the time of mingling with the Heathens,||captain, they forthwith removed from the seeing that there was no safety for him, nor place where they were, and went to the access to the altar, town of Dessau, to meet them.

4 Came to king Demetrius in the year 17 Now Simon the brother of Judas had one hundred and fifty, presenting unto him joined battle with Nicanor: but was frighta crown of gold, and a palm, and besides ened with the sudden coming of the adver. these, some boughs which seemed to belong saries.

to the temple. And that day indeed he 18 Nevertheless Nicanor hearing of the held his peace. valour of Judas's companions, and the great

5 But having gotten a convenient time to ness of courage, with which they fought further his madness, being called to counsel for their country, was afraid to try the matby Demetrius, and asked what the Jews re-ter by the sword.

lied upon, and what were their counsels, 19 Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and 6 He answered thereunto: They among Theodotius, and Matthias before to present the Jews that are called Assideans, of whom and receive the right hands.

Judas Machabeus is captain, nourish wars, 20 And when there had been a consultaand raise seditions, and will not suffer the tion thereupon, and the captain had acrealm to be in peace. quainted the multitude with it, they were 7 For I also being deprived of my an-all of one mind to consent to covenants. cestors glory (I mean of the high priest- 21 So they appointed a day upon which hood) am now come hither: they might commune together by them8 Principally indeed out of fidelity to selves: and seats were brought out, and the king's interests, but in the next place set for each one.

also to provide for the good of my country- 22 But Judas ordered men to be ready in men for all our nation suffereth much from convenient places, lest some mischief might the evil proceedings of those men. be suddenly practised by the enemies: so

9 Wherefore, O king, seeing thou know-they made an agreeable conference. est all these things, take care, I beseech 23 And Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and thee, both of the country, and of our na-did no wrong, but sent away the flocks of tion, according to thy humanity which is the multitudes that had been gathered to known to all men.

gether.

10 For as long as Judas liveth, it is not 24 And Judas was always dear to hire possible that the state should be quiet. from the heart, and he was well affected to 11 Now when this man had spoken to the man. this effect, the rest also of the king's friends, 25 And he desired him to marry a wife, who were enemies of Judas incensed Deme-and to have children. So he married: he trius against him. lived quietly, and they lived in common. 12 And forthwith he sent Nicanor, the 26 But Alcimus seeing the love they had commander over the elephants, governor one to another, and the covenants, came to into Judea : Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor as

13 Giving him in charge, to take Judas sented to the foreign interest, for that be himself and disperse all them that were meant to make Judas, who was a traitor to with him, and to make Alcimus the high the kingdom, his successor. priest of the great temple.

27 Then the king being in a rage and

14 Then the Gentiles who had fled out provoked with this man's wicked accusaof Judea from Judas, came to Nicanor by tions, wrote to Nicanor, signifying, that he flocks, thinking the miseries, and calamities was greatly displeased with the covenant of of the Jews to be the welfare of their af- friendship: and that he commanded him fairs. nevertheless to send Machabeus prisoner in 15 Now when the Jews heard of Nica-all haste to Antioch. nor's coming, and that the nations were as- 28 When this was known, Nicanor was sembled against them, they cast earth upon in a consternation, and took it grievously their heads, and made supplication to him, that he should make void the articles that who chose his people to keep them for were agreed upon, having received no inever, and who protected his portion by evi-jury from the man.

29 But because he could not oppose the

dent signs. 16 Then at the commandment of their king, he watched an opportunity to comply with the orders.

yet neither of them were truly high priests: 30 But when Machabeus perceived that for the true high priesthood was amongst Nicanor was more stern to him, and that the Machabees, who were also of the stock when they met together as usual, he beof Aaron, and had strictly held their reli-haved himself in a rough manner: and was gion, and were ordained according to the sensible that this rough behaviour came not rites commanded in the law of Moses. of good, he gathered together a few of his men, and hid himself from Nicanor.

* Mingling with the Heathens; that is, in their idolatrous worship.

