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#Post#: 13315--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:48 am
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1 Maccabees 11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Ptolemy Invades Syria
11 Then the king of Egypt gathered great forces, like the sand
by the seashore, and many ships; and he tried to get possession
of Alexander’s kingdom by trickery and add it to his own
kingdom. 2 He set out for Syria with peaceable words, and the
people of the towns opened their gates to him and went to meet
him, for King Alexander had commanded them to meet him, since he
was Alexander’s[a] father-in-law. 3 But when Ptolemy entered the
towns he stationed forces as a garrison in each town.
4 When he[b] approached Azotus, they showed him the burnt-out
temple of Dagon, and Azotus and its suburbs destroyed, and the
corpses lying about, and the charred bodies of those whom
Jonathan[c] had burned in the war, for they had piled them in
heaps along his route. 5 They also told the king what Jonathan
had done, to throw blame on him; but the king kept silent. 6
Jonathan met the king at Joppa with pomp, and they greeted one
another and spent the night there. 7 And Jonathan went with the
king as far as the river called Eleutherus; then he returned to
Jerusalem.
8 So King Ptolemy gained control of the coastal cities as far as
Seleucia by the sea, and he kept devising wicked designs against
Alexander. 9 He sent envoys to King Demetrius, saying, “Come,
let us make a covenant with each other, and I will give you in
marriage my daughter who was Alexander’s wife, and you shall
reign over your father’s kingdom. 10 I now regret that I gave
him my daughter, for he has tried to kill me.” 11 He threw blame
on Alexander[d] because he coveted his kingdom. 12 So he took
his daughter away from him and gave her to Demetrius. He was
estranged from Alexander, and their enmity became manifest.
13 Then Ptolemy entered Antioch and put on the crown of Asia.
Thus he put two crowns on his head, the crown of Egypt and that
of Asia. 14 Now King Alexander was in Cilicia at that time,
because the people of that region were in revolt. 15 When
Alexander heard of it, he came against him in battle. Ptolemy
marched out and met him with a strong force, and put him to
flight. 16 So Alexander fled into Arabia to find protection
there, and King Ptolemy was triumphant. 17 Zabdiel the Arab cut
off the head of Alexander and sent it to Ptolemy. 18 But King
Ptolemy died three days later, and his troops in the strongholds
were killed by the inhabitants of the strongholds. 19 So
Demetrius became king in the one hundred sixty-seventh year.[e]
Jonathan’s Diplomacy
20 In those days Jonathan assembled the Judeans to attack the
citadel in Jerusalem, and he built many engines of war to use
against it. 21 But certain renegades who hated their nation went
to the king and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the
citadel. 22 When he heard this he was angry, and as soon as he
heard it he set out and came to Ptolemais; and he wrote Jonathan
not to continue the siege, but to meet him for a conference at
Ptolemais as quickly as possible.
23 When Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the
siege. He chose some of the elders of Israel and some of the
priests, and put himself in danger, 24 for he went to the king
at Ptolemais, taking silver and gold and clothing and numerous
other gifts. And he won his favor. 25 Although certain renegades
of his nation kept making complaints against him, 26 the king
treated him as his predecessors had treated him; he exalted him
in the presence of all his Friends. 27 He confirmed him in the
high priesthood and in as many other honors as he had formerly
had, and caused him to be reckoned among his chief[f] Friends.
28 Then Jonathan asked the king to free Judea and the three
districts of Samaria[g] from tribute, and promised him three
hundred talents. 29 The king consented, and wrote a letter to
Jonathan about all these things; its contents were as follows:
30 “King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan and to the nation of
the Jews, greetings. 31 This copy of the letter that we wrote
concerning you to our kinsman Lasthenes we have written to you
also, so that you may know what it says. 32 ‘King Demetrius to
his father Lasthenes, greetings. 33 We have determined to do
good to the nation of the Jews, who are our friends and fulfill
their obligations to us, because of the goodwill they show
toward us. 34 We have confirmed as their possession both the
territory of Judea and the three districts of Aphairema and
Lydda and Rathamin; the latter, with all the region bordering
them, were added to Judea from Samaria. To all those who offer
sacrifice in Jerusalem we have granted release from[h] the royal
taxes that the king formerly received from them each year, from
the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees. 35 And the
other payments henceforth due to us of the tithes, and the taxes
due to us, and the salt pits and the crown taxes due to us—from
all these we shall grant them release. 36 And not one of these
grants shall be canceled from this time on forever. 37 Now
therefore take care to make a copy of this, and let it be given
to Jonathan and put up in a conspicuous place on the holy
mountain.’”
The Intrigue of Trypho
38 When King Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him
and that there was no opposition to him, he dismissed all his
troops, all of them to their own homes, except the foreign
troops that he had recruited from the islands of the nations. So
all the troops who had served under his predecessors hated him.
