Death of Demetrius

⁴⁶ When Jonathan and the people heard these words, they did not believe or accept them, because they remembered the great wrongs that Demetrius^[a] had done in Israel and how much he had oppressed them.^(A)

Expedition of Bacchides and Alcimus

7 In the one hundred fifty-first year Demetrius son of Seleucus set out from Rome, sailed with a few men to a town by the sea, and there began to reign.^{(A) 2} As he was entering the royal palace of his ancestors, the army seized Antiochus and Lysias to bring them to him.^{(B) 3} But when this act became known to him, he said, “Do not let me see their faces!” ⁴ So the army killed them, and Demetrius took his seat on the throne of his kingdom.

⁵ Then there came to him all the renegade and godless men of Israel; they were led by Alcimus, who wanted to be high priest.^{(C) 6} They brought to the king this accusation against the people: “Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your Friends and have driven us out of our land. ⁷ Now, then, send a man whom you trust; let him go and see all the ruin that Judas^[a] has brought on us and on the land of the king, and let him punish them and all who help them.”

⁸ So the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’s Friends, governor of the province Beyond the River; he was a great man in the kingdom and was faithful to the king.^{(D) 9} He sent him, and with him he sent the ungodly Alcimus, whom he made high priest, and he commanded him to take vengeance on the Israelites.^{(E) 10} So they marched away and came with a large force into the land of Judah, and he sent messengers to Judas and his brothers with peaceable but treacherous words. ¹¹ But they paid no attention to their words, for they saw that they had come with a large force.

¹² Then a group of scribes appeared in a body before Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for just terms.^{(F) 13} The Hasideans were first among the Israelites to seek peace from them, ¹⁴ for they said, “A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not harm us.”^{(G) 15} Alcimus^[b] spoke peaceable words to them and swore this oath to them, “We will not seek to injure you or your friends.” ¹⁶ So they trusted him, but he seized sixty of them and killed them in one day, in accordance with the word that was written,

¹⁸ Then the fear and dread of them fell on all the people, for they said, “There is no truth or justice in them, for they have violated the agreement and the oath that they swore.”

¹⁹ Then Bacchides withdrew from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-zaith. And he sent and seized many of the men who had deserted to him,^[c] and some of the people, and killed them and threw them into a great pit.^{(I) 20} He placed Alcimus in charge of the country and left with him a force to help him; then Bacchides went back to the king.

²¹ Alcimus struggled to maintain his high priesthood,^{(J) 22} and all who were troubling their people joined him. They gained control of the land of Judah and did great damage in Israel. ²³ And Judas saw all the wrongs that Alcimus and those with him had done among the Israelites; it was more than the nations had done. ²⁴ So Judas^[d] went out into all the surrounding parts of Judea, taking vengeance on those who had deserted and preventing those in the city^[e] from going out into the country. ²⁵ When Alcimus saw that Judas and those with him had grown strong and realized that he could not withstand them, he returned to the king and brought malicious charges against them.

Nicanor in Judea

²⁶ Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honored princes, who hated and detested Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people.^{(K) 27} So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large force and treacherously sent to Judas and his brothers this peaceable message,^{(L) 28} “Let there be no fighting between you and me; I shall come with a few men to see you face to face in peace.”

²⁹ So he came to Judas, and they greeted one another peaceably, but the enemy were preparing to kidnap Judas. ³⁰ It became known to Judas that Nicanor^[f] had come to him with treacherous intent, and he was afraid of him and would not meet him again.^{(M) 31} When Nicanor learned that his plan had been disclosed, he went out to meet Judas in battle near Caphar-salama. ³² About five hundred of the army of Nicanor fell, and the rest^[g] fled into the city of David.

Nicanor Threatens the Temple

³³ After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king.^{(N) 34} But he mocked them and derided them and defiled them and spoke arrogantly, ³⁵ and in anger he swore this oath, “Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands this time, then if I return safely I will burn up this house.” And he went out in great anger.^{(O) 36} At this the priests went in and stood before the altar and the temple; they wept and said,^(P)

The Death of Nicanor

³⁹ Now Nicanor went out from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-horon, and the Syrian army joined him.^{(R) 40} Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men. Then Judas prayed and said, ⁴¹ “When the messengers from the king spoke blasphemy, your angel went out and struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians.^{[h](S) 42} So also crush this army before us today; let the rest learn that Nicanor^[i] has spoken wickedly against the sanctuary, and judge him according to this wickedness.”^(T)

