us during those years after Jason and his followers had revolted against the holy land and the kingdom, ⁸ setting fire to the temple gate and shedding innocent blood. When we prayed to the Lord, our prayer was heard. Hence, we presented sacrifices and offerings of grain, and we lit the lamps and set out the loaves. ⁹ We now exhort you to observe the Feast of Booths in the month of Chislev. ¹⁰ Dated in the year one hundred and eighty-eight.

The Second Letter (164 B.C.)^[jv]

Tragic End of the Persecutor. The people of Jerusalem and Judea, the senate, and Judas send greetings and the wish for good health to Aristobulus,^[jw] the tutor to King Ptolemy and a member of the family of anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt. ¹¹ Since we have been rescued by God from grave dangers, we offer him our profuse thanks for championing our cause against the king,^{[jx] 12} for it was he himself who drove out those who fought against the holy city.

¹³ When their leader marched into Persia with a force that was apparently invincible, they were decimated in the temple of the goddess Nanea^[jy] as the result of a deceitful scheme engineered by the priests of Nanea. ^14 [jz]On the pretext of intending to marry the goddess, Antiochus had come to the place together with his Friends, with the purpose of securing its many treasures as a dowry. ¹⁵ When the priests of Nanea had placed the treasures on display, Antiochus with a few attendants arrived at the temple precincts. As soon as he entered the temple, the priests locked him inside. ¹⁶ After opening a secret trap door in the ceiling, they hurled stones at the leader and his companions and struck them down. Then they dismembered their bodies and cut off their heads, throwing them to the people outside.

¹⁷ Blessed in all respects be our God who has delivered the godless to death.

¹⁸ The Legend of the Sacred Fire.^[ka] We shall be celebrating the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, and thus we thought it proper to give you some information so that you too may celebrate the Feast of Booths and the feast of the fire^[kb] that appeared when Nehemiah offered sacrifices after he had rebuilt the temple and the altar.

¹⁹ For when our ancestors were being led in exile to Persia, the devout priests of that period took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the place of concealment was unknown to anyone. ²⁰ After many years had elapsed, in God’s good time Nehemiah, having been commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to search for it.

²¹ When they reported to us that they had not found fire but only a thick liquid, Nehemiah ordered them to draw some out and bring it to him. After the materials for the sacrifice had been prepared, Nehemiah instructed the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and what lay on it. ²² When this had been done, and after the sun that had been clouded over for a while began to shine, a great fire blazed up to the astonishment of everyone. ²³ While the sacrifice was being burned, the priests and all present offered prayer—Jonathan leading, and the rest responding, led by Nehemiah.

²⁴ The prayer took the following form: “Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, awe-inspiring and mighty, just and merciful, the only true king and benefactor, ²⁵ you alone are gracious, just, almighty, and eternal, the deliverer of Israel from every evil, the one who designated our ancestors as your chosen ones and consecrated them. ²⁶ Accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel, and protect and sanctify your heritage. ²⁷ Gather together our dispersed people, set free those who have been enslaved by the Gentiles, look with favor on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles realize that you are our God. ²⁸ Punish those who oppress us and treat us with arrogance. ²⁹ Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised.”

³⁰ Then the priests chanted hymns. ³¹ After the sacrifice had been consumed, Nehemiah ordered that the remaining liquid be poured upon large stones. ³² When this was done, a flame blazed up, but its light faded when confronted by the blazing light from the altar. ³³ When this occurrence became known, it was reported to the king of the Persians that, in the very place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, a liquid had appeared that Nehemiah and his companions had used to burn the sacrificial offerings. ³⁴ After the king had verified this fact, he had the place enclosed and he declared it to be sacred^{[kc] 35} and he distributed a goodly portion of the revenues he received from that place to the people he appointed as custodians. ³⁶ Nehemiah and his companions called the liquid “nephthar,” which means purification, but it is more commonly called “naphtha.”^[kd]

Chapter 2

Jeremiah Hides the Sacred Objects for Worship.^{[ke] 1} According to the official records, Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire with them, in the way previously described. ² Then, after having given them the law, the prophet cautioned them not to forget the commandments of the Lord or to let their thoughts be led astray by the sight of the gold and silver statues and their ornamentation. ³ And with other similar admonitions he urged them never to allow the law to depart from their hearts.

⁴ That same document also records that the prophet, in obedience to a divine revelation, issued orders that the tent and the Ark should accompany him, and that he went off to the mountain^[kf] that Moses had ascended to view God’s inheritance. ⁵ Upon arriving there, Jeremiah found a cave-dwelling where he placed the tent, the Ark, and the altar of incense, after which he blocked off the entrance. ⁶ Some of his companions came up later with the intention of marking out the path, but they were unable to find it. ⁷ When Jeremiah learned of this, he rebuked them. “This place shall remain unknown,” he declared, “until God gathers his people together again and shows them his mercy. ⁸ Then the Lord will once again disclose these things, and the glory^[kg] of the Lord will appear together with the cloud, as it was revealed in the time of Moses and when Solomon prayed that the place might be solemnly consecrated.”

⁹ It is further related how Solomon in his wisdom offered a sacrifice to mark the dedication and completion of the temple. ¹⁰ Just as Moses had prayed to the Lord and fire had come down from heaven and consumed the sacrificial offerings, so also did Solomon pray, and the fire came down and consumed the burnt offerings. ¹¹ Moses had said, “The sin offering was consumed in the fire because it had not been eaten.” ¹² Solomon celebrated the feast in the same way for a period of eight days.

¹³ Judas Reconstructs the Library of Israel. In addition to these things, it is also set forth in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemiah^[kh] how he founded a library to house the chronicles of the kings, the writings of the prophets and David, and the letters of the kings in regard to sacred offerings. ¹⁴ Similarly, Judas^[ki] has also collected for us all of the books that had been scattered during the recent war, and these are now in our possession. ¹⁵ If you ever have need of any of them, send messengers to bring them to you.

¹⁶ All the Jews Celebrate the Dedication. Since we are about to celebrate the feast of the purification of the temple, we are writing to you with the request that you also observe this feast. ¹⁷ God has saved his entire people and has restored to all of us our heritage, the kingdom, the priesthood, and the consecration, ¹⁸ as he promised through the law. We have complete trust that he will soon have mercy on us and gather us together from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified that place.

Author’s Preface^[kj]

¹⁹ This is the story dealing with Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar, ²⁰ as well as the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes^[kk] and his son Eupator, ²¹ and the heavenly apparitions^[kl] that were seen by those who showed their heroism in fighting bravely for the cause of Judaism. Despite being severely outnumbered, they seized the entire land and put to flight the barbarian hordes, ²² regaining possession of the temple renowned throughout the world and liberating the city and reestablishing the laws that were in danger of being abolished, as the Lord bestowed his mercy and favor on them. ²³ All this, which has been set forth in detail by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.^[km]

²⁴ Considering the flood of statistics and the difficulty likely to be encountered by those who begin to wade through the immense amount of material involved in these historical narratives, ²⁵ we have aimed to please those who desire easy reading, to make it uncomplicated for those who wish to commit facts to memory, and to turn out a product that will be of profit to all. ²⁶ For those of us who have undertaken the labor of such abridging, the task has been far from easy but in truth one that involves sweat and sleepless nights, ²⁷ as would also be true of someone who would find it no simple affair to prepare a banquet that his guests will find completely satisfying. Nevertheless, in our desire to win the gratitude of many, we will gladly endure the drudgery involved in this project, ²⁸ leaving the responsibility as regards the accuracy of details to the original author and confining our efforts to producing a summary outline.

²⁹ Just as the architect of a new house must be concerned with the construction as a whole, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is needed for its adornment, so, I believe, it is the case with us. ³⁰ It is the duty of the original historian to examine the entire subject at hand and judge the accuracy of the details. ³¹ The person who makes an adaptation must have the freedom to aim at conciseness of expression and to reject any exhaustive treatment of the subject matter. ³² Therefore, without any further comment, we shall here begin our narrative, inasmuch as it would be absurd to offer a lengthy preface to the history and cut short the history itself.

Heliodorus’s Attempt to Profane the Temple^[kn]

Chapter 3

Heliodorus Arrives in Jerusalem. ¹ While the holy city enjoyed total peace and the laws were strictly observed because of the piety of the high priest Onias^[ko] and his abhorrence of wickedness, ² the kings themselves honored the holy place and enhanced the glory of the temple with the most magnificent gifts, ³ even to the extent that Seleucus,^[kp] the king of Asia, defrayed from his own revenues all the expenses required for sacrificial services. ⁴ However, a man named Simon, of the priestly line of Bilgah, who had been appointed administrator of the temple, became involved in a dispute with the high priest about the regulation of the city market. ⁵ When he realized that he could not get the better of Onias, he went to Apollonius of Tarsus, who at that time was the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, ⁶ and reported to him that the treasury in Jerusalem was so overflowing with untold riches that the total amount of the wealth was beyond reckoning and completely out of proportion to the cost of the sacrifices, and that it would be possible to have it all brought under the control of the king.

Mission of Heliodorus. ⁷ When Apollonius conferred with the king, he told him about the riches that had been reported to him. The king appointed Heliodorus, his chief minister, and sent him forth with orders to effect the confiscation of the reported wealth. ⁸ Heliodorus immediately set forth, ostensibly to make a tour of inspection of the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in actuality to carry out the king’s command. ⁹ When he arrived in Jerusalem and had been cordially received by the high priest of the city, he told him about the information that had been reported, disclosed the true purpose of his visit, and asked if the allegations were accurate.

¹⁰ The high priest explained that some of the money was set aside for the care of widows and orphans, ¹¹ and that the rest belonged to Hyrcanus, the son of Tobias,^[kq] a man who held a very prominent position. In contrast to what the impious Simon had alleged, the total sum amounted to four hundred talents of silver and two hundred talents of gold.

¹² He further added that it would be completely out of the question to inflict injustice upon those who had placed their trust in the sanctity of the place and in the holiness and inviolability of a temple venerated throughout the entire world. ¹³ However, because of the orders he had received from the king, Heliodorus stated that he had no other choice but to confiscate the money for the royal treasury. ¹⁴ And so, on the day he had designated for the purpose, he went in to draw up an inventory of the funds.

Distress of the Faithful. There was immense distress throughout the city. ¹⁵ The priests prostrated themselves in their priestly vestments before the altar and prayed to him in heaven who had issued the law governing deposits^[kr] to keep those funds intact for those who had deposited them. ¹⁶ The appearance of the high priest pierced the heart of every beholder, for his expression and his changed color disclosed the anguish of his soul. ¹⁷ Terror and bodily trembling had overwhelmed him, clearly indicating to those who beheld him the pain lodged in his heart.