39 A certain Trypho had formerly been one of Alexander’s
supporters; he saw that all the troops were grumbling against
Demetrius. So he went to Imalkue the Arab, who was bringing up
Antiochus, the young son of Alexander, 40 and insistently urged
him to hand Antiochus[i] over to him, to become king in place of
his father. He also reported to Imalkue[j] what Demetrius had
done and told of the hatred that the troops of Demetrius[k] had
for him; and he stayed there many days.
41 Now Jonathan sent to King Demetrius the request that he
remove the troops of the citadel from Jerusalem, and the troops
in the strongholds; for they kept fighting against Israel. 42
And Demetrius sent this message back to Jonathan: “Not only will
I do these things for you and your nation, but I will confer
great honor on you and your nation, if I find an opportunity. 43
Now then you will do well to send me men who will help me, for
all my troops have revolted.” 44 So Jonathan sent three thousand
stalwart men to him at Antioch, and when they came to the king,
the king rejoiced at their arrival.
45 Then the people of the city assembled within the city, to the
number of a hundred and twenty thousand, and they wanted to kill
the king. 46 But the king fled into the palace. Then the people
of the city seized the main streets of the city and began to
fight. 47 So the king called the Jews to his aid, and they all
rallied around him and then spread out through the city; and
they killed on that day about one hundred thousand. 48 They set
fire to the city and seized a large amount of spoil on that day,
and saved the king. 49 When the people of the city saw that the
Jews had gained control of the city as they pleased, their
courage failed and they cried out to the king with this
entreaty: 50 “Grant us peace, and make the Jews stop fighting
against us and our city.” 51 And they threw down their arms and
made peace. So the Jews gained glory in the sight of the king
and of all the people in his kingdom, and they returned to
Jerusalem with a large amount of spoil.
52 So King Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom, and the
land was quiet before him. 53 But he broke his word about all
that he had promised; he became estranged from Jonathan and did
not repay the favors that Jonathan[l] had done him, but treated
him very harshly.
Trypho Seizes Power
54 After this Trypho returned, and with him the young boy
Antiochus who began to reign and put on the crown. 55 All the
troops that Demetrius had discharged gathered around him; they
fought against Demetrius,[m] and he fled and was routed. 56
Trypho captured the elephants[n] and gained control of Antioch.
57 Then the young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying, “I
confirm you in the high priesthood and set you over the four
districts and make you one of the king’s Friends.” 58 He also
sent him gold plates and a table service, and granted him the
right to drink from gold cups and dress in purple and wear a
gold buckle. 59 He appointed Jonathan’s[o] brother Simon
governor from the Ladder of Tyre to the borders of Egypt.
Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon
60 Then Jonathan set out and traveled beyond the river and among
the towns, and all the army of Syria gathered to him as allies.
When he came to Askalon, the people of the city met him and paid
him honor. 61 From there he went to Gaza, but the people of Gaza
shut him out. So he besieged it and burned its suburbs with fire
and plundered them. 62 Then the people of Gaza pleaded with
Jonathan, and he made peace with them, and took the sons of
their rulers as hostages and sent them to Jerusalem. And he
passed through the country as far as Damascus.
63 Then Jonathan heard that the officers of Demetrius had come
to Kadesh in Galilee with a large army, intending to remove him
from office. 64 He went to meet them, but left his brother Simon
in the country. 65 Simon encamped before Beth-zur and fought
against it for many days and hemmed it in. 66 Then they asked
him to grant them terms of peace, and he did so. He removed them
from there, took possession of the town, and set a garrison over
it.
67 Jonathan and his army encamped by the waters of Gennesaret.
Early in the morning they marched to the plain of Hazor, 68 and
there in the plain the army of the foreigners met him; they had
set an ambush against him in the mountains, but they themselves
met him face to face. 69 Then the men in ambush emerged from
their places and joined battle. 70 All the men with Jonathan
fled; not one of them was left except Mattathias son of Absalom
and Judas son of Chalphi, commanders of the forces of the army.
71 Jonathan tore his clothes, put dust on his head, and prayed.
72 Then he turned back to the battle against the enemy[p] and
routed them, and they fled. 73 When his men who were fleeing saw
this, they returned to him and joined him in the pursuit as far
as Kadesh, to their camp, and there they encamped. 74 As many as
three thousand of the foreigners fell that day. And Jonathan
returned to Jerusalem.
