2 Maccabees 11 Very shortly after this, Lysias the kings steward, and a kinsman of his, which had the gouernance of the affaires, tooke sore displeasure for the things that were done.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Very shortly after this, Lysias the kings steward, and a kinsman of his, which had the gouernance of the affaires, tooke sore displeasure for the things that were done. ² And when he had gathered about fourescore thousand, with all the horsemen, he came against the Iewes, thinking to make the citie an habitation of the Gentiles. ³ And the temple would he haue to get money by, like the other temples of the heathen: for hee would sell the Priests office euery yeere. ⁴ And thus being puffed vp in his minde, because of the great number of footemen, and thousands of horsemen, & in his fourescore Elephants, ⁵ He came into Iudea, and drew neere to Bethsura, which was a castle of defence, fiue furlongs from Ierusalem, and layde sore siege vnto it. ⁶ But when Maccabeus, and his companie knew that he besieged the holdes, they, and all the people made prayers with weeping, and teares before the Lord, that he would send a good Angel to deliuer Israel. ⁷ And Maccabeus him selfe first of all tooke weapons, exhorting the other that they would ieoparde themselues together with him to helpe their brethren: so they went forth together with a couragious minde. ⁸ And as they were there besides Ierusalem, there appeared before them vpon horsebacke a man in white cloathing, shaking his harnesse of golde. ⁹ Then they praysed the mercifull God all together, and tooke heart, in so much that they were ready, not onely to fight with men, but with the most cruell beasts, and to breake downe walles of yron. ¹⁰ Thus they marched forwarde in aray, hauing an helper from heauen: for the Lord was mercifull vnto them. ¹¹ And running vpon their enemies like lions, they slew eleuen thousande footemen, and sixteene hundreth horsemen, and put all the other to flight. ¹² Many of them also being wounded, escaped naked, and Lysias himselfe fled away shamefully, & so escaped, ¹³ Who as he was a man of vnderstanding, cosidering what losse he had had, and knowing, that the Hebrewes could not be ouercome because the almightie God helped them, sent vnto them, ¹⁴ And promised, that he would consent to all things which were reasonable, & perswade the king to be their friend. ¹⁵ Maccabeus agreed to Lysias requests, hauing respect in all things to the common wealth, and whatsoeuer Maccabeus wrote vnto Lysias concerning the Iewes, the King granted it. ¹⁶ For there were letters written vnto ye Iewes from Lysias conteining these wordes, Lysias vnto the people of the Iewes sendeth greeting. ¹⁷ Iohn and Abessalom, which were sent from you, deliuered me the things that you demande by writing, and required mee to fulfill the things that they had declared. ¹⁸ Therefore what things soeuer were meete to be reported to the King himselfe, I haue declared them, and he granted that that was possible. ¹⁹ Therefore if ye behaue your selues as friends toward his affaires, hereafter also I will endeuour my selfe to do you good. ²⁰ As concerning these things, I haue giuen commandement to these men, and to those whom I sent vnto you, to commune with you of the same particularly. ²¹ Fare ye well, the hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the foure and twentieth day of the moneth Dioscorinthius. ²² Nowe the Kinges letter conteined these words, King Antiochvs vnto his brother Lysias sendeth greeting. ²³ Since our father is translated vnto the gods, our will is, that they which are in our realme, liue quietly, that euery man may apply his owne affaires. ²⁴ We vnderstand also that the Iewes woulde not consent to our father, for to be brought vnto the custome of the Gentiles, but would keepe their owne maner of liuing: for the which cause they require of vs, that we would suffer them to liue after their owne Lawes. ²⁵ Wherefore our minde is that this nation shal be in rest, and haue determined to restore them their Temple, that they may be gouerned according to the custome of their fathers. ²⁶ Thou shalt doe well therefore to sende vnto them, & grant them peace, that when they are certified of our minde, they may be of good comfort, and cheerefully go about their owne affaires. ²⁷ And this was the Kings letter vnto the nation, King Antiochvs vnto the Elders of the Iewes, and to the rest of the Iewes, sendeth greeting. ²⁸ If ye fare well, we haue our desire: we are also in good health. ²⁹ Menelaus declared vnto vs that your desire was to returne home, and to applie your owne businesse. ³⁰ Wherefore, those that will depart, we giue them free libertie, vnto the thirtie day of the moneth of Panthicus, ³¹ That the Iewes may vse their owne maner of liuing and lawes, like as afore, and none of them by any maner of wayes to haue harme for thinges done by ignorance. ³² I haue sent also Menelaus to comfort you. ³³ Fare yee well: the hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the fifteenth day of the moneth of Panthicus. ³⁴ The Romanes also sent a letter conteining these wordes, Qvintvs Memmivs & Titus Manslius ambassadours of the Romanes, vnto the people of the Iewes send greeting. ³⁵ The things that Lysias the Kings kinseman hath granted you, we grant the same also. ³⁶ But concerning that which he shall report vnto the King, send hither some with speede, when ye haue considered the matter diligently, that wee may consult thereupon as shall be best for you: for we must go vnto Antiochia. ³⁷ And therefore make haste and sende some men, that we may know your minde. ³⁸ Fare well: this hundreth and eyght and fourtie yeere, the fifteenth day of the moneth of Panthicus.