Geneva(i)
1 In the hundreth, fourtie and nine yeere it was tolde Iudas, that Antiochus Eupator was comming with a great power into Iudea,
2 And Lysias the stewarde and ruler of his affaires with him, hauing both in their armie an hundreth and ten thousande men of foote of the Grecians, and fiue thousande horsemen, and two and twentie elephants, and three hundreth charets set with hookes.
3 Menelaus also ioyned him selfe with them, and with great deceite encouraged Antiochus, not for the sauegarde of the countrey, but because he thought to haue bene made the gouernour.
4 But the King of Kings moued Antiochus minde against this wicked man, and Lysias infourmed the King that this man was the cause of all mischiefe, so that the King commaunded to bring him to Berea to put him vnto death, as the maner was in that place.
5 Nowe there was in that place a towre of fiftie cubites high, full of ashes, and it had an instrument that turned rounde, and on euery side it rowled downe into the ashes.
6 And there whosoeuer was condemned of sacriledge, or of any other grieuous crime, was cast of all men to the death.
7 And so it came to passe that this wicked man should die such a death, and it was a most iust thing that Menelaus should want buriall,
8 For because he had committed many sinnes by the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy: hee him selfe also dyed in the ashes.
9 Nowe the King raged in his minde, and came to shew him selfe more cruell vnto the Iewes then his father.
10 Which things when Iudas perceiued, he comanded the people to call vpon the Lord night & day, that if euer he had holpen them, he would now helpe the, when they should be put from their law, from their countrey and from the holy Temple:
11 And that he would not suffer the people, which a litle afore began to recouer, to be subdued vnto the blasphemous nations.
12 So when they had done this all together, & besought the Lorde for mercie with weeping, and fasting, and falling downe three dayes together, Iudas exhorted them to make them selues readie.
13 And he being apart with the Elders, tooke counsell to goe foorth, afore the King brought his hoste into Iudea, and shoulde take the citie, and commit the matter to the helpe of the Lorde.
14 So committing the charge to the Lorde of the worlde, he exhorted his souldiers to fight manfully, euen vnto death for the Lawes, the Temple, the citie, their countrey, and the common wealth, and camped by Modin.
15 And so giuing his souldiers for a watch word, The victorie of God, he piked out the manliest yong men, & went by night into the Kings campe, and slewe of the hoste fourteene thousande men, & the greatest elephant with all that sate vpon him.
16 Thus when they had brought a great feare, and trouble in the campe, and all things went prosperously with them, they departed.
17 This was done in the breake of the day, because the protection of the Lorde did helpe them.
18 Nowe when the King had tasted the malinesse of the Iewes, he went about to take the holdes by policie,
19 And marched toward Beth-sura, which was a strong holde of the Iewes: but he was chased away, hurt and lost of his men.
20 For Iudas had sent vnto them that were in it, such things as were necessarie.
21 But Rhodocus which was in the Iewes hoste, disclosed the secrets to the enemies: therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.
22 After this did the King commune with them that were in Beth-sura, & tooke truce with them, departed, and ioyned battel with Iudas, who ouercame him.
23 But when he vnderstoode, that Philippe (whome he had left to be ouerseer of his businesse at Antiochia) did rebell against him, he was astonished, so that he yeelded him selfe to the Iewes, and made them an othe to doe all things that were right, and was appeased towarde them, and offered sacrifice and adorned the Temple, and shewed great gentlenesse to the place,
24 And embraced Maccabeus, and made him captaine and gouernour from Ptolemais vnto the Gerreneans.
25 Neuertheles, when he came to Ptolemais, the people of the citie were not content with this agreement: & because they were grieued, they would that he should breake the couenants.
26 Then went Lysias vp into the iudgement seate, and excused the facte as well as he could, and perswaded them, and pacified them, and made them well affectioned, & came againe vnto Antiochia. This is the matter concerning the Kings iourney, and his returne.