2 Macc 5

1 About the same time Antiochus prepared his second voyage into Egypt: 2 And then it happened, that through all the city, for the space almost of forty days, therewere seen horsemen running in the air, in cloth of gold, and armed with lances, like a band of soldiers, 3 And troops of horsemen in array, encountering and running one against another, with shakingof shields, and multitude of pikes, and drawing of swords, and casting of darts, and glittering of goldenornaments, and harness of all sorts. 4 Wherefore every man prayed that that apparition might turn to good. 5 Now when there was gone forth a false rumour, as though Antiochus had been dead, Jasontook at the least a thousand men, and suddenly made an assault upon the city; and they that were uponthe walls being put back, and the city at length taken, Menelaus fled into the castle: 6 But Jason killed his own citizens without mercy, not considering that to get the day ofthem of his own nation would be a most unhappy day for him; but thinking they had been his enemies, andnot his countrymen, whom he conquered. 7 Howbeit for all this he obtained not the principality, but at the last received shamefor the reward of his treason, and fled again into the country of the Ammonites. 8 In the end therefore he had an unhappy return, being accused before Aretas the king ofthe Arabians, fleeing from city to city, pursued of all men, hated as a forsaker of the laws, and beinghad in abomination as an open enemy of his country and countrymen, he was cast out into Egypt. 9 Thus he that had driven many out of their country perished in a strange land, retiringto the Lacedemonians, and thinking there to find succour by reason of his kindred: 10 And he that had cast out many unburied had none to mourn for him, nor any solemn funeralsat all, nor sepulchre with his fathers. 11 Now when this that was done came to the king's ear, he thought that Judea had revolted:whereupon removing out of Egypt in a furious mind, he took the city by force of arms, 12 And commanded his men of war not to spare such as they met, and to kill such as wentup upon the houses. 13 Thus there was killing of young and old, making away of men, women, and children, slayingof virgins and infants. 14 And there were destroyed within the space of three whole days fourscore thousand, whereofforty thousand were slain in the conflict; and no fewer sold than slain. 15 Yet was he not content with this, but presumed to go into the most holy temple of allthe world; Menelaus, that traitor to the laws, and to his own country, being his guide: 16 And taking the holy vessels with polluted hands, and with profane hands pulling downthe things that were dedicated by other kings to the augmentation and glory and honor of the place, hegave them away. 17 And so haughty was Antiochus in mind, that he considered not that the Lord was angryfor a while for the sins of them that lived in the city, and therefore his eye was not upon the place. 18 For had they not been formerly wrapped in many sins, this man, as soon as he had come,had forthwith been scourged, and put back from his presumption, as Heliodorus was, whom Seleucus the kingsent to view the treasury. 19 Nevertheless God did not choose the people for the place's sake, but the place for thepeople's sake. 20 And therefore the place itself, that was partaker with them of the adversity that happenedto the nation, did afterward communicate in the benefits sent from the Lord: and as it was forsaken inthe wrath of the Almighty, so again, the great Lord being reconciled, it was set up with all glory. 21 So when Antiochus had carried out of the temple a thousand and eight hundred talents,he departed in all haste to Antiochia, weening in his pride to make the land navigable, and the sea passableby foot: such was the haughtiness of his mind. 22 And he left governors to vex the nation: at Jerusalem, Philip, for his country a Phrygian,and for manners more barbarous than he that set him there; 23 And at Garizim, Andronicus; and besides, Menelaus, who worse than all the rest bare anheavy hand over the citizens, having a malicious mind against his countrymen the Jews. 24 He sent also that detestable ringleader Apollonius with an army of two and twenty thousand,commanding him to kill all those that were in their best age, and to sell the women and the younger sort: 25 Who coming to Jerusalem, and pretending peace, did forbear till the holy day of the sabbath,when taking the Jews keeping holy day, he commanded his men to arm themselves. 26 And so he killed all them that were gone to the celebrating of the sabbath, and runningthrough the city with weapons killed great multitudes. 27 But Judas Maccabeus with nine others, or thereabout, withdrew himself into the wilderness,and lived in the mountains after the manner of beasts, with his company, who fed on herbs continually,lest they should be partakers of the pollution.