¹⁸ People rushed forth from their houses in crowds to make a public supplication because of the profanation that was threatening the holy place. ¹⁹ Women thronged the streets girded with sackcloth under their breasts. Maidens who had been secluded indoors came running, some to the gates, others to the walls, while still others leaned out of windows, ²⁰ all of them raising their hands to heaven in supplication. ²¹ It was a pitiful sight to observe the crowd lying prostrate and the agony of the high priest in his great anguish.

²² A Heavenly Knight Stops Heliodorus. While the people were imploring the Lord Almighty to allow the deposits to remain safe and secure for those who had deposited them in trust, ²³ Heliodorus proceeded with his appointed task. ²⁴ But just as he arrived with his bodyguards at the treasury, the Lord of spirits and of all power caused so great a manifestation that all those who had been so bold as to accompany Heliodorus became panic-stricken at the power of God and collapsed in terror.

²⁵ For there appeared to them a horse magnificently caparisoned, mounted by a rider of terrifying mien. Charging furiously, the horse attacked Heliodorus with its front hooves. The rider was seen to be accoutred entirely in golden armor. ²⁶ Then two young men, remarkably strong, strikingly beautiful, and magnificently attired, also appeared before him. Taking their stand on either side of him, they flogged him unremittingly, inflicting numerous blows on him.

²⁷ Suddenly he fell to the ground, enveloped in a great darkness. His men picked him up and laid him on a stretcher. ²⁸ This man, who but a moment previously had entered the treasury with a great retinue and his entire bodyguard, now was carried away utterly helpless, and those under his command openly acknowledged the sovereign power of God.

²⁹ While he lay prostrate, without the power of speech because of the divine intervention and bereft of any hope of deliverance, ³⁰ the Jews praised the Lord for his miraculous glorification of his holy place. And the temple, which a short time before had been filled with terror and commotion, was now overflowing with joy and gladness at the manifestation of the Lord Almighty.

³¹ Some of the companions of Heliodorus quickly pleaded with Onias to entreat the Most High to spare the life of the man who was now breathing his last. ³² Fearful that the king might suspect that Heliodorus had met with foul play at the hands of the Jews, the high priest offered a sacrifice for the man’s recovery. ³³ While the high priest was making a sacrifice of expiation, the same young men again appeared to Heliodorus, clad in the identical apparel, and stood before him. “Be very grateful to the high priest Onias,” they said to him, “since it is for his sake that the Lord has spared your life. ³⁴ Since you have been scourged by Heaven, proclaim to all people the majestic power of God.” When they had said this, they vanished.

³⁵ The Gentile General Is Converted. After Heliodorus had offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made very solemn vows to the Lord who had spared his life, he took his leave of Onias and marched off with his soldiers to return to the king. ³⁶ He bore witness to everyone about the miracles of the supreme God that he had witnessed with his own eyes.

³⁷ When the king asked Heliodorus what sort of man would be suitable to send to Jerusalem on some future occasion, he replied: ³⁸ “If you have an enemy or someone who has been a traitor to your government, send him there. You will get him back soundly flogged, if indeed he manages to survive at all. Without question, there is some peculiarly divine power about the place. ³⁹ He who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and protects it, and he strikes down and destroys those who come to do it harm.” ⁴⁰ This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the preservation of the treasury.

Liberation of the Temple

Persecution of Antiochus IV and Success of Hellenism

Chapter 4

The Superintendent of the Temple Disturbs the Public Order.^{[ks] 1} The aforementioned Simon, who had served as an informer about the money against his country, began to make slanderous accusations against Onias, claiming that it was he who had incited Heliodorus and thus had instigated these wretched disorders. ² He even had the effrontery to accuse of conspiracy against the government this man who was a benefactor of the city, the protector of his compatriots, and a zealous defender of the laws. ³ When Simon’s hostility reached such proportions that murders were actually committed by one of his agents, ⁴ Onias realized how dangerous the situation had become and that Apollonius, the son of Menestheus, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was encouraging Simon in his evil ways. ⁵ Therefore, he appealed to the king, not to accuse his compatriots but rather as one who had at heart the best interests, both public and private, of all the people. ⁶ He saw that, unless the king intervened, public order could not exist and that Simon would persist in his madness.

Hellenism in Jerusalem.^{[kt] 7} When Seleucus^[ku] died and Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, succeeded him on the throne, Jason, the brother of Onias, obtained the high priesthood by corrupt means. ^8 [kv]In a petition he promised the king three hundred and sixty talents of silver, with eighty talents from another source of revenue. ⁹ In addition, he committed himself to a payment of a further one hundred and fifty talents if he was given the authority to establish a gymnasium and a youth club to be affiliated with it, and to enroll the people of Jerusalem as Antiochians.

¹⁰ When the king gave his assent and Jason succeeded to the office, he immediately imposed the Greek way of life on his fellow Jews. ¹¹ He set aside the royal concessions that had been granted to the Jews through the efforts of John—the father of that Eupolemus who later was sent on an embassy to negotiate a treaty of friendship and alliance with the Romans—and, abolishing the institutions founded on the law, he introduced customs that ran contrary to it.^{[kw] 12} He quickly established a gymnasium^[kx] at the very foot of the citadel itself, and he convinced the most noble of the young men to wear the Greek hat.

¹³ As a result of the introduction of foreign customs, the craze for Hellenism became so intense because of the unrestricted wickedness of the ungodly bogus high priest^[ky] Jason ¹⁴ that the priests no longer bothered to fulfill their duties at the altar. Disdaining the temple and neglecting the sacrifices, they would hasten to participate in the unlawful exercises as soon as they heard the signal for the discus-throwing. ¹⁵ They showed no respect for what their ancestors had regarded as honorable and placed the greatest value on what the Greeks honored above all else. ^16 [kz]As a result, they ended up suffering great affliction, for the very people whose way of life they sought to emulate and whom they wished to imitate in every respect became their enemies and oppressors. ¹⁷ It is no light matter to violate the laws of God, as will become clear in due course.

¹⁸ When the quinquennial games were being held at Tyre in the presence of the king, ¹⁹ the villainous Jason sent envoys chosen from among the Antiochian citizens from Jerusalem to bring there three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice to Hercules. However, those who were designated to carry the money considered it improper for this money to be used as a sacrifice, and they decided to expend it for some other purpose. ²⁰ And so, the money intended by the sender to be used for the sacrifice to Hercules was in fact applied, at the suggestion of those who brought it, to the construction of triremes.^[la]

²¹ When Apollonius, the son of Menestheus, was sent to Egypt for the coronation of King Philometor,^[lb] Antiochus learned that Philometor had become hostile to his reign. Concerned about his own security, after arriving at Joppa he moved on to Jerusalem, ²² where he was given a lavish welcome by Jason and the people of the city, who escorted him in with a torchlight procession and acclamations. After this, he led his army into Phoenicia.

²³ Jason Supplanted by Menelaus. Three years later,^[lc] Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of the previously mentioned Simon, to deliver money to the king and to complete the negotiations on some important matters. ²⁴ But when Menelaus was presented to the king, he flattered him with an air of authority and thereby secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.^{[ld] 25} He returned with the royal appointment, despite the fact that he possessed no qualification that made him worthy of the high priesthood. He had the temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage beast. ²⁶ Then Jason, who had supplanted his own brother, was now himself supplanted by another man and driven out as a fugitive into the land of the Ammonites.

²⁷ Although Menelaus continued to hold the office of high priest, he failed to make any payments of the money he had promised to the king, despite the insistent demands for payment by Sostratus, the captain of the citadel, ²⁸ who had the responsibility for the collection of revenues. As a result, both men were summoned to appear before the king. ²⁹ Menelaus left his own brother Lysimachus as his deputy in the high priesthood, while Sostratus designated Crates, the commander of the Cypriots,^[le] to act in his place.

³⁰ Murder of the Saintly Onias.^[lf] While these events were taking place, the people of Tarsus and Mallus rose in revolt because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine.^{[lg] 31} Therefore, the king hurriedly departed to resolve the problem, leaving Andronicus, one of his ministers, to act as his deputy. ³² Menelaus, believing that he had been presented with a favorable opportunity, stole some of the gold vessels from the temple and gave them to Andronicus. Some other vessels he had already previously sold to Tyre and the neighboring cities.

³³ When Onias received irrefutable evidence of these facts, he publicly denounced him, after having first withdrawn to a place of sanctuary at Daphne,^[lh] near Antioch. ³⁴ Thereupon, Menelaus approached Andronicus privately and urged him to arrange for the death of Onias. Andronicus came to Onias and treacherously offered him sworn pledges with right hands joined. Despite his suspicions, Onias was persuaded to leave the place of sanctuary, whereupon Andronicus, without any regard for justice, immediately put him to death.

³⁵ The unjust murder of this man resulted in an outpouring of grief and outrage not only among the Jews but among people from many other nations as well. ³⁶ When the king returned from the region of Cilicia, the Jews of the city protested to him about the indefensible killing of Onias, and in this they were joined by Greeks who shared their anger about this criminal act.^{[li] 37} Antiochus was deeply grieved and filled with pity, and he wept as he recalled the prudence and exemplary conduct of the dead man. ³⁸ Inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped Andronicus of his purple robe, tore off his other garments, and then paraded him throughout the city to that very place where he had committed the outrageous deed against Onias. At that spot he put the murderer to death, and thus the Lord repaid him with the punishment he deserved.

³⁹ Disorders at Jerusalem. Lysimachus, with the connivance of Menelaus, had committed many sacrilegious thefts in the city. When this became common knowledge, and the people heard that many gold vessels had already been disposed of, they rose up in protest against him. ⁴⁰ When the crowds became even more enraged and menacing, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men and launched an unjustified attack. The troops were commanded by Auranus, a man advanced in years and no less in folly. ⁴¹ When the people realized that Lysimachus was the instigator of this attack, some picked up stones, others blocks of wood, still others handfuls of ashes lying around, and they flung them indiscriminately at Lysimachus and his men. ⁴² As a result, they wounded many of them, even killing a few, and put all the rest to flight. The temple plunderer himself they put to death near the treasury.

⁴³ Menelaus Maintains His Power. Charges were brought against Menelaus as a result of this incident. ⁴⁴ When the king came to Tyre, three men sent by the senate pleaded their case before him. ⁴⁵ Menelaus, realizing that the verdict would go against him, promised Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes,^[lj] a substantial sum of money if he would win over the king. ⁴⁶ Ptolemy therefore took the king aside into a colonnade, as though for a breath of air, and persuaded him to change his mind. ⁴⁷ Menelaus, the cause of all the trouble, the king acquitted of all the charges against him. But he condemned to death those unfortunate men who had brought forward the accusations and who would have been adjudged as innocent and set free even if they had pleaded their case before the Scythians.^{[lk] 48} Therefore, those who had pleaded the cause of the city, the people, and the sacred vessels quickly incurred an unjust punishment. ⁴⁹ Some Tyrians were actually so enraged by this crime that they provided sumptuously for their funerals. ⁵⁰ However, Menelaus, because of the greed of those who held power, remained in office, where he grew in wickedness and established himself as the chief plotter against his compatriots.

