2 Maccabees 3

1 The flesh of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. 2 Then fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made. 3 And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of them that were fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit. 4 Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king. 5 But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood. 6 And they that disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Juda into their power, and did much hurt in Israel. 7 And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and they that were with him, did to the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles. 8 And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance upon the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country. 9 And Alcimus saw that Judas and they that were with him, prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes. 10 And the king sent Nicanor, one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people. 11 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brethren deceitfully, with friendly words, 12 Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come with a few men, to see your faces with peace. 13 And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: and the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force. 14 And the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with deceit: and he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more. 15 And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas, near Capharsalama. 16 And there fell of Nicanor’s army almost five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David. 17 And after this Nicanor went up into mount Sion: and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king. 18 But he mocked and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly, 19 And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage. 20 And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said: 21 Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for thy name to be called upon therein, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people. 22 Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer. 23 Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Bethoron: and an army of Syria joined him. 24 But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said: 25 O Lord, when they that were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand: 26 Even so destroy this army in our sight today and let the rest know that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him according to his wickedness. 27 And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month, Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle. 28 And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain they threw away their weapons, and fled: 29 And they pursued after them one day’s journey from Adazer, even till ye come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals. 30 And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one. 31 And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem. 32 And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy. 33 And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar 34 And the land of Juda was quiet for a short time. 36 Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty in power. 37 And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts which they had done in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them under tribute: 38 And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel and patience: 39 And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute every year. 40 And that they had defeated in battle Philip and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had conquered them: