1 Maccabees 6

Brentonand that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there:

Brentonwherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof,

Brentonrose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.

Brentonand that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power, was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:

Brentonalso that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.

BrentonAnd there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.

BrentonWherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care.

BrentonAnd I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.

BrentonBut now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.

BrentonI perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

BrentonAnd gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the end he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom.

BrentonSo king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.

BrentonNow when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.

BrentonWherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

BrentonSo they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and other engines.

Brentonand they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?

BrentonWe have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;

Brentonfor which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance.

BrentonAnd, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.

BrentonWherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.

BrentonThere came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

BrentonSo that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.

BrentonThese went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.

BrentonThen the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bethzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.

BrentonMoreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.

BrentonThese were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

BrentonAnd upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

BrentonNow when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.

BrentonSo part of the king's army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.

BrentonWherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

BrentonEleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,

Brentonput himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

Brentonwherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.

BrentonWhich done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

BrentonHowbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

BrentonBut with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.

BrentonAs for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

BrentonWhereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

BrentonYet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea, that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)

Brentonthere were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

Brentonwas returned out of Persia and Media, and the king's host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of affairs.

BrentonWherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

Brentonnow therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

Brentonand covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.

BrentonAlso the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

BrentonThen the king entered into mount Sion: but when he saw the strength of the place, he brake his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

BrentonAfterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.