Everything Apocrypha - 1 Maccabees
1 Maccabees Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
1Mac 4:1
Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of
the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night;
1Mac 4:2
To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and
smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his
guides.
1Mac 4:3
Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the
valiant men with him, that he might smite the king's army which
was at Emmaus,
1Mac 4:4
While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.
1Mac 4:5
In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of
Judas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the
mountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us
1Mac 4:6
But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain
with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor
swords to their minds.
1Mac 4:7
And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and
well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and
these were expert of war.
1Mac 4:8
Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not
their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.
1Mac 4:9
Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when
Pharaoh pursued them with an army.
1Mac 4:10
Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the
Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our
fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day:
1Mac 4:11
That so all the heathen may know that there is one who
delivereth and saveth Israel.
1Mac 4:12
Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming
over against them.
1Mac 4:13
Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that
were with Judas sounded their trumpets.
1Mac 4:14
So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled
into the plain.
1Mac 4:15
Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword:
for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of
Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them
upon a three thousand men.
1Mac 4:16
This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing
them,
1Mac 4:17
And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch
as there is a battle before us,
1Mac 4:18
And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but
stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after
this ye may boldly take the spoils.
1Mac 4:19
As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part
of them looking out of the mountain:
1Mac 4:20
Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to
flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen
declared what was done:
1Mac 4:21
When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore
afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to
fight,
1Mac 4:22
They fled every one into the land of strangers.
1Mac 4:23
Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much
gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and
great riches.
1Mac 4:24
After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving,
and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his
mercy endureth forever.
1Mac 4:25
Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
1Mac 4:26
Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias
what had happened:
1Mac 4:27
Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged,
because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel,
nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.
1Mac 4:28
The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together
threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand
horsemen, that he might subdue them.
1Mac 4:29
So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at
Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
1Mac 4:30
And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed
art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of
the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the
host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul,
and his armourbearer;
1Mac 4:31
Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let
them be confounded in their power and horsemen:
1Mac 4:32
Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of
their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their
destruction:
1Mac 4:33
Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let
all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.
1Mac 4:34
So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of
Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they
slain.
1Mac 4:35
Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness
of Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or
die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a
company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it
was, he purposed to come again into Judea.
1Mac 4:36
Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are
discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.
1Mac 4:37
Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and
went up into mount Sion.
1Mac 4:38
And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar
profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the
courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the
priests' chambers pulled down;
1Mac 4:39
They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast
ashes upon their heads,
1Mac 4:40
And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew
an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.
1Mac 4:41
Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that
were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
1Mac 4:42
So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had
pleasure in the law:
1Mac 4:43
Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones
into an unclean place.
1Mac 4:44
And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt
offerings, which was profaned;
1Mac 4:45
They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a
reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore
they pulled it down,
1Mac 4:46
And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a
convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what
should be done with them.
1Mac 4:47
Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a
new altar according to the former;
1Mac 4:48
And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within
the temple, and hallowed the courts.
1Mac 4:49
They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they
brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and
of incense, and the table.
1Mac 4:50
And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that
were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give
light in the temple.
1Mac 4:51
Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread
out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun
to make.
1Mac 4:52
Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which
is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth
year, they rose up betimes in the morning,
1Mac 4:53
And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar
of burnt offerings, which they had made.
1Mac 4:54
Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it,
even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and
harps, and cymbals.
1Mac 4:55
Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and
praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.
1Mac 4:56
And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and
offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the
sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
1Mac 4:57
They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of
gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they
renewed, and hanged doors upon them.
1Mac 4:58
Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that
the reproach of the heathen was put away.
1Mac 4:59
Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation
of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of
eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu,
with mirth and gladness.
1Mac 4:60
At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high
walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should
come and tread it down as they had done before.
1Mac 4:61
And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified
Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence
against Idumea.