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 11:2 Gk his
1 Maccabees 11:4 Other ancient authorities read they
1 Maccabees 11:4 Gk he
1 Maccabees 11:11 Gk him
1 Maccabees 11:19 145 b.c.
1 Maccabees 11:27 Gk first
1 Maccabees 11:28 Cn: Gk the three districts and Samaria
1 Maccabees 11:34 Or Samaria, for all those who offer sacrifice
in Jerusalem, in place of
1 Maccabees 11:40 Gk him
1 Maccabees 11:40 Gk him
1 Maccabees 11:40 Gk his troops
1 Maccabees 11:53 Gk he
1 Maccabees 11:55 Gk him
1 Maccabees 11:56 Gk animals
1 Maccabees 11:59 Gk his
#Post#: 13316--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:49 am
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1 Maccabees 12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Alliances with Rome and Sparta
12 Now when Jonathan saw that the time was favorable for him, he
chose men and sent them to Rome to confirm and renew the
friendship with them. 2 He also sent letters to the same effect
to the Spartans and to other places. 3 So they went to Rome and
entered the senate chamber and said, “The high priest Jonathan
and the Jewish nation have sent us to renew the former
friendship and alliance with them.” 4 And the Romans[a] gave
them letters to the people in every place, asking them to
provide for the envoys[b] safe conduct to the land of Judah.
5 This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the
Spartans: 6 “The high priest Jonathan, the senate of the nation,
the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people to their brothers
the Spartans, greetings. 7 Already in time past a letter was
sent to the high priest Onias from Arius,[c] who was king among
you, stating that you are our brothers, as the appended copy
shows. 8 Onias welcomed the envoy with honor, and received the
letter, which contained a clear declaration of alliance and
friendship. 9 Therefore, though we have no need of these things,
since we have as encouragement the holy books that are in our
hands, 10 we have undertaken to send to renew our family ties
and friendship with you, so that we may not become estranged
from you, for considerable time has passed since you sent your
letter to us. 11 We therefore remember you constantly on every
occasion, both at our festivals and on other appropriate days,
at the sacrifices that we offer and in our prayers, as it is
right and proper to remember brothers. 12 And we rejoice in your
glory. 13 But as for ourselves, many trials and many wars have
encircled us; the kings around us have waged war against us. 14
We were unwilling to annoy you and our other allies and friends
with these wars, 15 for we have the help that comes from Heaven
for our aid, and so we were delivered from our enemies, and our
enemies were humbled. 16 We therefore have chosen Numenius son
of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason, and have sent them to
Rome to renew our former friendship and alliance with them. 17
We have commanded them to go also to you and greet you and
deliver to you this letter from us concerning the renewal of our
family ties. 18 And now please send us a reply to this.”
19 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Onias: 20
“King Arius of the Spartans, to the high priest Onias,
greetings. 21 It has been found in writing concerning the
Spartans and the Jews that they are brothers and are of the
family of Abraham. 22 And now that we have learned this, please
write us concerning your welfare; 23 we on our part write to you
that your livestock and your property belong to us, and ours
belong to you. We therefore command that our envoys[d] report to
you accordingly.”
Further Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon
24 Now Jonathan heard that the commanders of Demetrius had
returned, with a larger force than before, to wage war against
him. 25 So he marched away from Jerusalem and met them in the
region of Hamath, for he gave them no opportunity to invade his
own country. 26 He sent spies to their camp, and they returned
and reported to him that the enemy[e] were being drawn up in
formation to attack the Jews[f] by night. 27 So when the sun had
set, Jonathan commanded his troops to be alert and to keep their
arms at hand so as to be ready all night for battle, and he
stationed outposts around the camp. 28 When the enemy heard that
Jonathan and his troops were prepared for battle, they were
afraid and were terrified at heart; so they kindled fires in
their camp and withdrew.[g] 29 But Jonathan and his troops did
not know it until morning, for they saw the fires burning. 30
Then Jonathan pursued them, but he did not overtake them, for
they had crossed the Eleutherus river. 31 So Jonathan turned
aside against the Arabs who are called Zabadeans, and he crushed
them and plundered them. 32 Then he broke camp and went to
Damascus, and marched through all that region.
33 Simon also went out and marched through the country as far as
Askalon and the neighboring strongholds. He turned aside to
Joppa and took it by surprise, 34 for he had heard that they
were ready to hand over the stronghold to those whom Demetrius
had sent. And he stationed a garrison there to guard it.
35 When Jonathan returned he convened the elders of the people
and planned with them to build strongholds in Judea, 36 to build
the walls of Jerusalem still higher, and to erect a high barrier
between the citadel and the city to separate it from the city,
in order to isolate it so that its garrison[h] could neither buy
nor sell. 37 So they gathered together to rebuild the city; part
of the wall on the valley to the east had fallen, and he
repaired the section called Chaphenatha. 38 Simon also built
Adida in the Shephelah; he fortified it and installed gates with
bolts.
