1 Macc 7

1 In the hundrid yeer and oon and fifti Demetrie, sone of Sileuce, wente out fro the cite of Rome, and stiede with fewe men in to a citee niy the see, and regnede there. 2 And it was don, as he entride in to the hous of the rewme of his fadris, the oost cauyte Antiok, and Lisias, for to brynge hem to hym. 3 And the thing was knowun to hym, and he seide, Nyle ye schewe to me the face of hem. 4 And the oost slow hem. And Demetrie sat on the seete of his rewme; 5 and wickid men and vnfeithful of Israel camen to hym, and Alchymus, duyk of hem, that wolde be maad prest; 6 and accusiden the puple anentis the kyng, and seiden, Judas and hise britheren loste thi frendis, and dyuerseli loste vs fro oure lond. 7 Now therfor sende thou a man, to whom thou bileuest, that he go, and se al the distriyng that he hath don to vs, and to cuntreis of the kyng; and he punyschide alle frendis of hym, and helperis of hem. 8 And the kyng chees of his frendis Bachides, that was lord ouer the greet flood in the rewme, and trewe to the kyng, and sente hym, 9 for to see the distriyng that Judas dide; and he ordeynede vnfeithful Alchymus in to presthod, and bad hym do veniaunce on the sones of Israel. 10 And thei risiden, and camen with greet oost in to the lond of Juda; and thei senten messangeris, and spaken to Judas and his britheren, with pesible wordis in gile. 11 And thei yauen not tent to her wordis; for thei siyen, that thei camen with greet oost. 12 And the congregacioun of scribis camen togidere to Alchymus and Bachides, for to axe tho thingis that ben iust; 13 and the firste Assideis, that weren among the sones of Israel, and thei axiden of hem pees. 14 For thei seiden, A man, preist of the seed of Aaron, cometh, he schal not disseyue vs. 15 And he spak with hem pesible wordis, and swoor to hem, and seide, We schulen not brynge in to you yuels, nether to youre frendis. 16 And thei bileuyden to hym. And he cauyte of hem sixti men, and slow hem in o dai, bi the word that is writun, 17 Thei shedden out the fleischis of thi seyntis, and blood of hem in cumpas of Jerusalem, and there was not that biriede. 18 And drede and tremblyng felle in to al the puple, for thei seiden, Ther is not treuthe and dom in hem; for thei han brokun the ordynaunce, and the ooth that thei sworen. 19 And Bachides mouyde tentis fro Jerusalem, and appliede in to Bethseca; and sente, and cauyte many of hem that fledden fro hym; and he killide summe of the puple, and castide in to a greet pitte. 20 And he bitook the regioun to Alchymus, and left with hym help, in to helpyng of hym. And Bachides wente to the kyng, and Alchymus dide ynow, 21 for the princehod of his presthod. 22 And alle camen togidere to hym, whiche disturbliden her puple, and weldiden the lond of Juda; and diden greet veniaunce in Israel. 23 And Judas siy alle yuels, that Alchymus dide, and thei that weren with hym, to the sones of Israel, myche more than hethene men. 24 And he wente oute in to alle coostis of Judee in cumpas, and dide veniaunce on men forsakeris, and thei ceesiden for to go out ferthere in to the cuntrei. 25 Forsothe Alchimus siy, that Judas hadde victorie, and thei that weren with hym; and he knew that he mai not abide hem, and he wente ayen to the kyng, and accusiden hem in many synnes. 26 And the kyng sente Nicanor, oon of his noblere princes, that was hauntynge enemytees ayens Israel, and comaundide hym for to distrie the puple. 27 And Nycanor cam in to Jerusalem, with greet oost, and he sente to Judas and his britheren with gile, bi pesible wordis, 28 seiynge, Fiyte be not bitwixe me and you; Y schal come with fewe men, for to se youre faces with pees. 29 And he cam to Judas, and thei gretten hem togidere pesibli; and enemyes weren redi for to rauysche Judas. 30 And the word was knowun to Judas, that with gile he cam to hym; and he was aferd of hym, and he wolde no more se his face. 31 And Nicanor knew, that his councel was knowun, and he wente out ayens Judas in to fiyt, bisidis Cafarsalama. 32 And ther fellen doun of Nicanoris oost almest fyue thousynde men, and thei fledden in to the citee of Dauid. 33 And after these wordis Nicanor stiede in to the hil of Sion, and ther wenten out of prestis of the puple, for to grete hym in pees, and for to schewe to hym brent sacrifices, that weren offrid for the kyng. 34 And he scornyde and dispiside hem, and defoulide, and spak proudli, 35 and swoor with wraththe, seiynge, If Judas schal not be takun, and his oost, in to myn hondis, anoon whanne Y schal turne ayen in pees, Y schal brenne this hous. And he wente out with greet wraththe. 36 And prestis entriden, and stoden bifore the face of the auter and temple, 37 and wepynge seiden, Thou, Lord, hast chosun this hous, for to clepe to helpe thi name in it, that it schulde be an hous of preier and biseching to thi puple; do thou veniaunce in this man, 38 and his oost, and falle thei bi swerd; haue mynde on her blasfemyes, and yyue not to hem that thei abide. 39 And Nicanor wente out fro Jerusalem, and appliede tentis to Betheron; and the oost of Sirie cam to him. 40 And Judas appliede in Adarsa, with thre thousynde men. 41 And Judas preiede, and seide, Lord, an aungel wente out, and smoot an hundrid thousynde foure score and fyue thousyndis of hem, that weren sent fro the kyng Senacherib, for thei blasfemiden thee; 42 so al to-breke this oost in oure siyt to dai, and othere men wite, that he spak yuel on thin hooli thingis; and deme thou hym by the malice of hym. 43 And the oostis ioyneden batel in the thrittenthe dai of the monethe Adar; and tentis of Nicanor weren al to-brokun, and he felle doun the firste in batel. 44 Sothely as his oost siy, that Nicanor felle doun, thei castiden awei her armeris, and fledden. 45 And thei pursueden hem the weie of o dai, fro Adasor til me come in to Gasara; and thei sungen in trumpis after hem with signefiyngis. 46 And thei wenten out of alle castels of Judee in cumpas, and wyndewiden hem with hornes, and eftsoone weren conuertid to hem; and alle falliden bi swerd, and ther was not left of hem not oon. 47 And thei token the spuylis of hem to prey; and thei girdiden of the heed of Nicanor, and his riyt hond which he stretchide forth proudli, and thei brouyten, and hangiden ayens Jerusalem. 48 And the puple was glad greetli, and diden that dai in greet gladnesse; 49 and ordeyneden this dai for to be doon in alle yeeris, in the thritteneth day of the monethe Adar. 50 And the lond of Juda was stille a fewe dais.