History of the World/History of the World (Bureau Development, Inc.)(1992).BIN/dp/0027/00273.txt

Text File | 1992-10-11 | 6KB | 133 lines

$Unique_ID{how00273}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Apocrypha, The
Chapter 13}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Various}
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$Subject{footnote
gr
judas
king
greek
jews
now
unto
upon
}
$Date{1611}
$Log{}
Title:       Apocrypha, The
Book:        Second Book Of The Maccabees
Author:      Various
Date:        1611

Chapter 13

     In the hundred forty and ninth year tidings were brought to Judas and
his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with great multitudes against
Judaea, and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, ^16 each having a
Greek force, a hundred and ten thousand footmen, and five thousand and three
hundred horsemen, and two and twenty elephants, and three hundred chariots
armed with scythes.

[Footnote 16: The Greek text here is corrupt.]

     And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation
encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he
thought that he would be set over the government.  But the King of kings
stirred up the ^17 passion of Antiochus against the wicked wretch; and when
Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king
commanded to bring him unto Beroea, and ^4 to put him to death after the
manner of that place.  Now there is in that place a tower of fifty cubits
high, full of ashes, and it had all round it a ^18 gallery ^19 descending
sheer on every side into the ashes.  Here him that is guilty of sacrilege, or
hath attained a preeminence in any other evil deeds, they ^1 all push forward
into destruction.  By such a fate it befell the breaker of the law, Menelaus,
to die, without obtaining so much as a grave in the earth, and that right
justly; for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sins ^2 against the altar,
whose fire and whose ashes were holy, in ashes did he receive his death.

[Footnote 17: Or, spirit]

[Footnote 4: The Greek text here is perhaps corrupt.]

[Footnote 18: Gr. contrivance or machine.]

[Footnote 19: Or, sloping steeply]

[Footnote 1: The Greek text here is probably corrupt.]

[Footnote 2: Gr. about.]

     Now the king, ^3 infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict
on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had befallen them in his
father's time.  But when Judas heard of these things, he gave charge to the
multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, beseeching him, if ever at any
other time, so now to succour them that were at the point to be deprived of
the law and their country and the holy temple, and not to suffer the people
that had been but now a little while revived to fall into the hands of those
profane heathen.  So when they had all done the same thing together, ^4
beseeching the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for
three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should
join him for service.  And having gone apart with the elders he resolved
that, before the king's army should enter into Judaea and make themselves
masters of the city, they should go forth and try the matter in fight by the
help of ^5 God.  And committing the decision to the ^6 Lord of the world, and
exhorting them that were with him to contend nobly even unto death for laws,
temple, city, country, ^7 commonwealth, he pitched his camp by Modin.  And
having given out to his men the watchword, Victory Is God's, with a chosen
body of the bravest young men he fell upon the camp by night and penetrated
to the king's ^8 tent, and slew ^1 of the ^9 army as many as two thousand
men, and ^1 brought down the chiefest elephant with him that was in the ^10
tower upon him.  And at last they filled the ^9 army with terror and alarm,
and departed with good success.  And this had been accomplished when the day
was but now dawning, because of the Lord's protection that gave ^11 Judas
help.

[Footnote 3: Some authorities read indignant.]

[Footnote 4: Gr. and besought.]

[Footnote 5: Some authorities read the Lord.]

[Footnote 6: Some authorities read Creator.]

[Footnote 7: Or, mode of life]

[Footnote 8: Gr. court.]

[Footnote 1: The Greek text here is probably corrupt.]

[Footnote 9: Gr. camp.]

[Footnote 10: Gr. house.]

[Footnote 11: Gr. him.]

     But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews,
made attempts by stratagem upon their positions, and upon a strong fortress
of the Jews at Bethsura; he advanced, was turned back, failed, was defeated.
And Judas conveyed such things as were necessary unto them that were within.
But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made known to the enemy the secrets of
his countrymen.  He was sought out, and taken, and shut up in prison.  The
king treated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took
theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse, heard
that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless,
was confounded, made to the Jews an overture of peace, submitted himself and
sware to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered
sacrifice, honoured the sanctuary and the place, shewed kindness and
graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even
unto the ^12 Gerrenians, came to Ptolemais.  The men of Ptolemais were
displeased at the treaty, for they had exceeding great indignation against
the Jews: they desired to annul the articles of the agreement.  Lysias ^13
came forward to speak, made the best defence that was possible, persuaded,
pacified, made them well affected, departed unto Antioch.  This was the issue
of the inroad and departure of the king.

[Footnote 12: The form of this word is uncertain.  Compare Girzites (or
Gizrites), 1 Sam. xxvii. 8.  One manuscript reads Gerarenes.]

[Footnote 13: Gr. came forward to the tribune or judgement-seat.]