1Then Maccabaeus and those who were with him, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city. 2They pulled down the altars that had been built in the marketplace by the foreigners, and also the sacred enclosures. 3Having cleansed the sanctuary, they made another altar of sacrifice. Striking flint and starting a fire, they offered sacrifices after they had ceased for two years, burned incense, lit lamps, and set out the show bread. 4When they had done these things, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might fall no more into such evils; but that, if they ever did sin, they might be chastened by Him with forbearance, and not be delivered to blaspheming and barbarous heathen. 5Now on the same day that the sanctuary was profaned by foreigners, upon that very day it came to pass that the sanctuary was cleansed, even on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which is Chislev. 6They observed eight days with gladness in the manner of the feast of tabernacles, remembering how not long before, during the feast of tabernacles, they were wandering in the mountains and in the caves like wild animals. 7Therefore carrying wands wreathed with leaves, and beautiful branches, and palm fronds also, they offered up hymns of thanksgiving to Him who had successfully brought to pass the cleansing of His own place. 8They ordained also with a public statute and decree, for all the nation of the Jews, that they should observe these days every year.
9Such were the events of the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.
10Now we will declare what came to pass under Antiochus Eupator, who proved himself a son of that ungodly man, and will summarize the main evils of the wars. 11For this man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to be chancellor and supreme governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. 12For Ptolemy who was called Macron, setting an example of observing justice toward the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, endeavored to deal with them on peaceful terms. 13Whereupon being accused by the king’s friends before Eupator, and hearing himself called traitor at every turn because he had abandoned Cyprus which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had withdrawn himself to Antiochus Epiphanes, and failing to uphold the honor of his office, he took poison and did away with himself.
14But when Gorgias was made governor of the district, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept up war with the Jews. 15Together with him the Idumaeans also, being masters of important strongholds, harassed the Jews; and received those who had taken refuge from Jerusalem, they endeavored to keep up the war. 16But Maccabaeus and his men, having made solemn supplication and having implored God to fight on their side, rushed upon the strongholds of the Idumaeans. 17Assaulting them vigorously, they took control of the positions, and kept off all who fought upon the wall, and killed those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand.
18Because no fewer than nine thousand had fled into two very strong towers having everything needed for a siege, 19Maccabaeus, having left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and those who were with him, a force sufficient to besiege them, departed himself to places where he was most needed. 20But Simon and those who were with him, yielding to covetousness, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and receiving seventy thousand drachmas, let some of them slip away. 21But when word was brought to Maccabaeus of what was done, he gathered the leaders of the people together, and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them. 22So he killed these men for having turned traitors, and immediately took possession of the two towers. 23Prospering with his weapons in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.
24Now Timotheus, who had been defeated by the Jews before, having gathered together foreign forces in great multitudes, and having collected the cavalry which belonged to Asia, not a few, came as though he would take Judea by force of weapons. 25But as he drew near, Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled dirt on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God, 26and falling down upon the step in front of the altar, implored Him to become gracious to them, and be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares. 27Rising from their prayer they took up their weapons, and advanced some distance from the city. When they had come near to their enemies, they halted. 28When the dawn was now breaking, the two armies joined in battle, the one part having this, beside virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the fight.
29When the battle became strong, there appeared out of heaven to their adversaries five splendid men on horses with bridles of gold, and two of them, leading on the Jews, 30and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while they shot arrows and thunderbolts at the enemies. For this reason, they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment. 31Twenty thousand five hundred were slain, beside six hundred cavalry.
32Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of great strength, where Chaereas was in command. 33Then Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress for four days. 34Those who were within, trusting in the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and hurled out impious words. 35But at dawn of the fifth day, certain young men of Maccabaeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall with masculine force and with furious anger, and cut down whoever came in their way. 36Others climbing up in the same way, while the enemies were distracted with those who had made their way within, set fire to the towers, and kindled fires that burned the blasphemers alive, while others broke open the gates, and, having given entrance to the rest of the band, occupied the city. 37They killed Timotheus, who was hidden in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes. 38When they had accomplished these things, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, blessing Him who provides great benefits to Israel and gives them the victory.