Chapter 5

Jason Dies Wretchedly in Exile. ¹ About this time, Antiochus undertook his second expedition^[ll] against Egypt. ² It then happened that all over the city, for almost forty days, there were apparitions of horsemen clad in gold galloping through the air, companies fully armed with lances and drawn swords— ³ squadrons of cavalry in battle order, charges and counter-charges in this direction and that, with brandished shields, massed spears, and hurled javelins, and gold accoutrements and armor of all kinds glittering brightly. ⁴ Therefore, everyone prayed that these apparitions might prove to be a good omen.

⁵ However, when a false rumor began to circulate that Antiochus had died, Jason^[lm] commandeered no fewer than a thousand men and launched a surprise attack on the city. When the defenders on the walls were driven back and the city was on the verge of being taken, Menelaus took refuge in the citadel. ⁶ Jason then embarked on a merciless slaughter of his compatriots, failing to comprehend that success against one’s own kindred was the greatest of disasters, but rather imagining that he was winning trophies of victory over enemies, not over his own people. ⁷ However, he failed to seize control of the government. In the end, his treachery only resulted in disgrace for him, and once again he took refuge in the country of the Ammonites.

⁸ At length Jason came to a miserable end. After being accused before Aretas,^[ln] the ruler of the Arabs, he fled from city to city, hounded by all, detested as a transgressor of the laws, and hated as the executioner of his country and his compatriots, until he was cast ashore in Egypt. ⁹ From there he crossed the sea to Sparta, where he hoped to obtain sanctuary because of the Spartans’ kinship^[lo] with him. There, he who had sent into exile so many children of his homeland, died himself in exile. ¹⁰ Furthermore, this man who had cast out so many to be unburied now had no one to mourn for him, with no funeral of any kind and no place in the tomb of his ancestors.^[lp]

¹¹ Antiochus IV Epiphanes Ravages the Temple.^[lq] When news of what had happened reached the king, he came to the conclusion that Judea was in revolt. He therefore set out from Egypt, raging like a wild beast, and took the city by storm. ¹² He then ordered his soldiers to cut down mercilessly everyone they met and to slay those who fled to their houses. ¹³ There was the massacre of young and old, the extermination of women and children, and the slaughter of young girls and infants. ¹⁴ In the course of three days there were eighty thousand victims—forty thousand killed in hand-to-hand fighting and another forty sold into slavery.

¹⁵ Not content with this, the king had the audacity to enter the holiest temple in the entire world, with Menelaus, who had become a traitor to the laws and to his country, serving as his guide. ¹⁶ The king laid his unclean hands on the sacred vessels, and with his profane hands he gathered up the votive offerings that other kings had made to enhance the glory and the honor of the holy place. ¹⁷ With an inflated opinion of himself, Antiochus failed to realize that the Lord had been angered for a time because of the sins committed by the inhabitants of the city, and that it was for this reason that he was disregarding the holy place. ¹⁸ If it had not been the case that they were involved in many sinful acts, Antiochus would have been flogged and checked in his presumptuous act as soon as he approached, just as had been the case with Heliodorus, whom King Seleucus had sent to inspect the treasury.

¹⁹ However, the Lord had not chosen the people for the sake of the holy place, but the holy place for the sake of the people.^{[lr] 20} Therefore, the holy place itself, having shared in the misfortunes that afflicted the people, afterward shared in their good fortune, and what had been abandoned by the Almighty in his anger was restored again in all its glory once the great Sovereign became reconciled.

²¹ The Governor Mistreats the Jews. Antiochus hurried back to Antioch, taking with him eighteen hundred talents from the temple. He was so arrogant that, in his pride, he thought he could sail on the land and traverse the sea on foot. ²² However, he left governors behind to oppress the people: at Jerusalem he left Philip, a Phrygian by birth^[ls] and with a more barbarous nature than the one who appointed him, ²³ and, at Mount Gerizim,^[lt] Andronicus; and in addition to these there was Menelaus who lorded it over his compatriots worse than the others did.

Such was Antiochus’s animosity toward the Jewish people, ²⁴ that he sent Apollonius,^[lu] the commander of the Mysians, with an army of twenty-two thousand men, with orders to slaughter all the adult men and to sell the women and children into slavery. ²⁵ When this man arrived in Jerusalem, he pretended to be peacefully disposed and waited until the holy Sabbath day. Then, finding the Jews abstaining from work, he ordered his men to parade fully armed. ²⁶ He put to the sword all those who came out to watch, and then he charged into the city with his armed warriors and slaughtered a great number of people.

²⁷ However, Judas Maccabeus,^[lv] with about nine others, escaped into the wilderness, where he and his companions lived like wild animals in the hills, eating nothing but what grew wild there to avoid contracting defilement.

Chapter 6

Pagan Cults Are Installed. ¹ Not long afterward, the king sent an Athenian senator to force the Jews to forsake the laws of their ancestors and to live no longer in accordance with the laws of God. ² He was also instructed to profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus,^[lw] and to dedicate the sanctuary on Mount Gerizim to Zeus the Hospitable, as had been requested by the people who inhabited that place.

³ This evil onslaught harshly intensified the grievous distress of the people. ⁴ The Gentiles made the temple a center of debauchery and licentious revelry, as they used the sacred precincts for immoral pleasures with prostitutes and intercourse with women.^[lx] They also brought into the temple sacrificial offerings that were forbidden, ⁵ so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings that were prohibited by the law.

⁶ No one was allowed to keep the Sabbath or to observe the traditional feasts or even to admit being a Jew. ⁷ Furthermore, on the monthly celebration of the king’s birthday, the Jews were forcibly compelled to partake of the sacrificial victims, and when the festival of Dionysus^[ly] was celebrated, they were forced to wear wreaths of ivy and to take part in the procession honoring him.

⁸ At the suggestion of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued to the neighboring Greek cities^[lz] ordering them to adopt the same policies toward the Jews, compel them to partake of the sacrifices, ⁹ and put to death those who refused to conform to Greek customs. Thus it was clear that disaster was imminent. ¹⁰ For example, two women were brought to trial, charged with having circumcised their children. They were publicly paraded around the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then hurled headlong from the city wall. ¹¹ Others who had assembled in some nearby caves to observe the Sabbath secretly were betrayed to Philip, and all were burned to death together, since their piety kept them from defending themselves in their respect for the holiness of the day.

¹² Purpose of Divine Judgment.^[ma] Now I urge those who read this book not to be disheartened by such calamities but to realize that these punishments were inflicted not for the destruction but for the discipline of our people. ¹³ Indeed, it is a sign of great benevolence when sinners are punished promptly rather than having their wrongful acts escape retribution for a period of time. ¹⁴ In the case of the other nations the Lord waits patiently to punish them until they have reached the full measure of their sins. However, he does not deal with us in this way, ¹⁵ choosing to inflict punishment on us before our sins have reached their height so that he will not have to punish us more severely at that time. ¹⁶ Therefore, he never withdraws his mercy from us. Although he disciplines us by some misfortunes, he does not forsake his own people. ¹⁷ Let these words suffice as a reminder. Now we must proceed with our narrative.

Accounts of Martyrdom

¹⁸ Martyrdom of Eleazar. Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the law, a man of advanced age and distinguished appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. ¹⁹ But he, preferring death with honor rather than a life marked by defilement, spat it out and voluntarily went up to the torture rack, ²⁰ as should be done by all who have the courage to reject the food that it is not lawful to eat, suppressing the natural desire to save their lives.

²¹ The officials in charge of this sacrilegious meal took the man aside privately because of their long acquaintance with him and urged him to bring meat of his own providing that he was permitted to eat, and to pretend that he was eating the sacrificial meat that had been commanded by the king. ²² In this way he would be saved from death and be treated kindly as a result of their long-standing friendship. ²³ But, making an honorable decision, worthy of his years and of the dignity of his advanced age, and of the gray hairs he had attained and worn with distinction, and of his impeccable conduct even from childhood, but worthy above all of the holy law given by God, he told them to dispatch him immediately to the abode of the dead.

²⁴ “At this stage of my life it would be terribly wrong to be a party to such a pretense,” he said, “for many young people would be led to believe that at the age of ninety Eleazar had conformed to a foreign practice. ²⁵ If I should engage in deceit for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. ²⁶ For the moment I would avoid the punishment of mortals, but alive or dead I shall never escape the hands of the Almighty. ²⁷ Therefore, by bravely forfeiting my life now, I shall prove myself worthy of my old age, ²⁸ and I shall leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for our revered and holy laws.”

With these words he went immediately to the torture rack. ²⁹ Those who a short time before had been so kindly disposed toward him now became hostile after this statement that they regarded as sheer madness. ³⁰ When he was at the point of death as the result of the blows he had received, he groaned aloud and said: “The Lord in his holy knowledge clearly realizes that although I could have escaped death, not only am I enduring terrible sufferings in my body from this scourging, but in my soul I am gladly accepting these torments because of my awe of him.”

³¹ In this way he died, and by his death he left an example of courage and a model of virtue not only for the young but for the entire nation.

Chapter 7

Martyrdom of Seven Brothers and Their Mother.^{[mb] 1} It also happened that seven brothers were arrested together with their mother. The king tortured them with whips and scourges in an attempt to force them to eat pork, in violation of the law of God. ² One of the brothers, acting as a spokesman for the others, said, “What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are prepared to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

³ The king became enraged and issued orders to have pans and caldrons heated. ⁴ After this was done without delay, he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that he be scalped and his hands and feet cut off while the rest of his brothers and his mother looked on. ⁵ When he had been rendered utterly helpless but still breathing, the king ordered him to be taken to the fire and fried in one of the pans. As the smoke from the pan began to spread, his mother and his brothers encouraged one another to die in a noble manner, with words such as these: ⁶ “The Lord God is watching, and he cannot fail to have compassion on us, as Moses declared in his canticle when he asserted: ‘He will have compassion on his servants.’ ”^[mc]

⁷ When the first brother had died in this manner, they brought forward the second to be subjected to their cruel sport. After the skin and hair of his head had been stripped off, they asked him: “Will you eat some pork rather than have your body tortured limb by limb?” ⁸ Replying in the language of his ancestors, he said to them, “Never!” Therefore, he in turn underwent the same torture that the first had endured. ⁹ With his final breath, he said: “You accursed fiend, you may send us forth from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up^[md] to life eternal, since it is because of our obedience to his laws that we are dying.”

