12
1 When these covenants were made, Lysias went unto the king, and the Jews were about their husbandry.
2 But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus,
and Demophon, and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live
in peace.
3 The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with
their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.
4 Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and
suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred
of them.
5 When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to make
them ready.
6 And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against those murderers of his brethren, and burnt
the haven by night, and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew.
7 And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he would return to root out all them of the city
of Joppa.
8 But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them,
9 He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven and the navy, so that the light of
the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.
10 Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five
thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him.
11 Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas’ side by the help of God got the victory; so that the
Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to
pleasure him otherwise.
12 Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them peace: whereupon
they shook hands, and so they departed to their tents.
13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls, and
inhabited by people of divers countries; and the name of it was Caspis.
14 But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals, that
they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering
such words as were not to be spoken.
15 Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without rams or engines
of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls,
16 And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs
broad near adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood.
17 Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to Characa unto the Jews that
are called Tubieni.
18 But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for before he had dispatched any thing, he departed
from thence, having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold.
19 Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus’ captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus
had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.
20 And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the bands, and went against Timotheus, who
had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.
21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas’ coming, he sent the women and children and the other baggage
unto a fortress called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason
of the straitness of all the places.
22 But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through
the appearing of him who seeth all things, fled amain, one running into this way, another that way, so
as that they were often hurt of their own men, and wounded with the points of their own swords.
23 Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty
thousand men.
24 Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater, whom he besought with much
craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Jews’ parents, and the brethren of some
of them, who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded.
25 So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt, according to the
agreement, they let him go for the saving of their brethren.
26 Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty
thousand persons.
27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed the host toward Ephron, a strong city,
wherein Lysias abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls,
and defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and darts.
28 But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, who with his power breaketh the strength
of his enemies, they won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within,
30 But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and
entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity;
31 They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the
feast of the weeks approaching.
35 At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still
upon Gorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed
man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa.
36 Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that
he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.
37 And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon
Gorgias’ men, he put them to flight.
38 So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified
themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.
39 And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of
them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers’ graves.
40 Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites,
which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were
slain.
41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,
42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance.
Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before
their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.
43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver,
he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was
mindful of the resurrection: