1{\cf2 In the hundreth, and one and fiftieth yeere, departed Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus from Rome, and came vp with a fewe men vnto a citie of the sea coast, and reigned there.} 2{\cf2 And when he came into the possession of his fathers kingdome, his souldiers tooke Antiochus and Lysias, and brought them vnto him.} 3{\cf2 But when it was tolde him, he said, Shew me not their faces.} 4{\cf2 So they put them to death. Now when Demetrius was set vpon the throne of his kingdome,} 5{\cf2 There came vnto him all the wicked and vngodly men of Israel, whose captaine was Alcimus, that would haue bene the hie Priest.} 6{\cf2 These men accused the people vnto ye king, saying, Iudas and his brethren haue slaine all thy friendes, and driuen vs out of our owne lande.} 7{\cf2 Wherefore sende nowe some man, whome thou trustest, that he may goe and see all the destruction, which he hath done vnto vs, and to the Kinges lande, and let him punish them with all their partakers.} 8{\cf2 Then the King chose Bacchides a friende of his, which was a great man in the realme, and ruled beyond the flood, and was faithfull vnto the king, and sent him,} 9{\cf2 And that wicked Alcimus, whome he made hie Priest, and commanded him to be auenged of the children of Israel.} 10{\cf2 So they departed, and came with a great hoste into the land of Iuda, and sent messengers to Iudas and his brethren, deceitfully with peaceable wordes.} 11{\cf2 But they beleeued not their saying: for they sawe that they were come with a great hoste.} 12{\cf2 Then a company of the gouernours assembled vnto Alcimus and Bacchides to intreat of reasonable pointes.} 13{\cf2 And the Asideans were the first that required peace among the children of Israel.} 14{\cf2 For said they, He that is a Priest of the seede of Aaron, is come with this armie: therefore he will not hurt vs.} 15{\cf2 Then he spake vnto them peaceably, and swore vnto them, and sayde, We will doe you no harme, neither your friendes:} 16{\cf2 And they beleeued him: but he tooke of the three score men, and slewe them in one day according to the wordes that were written,} 17{\cf2 They haue cast the bodyes of thy Saintes, and their blood rounde about Ierusalem, and there was no man that would burie them.} 18{\cf2 So there came a feare and trembling among all the people: for they said, There is neither trueth nor righteousnesse in them: for they haue broken the appointment and othe that they made.} 19{\cf2 Then Bacchides remoued from Ierusalem, and pitched his tent at Beth-zecha, where he sent foorth and tooke many of the men that had forsaken him, and certaine of the people whome hee slewe and cast into the great pit.} 20{\cf2 Then committed he the countrey vnto Alcimus, and left men of warre with him to helpe him: so Bacchides went vnto the King.} 21{\cf2 Thus Alcimus stroue for the Priesthoode.} 22{\cf2 And all such as troubled the people, resorted vnto him: in so much, that they obteined the land of Iuda, and did much hurt in Israel.} 23{\cf2 Nowe when Iudas sawe all the mischiefe, that Alcimus and his company had done among the Israelites more then the heathen,} 24{\cf2 He went foorth rounde about all the borders of Iudea, and punished those that were fallen away, so that they came no more abroade in the countrey.} 25{\cf2 But when Alcimus sawe that Iudas and his people had gotten the vpper hande, and knew that he was not able to abide them, he went againe to the King, and accused them of wicked things.} 26{\cf2 Then the King sent Nicanor one of his chiefe princes, which hated Israel deadly, and commanded him, that he should destroy the people.} 27{\cf2 So Nicanor came to Ierusalem with a great hoste, and sent vnto Iudas, and his brethren deceitfully with friendly wordes, saying,} 28{\cf2 Let there be no warre betweene me, and you: I will come with fewe men, to see howe ye doe, friendly.} 29{\cf2 So he came vnto Iudas, and they saluted one another peaceably: but the enemies were prepared to take away Iudas.} 30{\cf2 Neuerthelesse, it was tolde Iudas, that hee came vnto him vnder deceite: therefore he feared him, and woulde not see his face no more.} 31{\cf2 When Nicanor perceiued that his counsell was bewrayed, he went out to fight against Iudas, beside Carphasalama.} 32{\cf2 Where there were slaine of Nicanors hoste about fiue thousande men: so they fled vnto the citie of Dauid.} 33{\cf2 After this came Nicanor vp vnto mount Sion, and some of the Priestes with the Elders of the people went foorth of the Sanctuarie to salute him peaceably, and to shewe him the burnt offring that was offred for the King.} 34{\cf2 But he laughed at them, and mocked them, and counted them prophane, and spake proudly,} 35{\cf2 And swore in his wrath, saying, If Iudas and his hoste be not deliuered nowe into mine handes, if euer I come againe in safetie, I will burne vp this house. With that, went he out in a great anger.} 36{\cf2 Then the Priestes came in, and stoode before the altar in the Temple, weeping, and saying,} 37{\cf2 For so much as thou, O Lorde, hast chosen this House, that thy Name might be called vpon therein, and that it should be an house of prayer, and petition for thy people,} 38{\cf2 Be auenged of this man and his hoste, and let them be slaine by the sworde: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue.} 39{\cf2 When Nicanor was gone from Ierusalem, he pitched his tent at Beth-horon, and there an hoste met him out of Syria.} 40{\cf2 And Iudas pitched in Adasa with three thousande men, where Iudas prayed, saying,} 41{\cf2 O Lorde, because the messengers of King Sennacherib blasphemed thee, thine Angel went foorth, and slewe an hundreth, fourescore and fiue thousande of them.} 42{\cf2 So destroy thou this hoste before vs to day, that all other may knowe that he hath spoken wickedly against thy Sanctuary, and punish him according to his malice.} 43{\cf2 So the armies ioyned together in battell, the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar: but Nicanors hoste was discomfited, and he him selfe was first slaine in the battell.} 44{\cf2 Nowe when his armie sawe that Nicanor was slaine, they cast away their weapons, and fled.} 45{\cf2 But they pursued after them a dayes iourney from Adasa vnto Gasera, blowing an alarme with the trumpets after them.} 46{\cf2 So they came foorth of all the townes of Iudea rounde about, and rushed vpon them, and threwe them from one to another, so that they all fell by the sworde, and there was not one of them left.} 47{\cf2 Then they tooke the spoyles, and the pray, and smote off Nicanors head, and his right hande, which he helde vp so proudly, and brought it with them, and hanged them vp afore Ierusalem.} 48{\cf2 So the people reioyced greatly, and kept that day as a day of great gladnesse.} 49{\cf2 And they ordeined to keepe yeerely that day on the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar.} 50{\cf2 Thus the lande of Iuda was in rest a litle while.}