Trypho Captures Jonathan
39 Then Trypho attempted to become king in Asia and put on the
crown, and to raise his hand against King Antiochus. 40 He
feared that Jonathan might not permit him to do so, but might
make war on him, so he kept seeking to seize and kill him, and
he marched out and came to Beth-shan. 41 Jonathan went out to
meet him with forty thousand picked warriors, and he came to
Beth-shan. 42 When Trypho saw that he had come with a large
army, he was afraid to raise his hand against him. 43 So he
received him with honor and commended him to all his Friends,
and he gave him gifts and commanded his Friends and his troops
to obey him as they would himself. 44 Then he said to Jonathan,
“Why have you put all these people to so much trouble when we
are not at war? 45 Dismiss them now to their homes and choose
for yourself a few men to stay with you, and come with me to
Ptolemais. I will hand it over to you as well as the other
strongholds and the remaining troops and all the officials, and
will turn around and go home. For that is why I am here.”
46 Jonathan[i] trusted him and did as he said; he sent away the
troops, and they returned to the land of Judah. 47 He kept with
himself three thousand men, two thousand of whom he left in
Galilee, while one thousand accompanied him. 48 But when
Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais closed the
gates and seized him, and they killed with the sword all who had
entered with him.
49 Then Trypho sent troops and cavalry into Galilee and the
Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan’s soldiers. 50 But they
realized that Jonathan had been seized and had perished along
with his men, and they encouraged one another and kept marching
in close formation, ready for battle. 51 When their pursuers saw
that they would fight for their lives, they turned back. 52 So
they all reached the land of Judah safely, and they mourned for
Jonathan and his companions and were in great fear; and all
Israel mourned deeply. 53 All the nations around them tried to
destroy them, for they said, “They have no leader or helper. Now
therefore let us make war on them and blot out the memory of
them from humankind.”
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 12:4 Gk they
1 Maccabees 12:4 Gk them
1 Maccabees 12:7 Vg Compare verse 20: Gk Darius
1 Maccabees 12:23 Gk they
1 Maccabees 12:26 Gk they
1 Maccabees 12:26 Gk them
1 Maccabees 12:28 Other ancient authorities omit and withdrew
1 Maccabees 12:36 Gk they
1 Maccabees 12:46 Gk he
#Post#: 13317--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:50 am
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1 Maccabees 13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Simon Takes Command
13 Simon heard that Trypho had assembled a large army to invade
the land of Judah and destroy it, 2 and he saw that the people
were trembling with fear. So he went up to Jerusalem, and
gathering the people together 3 he encouraged them, saying to
them, “You yourselves know what great things my brothers and I
and the house of my father have done for the laws and the
sanctuary; you know also the wars and the difficulties that my
brothers and I have seen. 4 By reason of this all my brothers
have perished for the sake of Israel, and I alone am left. 5 And
now, far be it from me to spare my life in any time of distress,
for I am not better than my brothers. 6 But I will avenge my
nation and the sanctuary and your wives and children, for all
the nations have gathered together out of hatred to destroy us.”
7 The spirit of the people was rekindled when they heard these
words, 8 and they answered in a loud voice, “You are our leader
in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan. 9 Fight our
battles, and all that you say to us we will do.” 10 So he
assembled all the warriors and hurried to complete the walls of
Jerusalem, and he fortified it on every side. 11 He sent
Jonathan son of Absalom to Joppa, and with him a considerable
army; he drove out its occupants and remained there.
Deceit and Treachery of Trypho
12 Then Trypho left Ptolemais with a large army to invade the
land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him under guard. 13 Simon
encamped in Adida, facing the plain. 14 Trypho learned that
Simon had risen up in place of his brother Jonathan, and that he
was about to join battle with him, so he sent envoys to him and
said, 15 “It is for the money that your brother Jonathan owed
the royal treasury, in connection with the offices he held, that
we are detaining him. 16 Send now one hundred talents of silver
and two of his sons as hostages, so that when released he will
not revolt against us, and we will release him.”
17 Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, but he
sent to get the money and the sons, so that he would not arouse
great hostility among the people, who might say, 18 “It was
because Simon[a] did not send him the money and the sons, that
Jonathan[b] perished.” 19 So he sent the sons and the hundred
talents, but Trypho[c] broke his word and did not release
Jonathan.
20 After this Trypho came to invade the country and destroy it,
and he circled around by the way to Adora. But Simon and his
army kept marching along opposite him to every place he went. 21
Now the men in the citadel kept sending envoys to Trypho urging
him to come to them by way of the wilderness and to send them
food. 22 So Trypho got all his cavalry ready to go, but that
night a very heavy snow fell, and he did not go because of the
snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead. 23 When
he approached Baskama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried
there. 24 Then Trypho turned and went back to his own land.