⁴³ So the armies met in battle on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. The army of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.^{(U) 44} When his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw down their arms and fled. ⁴⁵ The Jews^[j] pursued them a day’s journey, from Adasa as far as Gazara, and as they followed they kept sounding the battle call on the trumpets.^{(V) 46} People came out of all the surrounding villages of Judea, and they outflanked the enemy^[k] and drove them back to their pursuers,^[l] so that they all fell by the sword; not even one of them was left. ⁴⁷ Then the Jews^[m] seized the spoils and the plunder; they cut off Nicanor’s head and the right hand that he had so arrogantly stretched out and brought them and displayed them just outside Jerusalem.^{(W) 48} The people rejoiced greatly and celebrated that day as a day of great gladness. ⁴⁹ They decreed that this day should be celebrated each year on the thirteenth day of Adar.^{(X) 50} So the land of Judah had rest for a few days.^(Y)

Bacchides Returns to Judea

9 When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah a second time, and with them the right wing of the army.^{(A) 2} They went by the road that leads to Gilgal and encamped against Mesaloth in Arbela, and they took it and killed many people. ³ In the first month of the one hundred fifty-second year they encamped against Jerusalem; ⁴ then they marched off and went to Berea with twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry.

⁵ Now Judas was encamped in Elasa, and with him were three thousand picked men. ⁶ When they saw the huge number of the enemy forces, they were greatly frightened, and many slipped away from the camp, until no more than eight hundred of them were left.

⁷ When Judas saw that his army had slipped away and the battle was imminent, he was crushed in spirit, for he had no time to assemble them. ⁸ He became faint, but he said to those who were left, “Let us get up and go against our enemies. We may have the strength to fight them.” ⁹ But they tried to dissuade him, saying, “We do not have the strength. Let us rather save our own lives now, and let us come back with our kindred and fight them, for we are too few.” ¹⁰ But Judas said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing as to flee from them. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kindred and leave no cause to question our honor.”^(B)

The Last Battle of Judas

¹¹ Then the army of Bacchides^[a] marched out from the camp and took its stand for the encounter. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors. ¹² Bacchides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets, and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. ¹³ The earth was shaken by the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.^(C)

¹⁴ Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right; then all the courageous men went with him, ¹⁵ and they crushed the right wing, and he pursued them as far as Mount Azotus. ¹⁶ When those on the left wing saw that the right wing was crushed, they turned and followed close behind Judas and his men. ¹⁷ The battle became desperate, and many on both sides were wounded and fell. ¹⁸ Judas also fell, and the rest fled.

¹⁹ Then Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their ancestors at Modein^{(D) 20} and wept for him. All Israel made great lamentation for him; they mourned many days and said,^(E)

²² Now the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars and the brave deeds that he did, and his greatness have not been recorded because they were very many.^(G)

Jonathan Succeeds Judas

²³ After the death of Judas, the renegades emerged in all parts of Israel; all the wrongdoers reappeared.^{(H) 24} In those days a very great famine occurred, and the country went over to their side. ²⁵ Bacchides chose the godless and put them in charge of the country.^{(I) 26} They made inquiry and searched for the friends of Judas and brought them to Bacchides, who took vengeance on them and made sport of them. ²⁷ So there was great distress in Israel such as had not been since the time a prophet had last appeared among them.^(J)

²⁸ Then all the friends of Judas assembled and said to Jonathan,^{(K) 29} “Since the death of your brother Judas there has been no one like him to go against our enemies and Bacchides and to deal with those of our nation who hate us.^{(L) 30} Now, therefore, we have chosen you today to take his place as our ruler and leader, to fight our battle.” ³¹ So Jonathan accepted the leadership at that time in place of his brother Judas.^(M)

The Campaigns of Jonathan

³² When Bacchides learned of this, he tried to kill him. ³³ But Jonathan and his brother Simon and all who were with him heard of it, and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoa and camped by the water of the pool of Asphar.^{(N) 34} Bacchides found this out on the Sabbath day, and he with all his army crossed the Jordan.^(O)

³⁵ So Jonathan^[b] sent his brother as leader of the multitude and begged the Nabateans, who were his friends, for permission to store with them the great amount of baggage that they had.^{(P) 36} But the family of Jambri from Medeba came out and seized John and all that he had and left with it.