¹⁰ After him, the third brother bore the brunt of their cruel torture. In response to their demand, he immediately thrust forth his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands ¹¹ as he said: “It was from Heaven^[me] that I received these. For the sake of his laws I disdain them. From him I hope to receive them again.” ¹² Both the king and his attendants were astounded as they witnessed the courage of this young man and his complete indifference to suffering.

¹³ After he had died they maltreated and tortured the fourth brother in the same way. ¹⁴ When he was at the point of death, he cried out: “It is far better to choose to die at the hands of men and rely on the promise of God of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life.”

¹⁵ They next brought forward the fifth brother and tortured him. ¹⁶ Directing his gaze at the king, he said: “Even though you yourself are mortal, you have authority over other mortals, and thus you can do as you please. However, do not think that God has abandoned our nation. ¹⁷ Just wait and you will see how his mighty power will torment you and your descendants.”

¹⁸ After him they brought forward the sixth brother. When he was about to die, he said: “Do not have any vain delusions. We are suffering these torments deservedly because we have sinned against our God and brought these appalling events on ourselves. ¹⁹ However, do not think that you will avoid the consequences of having dared to contend with God.”

²⁰ Especially admirable and deserving of everlasting remembrance was the mother. Although she witnessed the deaths of her seven sons within the space of a single day, she endured it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. ²¹ Filled with a noble spirit that reinforced her womanly thoughts with manly courage, she encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors: ²² “I do not know how you came to being in my womb. It was not I who endowed you with breath and life, nor did I set in order the elements that established the composition of your being. ²³ Therefore, the Creator of the universe who authored the beginning of human life and devised the origin of all things will, in his mercy, restore breath and life to you, since you have placed his law above concern for your own desires.”

²⁴ Antiochus felt that he was being treated with contempt and suspected that her words were insulting. Since the youngest brother was still alive, the king did not limit himself to an appeal with mere words. Indeed, he promised him on oath that if he would abandon the traditions of his ancestors, he would not only make him rich and happy but also enroll him as his Friend and appoint him to high office. ²⁵ When the young man paid no heed to his proposals, the king made an appeal to his mother, urging her to advise her son to save his life. ²⁶ After a great deal of encouraging on his part, she agreed to try to persuade him.

²⁷ However, she flouted the king’s wishes by saying to her son in their native language as she leaned close to him: “My son, have pity on me. I carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, reared you, and provided for your needs up to this point in your life. ²⁸ I beg you, my child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see everything that is in them. Reflect on the fact that God did not create them from things that already existed^[mf] and that the human race came into being in the same way. ²⁹ Have no fear of this butcher. Prove yourself worthy of your brothers by accepting death, so that through the mercy of God I shall receive you back again along with them.”

³⁰ She had barely finished speaking when the young man said: “What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king’s command. I choose rather to obey the ordinance of the law that was given to our ancestors through Moses. ³¹ However, you, who have devised every kind of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. ³² We are suffering as the result of our own sins, ³³ and while our living Lord is angry with us for a brief time as he seeks to correct and discipline us, he will eventually be reconciled with his servants. ³⁴ However, you, perfidious wretch, are the most wicked of all mortal beings. Do not allow yourself to be deluded by vain hopes when you raise your hand against the children of Heaven, ³⁵ for you will not be able to escape from the judgment of the almighty and all-seeing God. ³⁶ My brothers, after enduring a brief period of suffering, have now drunk of the waters of everlasting life in accordance with his covenant, but you, convicted by the judgment of God, will receive a richly warranted punishment for your arrogance.

³⁷ “I too, like my brothers, surrender my body and my life for the laws of our ancestors. I appeal to God not to delay in showing mercy to our nation and by trials and afflictions to cause you to confess that he alone is God. ³⁸ Through me and my brothers may there be an end to the wrath of the Almighty^[mg] that has justifiably fallen on our entire nation.”

³⁹ On hearing this, the king became enraged and dealt with him even more cruelly than with the others because of his defiance. ⁴⁰ And so the young man, having placed all his trust in the Lord, died undefiled. ⁴¹ The mother was the last to die, after her sons had perished.

⁴² Let this account be sufficient to relate the facts of the sacrificial meals and the monstrous tortures.

Liberation of the Holy City and the Temple

Chapter 8

Judas Maccabeus Conducts Guerrilla Warfare. ¹ Meanwhile, Judas, who was also called Maccabeus, secretly entered the villages with his companions and enlisted in their ranks their kindred as well as others who had remained faithful to Judaism.^[mh] Having assembled a force of about six thousand, ² they implored the Lord to look with favor on his people who were being oppressed on all sides; to have pity on the temple that was being profaned by godless people; ³ to have mercy on the city that was being destroyed and about to be leveled to the ground; to hearken to the blood that cried out to him; ⁴ to remember the lawless slaughter of innocent children and the blasphemous deeds perpetrated against his name; and to manifest his hatred of evil.

⁵ As soon as Maccabeus had organized his army, the Gentiles found that they were unable to withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to compassion. ⁶ Attacking towns and villages without warning, he would set them on fire. He captured strategic positions and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, ⁷ usually preferring the night as being especially advantageous for such attacks. His reputation for valor spread far and wide.

First Victory over Nicanor.^{[mi] 8} When Philip^[mj] noted that Judas was making steady progress little by little and that his successful excursions were becoming ever more frequent, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, asking for his help in defending the royal interests. ⁹ Ptolemy immediately appointed Nicanor, the son of Patroclus, one of the king’s Chief Friends, and dispatched him in command of at least twenty thousand troops from various nations to exterminate the entire Jewish race. As his associate he appointed Gorgias, a general of considerable military experience in the skills of war. ¹⁰ Nicanor’s intention was to raise the two thousand talents of tribute owed by the king to the Romans^[mk] by selling into slavery the Jews who were taken prisoner. ¹¹ Therefore, he immediately notified the coastal cities that he was prepared to sell them Jewish slaves at the rate of ninety slaves for a talent. However, he did not reckon with the judgment from the Almighty that was about to overtake him.

¹² When Judas learned of Nicanor’s advance and informed his men about the approach of the enemy’s army, ¹³ those who were cowardly or without faith in the justice of God deserted and got away. ¹⁴ But the others sold all of their remaining possessions while at the same time beseeching the Lord for the deliverance of those who had been put up for sale by the godless Nicanor even before he had so much as encountered them— ¹⁵ and to do so, if not for their own sake, then at least out of consideration for the covenants made with their ancestors and because they themselves bore his sacred and majestic name.^[ml]

¹⁶ Maccabeus assembled his forces, who numbered about six thousand, and exhorted them not to succumb to panic when confronted by the enemy, nor to fear the vast horde of Gentiles who were advancing to attack them unjustly, but to fight bravely, ¹⁷ keeping ever before their eyes the outrages unlawfully perpetrated by the Gentiles against the holy place and the cruel indignities inflicted on the city as well as the subversion of their ancestral way of life. ¹⁸ “They may place their trust in their weapons and their acts of daring,” he said, “but we trust in almighty God who is able with a mere nod to strike down both those who are marching against us and, if necessary, the entire world.”

¹⁹ He then proceeded to remind them of the occasions when divine interventions had aided their ancestors—how, in the time of Sennacherib, one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the enemy forces had perished, ²⁰ and about the occasion of the battle in Babylon^[mm] with the Galatians when the Jewish forces numbered no more than eight thousand, aided by four thousand Macedonians, and how, when the Macedonians were hard pressed, those eight thousand, with the help received from Heaven, had destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand of the enemy and gathered a great amount of booty. ²¹ With words such as these he roused their courage and made them ready to die for their laws and their country.

Then Judas divided his army into four sections, ²² placing his brothers, Simon, Joseph,^[mn] and Jonathan, in command of one division each and assigning them fifteen hundred men apiece. ²³ Next, he appointed Eleazar^[mo] to read aloud from the holy book, and he gave them the rallying cry, “The help of God.” Then, taking command of the first division, he joined battle with Nicanor.

²⁴ With the Almighty as their ally, they slaughtered more than nine thousand of the enemy, wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor’s army, and put all of them to flight. ²⁵ They also appropriated the money of those who had come to purchase them as slaves. After pursuing the enemy for a considerable time, ²⁶ they were obliged to return because of the lateness of the hour. Since it was the day before the Sabbath, they could not continue their pursuit. ^27 [mp]After collecting the arms of the enemy and stripping them of their spoils, they observed the Sabbath, offering fervent praise and thanksgiving to the Lord who had preserved them to witness on that day this manifestation of his compassion. ²⁸ When the Sabbath was over, they distributed some of the spoils to the victims of the persecution and to the widows and orphans. The rest they divided among themselves and their children. ²⁹ After this had been done, they joined in common supplication, beseeching the merciful Lord to be fully reconciled with his servants.

³⁰ Defeat of Timothy and Bacchides.^[mq] They also engaged in battle with the forces of Timothy and Bacchides, killing more than twenty thousand of them and gaining possession of some very high strongholds. They divided the immense amount of plunder, giving half to the persecuted orphans and widows and the aged, and keeping the remaining half for themselves. ³¹ They carefully collected the weapons of the enemy and stored them in strategic locations; the rest of the spoils they carried to Jerusalem. ³² They put to death the commander of Timothy’s forces, a most wicked man who had inflicted great suffering on the Jews. ³³ During the victory celebrations in their ancestral city, they burned those who had set fire to the sacred gates, including Callisthenes, who had taken refuge in a tiny house. Thus he received due recompense for his sacrilegious deeds.

³⁴ Flight and Testimony of Nicanor.^[mr] The accursed Nicanor, who villainously had brought along a thousand merchants to buy the Jewish captives, ³⁵ having been humbled with the help of the Lord by those whom he regarded as worthless, threw off his magnificent garments and fled across the country, unaccompanied, like a runaway slave, until he reached Antioch. His major accomplishment had been to oversee the destruction of his own army. ³⁶ Thus the man who had undertaken to secure tribute for the Romans by taking as prisoners the people of Jerusalem now bore witness that the Jews had a champion and that they were therefore invulnerable because they followed the laws set down by him.

Chapter 9

Antiochus Epiphanes Meets a Wretched End.^{[ms] 1} About that time it so happened that Antiochus was leading an ignominious retreat from the region of Persia. ² He had entered the city called Persepolis and attempted to plunder the temple and gain control of the city. However, the people immediately rose up in armed defense and repulsed Antiochus and his men, with the result that Antiochus was put to flight by the inhabitants and forced into a humiliating retreat. ³ On his arrival in Ecbatana, he learned what had happened to Nicanor and to the forces of Timothy. ⁴ Bursting with anger, he devised a plan to make the Jews suffer for the injury inflicted by those who had put him to flight. Therefore, he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he completed his journey.