Jonathan’s Tomb
25 Simon sent and took the bones of his brother Jonathan, and
buried him in Modein, the city of his ancestors. 26 All Israel
bewailed him with great lamentation, and mourned for him many
days. 27 And Simon built a monument over the tomb of his father
and his brothers; he made it high so that it might be seen, with
polished stone at the front and back. 28 He also erected seven
pyramids, opposite one another, for his father and mother and
four brothers. 29 For the pyramids[d] he devised an elaborate
setting, erecting about them great columns, and on the columns
he put suits of armor for a permanent memorial, and beside the
suits of armor he carved ships, so that they could be seen by
all who sail the sea. 30 This is the tomb that he built in
Modein; it remains to this day.
Judea Gains Independence
31 Trypho dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus; he
killed him 32 and became king in his place, putting on the crown
of Asia; and he brought great calamity on the land. 33 But Simon
built up the strongholds of Judea and walled them all around,
with high towers and great walls and gates and bolts, and he
stored food in the strongholds. 34 Simon also chose emissaries
and sent them to King Demetrius with a request to grant relief
to the country, for all that Trypho did was to plunder. 35 King
Demetrius sent him a favorable reply to this request, and wrote
him a letter as follows, 36 “King Demetrius to Simon, the high
priest and friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the
Jews, greetings. 37 We have received the gold crown and the palm
branch that you[e] sent, and we are ready to make a general
peace with you and to write to our officials to grant you
release from tribute. 38 All the grants that we have made to you
remain valid, and let the strongholds that you have built be
your possession. 39 We pardon any errors and offenses committed
to this day, and cancel the crown tax that you owe; and whatever
other tax has been collected in Jerusalem shall be collected no
longer. 40 And if any of you are qualified to be enrolled in our
bodyguard,[f] let them be enrolled, and let there be peace
between us.”
41 In the one hundred seventieth year[g] the yoke of the
Gentiles was removed from Israel, 42 and the people began to
write in their documents and contracts, “In the first year of
Simon the great high priest and commander and leader of the
Jews.”
The Capture of Gazara by Simon
43 In those days Simon[h] encamped against Gazara[i] and
surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, brought it up
to the city, and battered and captured one tower. 44 The men in
the siege engine leaped out into the city, and a great tumult
arose in the city. 45 The men in the city, with their wives and
children, went up on the wall with their clothes torn, and they
cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to make peace with
them; 46 they said, “Do not treat us according to our wicked
acts but according to your mercy.” 47 So Simon reached an
agreement with them and stopped fighting against them. But he
expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the
idols were located, and then entered it with hymns and praise.
48 He removed all uncleanness from it, and settled in it those
who observed the law. He also strengthened its fortifications
and built in it a house for himself.
Simon Regains the Citadel at Jerusalem
49 Those who were in the citadel at Jerusalem were prevented
from going in and out to buy and sell in the country. So they
were very hungry, and many of them perished from famine. 50 Then
they cried to Simon to make peace with them, and he did so. But
he expelled them from there and cleansed the citadel from its
pollutions. 51 On the twenty-third day of the second month, in
the one hundred seventy-first year,[j] the Jews[k] entered it
with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and
stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great
enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel. 52 Simon[l]
decreed that every year they should celebrate this day with
rejoicing. He strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill
alongside the citadel, and he and his men lived there. 53 Simon
saw that his son John had reached manhood, and so he made him
commander of all the forces; and he lived at Gazara.
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 13:18 Gk I
1 Maccabees 13:18 Gk he
1 Maccabees 13:19 Gk he
1 Maccabees 13:29 Gk For these
1 Maccabees 13:37 The word you in verses 37–40 is plural
1 Maccabees 13:40 Or court
1 Maccabees 13:41 142 b.c.
1 Maccabees 13:43 Gk he
1 Maccabees 13:43 Cn: Gk Gaza
1 Maccabees 13:51 141 b.c.
1 Maccabees 13:51 Gk they
1 Maccabees 13:52 Gk He
#Post#: 13318--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:51 am
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1 Maccabees 14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Capture of Demetrius
14 In the one hundred seventy-second year[a] King Demetrius
assembled his forces and marched into Media to obtain help, so
that he could make war against Trypho. 2 When King Arsaces of
Persia and Media heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory,
he sent one of his generals to take him alive. 3 The general[b]
went and defeated the army of Demetrius, and seized him and took
him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.
Eulogy of Simon
4 The land[c] had rest all the days of Simon.
He sought the good of his nation;
his rule was pleasing to them,
as was the honor shown him, all his days.
5 To crown all his honors he took Joppa for a harbor,
and opened a way to the isles of the sea.
6 He extended the borders of his nation,
and gained full control of the country.
7 He gathered a host of captives;
he ruled over Gazara and Beth-zur and the citadel,
and he removed its uncleanness from it;
and there was none to oppose him.
