2 Maccabees 13

Wycliffe Bible

13 In the hundred and nine and fortieth year Judas knew, that Antiochus Eupator came with (a) multitude against Judea;

² and with him came Lysias, procurator and sovereign of offices [or provost of needs], having with him an hundred and ten thousand of footmen, and of horsemen five thousand, and elephants two and twenty, (and) chariots with scythes [or with sickles] three hundred.

³ Forsooth and Menelaus joined him(self) to them, and with great deceit besought Antiochus, not for (the) health (or for the deliverance) of the country, but hoping that he should be ordained into princehood.

⁴ But the King of kings raised the wills of Antiochus against the sinner; and when Lysias showed that he was (the) cause of all evils, he commanded, as custom is to them, him (to be) taken (and) for to be slain in the same place.

⁵ Soothly in the same place was a tower of fifty cubits, having on each side a gathering of ashes (or full of ashes); this was beholding into a ditch.

⁶ From thence he commanded the sacrileger, or (the) cursed man, for to be cast down into (the) ashes, when all men putted forth him to the death [or all men putting him forth to the death].

⁷ And by such (a) law it befell the breaker of (the) law for to die, neither (that) Menelaus for to be given to (the) earth. And forsooth justly enough;

⁸ for why for he did many trespasses against the altar of God, whose fire and ashes was (or were) holy, (so) he was condemned in the death of (or by) ashes.

⁹ But the king without bridle in (or of) mind, or understanding, came to show him(self) worse to (the) Jews, than his father.

¹⁰ And when these things were known, Judas commanded the people, that by night and day they should call to help the Lord [or Which things known, Judas commanded the people night and day for to in-call the Lord]; that as (for)evermore, also now he should help them; which soothly dreaded for to be (de)prived of (the) law, and (their) country, and [of] (the) holy temple;

¹¹ and that he suffered not (or would not allow) the people, that (just) a while (a)go had a little quickened again, for to be subject again to blasphemous nations.

¹² Therefore when all men did together that thing, and asked (for) mercy of (or from) the Lord with weeping, in fasting/s by (or for) all three days, and kneeled [or cast down], Judas admonished them for to make them(selves) ready.

¹³ Forsooth he with (the) elder men thought for to go out, before that the king moved (his) host to Judea, and got the city, and to betake the end of the thing to the doom of the Lord. [Forsooth he with elder men thought, before that the king moved host to Judea, and got the city, for to go out, and to betake to doom of the Lord the out-going, or end, of the thing.]

¹⁴ Therefore he gave power of all things to God, (the) Maker (out) of nought of the world, and admonished his (men) to fight strongly, and stand till to the death [or unto death], for (the) laws, (the) temple, (the) city, (the) country, and (the) citizens; and he ordained the host about Modin.

¹⁵ And when a token was given to his (men) of (the) victory of (or from) God, he chose the strongest young men [or the strongest young men chosen], and by night he assailed the king’s hall in (the) tents, and he slew fourteen thousand men, and the most (or the greatest) of (the) elephants, with these (men) that were put above (or with those men who were put upon him).

¹⁶ And they filled the tents of (the) enemies with (the) highest dread and disturbing, (or troubling), and when (or after) these things were done easily, [or welsomely], either in prosperity, they went away.

¹⁷ Forsooth this was done in the day lighting, for the protection of the Lord helped him.

¹⁸ But when the king had taken (a) taste of (the) hardiness of (the) Jews by craft, he assayed [or attempted] (the) hardinesses of places;

¹⁹ and moved the tents to Bethsura, that was a stronghold of (the) Jews; but he was driven (away), (and) hurtled, and (di)minished, or wasted.

²⁰ Forsooth to these that were within, Judas sent needful things.

²¹ Forsooth Rhodocus, some man of the host of (the) Jews, told out (the) privates (or the secrets) to (the) enemies; which was sought, and taken, and (im)prisoned.

²² Again the king had (a) word to (or with) them that were in Bethsura, and gave the right hand, and received (theirs), and went away. He joined battle with Judas, and Judas was overcome (or He joined battle with Judas, but was overcome).

²³ Forsooth as he knew that Philip had rebelled at Antioch, which was left on needs, he was astonied (or astonished) in mind, either understanding, and besought (the) Jews, and was subject to them, and swore of (or to) all things, of which it was seen just; and he was reconciled, and offered sacrifice, and worshipped (or honoured) the temple, and putted gifts (forth).

²⁴ He embraced, or kissed, Maccabeus, and made him prince and duke from Ptolemais till to (the) Gerrhenians, (or Gerar, or Gerra).

²⁵ Soothly as he came to Ptolemais, men of Ptolemais bare grievously (the) according of friendship, and had indignation, lest peradventure they would break (the) peace.

²⁶ Then Lysias went up into the doom place, and expounded reason, and ceased the people, and (re)turned again to Antioch; and in this manner the king’s going out and (re)turning again went forth.