However, the judgment of Heaven rode with him, since in his arrogance he declared, “Once I arrive in Jerusalem, I will turn it into a mass graveyard for Jews.” ⁵ And so the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with an unseen but incurable blow. Hardly had he spoken those words when he was seized with excruciating pains in his bowels and acute internal torment— ⁶ an entirely suitable punishment for one who had inflicted many barbarous torments on the bowels of others. ⁷ Nevertheless, he did not in the least diminish his insolent behavior. More arrogant than ever and breathing fire in his rage against the Jews, he gave orders to drive even faster. As a result, he was hurled from the lurching chariot, and the fall was so violent that every part of his body was racked with pain.

⁸ Thus he who only a short time before had in his superhuman arrogance believed that he could command the waves of the sea, and who imagined that he could weigh high mountains on a scale, was thrown down to the ground and had to be carried in a litter, clearly manifesting to all the power of God. ⁹ The body of this ungodly man swarmed with worms, and while he was still alive suffering agonizing torments, his flesh rotted away, so that the entire army was sickened by the stench of his decay. ¹⁰ Only a short time before, he had thought that he could touch the stars of heaven. Now no one could even bring himself to transport the man because of his intolerable stench.

¹¹ Ultimately, broken in spirit, he began to lose his excessive arrogance and to come to his senses under the scourge of God, for he was racked with incessant pain. ¹² When he no longer could endure his own stench, he exclaimed: “It is right to be subject to God. Mere mortals should never believe that they are equal to God.” ¹³ Then this vile wretch made a vow to the Lord, who would no longer have mercy on him, ¹⁴ that he would publicly declare to be free the holy city toward which he had been hurrying to level it to the ground and transform it into a mass graveyard; ¹⁵ that the Jews, whom he had not deemed to be worthy of burial but fit only to be thrown out with their children and eaten by wild animals and birds, would all be granted equality with the citizens of Athens;^{[mt] 16} that the holy temple that he had previously plundered, he would now adorn with the finest offerings, replace all the sacred vessels many times over, and provide from his own revenues the expenses incurred for the sacrifices. ¹⁷ In addition to all this, he would become a Jew himself and would visit every inhabited place to proclaim the glory of God.

¹⁸ However, when his sufferings did not abate in any way, inasmuch as the judgment of God had already justly befallen him, he lost all hope for himself and wrote to the Jews the following letter, in the form of a supplication. This was its content:

^19 [mu]“To his worthy Jewish citizens Antiochus, their king and general, sends warm greetings and good wishes for their health and prosperity. ²⁰ If you and your children are well and your affairs are prospering as you wish, I am delighted. As my hopes are directed toward heaven, ²¹ I cherish affectionate memories of your esteem and goodwill toward me. On my way back from the region of Persia I was afflicted with a distressing illness, and therefore I have thought it necessary to make provisions for the general welfare of all. ²² Actually I do not despair about my health, for I am confident that I will completely recover from my illness. ²³ However, I recall that whenever my father made expeditions into the upper provinces, he would designate his successor, ²⁴ so that if anything unforeseen should happen or some troublesome rumor should begin to circulate, the people throughout the realm would not be troubled, for they would know to whom the government had been entrusted. ²⁵ Moreover, I am fully aware that the neighboring rulers, particularly those situated on the frontiers of our kingdom, are ever on the watch for opportunities and waiting to see what will develop.

“Therefore, I have designated as king my son Antiochus, whom I have often before entrusted and commended to most of you when I made hurried trips to the upper provinces. I have sent to him a letter in regard to this and enclose a transcript for you. ²⁶ I therefore urge and entreat each of you to remember the public and private services I have rendered to you and to continue to manifest goodwill toward me and my son. ²⁷ I am confident that my son will follow my policy of benevolence and kindness in his relations with you.”

²⁸ And so this murderer and blasphemer, after enduring agonizing sufferings to match those he had inflicted on others, died a wretched death in the mountains of a foreign land. ²⁹ His close friend Philip^[mv] brought back the body. Then, fearing the son of Antiochus, he withdrew into Egypt, to the court of Ptolemy Philometor.

Chapter 10

Judas Recovers Jerusalem and Purifies the Temple. ¹ Under the guidance of the Lord, Maccabeus and his companions recovered the temple and the city,^{[mw] 2} destroying the altars^[mx] erected by the Gentiles in the public square and tearing down their sacred precincts. ³ After they purified the sanctuary,^[my] they built another altar. Then, striking fire from flints, they offered sacrifice for the first time in two years, burning incense, lighting lamps, and setting out the bread of the Presence. ⁴ When they had done this, they prostrated themselves and implored the Lord never again to allow them to be afflicted with such misfortunes, and, were they ever to sin, to discipline them himself with moderation rather than hand them over to blasphemous and barbarous nations.

⁵ The purification of the temple took place on the very same day on which the temple had been profaned by the Gentiles, that is, the twenty-fifth day of the same month Chislev. ⁶ The celebration and rejoicing lasted for eight days, in the manner of the Feast of Booths, as they recalled how, only a short time before, during the Feast of Booths, they had been living like wild animals in the mountains and caves. ⁷ And so, carrying wands entwined with ivy, and leafy branches and palm fronds, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him whose guiding hand had enabled them to achieve the purification of his holy place. ⁸ They also decreed by a public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole Jewish nation should observe these days every year.

The Acquisition of Religious Freedom^[mz]

The War against Lysias, Minister of Antiochus V

The Threat to Peace. ⁹ Such were the circumstances surrounding the death of Antiochus who was called Epiphanes. ¹⁰ Now we will relate what took place under Antiochus Eupator, the son of that godless man, and offer a brief summary of the evils that resulted from his wars. ¹¹ When Eupator succeeded to the throne, he appointed a man named Lysias^[na] to be in charge of the government as commander-in-chief of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. ¹² Ptolemy, who was called Macron, had taken the lead in treating the Jews fairly to atone for the previous injustices that they had suffered, and he endeavored to maintain peaceful relations with them. ¹³ As a result, he was denounced before Eupator by the King’s Friends. He heard himself called a traitor at every turn because he had abandoned Cyprus, which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had transferred his allegiance to Antiochus Epiphanes. Unable to command the respect due his office, he took poison and thereby ended his life.

¹⁴ Judas Punishes the Idumeans.^[nb] When Gorgias became governor of the region, he hired a force of mercenaries and maintained a state of war with the Jews. ¹⁵ At the same time, the Idumeans,^[nc] who controlled some strategic fortresses, were harassing the Jews, as they welcomed fugitives from Jerusalem and made every effort to continue the war. ¹⁶ Maccabeus and his forces offered public prayers, entreating God to support their efforts, and then launched an assault against the Idumean strongholds. ¹⁷ Attacking them energetically, they captured these vantage positions, driving off all who manned the walls, and slaughtered all those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand men.

¹⁸ At least nine thousand of the enemy took refuge in two exceedingly strong towers that were fully equipped to withstand a siege. ¹⁹ Maccabeus left behind Simon and Joseph, as well as Zacchaeus and his troops, comprising a force sufficient to besiege them, while he himself set out for zones where he was more urgently needed. ²⁰ However, Simon’s men were avaricious, and they allowed themselves to be bribed by some of those who were in the towers. After receiving seventy thousand drachmas, they permitted a number of them to slip away. ²¹ When Maccabeus was told what had happened, he assembled the leaders of the people and denounced those men for having sold their kindred for money by freeing their enemies to fight against them. ²² Then he executed them as traitors and immediately captured both towers. ²³ Since he was successful in everything he undertook by force of arms, he slaughtered more than twenty thousand men in the two strongholds.

²⁴ Judas Defeats Timothy and Captures Gezer.^[nd] Timothy, who had been defeated by the Jews once before, now gathered an enormous force of mercenaries and considerable numbers of cavalry from Asia. Then he marched into Judea, intending to take it by storm. ²⁵ At his approach, Maccabeus and his men made supplication to God, sprinkling dust upon their heads and girding their loins with sackcloth. ²⁶ Prostrating themselves on the steps in front of the altar, they implored him to support them in their struggle, and, as the law states, to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries.

²⁷ After their prayer, they took up their weapons and advanced a considerable distance from the city, coming to a halt when they were near the enemy. ²⁸ Just as dawn was breaking, the two armies joined battle, the one having as a pledge of success and victory not only their own valor, but also their reliance on the Lord, whereas the other had only their own fury to sustain them in battle.

²⁹ When the fighting reached its height, there appeared to the enemy from the heavens five magnificent men, each astride a horse with a golden bridle, and they placed themselves in the forefront of the Jews. ³⁰ Surrounding Maccabeus and shielding him with their own armor, they kept him from being wounded. Meanwhile, they propelled arrows and thunderbolts at the enemy, leaving them confused and blinded so that they were thrown into complete disarray and routed. ³¹ Twenty thousand five hundred of their infantry were slain, in addition to six hundred cavalry.

³² Timothy himself fled to a strongly garrisoned citadel called Gazara,^[ne] where Chaereas was in command. ³³ For four days Maccabeus and his forces eagerly besieged the fortress, ³⁴ while the men inside, their confidence buoyed by their belief in the security of the place, continued to taunt them with terrible blasphemies and abominable insults. ³⁵ At daybreak on the fifth day, twenty young men in the army of Maccabeus, infuriated at the blasphemies, bravely stormed the wall and with savage fury, cut down everyone they encountered. ³⁶ Others who came up in a similar way attacked the defenders from the rear and set fire to the towers while starting other fires in which the blasphemers were burned alive. Still others broke down the gates and let in the rest of the troops, who then took possession of the city. ³⁷ Timothy, who had hidden in a cistern, was slain, along with his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes. ³⁸ When they had accomplished all of these exploits, they offered hymns of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord who had shown such great kindness to Israel and given them the victory.

Chapter 11

Lysias Must Deal with the Jews.^{[nf] 1} Very soon after that, Lysias, the guardian and kinsman of the king, who was in charge of the government, became greatly angered at what had occurred. ² He mustered about eighty thousand foot soldiers and all of his cavalry and advanced against the Jews. His intent was to make Jerusalem a settlement for Greeks, ³ to levy a tax^[ng] on the temple as he did on the shrines of other nations, and to put the office of high priest up for sale every year. ⁴ He gave no consideration whatsoever to the power of God, for he was supremely confident in his infantry numbering in the tens of thousands, and in his thousands of cavalry and his eighty elephants. ⁵ Therefore, he invaded Judea, and when he reached Beth-zur, a fortified place about twenty miles distant from Jerusalem, he launched a strong attack against it.