8 They tilled their land in peace;
the ground gave its increase,
and the trees of the plains their fruit.
9 Old men sat in the streets;
they all talked together of good things,
and the youths put on splendid military attire.
10 He supplied the towns with food,
and furnished them with the means of defense,
until his renown spread to the ends of the earth.
11 He established peace in the land,
and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
12 All the people sat under their own vines and fig trees,
and there was none to make them afraid.
13 No one was left in the land to fight them,
and the kings were crushed in those days.
14 He gave help to all the humble among his people;
he sought out the law,
and did away with all the renegades and outlaws.
15 He made the sanctuary glorious,
and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.
Diplomacy with Rome and Sparta
16 It was heard in Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that
Jonathan had died, and they were deeply grieved. 17 When they
heard that his brother Simon had become high priest in his
stead, and that he was ruling over the country and the towns in
it, 18 they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew with him the
friendship and alliance that they had established with his
brothers Judas and Jonathan. 19 And these were read before the
assembly in Jerusalem.
20 This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent:
“The rulers and the city of the Spartans to the high priest
Simon and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the
Jewish people, our brothers, greetings. 21 The envoys who were
sent to our people have told us about your glory and honor, and
we rejoiced at their coming. 22 We have recorded what they said
in our public decrees, as follows, ‘Numenius son of Antiochus
and Antipater son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us
to renew their friendship with us. 23 It has pleased our people
to receive these men with honor and to put a copy of their words
in the public archives, so that the people of the Spartans may
have a record of them. And they have sent a copy of this to the
high priest Simon.’”
24 After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold
shield weighing one thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with
the Romans.[d]
Official Honors for Simon
25 When the people heard these things they said, “How shall we
thank Simon and his sons? 26 For he and his brothers and the
house of his father have stood firm; they have fought and
repulsed Israel’s enemies and established its freedom.” 27 So
they made a record on bronze tablets and put it on pillars on
Mount Zion.
This is a copy of what they wrote: “On the eighteenth day of
Elul, in the one hundred seventy-second year,[e] which is the
third year of the great high priest Simon, 28 in Asaramel,[f] in
the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers
of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was
proclaimed to us:
29 “Since wars often occurred in the country, Simon son of
Mattathias, a priest of the sons[g] of Joarib, and his brothers,
exposed themselves to danger and resisted the enemies of their
nation, in order that their sanctuary and the law might be
preserved; and they brought great glory to their nation. 30
Jonathan rallied the[h] nation, became their high priest, and
was gathered to his people. 31 When their enemies decided to
invade their country and lay hands on their sanctuary, 32 then
Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent great sums of
his own money; he armed the soldiers of his nation and paid them
wages. 33 He fortified the towns of Judea, and Beth-zur on the
borders of Judea, where formerly the arms of the enemy had been
stored, and he placed there a garrison of Jews. 34 He also
fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazara, which is on
the borders of Azotus, where the enemy formerly lived. He
settled Jews there, and provided in those towns[i] whatever was
necessary for their restoration.
35 “The people saw Simon’s faithfulness[j] and the glory that he
had resolved to win for his nation, and they made him their
leader and high priest, because he had done all these things and
because of the justice and loyalty that he had maintained toward
his nation. He sought in every way to exalt his people. 36 In
his days things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles
were put out of the[k] country, as were also those in the city
of David in Jerusalem, who had built themselves a citadel from
which they used to sally forth and defile the environs of the
sanctuary, doing great damage to its purity. 37 He settled Jews
in it and fortified it for the safety of the country and of the
city, and built the walls of Jerusalem higher.
38 “In view of these things King Demetrius confirmed him in the
high priesthood, 39 made him one of his Friends, and paid him
high honors. 40 For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by
the Romans as friends and allies and brothers, and that the
Romans[l] had received the envoys of Simon with honor.
41 “The Jews and their priests have resolved that Simon should
be their leader and high priest forever, until a trustworthy
prophet should arise, 42 and that he should be governor over
them and that he should take charge of the sanctuary and appoint
officials over its tasks and over the country and the weapons
and the strongholds, and that he should take charge of the
sanctuary, 43 and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all
contracts in the country should be written in his name, and that
he should be clothed in purple and wear gold.
44 “None of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify
any of these decisions or to oppose what he says, or to convene
an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be
clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle. 45 Whoever acts
contrary to these decisions or rejects any of them shall be
liable to punishment.”
46 All the people agreed to grant Simon the right to act in
accordance with these decisions. 47 So Simon accepted and agreed
to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and
priests, and to be protector of them all.[m] 48 And they gave
orders to inscribe this decree on bronze tablets, to put them up
in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary, 49 and
to deposit copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his
sons might have them.
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 14:1 140 b.c.