31 But he finding himself notably pre

vented by the man, came to the great and|| 45 And as he had yet breath in him, beholy temple: and commanded the priests, ing inflamed in mind he arose and while that were offering the accustomed sacrifi- his blood ran down with a great stream, and ces, to deliver him the man. he was grievously wounded, he ran through

32 And when they swore unto him that the crowd: they knew not where the man was whom 46 And standing upon a steep rock, when he sought, he stretched out his hand to the he was now almost without blood, grasptemple, ing his bowels, with both hands, he cast

33 And swore, saying: Unless you de-them upon the throng, calling upon the liver Judas prisoner to me, I will lay this Lord of life and spirit, to restore these to temple of God even with the ground, and him again: and so he departed this life. will beat down the altar, and will dedicate this temple to Bacchus.

34 And when he had spoken thus, he departed. But the priests, stretching forth their hands to heaven, called upon him that

CHAP. XV.

Judas, encouraged by a vision, gains a glorious victory over Nicanor. The conclusion.

UT when Nicanor understood that Ju

was ever the defender of their nation, say-Bas was in the places of Samaria, he

ing in this manner :

35 Thou, O Lord of all things, who want-purposed to set upon him with all violence est nothing, wast pleased that the temple on the sabbath day. of thy habitation should be amongst us.

2 And when the Jews that were con36 Therefore now, O Lord, the holy of strained to follow him, said: Do not act so all holies, keep this house for ever undefiled, fiercely and barbarously, but give honour which was lately cleansed. to the day that is sanctified: and reverence

37 Now Rasias, one of the ancients of him that beholdeth all things: Jerusalem, was accused to Nicanor, a man 3 That unhappy man asked, if there were that was a lover of the city, and of good re-la mighty One in heaven, that had comport, who for his kindness was called themanded the sabbath day to be kept.

father of the Jews.

4 And when they answered: There is

38 This man, for a long time had held the living Lord himself in heaven, the mighfast his purpose of keeping himself pure inty One, that commanded the seventh day the Jews religion, and was ready to expose to be kept. his body and life, that he might persevere 5 Then he said: And I am mighty upon the earth, and I command to take arms, and to do the king's business. Nevertheless he prevailed not to accomplish his design.

therein.

39 So Nicanor, being willing to declare the hatred that he bore the Jews, sent five hundred soldiers to take him.

40 For he thought by ensnaring him to hurt the Jews very much.

6 So Nicanor, being puffed up with exceeding great pride, thought to set up a public monument of his victory over Judas.

41 Now as the multitude sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door 7 But Machabeus ever trusted with all and to set fire to it, when he was ready to hope that God would help them. be taken, he struck himself with his sword: 8 And he exhorted his people not to fear 42 Choosing to die nobly rather than to the coming of the gentiles, but to rememfall into the hands of the wicked, and ber the help they had before received from to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble heaven, and now to hope for victory from birth. the Almighty.

43 But whereas through haste he missed 9 And speaking to them out of the law of giving himself a sure wound, and the and the prophets, and withal putting them crowd was breaking into the doors, he ran in mind of the battles they had fought beboldly to the wall, and manfully threw him-fore, he made them more cheerful: 10 Then, after he had encouraged them, 44 But they quickly making room for he shewed withal the falsehood of the Genhis fall, he came upon the midst of the tiles and their breach of oaths. neck.t

self down to the crowd:

11 So he armed every one of them, not with defence of shield and spear, but with He struck himself, &c. This fact of Ra-very good speeches and exhortations, and sias is of the number of those that are by told them a dream worthy to be believed, no means to be imitated; and that can nowhereby he rejoiced them all. otherwise be justified than by an extraordi- 12 Now the vision was in this manner: nary impulse of God, the sovereign master Onias, who had been high-priest, a good of life and death. and virtuous man, modest in his looks, gen

He came upon the midst of the neck. Vetle in his manners, and graceful in his nit per mediam cervicem. In the Greek speech, and exercised from a child in all it is, xivtva, which signifies a void place, virtues, holding up his hands, prayed for all where there is no building. the people of the Jews.

