Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The
king's great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.
13:1. In the year one hundred and forty-nine, Judas understood that
Antiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea,
13:2. And with him Lysias, the regent, who had charge over the affairs
of the realm, having with him a hundred and ten thousand footmen, five
thousand horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots.
A hundred and ten thousand, etc... The difference between the numbers
here set down, and those recorded, 1 Mac. 4, is easily accounted for; if
we consider that such armies as these are liable to be at one time more
numerous than at another; either by sending away large detachments, or
being diminished by sickness; or increased by receiving fresh supplies
of troops, according to different exigencies or occurrences.
13:3. Menelaus also joined himself with them: and with great
deceitfulness besought Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country,
but in hopes that he should be appointed chief ruler.
13:4. But the King of kings stirred up the mind of Antiochus against the
sinner, and upon Lysias suggesting that he was the cause of all the
evils, he commanded (as the custom is with them) that he should be
apprehended and put to death in the same place.
13:5. Now there was in that place a tower fifty cubits high, having a
heap of ashes on every side: this had a prospect steep down.
13:6. From thence he commanded the sacrilegious wretch to be thrown down
into the ashes, all men thrusting him forward unto death.
13:7. And by such a law it happened that Menelaus the transgressor of
the law, was put to death: not having so much as burial in the earth.
13:8. And indeed very justly, for insomuch as he had committed many sins
against the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which were holy: he was
condemned to die in ashes.
13:9. But the king, with his mind full of rage, came on to shew himself
worse to the Jews than his father was.
13:10. Which when Judas understood, he commanded the people to call upon
the Lord day and night, that as he had always done, so now also he would
help them:
13:11. Because they were afraid to be deprived of the law, and of their
country, and of the holy temple: and that he would not suffer the
people, that had of late taken breath for a little while, to be again in
subjection to blasphemous nations.
13:12. So when they had all done this together, and had craved mercy of
the Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground for
three days continually, Judas exhorted them to make themselves ready.
13:13. But he, with the ancients, determined before the king should
bring his army into Judea, and make himself master of the city, to go
out, and to commit the event of the thing to the judgment of the Lord.
13:14. So committing all to God, the Creator of the world, and having
exhorted his people to fight manfully, and to stand up even to death for
the laws, the temple, the city, their country, and citizens: he placed
his army about Modin.
13:15. And having given his company for a watchword, The victory of God,
with most valiant chosen young men, he set upon the king's quarter by
night, and slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the
elephants, with them that had been upon him,
13:16. And having filled the camp of the enemies with exceeding great
fear and tumult, they went off with good success.
13:17. Now this was done at the break of day, by the protection and help
of the Lord.
13:18. But the king having taken a taste of the hardiness of the Jews,
attempted to take the strong places by policy:
13:19. And he marched with his army to Bethsura, which was a strong hold
of the Jews: but he was repulsed, he failed, he lost his men.