Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.

And all his brethren and all they that helped his father were with him, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel. 3 So he increased the glory of his people, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword. 4 In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey. 5 For he pursued the ungodly, and sought them out, and burned them that vexed his people. 6 So the ungodly shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand. 7 He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever. 8 Moreover he went through the cities of Judah, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel. 9 So that he was renowned unto the uttermost part of the earth, and he gathered together such as were ready to perish. 10 Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel. 11 And when Judas knew thereof, he went forth to meet him, and smote him, and slew him: many also fell down wounded, and the rest fled. 12 Moreover Judas took Apollonius' sword, and therewith he fought all his life long. 13 Now when Seron, a captain of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude of men, and a company of faithful soldiers to go out with him to battle; 14 For I will get me a name and honor in the kingdom, and will fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king's commandment. 15 So he made him ready to go out, and there went with him a strong host of ungodly men to help him, and to take revenge of the children of Israel. 16 And when they came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company: 17 Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able to fight against this so great a multitude, seeing we are so few, and faint with fasting all this day? 18 Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company: 19 For the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host; but strength cometh from heaven. 20 They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us: 21 But we fight for our lives and our laws. 22 Therefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them. 23 Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and Seron and his host were overthrown before him. 24 And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines. 25 Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them: 26 Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas. 27 Now when King Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: therefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army: 28 And opened his treasury, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, and commanded them to be ready for every thing. 29 But when he saw that the money failed in his treasures, and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land, in taking away the laws that had been of old time, and it was fulfilled.

And he feared that he should not have enough for the charges and gifts which he had bestowed aforetime, liberally, so that he had exceeded the kings that were before him. 30 So being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, to gather the tributes of the countries, and to collect much money. 31 So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt: 32 And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again. 33 Moreover he delivered unto him half the forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem: 34 To send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to destroy their memorial out of that place; 35 And to set strangers in all their borders, and to divide their land by lot. 36 So Antiochus the king took the half that remained of the army, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the higher countries.

And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.

And opened his treasury, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, and commanded them to be ready for every thing.

And he was at his wits' end, so he determined to go to Persia and collect the tribute of the regions and gather much money.

Then he left Lysias, a noble man of the royal seed, over the affairs of the kingdom from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt.

And he delivered unto him half of his army, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem;

Namely, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to blot out their memorial from that place;

And that he should place strangers in all their borders, and divide their land among them.

So Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends.

And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Judea, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.

So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.

And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came to the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were joined unto them the forces of Syria and of the strangers.

Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the armies were encamped in their borders; and when they knew what the king had commanded to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;

They said one to another, Let us raise up the former abasement of our people, and let us fight for our people, and for our sanctuary.

Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.

Jerusalem lay waste like a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and the children of strangers were in the fortress, the which was a dwelling-place for the Gentiles: and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.

Therefore they assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was there aforetime a place of prayer for Israel.

Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes,

They brought also the priests' garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and they called on the Nazarites who had accomplished their days.

Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?

For thy sanctuary is trodden down and defiled, and thy priests are in heaviness and brought low.

And, lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: thou knowest what things they imagine against us.

How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O God, be our help?

Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.

And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, these he commanded that they should return every man to his own house, according to the law.

So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus.

And Judas said, Arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:

For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people and our sanctuary.

Nevertheless, as it shall be the will of God in heaven, so let him do.