1 Maccabees 14:3 Gk He
1 Maccabees 14:4 Other ancient authorities add of Judah
1 Maccabees 14:24 Gk them
1 Maccabees 14:27 140 b.c.
1 Maccabees 14:28 This word resembles the Hebrew words for the
court of the people of God or the prince of the people of God
1 Maccabees 14:29 Meaning of Gk uncertain
1 Maccabees 14:30 Gk their
1 Maccabees 14:34 Gk them
1 Maccabees 14:35 Other ancient authorities read conduct
1 Maccabees 14:36 Gk their
1 Maccabees 14:40 Gk they
1 Maccabees 14:47 Or to preside over them all
#Post#: 13319--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:52 am
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1 Maccabees 15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Letter of Antiochus VII
15 Antiochus, son of King Demetrius, sent a letter from the
islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the
Jews, and to all the nation; 2 its contents were as follows:
“King Antiochus to Simon the high priest and ethnarch and to the
nation of the Jews, greetings. 3 Whereas certain scoundrels have
gained control of the kingdom of our ancestors, and I intend to
lay claim to the kingdom so that I may restore it as it formerly
was, and have recruited a host of mercenary troops and have
equipped warships, 4 and intend to make a landing in the country
so that I may proceed against those who have destroyed our
country and those who have devastated many cities in my kingdom,
5 now therefore I confirm to you all the tax remissions that the
kings before me have granted you, and a release from all the
other payments from which they have released you. 6 I permit you
to mint your own coinage as money for your country, 7 and I
grant freedom to Jerusalem and the sanctuary. All the weapons
that you have prepared and the strongholds that you have built
and now hold shall remain yours. 8 Every debt you owe to the
royal treasury and any such future debts shall be canceled for
you from henceforth and for all time. 9 When we gain control of
our kingdom, we will bestow great honor on you and your nation
and the temple, so that your glory will become manifest in all
the earth.”
10 In the one hundred seventy-fourth year[a] Antiochus set out
and invaded the land of his ancestors. All the troops rallied to
him, so that there were only a few with Trypho. 11 Antiochus
pursued him, and Trypho[b] came in his flight to Dor, which is
by the sea; 12 for he knew that troubles had converged on him,
and his troops had deserted him. 13 So Antiochus encamped
against Dor, and with him were one hundred twenty thousand
warriors and eight thousand cavalry. 14 He surrounded the town,
and the ships joined battle from the sea; he pressed the town
hard from land and sea, and permitted no one to leave or enter
it.
Rome Supports the Jews
15 Then Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome, with
letters to the kings and countries, in which the following was
written: 16 “Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy,
greetings. 17 The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our
friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance.
They had been sent by the high priest Simon and by the Jewish
people 18 and have brought a gold shield weighing one thousand
minas. 19 We therefore have decided to write to the kings and
countries that they should not seek their harm or make war
against them and their cities and their country, or make
alliance with those who war against them. 20 And it has seemed
good to us to accept the shield from them. 21 Therefore if any
scoundrels have fled to you from their country, hand them over
to the high priest Simon, so that he may punish them according
to their law.”
22 The consul[c] wrote the same thing to King Demetrius and to
Attalus and Ariarathes and Arsaces, 23 and to all the countries,
and to Sampsames,[d] and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and to
Myndos, and to Sicyon, and to Caria, and to Samos, and to
Pamphylia, and to Lycia, and to Halicarnassus, and to Rhodes,
and to Phaselis, and to Cos, and to Side, and to Aradus and
Gortyna and Cnidus and Cyprus and Cyrene. 24 They also sent a
copy of these things to the high priest Simon.
Antiochus VII Threatens Simon
25 King Antiochus besieged Dor for the second time, continually
throwing his forces against it and making engines of war; and he
shut Trypho up and kept him from going out or in. 26 And Simon
sent to Antiochus[e] two thousand picked troops, to fight for
him, and silver and gold and a large amount of military
equipment. 27 But he refused to receive them, and broke all the
agreements he formerly had made with Simon, and became estranged
from him. 28 He sent to him Athenobius, one of his Friends, to
confer with him, saying, “You hold control of Joppa and Gazara
and the citadel in Jerusalem; they are cities of my kingdom. 29
You have devastated their territory, you have done great damage
in the land, and you have taken possession of many places in my
kingdom. 30 Now then, hand over the cities that you have seized
and the tribute money of the places that you have conquered
outside the borders of Judea; 31 or else pay me five hundred
talents of silver for the destruction that you have caused and
five hundred talents more for the tribute money of the cities.
Otherwise we will come and make war on you.”
32 So Athenobius, the king’s Friend, came to Jerusalem, and when
he saw the splendor of Simon, and the sideboard with its gold
and silver plate, and his great magnificence, he was amazed.