1Machabæus autem, et qui cum eo erant, Domino se protegente, templum quidem et civitatem recepit: 2aras autem quas alienigenæ per plateas exstruxerant, itemque delubra demolitus est: 3et purgato templo, aliud altare fecerunt, et de ignitis lapidibus igne concepto sacrificia obtulerunt post biennium, et incensum, et lucernas, et panes propositionis posuerunt. 4Quibus gestis, rogabant Dominum prostrati in terram, ne amplius talibus malis inciderent: sed et, siquando peccassent, ut ab ipso mitius corriperentur, et non barbaris ac blasphemis hominibus traderentur. 5Qua die autem templum ab alienigenis pollutum fuerat, contigit eadem die purificationem fieri, vigesima quinta mensis qui fuit Casleu. 6Et cum lætitia diebus octo egerunt in modum tabernaculorum, recordantes quod ante modicum temporis diem solemnem tabernaculorum in montibus et in speluncis more bestiarum egerant. 7Propter quod thyrsos, et ramos virides, et palmas præferebant ei qui prosperavit mundari locum suum. 8Et decreverunt communi præcepto et decreto universæ genti Judæorum omnibus annis agere dies istos. 9Et Antiochi quidem, qui appellatus est Nobilis, vitæ excessus ita se habuit. 10Nunc autem de Eupatore Antiochi impii filio quæ gesta sunt narrabimus, breviantes mala quæ in bellis gesta sunt. 11Hic enim suscepto regno, constituit super negotia regni Lysiam quemdam, Phœnicis et Syriæ militiæ principem. 12Nam Ptolemæus, qui dicebatur Macer, justi tenax erga Judæos esse constituit, et præcipue propter iniquitatem quæ facta erat in eos, et pacifice agere cum eis. 13Sed ob hoc accusatus ab amicis apud Eupatorem, cum frequenter proditor audiret, eo quod Cyprum creditam sibi a Philometore deseruisset, et ad Antiochum Nobilem translatus etiam ab eo recessisset, veneno vitam finivit. 14Gorgias autem cum esset dux locorum, assumptis advenis, frequenter Judæos debellabat. 15Judæi vero qui tenebant opportunas munitiones, fugatos ab Jerosolymis suscipiebant, et bellare tentabant. 16Hi vero qui erant cum Machabæo, per orationes Dominum rogantes ut esset sibi adjutor, impetum fecerunt in munitiones Idumæorum: 17multaque vi insistentes, loca obtinuerunt, occurrentes interemerunt, et omnes simul non minus viginti millibus trucidaverunt. 18Quidam autem cum confugissent in duas turres valde munitas, omnem apparatum ad repugnandum habentes, 19Machabæus ad eorum expugnationem relicto Simone, et Josepho, itemque Zachæo, eisque qui cum ipsis erant satis multis, ipse ad eas quæ amplius perurgebant pugnas conversus est. 20Hi vero qui cum Simone erant, cupiditate ducti, a quibusdam qui in turribus erant, suasi sunt pecunia: et septuaginta millibus didrachmis acceptis, dimiserunt quosdam effugere. 21Cum autem Machabæo nuntiatum esset quod factum est, principibus populi congregatis accusavit quod pecunia fratres vendidissent, adversariis eorum dimissis. 22Hos igitur proditores factos interfecit, et confestim duas turres occupavit. 23Armis autem ac manibus omnia prospere agendo in duabus munitionibus plus quam viginti millia peremit. 24At Timotheus, qui prius a Judæis fuerat superatus, convocato exercitu peregrinæ multitudinis, et congregato equitatu Asiano, advenit quasi armis Judæam capturus. 25Machabæus autem et qui cum ipso erant, appropinquante illo, deprecabantur Dominum, caput terra aspergentes, lumbosque ciliciis præcincti, 26ad altaris crepidinem provoluti, ut sibi propitius, inimicis autem eorum esset inimicus, et adversariis adversaretur, sicut lex dicit. 27Et ita post orationem, sumptis armis, longius de civitate procedentes, et proximi hostibus effecti, resederunt. 28Primo autem solis ortu utrique commiserunt: isti quidem victoriæ et prosperitatis sponsorem cum virtute Dominum habentes: illi autem ducem belli animum habebant. 29Sed cum vehemens pugna esset, apparuerunt adversariis de cælo viri quinque in equis, frenis aureis decori, ducatum Judæis præstantes: 30ex quibus duo Machabæum medium habentes, armis suis circumseptum incolumem conservabant: in adversarios autem tela et fulmina jaciebant, ex quo et cæcitate confusi et repleti perturbatione, cadebant. 31Interfecti sunt autem viginti millia quingenti, et equites sexcenti. 32Timotheus vero confugit in Gazaram præsidium munitum, cui præerat Chæreas. 33Machabæus autem et qui cum eo erant, lætantes obsederunt præsidium diebus quatuor. 34At hi qui intus erant, loci firmitate confisi, supra modum maledicebant, et sermones nefandos jactabant. 35Sed cum dies quinta illucesceret, viginti juvenes ex his qui cum Machabæo erant, accensi animis propter blasphemiam, viriliter accesserunt ad murum, et feroci animo incedentes ascendebant: 36sed et alii similiter ascendentes, turres portasque succendere aggressi sunt, atque ipsos maledicos vivos concremare. 37Per continuum autem biduum præsidio vastato, Timotheum occultantem se in quodam repertum loco peremerunt: et fratrem illius Chæream et Apollophanem occiderunt. 38Quibus gestis, in hymnis et confessionibus benedicebant Dominum, qui magna fecit in Israël, et victoriam dedit illis.