|
1 Machabees 13
|
 (13:1-54) Still more boring letters and (more of less) Godless wars.
(13:1) "Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army...."
|
| 13:1 Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army, to invade the land of Juda,
and to destroy it.
|
| 13:2 And seeing that the people was in dread, and in fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and assembled the people:
|
|
| 13:3 And exhorted them, saying: You know what great battles I and my brethren, and the house of my father, have fought
for the laws, and the sanctuary, and the distresses that we have seen:
|
|
| 13:4 By reason whereof all my brethren have lost their lives for Israel's sake, and I am left alone.
|
|
| 13:5 And now far be it from me to spare my life in any time of trouble: for I am not better than my brethren.
|
|
| 13:6 I will avenge then my nation and the sanctuary, and our children, and wives: for all the heathens are gathered together
to destroy us out of mere malice.
|
 (13:7-9) Isn't it amazing how everyone in Israel speaks with a single voice at the same time?
(13:7-8) "The people ... answered with a loud voice, saying: Thou art our leader in the place of Judas,
and Jonathan thy brother."
(13:9) "Fight thou our battles, and we will do whatsoever thou shalt say to us."
|
| 13:7 And the spirit of the people was enkindled as soon as they heard these words.
|
| 13:8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying: Thou art our leader in the place of Judas,
and Jonathan thy brother.
|
| 13:9 Fight thou our battles, and we will do whatsoever thou shalt say to us.
|
| 13:10 So gathering together all the men of war, he made haste to finish all the walls of Jerusalem, and he
fortified it round about.
|
|
| 13:11 And he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a new army into Joppe, and he cast out them that
were in it, and himself remained there.
|
|
| 13:12 And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great army, to invade the land of Juda, and Jonathan
was with him in custody.
|
|
| 13:13 But Simon pitched in Addus, over against the plain.
|
|
| 13:14 And when Tryphon understood that Simon was risen up in the place of his brother Jonathan, and that he meant to
join battle with him, he sent messengers to him,
|
|
| 13:15 Saying: We have detained thy brother Jonathan for the money that he owed in the king's account, by reason of
the affairs which he had the management of.
|
|
| 13:16 But now send a hundred talents of silver, and his two sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty
he may not revolt from us, and we will release him.
|
|
| 13:17 Now Simon knew that he spoke deceitfully to him, nevertheless he ordered the money, and the children to be
sent: lest he should bring upon himself a great hatred of the people of Israel, who might have said:
|
|
| 13:18 Because he sent not the money, and the children, therefore is he lost.
|
|
| 13:19 So he sent the children, and the hundred talents: and he lied, and did not let Jonathan go.
|
|
| 13:20 And after this Tryphon entered within the country, to destroy it: and they went about by the way that leadeth to Ador:
and Simon and his army marched to every place whithersoever they went.
|
|
| 13:21 And they that were in the castle, sent messengers to Tryphon, that he should make haste to come through the desert,
and send them victuals.
|
|
| 13:22 And Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, and he
came not into the country of Galaad.
|
|
| 13:23 And when he approached to Bascama, he slew Jonathan and his sons there.
|
|
| 13:24 And Tryphon returned, and went into his own country.
|
|
| 13:25 And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, in the city of his fathers.
|
|
| 13:26 And all Israel bewailed him with great lamentation: and they mourned for him many days.
|
|
| 13:27 And Simon built over the sepulchre of his father and of his brethren, a building lofty to the sight, of
polished stone behind and before:
|
|
| 13:28 And he set up seven pyramids one against another for his father and his mother, and his four brethren:
|
|
| 13:29 And round about these he set great pillars: and upon the pillars arms for a perpetual memory: and by the arms
ships carved, which might be seen by all that sailed on the sea.
|
|
| 13:30 This is the sepulchre that he made in Modin even unto this day.
|
|
| 13:31 But Tryphon when he was upon a journey with the young king Antiochus, treacherously slew him.
|
|
| 13:32 And he reigned in his place, and put on the crown of Asia: and brought great evils upon the land.
|
|
| 13:33 And Simon built up the strong holds of Judea, fortifying them with high towers, and great walls, and gates,
and bars: and he stored up victuals in the fortresses.
|
|
| 13:34 And Simon chose men and sent to king Demetrius, to the end that he should grant an immunity to the land:
for all that Tryphon did was to spoil.
|
|
| 13:35 And king Demetrius in answer to this request, wrote a letter in this manner:
|
|
| 13:36 King Demetrius to Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, and to the ancients, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting.
|
|
| 13:37 The golden crown, and the palm, which you sent, we have received: and we are ready to make a firm peace with you,
and to write to the king's chief officers to release you the things that we have released.
|
|
| 13:38 For all that we have decreed in your favour, shall stand in force. The strong holds that you have built,
shall be your own.
|
|
| 13:39 And as for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown which you owed:
and if any other thing were taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.
|
|
| 13:40 And if any of you be fit to be enrolled among ours, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.
|
|
| 13:41 In the year one hundred and seventy the yoke of the Gentiles was taken off from Israel.
|
|
| 13:42 And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments, and public records, The first year under
Simon the high priest, the great captain and prince of the Jews.
|
|
| 13:43 In those days Simon besieged Gaza, and camped round about it, and he made engines, and set them to the
city, and he struck one tower, and took it.
|
|
| 13:44 And they that were within the engine leaped into the city: and there was a great uproar in the city.
|
|
| 13:45 And they that were in the city went up with their wives and children upon the wall,
with their garments rent, and they cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.
|
(13:45) "They that were in the city went up with their wives and children upon the wall,
with their garments rent."
|
| 13:46 And they said: Deal not with us according to our evil deeds, but according to thy mercy.
|
|
| 13:47 And Simon being moved, did not destroy them: but yet he cast them out of the city, and cleansed the
houses wherein there had been idols, and then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord.
|
|
| 13:48 And having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men that should observe the law: and he fortified it,
and made it his habitation.
|
|
| 13:49 But they that were in the castle of Jerusalem were hindered from going out and coming into the country,
and from buying and selling: and they were straitened with hunger, and many of them perished through famine.
|
|
| 13:50 And they cried to Simon for peace, and he granted it to them: and he cast them out from thence, and
cleansed the castle from uncleannesses.
|
|
| 13:51 And they entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the year one hundred and
seventy-one, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and harps, and cymbals, and psalteries, and
hymns, and canticles, because the great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.
|
|
| 13:52 And he ordained that these days should be kept every year with gladness.
|
|
| 13:53 And he fortified the mountain of the temple that was near the castle, and he dwelt there himself,
and they that were with him.
|
|
| 13:54 And Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man for war: and he made him captain of all the forces: and he dwelt in Gazara.
|
|
|
Injustice 
Cruelty and Violence 
Women 
Intolerance 
Sex 
Contradictions
Get the SAB