³⁷ After these things it was reported to Jonathan and his brother Simon, “The family of Jambri are celebrating a great wedding and are conducting the bride, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan, from Nadabath with a large escort.” ³⁸ Remembering how their brother John had been killed, they went up and hid under cover of the mountain. ³⁹ They looked out and saw a tumultuous procession with a great amount of baggage, and the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons. ⁴⁰ Then they rushed on them from the ambush and began killing them. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled to the mountain, and the troops^[c] took all their goods.^{(Q) 41} So the wedding was turned into mourning and the voice of their musicians into a funeral dirge. ⁴² After they had fully avenged the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of the Jordan.

⁴³ When Bacchides heard of this, he came with a large force on the Sabbath day to the banks of the Jordan.^{(R) 44} And Jonathan said to those with him, “Let us get up now and fight for our lives, for today things are not as they were before.^{(S) 45} For look! The battle is in front of us and behind us; the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that, with marsh and thicket; there is no place to turn.^{(T) 46} Cry out now to heaven that you may be delivered from the hands of our enemies.” ⁴⁷ So the battle began, and Jonathan stretched out his hand to strike Bacchides, but he eluded him and went to the rear. ⁴⁸ Then Jonathan and the men with him leaped into the Jordan and swam across to the other side, and Bacchides’s troops^[d] did not cross the Jordan to attack them. ⁴⁹ And about one thousand of Bacchides’s men fell that day.

Bacchides Builds Fortifications

⁵⁰ Then Bacchides^[e] returned to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judea: the fortress in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Beth-horon, and Bethel, and Timnath, and^[f] Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.^{(U) 51} And he placed garrisons in them to harass Israel. ⁵² He also fortified the town of Beth-zur, and Gazara, and the citadel, and in them he put troops and stores of food.^{(V) 53} And he took the sons of the leading men of the land as hostages and put them under guard in the citadel at Jerusalem.^(W)

⁵⁴ In the one hundred and fifty-third year, in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to tear down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He tore down the work of the prophets!^{(X) 55} But he only began to tear it down, for at that time Alcimus was stricken, and his work was hindered; his mouth was stopped, and he was paralyzed, so that he could no longer say a word or give commands concerning his house. ⁵⁶ And Alcimus died at that time in great agony. ⁵⁷ When Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king, and the land of Judah had rest for two years.^(Y)

The End of the War

⁵⁸ Then all the lawless plotted and said, “See! Jonathan and his men are living in quiet and confidence. So now let us bring Bacchides back, and he will capture them all in one night.”^{(Z) 59} And they went and consulted with him. ⁶⁰ He started to come with a large force and secretly sent letters to all his allies in Judea telling them to seize Jonathan and his men, but they were unable to do it, because their plan became known. ⁶¹ And Jonathan’s men^[g] seized about fifty of the men of the country who were leaders in this treachery and killed them.

⁶² Then Jonathan with his men and Simon withdrew to Bethbasi in the wilderness; he rebuilt the parts of it that had been demolished, and they fortified it. ⁶³ When Bacchides learned of this, he assembled all his forces and sent orders to the men of Judea. ⁶⁴ Then he came and encamped against Bethbasi; he fought against it for many days and made engines of war.

⁶⁵ But Jonathan left his brother Simon in the town while he went out into the country, and he went with only a few men. ⁶⁶ He struck down Odomera and his kindred and the people of Phasiron in their tents. ⁶⁷ Then he^[h] began to attack and went into battle with his forces, and Simon and his men sallied out from the town and set fire to the engines of war. ⁶⁸ They fought with Bacchides, and he was crushed by them. They pressed him very hard, for his plan and his expedition had been in vain.^{(AA) 69} So he was very angry at the renegades who had counseled him to come into the country, and he killed many of them. Then he decided to go back to his own land.^(AB)

⁷⁰ When Jonathan learned of this, he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him and obtain release of the captives.^{(AC) 71} He agreed and did as he said, and he swore to Jonathan^[i] that he would not try to harm him as long as he lived. ⁷² He restored to him the captives whom he had taken previously from the land of Judah; then he turned and went back to his own land and did not come again into their territory.^{(AD) 73} Thus the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan settled in Michmash and began to judge the people, and he destroyed the godless out of Israel.^(AE)