CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF ABOUT FORTY YEARS, VIZ. FROM 175 TO 135 BEFORE CHRIST.
WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, BY
HENRY COTTON, D.C.L.
ARCHDEACON OF CASHEL,
AND DECEASED STUDENT AT CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD
OXFORD, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. MDCCCXXXII.
TO
THE PROVOST, FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS, VAN TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, TO WHOSE VALUABLE LIBRARY I HAD THE MOST GENEROUS ACCESS, THE PRESENT PUBLICATION IS ENGRAVED, IN TESTIMONY OF RESPECT AND REGARD.
THE
SECOND BOOK
OF
MACCABEES:
CONTAINING
THE HISTORY OF ABOUT FORTY YEARS, VIZ. FROM 175 TO 135 BEFORE CHRIST
CHAPTER III.
The valiant acts of Judas Maccabeus. B. C. 166.
Then his son Judas called Maccabaeus rose up in his stead. And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they who were joined with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
So, he got his people great honour and put on a breast-plate as a giant, and girt his warlike armour about him, and he fought battles, protecting the host with his sword. In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion’s whelp roaring for his prey. For he pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those who vexed his people. Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were con founded together, and deliverance was made to prosper in his hand. He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad about his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever. Moreover, he went through the cities of Judah, and destroyed the ungodly out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel: so that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.
Then Apollonius a gathered together the Gentiles, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel. Which thing when Judas
perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled. Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius’ sword also, and there with he fought all his life long.
Now when Seron, the captain b of the army of Syria, heard say, that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war; he said, I will get me a name and will be honoured in the kingdom ; for I will go fight with Judas, and them that are with him, who despise the king’s commandment. So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel. And when he came near to the going up of Bethoron c Judas went forth to meet him with a small company. Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day? Unto whom Judas answered, it is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few ; and with the God of heaven, it is all one to deliver with many d or with few; for the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host, but strength cometh from heaven. They come to us in the abundance of pride and iniquity, to destroy us and our wives and children, and to spoil us: but we fight for our lives and our
laws. Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them. Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown e before him. And they pursued them in the going down of Bethoron, unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines. Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and great dread to fall upon the nations round about them; insomuch that his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
Now 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. He opened also his treasure f, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready for every need. Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes g in the country were small, because of the dissension, and plague which he had brought upon the land by taking away the laws which had been of old time ; he feared that he should not, as in former times, have sufficient for his charges, and for the gifts, which before he had given with a liberal hand : for he had abounded above the kings h that were before him.
Wherefore, 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. So, he left Lysias, an honourable man, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king, from the river Euphrates, unto the borders of Egypt ; and to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again. Moreover, 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 which dwelt in Judaea and Jerusalem : to wit, that he 35 should send an array 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 ; and that he should place strange children in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot. So, the king took the half of the forces which remained, and departed from Antioch i his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries j.
Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends: and with them he sent forty thousand foot-men, and seven thousand horse-men, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it, as
the king commanded. So, they went forth with all their power and came and pitched by Emmaus k, in the plain country. And the merchants of the country hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, and 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 l, joined themselves unto them.
Now 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;) they said one to another. Let us restore the decayed estate of our people, and let us fight for our people, and the sanctuary. Then was the congregation gathered, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and hold: ask mercy and compassion. Now Jerusalem was uninhabited as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in, or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong the heathen had their habitation in that place, and joy was taken away from Jacob, and
the pipe and the harp ceased. Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha m, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the place where they prayed afore time in Israel. Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes; and laid open the book of the law, for which the heathen had sought diligently to paint in them the pictures n of their idols. They brought also the priests’ garments, and the first fruits, and the tithes; and the Nazarites o they stirred
up p, who had accomplished their days. Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, what shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away? For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy priests are in heaviness and brought low. And lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest. How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O God, be our help?
Then sounded they with trumpets and cried with a loud voice. And after this, Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens. But as for such as were building
houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful q, those he commanded that they should return every man to his own house, according to the law. So, the camp removed and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus. And Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these nations which are assembled against us, to destroy us and our sanctuary. For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calami 60 ties of our nation and our sanctuary. Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.
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