⁶ When Maccabeus and his men were informed that Lysias was besieging the strongholds, they and all the people implored the Lord with lamentations and tears to send a good angel to deliver Israel. ⁷ Maccabeus himself was the first to take up arms, and he urged the others to join him in risking their lives to save their fellow Jews. Then they all resolutely set out together. ⁸ And while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman suddenly appeared at their head, clothed in white and brandishing weapons of gold. ⁹ Together they united in praising their merciful God, and they were so filled with a spirit of courage that they were ready to attack not only men, but even the most savage beasts and walls of iron. ¹⁰ They advanced in battle order with the aid of their heavenly ally, for the Lord had shown mercy toward them. ¹¹ They charged like lions against the enemy and laid low eleven thousand of them, in addition to sixteen hundred cavalry, and the remaining forces they put to flight. ¹² Most of those who escaped were wounded and without their weapons, and Lysias himself escaped only by taking flight in a cowardly manner.

¹³ However, Lysias was not lacking in intelligence, and as he reflected upon the defeat he had experienced, he came to the realization that the Hebrews were invincible because the all-powerful God fought on their side. Therefore, he sent emissaries to them ¹⁴ to convince them to settle everything on terms that were fair to both sides, and he promised to persuade the king to be their friend. ¹⁵ Solicitous for the common good, Maccabeus agreed to everything that Lysias proposed, and the king granted every request on behalf of the Jews that Maccabeus submitted in writing to Lysias.

¹⁶ Lysias Writes to the Jews. This is the tenor of the letter that Lysias wrote to the Jews: “Lysias sends greetings to the Jewish people. ¹⁷ John and Absalom, your envoys, have delivered to me your signed communication and inquired about the matters put forth in it. ¹⁸ Anything that required the king’s attention, I referred to him, and he has agreed to whatever was possible. ¹⁹ If you maintain your goodwill toward the government, I will endeavor to promote your well-being in the future. ²⁰ As to whatever concerns the details of these matters, I have authorized your envoys and my representatives to confer with you. ²¹ Farewell. The twenty-fourth day of Dioscorinthius, in the year one hundred and forty-eight.”^[nh]

²² Antiochus Eupator Writes to Lysias. The king’s letter read as follows: “King Antiochus sends greetings to his brother Lysias. ²³ Now that our father has taken his place among the gods, we desire that the subjects of our realm be left undisturbed in the conduct of their own affairs. ²⁴ We have heard that the Jews are opposed to our father’s policy concerning the adoption of Greek customs but rather prefer their own way of life and request that they be permitted to observe their own laws. ²⁵ Accordingly, since it is our will that this nation too should be free from disturbance, we decree that their temple shall be restored to them and that they be allowed to live in accordance with the customs of their ancestors. ²⁶ Therefore, please send them word of our pledges of friendship so that, informed of our policy, they may be reassured and go contentedly about their business.”

²⁷ The king’s letter to the people was in these terms: “King Antiochus sends greetings to the Jewish senate and to the rest of the Jews. ²⁸ If you are well, this is our wish. We ourselves are also enjoying good health. ²⁹ Menelaus^[ni] has informed us of your wish to return home and attend to your own affairs. ³⁰ Therefore, those who return by the thirtieth day of Xanthicus will have our pledge that they will be permitted ³¹ to observe their own dietary laws and other laws as formerly, and none of them will be molested in any way for offenses committed as a result of ignorance. ³² I am also sending Menelaus to assure you. ³³ Farewell. The fifteenth day of Xanthicus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.”^[nj]

³⁴ The Romans Write to the Jews. The Romans also sent a letter to the Jews, which read as follows: “Quintus Memmius and Titus Manius, legates of the Romans, send greetings to the Jewish people. ³⁵ Whatever Lysias, the kinsman of the king, has granted you, we also approve. ³⁶ In regard to those matters that he has submitted to the king for judgment, as soon as you have considered them, send someone to us without delay that we may make suitable proposals on your behalf, for we are on our way to Antioch. ³⁷ Therefore, do not lose any time in sending messengers to us to inform us about your opinions. ³⁸ Farewell. The fifteenth day of Xanthicus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.”

Chapter 12

Judas Punishes Joppa and Jamnia. ¹ After these agreements had been concluded, Lysias returned to the king and the Jews reapplied themselves to their farming. ² However, some of the governors in the region—Timothy and Apollonius, the son of Gennaeus,^[nk] as well as Hieronymus and Demophon, and Nicanor, the commander of the Cyprians—would not allow the Jews to live quietly and in peace.

³ The people of Joppa committed a particularly wicked atrocity: they invited the Jews who lived among them, together with their wives and children, to set out on boats that they had provided. There was no indication of any animosity toward the Jews.^{[nl] 4} There had been a public vote of the city in this regard, and the Jews accepted, since they suspected no treachery and wished to live in peace. The people of Joppa took them out to sea and drowned at least two hundred of them.

⁵ As soon as Judas learned of this act of cruelty perpetrated against his compatriots, he issued orders to his men, ⁶ and after calling upon God, the just judge, he attacked the murderers of his kindred. He set fire to the harbor during a nighttime attack, burned the boats, and put to the sword those who had taken refuge there. ⁷ Then, because the gates of the town were closed, he withdrew, intending to return later and wipe out the entire community of Joppa.

⁸ However, after learning that the people of Jamnia planned to deal in the same way with the Jews who lived among them, ⁹ he attacked the Jamnians by night and set fire to the harbor and the fleet, so that the glow of the flames was visible as far off as Jerusalem, thirty miles away.^[nm]

¹⁰ Judas Intervenes in Galaad.^[nn] When the Jews had proceeded more than a mile from there in their campaign against Timothy, they were attacked by at least five thousand Arab infantrymen supported by five hundred horsemen. ¹¹ After a fierce struggle, Judas and his companions were victorious with the help of God. The defeated nomads begged Judas to make a pact of friendship with them, and they promised to supply the Jews with cattle and to help them in every other way possible. ¹² Realizing that they might indeed be useful in many ways, Judas agreed to make peace with them, and after assurances of friendship had been exchanged, the Arabs withdrew to their tents.

¹³ Judas also attacked a town named Caspin, which was fortified by earthworks and ramparts and inhabited by a mixed population of Gentiles. ¹⁴ Confident in the strength of their walls and their stock of provisions, the besieged treated Judas and his men with contempt, insulting them and uttering blasphemies and profanity. ¹⁵ However, Judas and his men invoked the great Sovereign of the world who, without battering ram or engines of war, had overthrown Jericho in the days of Joshua. Then they stormed the wall with a savage assault. ¹⁶ They captured the town by the will of God, inflicting such an indescribable slaughter that the adjoining lake, a quarter of a mile in width, appeared to be overflowing with blood.

¹⁷ The Battle of Carnaim. When they had advanced from there about ninety-five miles, they came to Charax, which was inhabited by those Jews known as Toubiani.^{[no] 18} However, they did not find Timothy in that region, for by then he had departed from there without accomplishing anything, aside from leaving behind a very strong garrison in one place. ¹⁹ But Dositheus and Sosipater, two of the generals of Maccabeus, marched out and destroyed the force that Timothy had left behind in the stronghold, a force that numbered more than ten thousand men. ²⁰ Meanwhile, Maccabeus divided his army into cohorts, with a commander in charge of each cohort,^[np] and hurried in pursuit of Timothy, whose troops numbered one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twenty-five hundred cavalry. ²¹ When Timothy learned of the approach of Judas, he sent off the women and the children and also the baggage to a place called Carnaim, which was hard to besiege and difficult to approach because of the narrowness of the passages of entry.

²² However, after the first cohort of Judas appeared, the enemy was stricken with terror and fear at the manifestation of the All-seeing One. In headlong flight, they scattered in every direction, so that frequently they were injured by their own comrades and run through by the points of their swords. ²³ Judas pressed the pursuit vigorously, putting the sinners to the sword and slaying as many as thirty thousand men.

²⁴ Timothy himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater and their men, but with considerable cunning, he begged them to let him go unharmed, the reason being that he had the parents and relatives of many of them in his power and their fate was in his hands. ²⁵ When he made a solemn pledge to return those hostages unharmed, they set him free for the sake of saving their kindred. ²⁶ Judas then marched against Car-naim and the temple of Atargatis,^[nq] where he slaughtered twenty-five thousand people.

²⁷ Judas Returns to Jerusalem. After the defeat and destruction of these, he led his army against Ephron, a fortified town where Lysias dwelt with people of various nationalities. Stalwart young men took up their posts in defense of the walls and made a spirited stand, while inside there were large supplies of engines of war and missiles. ²⁸ However, the Jews, having invoked the Sovereign whose power shatters the strength of his enemies, gained control of the town and killed about twenty-five thousand of the people inside. ²⁹ Then they set out from there and pushed on to Scythopolis,^[nr] seventy-five miles from Jerusalem. ³⁰ But when the Jews who lived there testified to the goodwill that the people of Scythopolis had shown them, and to their kind treatment of them during times of misfortune, ³¹ Judas and his men thanked them and exhorted them to be well disposed to their race in the future also. Finally, since the Feast of Weeks^[ns] was close at hand, they proceeded to Jerusalem.

³² An Engagement That Ends Badly. After the Feast of Pentecost, they marched against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea, ³³ who confronted them with three thousand foot soldiers and four hundred horsemen. ³⁴ In the course of the ensuing battle, a small number of Jews lost their lives. ³⁵ However, a man named Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s cavalry forces^[nt] and an individual of great strength, caught hold of Gorgias by his cloak and forcibly dragged him along, intending to take the accursed man alive. But a Thracian horseman bore down on Dositheus and cut off his arm at the shoulder, enabling Gorgias to escape to Marisa.

³⁶ Meanwhile, inasmuch as Esdris and his men were exhausted after engaging in battle for a long time, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in the battle. ³⁷ Then, raising a battle cry in his ancestral tongue, along with hymns, he launched a surprise attack and put the forces of Gorgias to flight. ³⁸ Thereupon Judas rallied his forces and advanced to the town of Adullam. Inasmuch as the seventh day of the week was at hand, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the Sabbath there.

³⁹ The Sacrifice for the Dead.^[nu] On the following day, since the need had now become urgent, Judas and his men went to collect the bodies of those who had fallen and to bury them with their kindred in their ancestral tombs. ⁴⁰ However, under the tunic of each of the dead, they found amulets that were sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. Thus it was clear to everyone that this was the reason that these men had been slain. ⁴¹ And so they all praised the acts of the Lord, the just judge who reveals things that are hidden, ⁴² and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be completely blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, since they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as a result of the sin of those who had fallen.