13 After this there appeared also ano-slew no fewer than five and thirty thousand, ther man, admirable for age and glory, and being greatly cheered with the presence of environed with great beauty and majesty. God.

14 Then Onias answering, said: This 28 And when the battle was over, and is a lover of his brethren, and of the peo- they were returning with joy, they underple of Israel: this is he that prayeth much stood that Nicanor was slain in his armour. for the people and for all the holy city, Je- 29 Then making a shout, and a great remias the prophet of God. noise, they blessed the almighty Lord in their own language.

15 Whereupon Jeremias stretched forth his right hand, and gave to Judas a sword of gold, saying:

16 Take this holy sword a gift from God, wherewith thou shalt overthrow the adversaries of my people Israel.

30 And Judas, who was altogether ready, in body and mind, to die for his country. men, commanded that Nicanor's head, and his hand with the shoulder should be cut off, and carried to Jerusalem.

31 And when he was come thither, hav

32 And shewing them the head of Nica

17 Thus being exhorted with the words of Judas, which were very good, and proper ing called together his countrymen, and the to stir up the courage, and strengthen the priests to the altar, he sent also for them hearts of the young men, they resolved to that were in the castle, fight and to set upon them manfully: that valour might decide the matter, because nor, and the wicked hand, which he had the holy city and the temple were in dan- stretched out, with proud boasts, against ger. the holy house of the almighty God. 18 For their concern was less for their 33 He commanded also, that the tongue wives and children, and for their brethren, and kinsfolks, but their greatest and principal fear was for the holiness of the temple.

19 And they also that were in the city, had no small concern for them that were to be engaged in battle.

of the wicked Nicanor should be cut out, and given by pieces to birds, and the hand of the furious man to be hanged up overagainst the temple.

34 Then all blessed the Lord of heaven, saying: Blessed be he that hath kept his own place undefiled.

20 And when now all expected what 35 And he hung up Nicanor's head in judgment would be given, and the enemies the top of the castle, that it might be an were at hand, and the army was set in ar-evident and manifest sign of the help of ray, the beasts and the horsemen ranged in God.

convenient places,

36 And they all ordained by a common

21 Machabeus considering the coming decree, by no means to let this day pass of the multitude, and the divers prepara- without solemnity : tions of armour, and the fierceness of the 37 But to celebrate the thirteenth day of beasts, stretching out his hands to heaven, the month of Adar, called in the Syrian lancalled upon the Lord that worketh won-guage, the day before Mardochias day. ders, who giveth victory to them that are worthy, not according to the power of their tion to Nicanor, and from that time the city 38 So these things being done with relsarms, but according as it seemeth good to being possessed by the Hebrews, I also will Where make an end of my narration.

him.

22 And in his prayer he said after this 39 Which if I have done well, and as it manner: Tho: O Lord, who didst send thy becometh the history, it is what I desired. Angel in the time of Ezechias king of Ju-but if not so perfectly, it must be pardon da, and didst kill a hundred and eighty five ed me. thousand of the army of Sennacherib:

40 For as it is hurtful to drink always

23 Send now also, O Lord of heaven, thy good Angel before us, for the fear and wine, or always water, but pleasant to use dread of the greatness of thy arm,

24 That they may be afraid, who come with blasphemy against thy holy people. And thus he concluded his prayer.

25 But Nicanor and they that were with

sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: so if the speech be always nicely framed it will not be grateful to the readers.

But here it shall be ended.

him, came forward with trumpets and songs. If not so perfectly, &c. This is not 26 But Judas, and they that were with said with regard to the truth of the narr him, encountered them, calling upon God tion: but with regard to the style and manby prayers: ner of writing: which in the sacred pen27 So fighting with their hands, but men is not always the most accurate: See praying to the Lord with their hearts, they St. Paul, 2 Cor. xi. 6.

444

THE END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.