When he reported to him the king’s message, 33 Simon said to him
in reply: “We have neither taken foreign land nor seized foreign
property, but only the inheritance of our ancestors, which at
one time had been unjustly taken by our enemies. 34 Now that we
have the opportunity, we are firmly holding the inheritance of
our ancestors. 35 As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand,
they were causing great damage among the people and to our land;
for them we will give you one hundred talents.”
Athenobius[f] did not answer him a word, 36 but returned in
wrath to the king and reported to him these words, and also the
splendor of Simon and all that he had seen. And the king was
very angry.
Victory over Cendebeus
37 Meanwhile Trypho embarked on a ship and escaped to Orthosia.
38 Then the king made Cendebeus commander-in-chief of the
coastal country, and gave him troops of infantry and cavalry. 39
He commanded him to encamp against Judea, to build up Kedron and
fortify its gates, and to make war on the people; but the king
pursued Trypho. 40 So Cendebeus came to Jamnia and began to
provoke the people and invade Judea and take the people captive
and kill them. 41 He built up Kedron and stationed horsemen and
troops there, so that they might go out and make raids along the
highways of Judea, as the king had ordered him.
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 15:10 138 b.c.
1 Maccabees 15:11 Gk he
1 Maccabees 15:22 Gk He
1 Maccabees 15:23 The name is uncertain
1 Maccabees 15:26 Gk him
1 Maccabees 15:35 Gk He
#Post#: 13320--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 3:53 am
---------------------------------------------------------
1 Maccabees 16 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
16 John went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon
what Cendebeus had done. 2 And Simon called in his two eldest
sons Judas and John, and said to them: “My brothers and I and my
father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth
until this day, and things have prospered in our hands so that
we have delivered Israel many times. 3 But now I have grown old,
and you by Heaven’s[a] mercy are mature in years. Take my place
and my brother’s, and go out and fight for our nation, and may
the help that comes from Heaven be with you.”
4 So John[b] chose out of the country twenty thousand warriors
and cavalry, and they marched against Cendebeus and camped for
the night in Modein. 5 Early in the morning they started out and
marched into the plain, where a large force of infantry and
cavalry was coming to meet them; and a stream lay between them.
6 Then he and his army lined up against them. He saw that the
soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed over
first; and when his troops saw him, they crossed over after him.
7 Then he divided the army and placed the cavalry in the center
of the infantry, for the cavalry of the enemy were very
numerous. 8 They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebeus and his
army were put to flight; many of them fell wounded and the rest
fled into the stronghold. 9 At that time Judas the brother of
John was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebeus[c]
reached Kedron, which he had built. 10 They also fled into the
towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and John[d] burned it
with fire, and about two thousand of them fell. He then returned
to Judea safely.
Murder of Simon and His Sons
11 Now Ptolemy son of Abubus had been appointed governor over
the plain of Jericho; he had a large store of silver and gold,
12 for he was son-in-law of the high priest. 13 His heart was
lifted up; he determined to get control of the country, and made
treacherous plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with
them. 14 Now Simon was visiting the towns of the country and
attending to their needs, and he went down to Jericho with his
sons Mattathias and Judas, in the one hundred seventy-seventh
year,[e] in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat. 15
The son of Abubus received them treacherously in the little
stronghold called Dok, which he had built; he gave them a great
banquet, and hid men there. 16 When Simon and his sons were
drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed
in against Simon in the banquet hall and killed him and his two
sons, as well as some of his servants. 17 So he committed an act
of great treachery and returned evil for good.
John Succeeds Simon
18 Then Ptolemy wrote a report about these things and sent it to
the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over
to him the towns and the country. 19 He sent other troops to
Gazara to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains
asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and
gold and gifts; 20 and he sent other troops to take possession
of Jerusalem and the temple hill. 21 But someone ran ahead and
reported to John at Gazara that his father and brothers had
perished, and that “he has sent men to kill you also.” 22 When
he heard this, he was greatly shocked; he seized the men who
came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that
they were seeking to destroy him.
23 The rest of the acts of John and his wars and the brave deeds
that he did, and the building of the walls that he completed,
and his achievements, 24 are written in the annals of his high
priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his
father.
Footnotes:
1 Maccabees 16:3 Gk his
1 Maccabees 16:4 Other ancient authorities read he
1 Maccabees 16:9 Gk he
1 Maccabees 16:10 Gk he
1 Maccabees 16:14 134 b.c.
#Post#: 13366--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: May 24, 2020, 10:28 am
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GOOD READ
#Post#: 16558--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1 MACCABEES
By: patrick jane Date: August 22, 2020, 10:54 pm
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[quote author=patrick jane link=topic=935.msg13366#msg13366
date=1590334104]
GOOD READ
[/quote]yeah
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