⁴³ Then he took up a collection from all of his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this, he acted in a suitable and honorable way, guided by his belief in the resurrection.^{[nv] 44} For if he had not expected those who had fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. ⁴⁵ However, if he was focusing on the splendid reward reserved for those whose death was marked by godliness, his thought was holy and devout. ⁴⁶ Therefore, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead so that they might be delivered from their sin.

Chapter 13

The End of Menelaus, the Renegade. ¹ In the year one hundred and forty-nine, Judas and his men were informed that Antiochus Eupator was advancing on Judea with a large army, and that accompanying him was Lysias, his guardian, who was in charge of the government. ² Additionally, they had a Greek force consisting of one hundred and ten thousand foot soldiers, five thousand three hundred horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.^[nw]

³ Menelaus also joined them, and with considerable hypocrisy, he kept urging Antiochus on, not for the sake of his country’s welfare, but in the belief that he would thereby become established in office. ⁴ However, the King of kings^[nx] stirred up the fury of Antiochus against this scoundrel, and when Lysias offered convincing evidence to the king that Menelaus was to blame for all the trouble, Antiochus ordered him to be taken to Beroea and executed there in the customary local manner. ⁵ In that place there is a tower seventy-five feet high, full of ashes, with a rim encircling it that slopes down precipitously on all sides into the ashes. ⁶ Anyone found guilty of sacrilege, or any other heinous crime, is taken to the top and then hurled down to destruction. ⁷ Such was the fate suffered by Menelaus,^[ny] the transgressor of the law, as he died without even being given the privilege of burial in the ground. ⁸ His manner of death was eminently just, for he had committed innumerable sins against the altar whose fire and ashes were holy, and it was in ashes that he met his death.

Judas Triumphs against the Syrians at Modein. ⁹ The king then advanced with savage arrogance, aiming to inflict on the Jews far worse sufferings than they had experienced under his father. ¹⁰ When Judas learned of this, he urged the people to call upon the Lord night and day and to implore him to come to their aid now more than ever before, ¹¹ since they were in danger of being deprived of their law, their country, and the holy temple, and not to allow them, just when they had begun to revive, to once again fall into the hands of the blasphemous Gentiles. ¹² When they had all joined in this petition and had implored the merciful Lord unceasingly for three days with weeping and fasting as they prostrated themselves, Judas encouraged them and ordered them to stand ready.

¹³ After consulting privately with the elders, he decided not to wait for the king’s army to invade Judea and take possession of the city, but to march forth and resolve matters with the help of God. ¹⁴ Thus, committing the outcome to the Creator of the world and exhorting his soldiers to fight bravely to the death for the law, the temple, the city, the country, and their way of life, he pitched camp near Modein.^{[nz] 15} After giving his troops the battle cry, “God’s victory,” he made a nighttime attack on the king’s pavilion with a picked force of his bravest young warriors and killed about two thousand of the enemy in the camp, also slaying the lead elephant and its driver. ¹⁶ Eventually, they filled the camp with terror and confusion and then withdrew in triumph,^{[oa] 17} just as dawn was breaking. All this was achieved through the help and protection that Judas had received from the Lord.

¹⁸ Antiochus V Makes a Treaty with the Jews. The king, having had a taste of the daring of the Jews, resorted to strategy to capture their positions. ¹⁹ He advanced against Beth-zur, a strong fortress of the Jews, but he was checked, driven back, and defeated. ²⁰ Judas then sent whatever supplies were needed to the garrison, ²¹ but Rhodocus, a soldier in the Jewish army, passed on secret information^[ob] to the enemy. He was found out, arrested, and imprisoned. ²² The king negotiated with the inhabitants of Beth-zur for a second time, offering and accepting pledges of friendship. After withdrawing, he then attacked Judas and his men but was defeated.

²³ Soon afterward, he received a report that Philip,^[oc] who had been left in charge of the government in Antioch, had rebelled. Stunned by this news, he opened negotiations with the Jews, agreed to their terms, and swore to respect all their rights. Having reached this agreement, he offered a sacrifice, honored the sanctuary, and made a generous donation to the holy place. ²⁴ He received Maccabeus in a gracious manner and left Hegemonides to serve as governor of the region from Ptolemais to the territory of the Gerrhenes.

²⁵ When he thereupon went to Ptolemais, the people of that city expressed their disapproval of the treaty in no uncertain terms, and were so angered that they wanted to annul its provisions. ²⁶ However, Lysias mounted the rostrum and made a reasoned defense of the treaty that won them over, calmed them down, and obtained their goodwill. Then he departed for Antioch.

Such are the basic facts of the king’s attack and his subsequent retreat.

The War against Nicanor’s Strategy

Chapter 14

Alcimus Plots Intrigues against the New King. ¹ Three years later, Judas and his followers were informed that Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, had sailed into the harbor of Tripolis with a powerful army and a fleet,^{[od] 2} and that he had taken control of the country after having done away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.

³ Now a man named Alcimus, a former high priest who had willfully incurred defilement at the time of the revolt, realized that there was no possible way that his safety could be assured or that he could again have access to the holy altar. ⁴ Therefore, he went to King Demetrius about the year one hundred and fifty-one and presented him with a crown of gold and a palm branch, in addition to some of the customary olive branches from the temple. On that occasion, he kept silent. ⁵ However, he found an opportunity to further his mad scheme when Demetrius invited him to a meeting of the council and questioned him about the dispositions and the intentions of the Jews. He replied:

⁶ “Those Jews who are called Hasideans and are led by Judas Maccabeus are warmongers who foment sedition and prevent the kingdom from achieving a state of tranquility. ⁷ That is why, although I have been deprived of my ancestral dignity—I am referring to the high priesthood—I have now come here, ⁸ first out of my genuine concern for the interests of the king, and second, because of my regard for my compatriots, since our entire nation has been afflicted severely because of the irresponsible conduct of these people I have mentioned. ⁹ When you have ascertained the truth of these facts, O king, may it please you to make provision for the welfare of our country and our oppressed people, exhibiting the same gracious kindness that you extend to all. ¹⁰ For as long as Judas remains alive, it will be impossible for the state to enjoy the condition of peace.”

¹¹ When he had said this, the rest of the King’s Friends, all of whom were hostile to Judas, added further fuel to the fire, inflaming the anger of Demetrius even more.

¹² The king immediately chose Nicanor,^[oe] who had been in command of the elephants, and appointed him as governor of Judea. Then, he sent him forth ¹³ with orders to put Judas to death, to disperse his followers, and to install Alcimus as high priest of the great temple.

¹⁴ The Gentiles throughout Judea, who had fled from the attacks of Judas, now flocked to join Nicanor, confident that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.

¹⁵ Nicanor Makes Peace with Judas. When the Jews learned that Nicanor was approaching and that the Gentiles were rallying to his support, they sprinkled dust over themselves and prayed to him who had established his people forever and who always came to the aid of his heritage. ¹⁶ At the command of their leader, they set out from there immediately and confronted the enemy at the village of Adasa.^{[of] 17} Simon, the brother of Judas, engaged in battle with Nicanor, but suffered a minor setback due to the sudden appearance of the enemy. ¹⁸ However, when Nicanor heard of the bravery exhibited by Judas and his men and how courageously they always fought for their country, he became reluctant to allow the issue to be settled by bloodshed. ¹⁹ Therefore, he sent Posidonius, Theodotus, and Mattathias to negotiate a treaty of peace.

²⁰ After a lengthy discussion of the terms, each leader explained them to his troops, and all were of one mind in favor of accepting them. ²¹ On the day decided upon for the respective leaders to meet privately, a chariot came forward from each side, and thrones were set in place. ²² Judas had posted armed men at strategic points to prevent any sudden act of treachery on the part of the enemy. In this way, the conference was held without any complications.

²³ Nicanor stayed on in Jerusalem and did nothing there that could be construed as a hostile act. He sent away the crowds that had rallied to him, ²⁴ but he always kept Judas close to him, for he became deeply attached^[og] to him. ²⁵ He urged him to marry and have children, and Judas did marry and settle down to lead the quiet life of an ordinary citizen.

²⁶ Nicanor Moves Anew against Judas. When Alcimus^[oh] discovered the depth of the friendship that these two men had for each other, he went to Demetrius with a copy of the treaty they had signed. He claimed that Nicanor was engaged in treasonable activity against the state, since he had appointed Judas, a conspirator against the kingdom, to be his successor. ²⁷ Enraged by the slanderous charges of that villain, the king wrote to Nicanor, expressing his displeasure with the terms of the treaty and commanding him to send Maccabeus as a prisoner to Antioch at once.

²⁸ When this message reached Nicanor, he was greatly upset, for he did not wish to break his agreement with a man who had done nothing wrong. ²⁹ However, since there was no possible way to flaunt the king’s wishes, he waited for an opportunity to carry out the order by means of some stratagem. ³⁰ But Maccabeus began to notice that Nicanor was becoming much cooler in his dealings with him and displaying unaccustomed rudeness whenever they met, and he surmised that such an attitude did not bode well for him. Therefore, he gathered a large number of his followers and went into hiding from Nicanor.^[oi]

³¹ When Nicanor became aware that he had been cleverly outwitted by this man, he went to the great and holy temple at the time when the priests were offering the customary sacrifices and ordered them to surrender Judas. ³² When they declared under oath that they did not know the whereabouts of the wanted man, ³³ he stretched out his right hand toward the temple and swore this oath: “If you do not hand over Judas to me as a prisoner, I shall level this shrine of God to the ground and destroy the altar, and on this very spot, I will erect a splendid temple to Dionysus.”

³⁴ Having issued this threat, he then left, whereupon the priests stretched out their hands to heaven and prayed to the constant defender of our nation in these words: ³⁵ “O Lord of all, though you are in need of nothing, it has pleased you that there should be a temple for your dwelling place among us. ³⁶ Therefore, O Holy One, Lord of all holiness, preserve forever undefiled this house that has so recently been purified.”

³⁷ The Voluntary Sacrifice of Razis.^[oj] A man named Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor. He deeply loved his compatriots and was highly esteemed by them, and he was known as the father of the Jews because of his loyalty. ³⁸ In the early days of the revolt, he had been convicted of practicing Judaism and had risked unhesitatingly both life and limb in that cause. ³⁹ Nicanor, in his determination to demonstrate his contempt for the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to arrest him, ⁴⁰ for he thought that by such an action he would deliver a severe blow to the Jews. ⁴¹ When the troops were on the point of capturing the tower and were forcing open the outer gate, they called for fire to burn down the doors. Razis, finding himself surrounded on all sides, turned his sword on himself, ⁴² preferring to die nobly rather than fall into the hands of evil men and suffer outrages unworthy of his noble birth.

