Chapter 1.  ¹⁶Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms. ¹⁷Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy, ¹⁸And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt; but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death. ¹⁹Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.
    ²⁰And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, ²¹And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, ²²And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off. ²³He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels; also he took the hidden treasures which he found. ²⁴And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.
    ²⁵Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were; ²⁶So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed. ²⁷Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness, ²⁸The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
    ²⁹And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude, ³⁰And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit; for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel. ³¹And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side. ³²But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle. ³³Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them. ³⁴And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein. ³⁵They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare; ³⁶For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel. ³⁷Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it; ³⁸Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them; whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her. ³⁹Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt. ⁴⁰As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
    ⁴¹Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, ⁴²And every one should leave his laws; so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. ⁴³Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. ⁴⁴For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, ⁴⁵And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days; ⁴⁶And pollute the sanctuary and holy people; ⁴⁷Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts; ⁴⁸That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation; ⁴⁹To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.
    ⁵¹In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city. ⁵²Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land; ⁵³And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.
    ⁵⁴Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side; ⁵⁵And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets. ⁵⁶And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire. ⁵⁷And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death. ⁵⁸Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities. ⁵⁹Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God. ⁶⁰At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised. ⁶¹And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.
    ⁶²Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing. ⁶³Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant; so then they died. ⁶⁴And there was very great wrath upon Israel.

Chapter 2.  ¹In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin. ²And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis; ³Simon, called Thassi; ⁴Judas, who was called Maccabeus; ⁵Eleazar, called Avaran; and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus. . . . [v. 6-69]

Chapter 3.  ¹Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead. ²And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel. . . . [v. 3-24]
    ²⁵Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them; ²⁶Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
    ²⁷Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation; wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army. ²⁸He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them. ²⁹Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time; ³⁰He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before; for he had abounded above the kings that were before him. ³¹Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
    ³²So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt; ³³And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again. ³⁴Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and Jerusalem; ³⁵To wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place; ³⁶And that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot. ³⁷So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.
    ³⁸Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends; ³⁹And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, as the king commanded. ⁴⁰So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country. ⁴¹And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves; a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.
    ⁴²Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders; for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them; ⁴³They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary. ⁴⁴Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion. . . . [v. 45-60]

Chapter 4.  ¹Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night; ²To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his guides. ³Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the valiant men with him, that he might smite the king's army which was at Emmaus, ⁴While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp. ⁵In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of Judas; and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains; for said he, These fellows flee from us
    ⁶But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor swords to their minds. ⁷And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and these were expert of war. ⁸Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault. ⁹Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army. ¹⁰Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day; ¹¹That so all the heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and saveth Israel.
    ¹²Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over against them. ¹³Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets. ¹⁴So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled into the plain. ¹⁵Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword; for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men. ¹⁶This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing them, ¹⁷And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch as there is a battle before us, ¹⁸And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain; but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils.
    ¹⁹As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain; ²⁰Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done; ²¹When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight, ²²They fled every one into the land of strangers. ²³Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches. ²⁴After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven; because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever. ²⁵Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
    ²⁶Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened; ²⁷Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass. ²⁸The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them. ²⁹So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
    ³⁰And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and his armourbearer; ³¹Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen; ³²Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their destruction; ³³Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.
    ³⁴So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they slain. ³⁵Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness of Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it was, he purposed to come again into Judea.
    ³⁶Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are discomfited; let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary. ³⁷Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion. ³⁸And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests' chambers pulled down; ³⁹They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads, ⁴⁰And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven. ⁴¹Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
    ⁴²So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law; ⁴³Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place. ⁴⁴And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned; ⁴⁵They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it; wherefore they pulled it down, ⁴⁶And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them. ⁴⁷Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former; ⁴⁸And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts. ⁴⁹They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table. ⁵⁰And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple. ⁵¹Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.
    ⁵²Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning, ⁵³And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made. ⁵⁴Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals. ⁵⁵Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success. ⁵⁶And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise. ⁵⁷They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them. ⁵⁸Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.
    ⁵⁹Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.
    ⁶⁰At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before. ⁶¹And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence against Idumea.