⁴³ However, in the heat of the struggle he failed to hit his mark exactly. So while the troops rushed in through the doors, he quickly ran up to the top of the wall and courageously threw himself down into the crowd. ⁴⁴ They quickly separated, and a space opened, and he plunged into the midst of the empty area they had vacated. ⁴⁵ Still breathing and inflamed with anger, he picked himself up and ran through the crowd, even though blood was gushing from his severe wounds. ⁴⁶ Then, standing on a steep rock, with almost the last drop of blood drained from his body, he tore out his entrails with both hands and flung them into the midst of the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to restore them to him once again. This was the manner of his death.

Chapter 15

Nicanor’s Blasphemy. ¹ When Nicanor was informed that Judas and his troops were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them on their day of rest when there would be no risk.^{[ok] 2} Those Jews who had been forced to accompany him pleaded: “Do not massacre them in so savage and barbaric a fashion. Show respect for the day that the All-seeing has exalted and sanctified above all other days.” ³ At this, the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there was a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the observance of the Sabbath day. ⁴ When the Jews declared, “The living Lord himself, the ruler in heaven, ordered us to keep holy the seventh day,” ⁵ he replied, “And I am a sovereign on earth, and I command you to take up arms and carry out the king’s business.” Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his wicked plan.

Judas’s Humble Trust Is Contrasted with Nicanor’s Haughty Certainty.^{[ol] 6} Nicanor, in his utter boastfulness and arrogance, had planned to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men. ⁷ However, Maccabeus remained confident, firm in his belief that he would receive help from the Lord. ⁸ He urged his troops to have no fear of the attack of the enemy but to keep in mind the help that they had received from Heaven in former times and to remain confident that victory would be theirs through the help of the Almighty. ⁹ He encouraged them by citing the Law and the Prophets,^[om] and by reminding them of the struggles they had already survived in the past, he filled them with fresh enthusiasm. ¹⁰ When he had stirred up their courage, he issued his orders, reminding them at the same time of the treachery of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths. ¹¹ Having armed each of them not so much with the protection of shield and spear as with the confidence aroused by brave words, he encouraged all of them by relating a dream, a type of vision, that was worthy of belief.

¹² What he had seen was this: Onias, the former high priest, a good and noble man, modest in bearing, gentle in manner, eloquent in speech, and trained from childhood in every virtue, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole Jewish community. ¹³ Next, in the same fashion, another man appeared, distinguished by his great age and dignity, an impressive air of majesty and extraordinary authority. ¹⁴ Onias then began to speak. “This is God’s prophet Jeremiah,” he said, “who loves the family of Israel and fervently prays for his people and the holy city.” ¹⁵ Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and presented Judas with a gold sword. As he gave it to him, he said, ¹⁶ “Take this holy sword as a gift from God. With it you will crush your enemies.”

¹⁷ Preparations for Combat.^[on] Encouraged by the noble words of Judas, which had the power to inspire valor and stir up courage in the hearts of the young, the Jews resolved not to delay but to bravely take the offensive and engage in hand-to-hand combat, inasmuch as their city, their holy things,^[oo] and their temple were in danger. ¹⁸ Their concern was not so much for their wives and children or their brothers and sisters and kindred as it was for the consecrated sanctuary. ¹⁹ Those who remained in the city experienced a similar anxiety, for they were anxious about the battle that was about to take place in the open country.

²⁰ Everyone now awaited the moment of decision. The enemy was already mounting the attack, with their troops drawn up in battle formation, with their elephants deployed in strategic positions, and with the cavalry stationed on the flanks. ²¹ Observing the deployment of the troops, the variety of the weapons, and the savagery of the elephants, Maccabeus stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works miracles, for he was well aware that it was not by force of arms but, as God himself decides, that victory is won by those who deserve it. ²² His prayer was in these words:

“You, O Lord, sent your angel in the days of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he slew at least one hundred and eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib’s army. ²³ Now, O Sovereign of the heavens, please send a good angel once again to go before us spreading terror and panic. ²⁴ May these blasphemers who have come to attack your holy people be struck down by the might of your arm.” With these words he brought his prayer to a close.

²⁵ The Gentiles Are Defeated.^[op] Nicanor and his forces advanced to the sound of trumpets and songs of battle, ²⁶ but Judas and his troops countered by engaging the enemy with invocations and prayers. ²⁷ Fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they cut down at least thirty-five thousand men and greatly rejoiced over this manifestation of God’s power. ²⁸ When the battle was over and they were joyfully departing, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor. ²⁹ Thereupon, they raised tumultuous shouts in their ancestral tongue in praise of the divine Sovereign.

³⁰ Then Judas, who had devoted himself, body and soul, to the defense of his people and had maintained from his youth his love for his compatriots, ordered them to cut off Nicanor’s head and his whole right arm and carry them to Jerusalem. ³¹ When he arrived there and had called the people together and stationed the priests before the altar, he sent for those in the citadel ³² and showed them the head of the vile Nicanor and the wretched blasphemer’s arm that had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty. ³³ He cut out the tongue of the godless Nicanor and swore that he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and hang up the rewards of his folly opposite the temple. ³⁴ On hearing this, everyone looked to heaven and blessed the Lord for the manifestation of his divine power, saying, “Blessed be he who has preserved his own place from defilement.”

³⁵ Judas hung Nicanor’s head from the citadel, a clear and evident sign to everyone of the help of the Lord. ³⁶ By public vote it was unanimously decreed never to allow that day to pass unobserved, but to celebrate it on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic,^[oq] the eve of Mordecai’s day.

Author’s Epilogue

³⁷ This, then, was the fate of Nicanor, and since that time, the city has remained in the possession of the Hebrews. Therefore, I will bring my own work to an end here too. ³⁸ If it has been well written and to the point, that has been my purpose. If it is poorly done and mediocre, that is the best I can do. ³⁹ For just as it is injurious to drink wine by itself or water by itself, whereas wine mixed with water produces a pleasant and delicious drink that enhances one’s enjoyment, so a skillful style used in presenting a story will delight the ears of those who read the work. Let this, then, be the end.

Prologue: Job’s Prosperity, Woes, and Resignation^[or]

Chapter 1

A Good and Righteous Man.^{[os] 1} Job, a good and righteous man, lived in the land of Uz. He feared God and shunned evil. ² He was the father of seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he possessed seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred donkeys, in addition to a large number of servants. Thus, he was the greatest man throughout the entire East.

⁴ Job’s sons had the custom of taking turns hosting banquets in one another’s house, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ And when each banquet had been completed, Job would send for his children and sanctify them, rising early in the morning and sacrificing burnt offerings for each of them. For Job said, “It could perhaps have happened that my sons have sinned and blasphemed against God in their hearts.” This was his regular custom.

“Why Should Job Not Be a God-Fearing Man?”^{[ot] 6} One day the sons of God assembled to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan was with them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “I have been roaming the earth and going back and forth in it.” ⁸ The Lord asked him, “Have you paid any notice to my servant Job? You will not find anyone like him on the entire earth. He is a good and righteous man who fears God and shuns evil.”

⁹ Satan said in reply, “Why should Job not be a God-fearing man? ¹⁰ You have safeguarded him and his family and all his possessions with your protection. You have blessed every one of his undertakings, and his flocks have continued to increase throughout the land. ¹¹ But if you stretch out your hand and strike all that he has, he will surely curse you to your face.” ¹² The Lord then said, “Very well. All that he has is in your power. However, you may not lay a hand upon him.” So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

¹³ Messengers of Woe.^[ou] One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “While your oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them, ¹⁵ the Sabeans^[ov] swooped down on them and carried them off, after first putting the herdsmen to the sword. I alone have escaped to tell you.”

¹⁶ While he was speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God^[ow] flashed from heaven, striking the sheep and their shepherds and consuming them. I alone have escaped to tell you.”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger ran up and said, “Three bands of Chaldeans^[ox] made a raid on the camels and carried them off and slaughtered those who were tending them. I alone have escaped to tell you.”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came forth and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house. ¹⁹ Then suddenly a powerful wind swept across the desert. It struck the four corners of the house, which collapsed upon the young people, and they are all dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.^[oy]

²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his cloak, and shaved his head. He threw himself prostrate on the ground ²¹ and said:

²² In all this, Job did not sin, nor did he revile God.

Chapter 2

Have You Paid Any Notice to My Servant Job?^{[oz] 1} On another occasion the sons of God came forward to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan accompanied them. ² The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “I have been roaming the earth and going back and forth in it.”

³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you paid any notice to my servant Job? You will not find anyone like him on the entire earth. He is a good and righteous man who fears God and shuns evil. He still maintains his integrity, even though you incited me to ruin him without the slightest justification.”

⁴ Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin!^[pa] A man will surrender everything he has to save his own life. ⁵ But now if you stretch forth your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, he will curse you to your face.” ⁶ The Lord said to Satan, “He is in your power, but you must spare his life.”

Job Did Not Utter a Single Sinful Word.^{[pb] 7} Therefore, when Satan left the Lord’s presence, he afflicted Job with malignant sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. ⁸ Job took a potsherd to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.^[pc]

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “When will you give up persisting in your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰ He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. If we accept good things from God, should we not be willing to accept sorrows as well?” In all this, Job did not utter a single sinful word.

¹¹ The Three Friends.^[pd] When three of Job’s friends heard of all the misfortunes that he had endured, each of them set out from his own home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. After they gathered together, they went forth to console and comfort him.^[pe]

¹² However, when they first saw Job from a distance, they could hardly recognize him, and they wept aloud, tore their cloaks, and threw dust into the air over their heads. ¹³ Then they sat there with him upon the ground for seven days and seven nights. None of them spoke a word to him, for they could clearly see how greatly he was suffering.

First Cycle of Speeches

Job Curses the Day He Was Born

Chapter 3

Perish the Day on Which I Was Born. ¹ After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² He said:

Why Go On Living?^[ph]

What Good Is Life?^[pj]

Eliphaz’s First Speech^[pl]

Chapter 4

Can You Recall Even One Innocent Person Who Perished?^{[pm] 1} Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded:

Can a Human Being Appear Upright in the Presence of God?^[pn]

Chapter 5

Resentment Slays the Fool^[pp]

I Would Appeal to God^[pu]

Blessed Is the Man Whom God Reproves^[pv]

Job’s First Response^[py]

Chapter 6

Impetuous Words.^{[pz] 1} Job then answered with these words:

The Consolation of Death^[qb]

My Brethren Have Betrayed Me^[qc]

Make Me Understand How I Have Been at Fault^[qe]

Chapter 7

A Life of Exhausting Service^[qf]

My Life Is But a Breath^[qg]

A Continual Testing^[qj]