Now King Antiochus was journeying through the upper provinces, and he heard tell of Elymais, a city in Persia, renowned for its riches of silver and gold. And he said within himself, “Into what tribulation am I come, and how great is the strait wherein I am, after I was joyful and beloved in my reign!” And he delivered his crown and his signet ring unto him, and commanded him concerning the training of his son Antiochus and to enthrone him king.

And that there was in it a temple, rich in silver and gold, and therein were veils of gold and breastplates and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who was the first king in Greece, had left there. So some of them came forth from the siege, and unto them joined hypocritical men of Israel, saying, “We have been content to serve thy father, and to do his commandments, and to follow his ordinances.”

So he came and attempted to take the city and to plunder it, but he could not, for the matter was known to the inhabitants of the city.

And they rose up against him and fought him, so he fled and departed thence with great shame, returning to Babylon.

And there came to him in Persia tidings that the armies which were sent into the land of Judea had been defeated; that he had returned from Persia and Media with the king's armies that had accompanied him, and that he was attempting to take over affairs.

And that Lysias had been put to flight before them, though he had gone out against them with a very mighty army; and that they were strengthened with weapons and provisions and much spoil which they had taken from those armies they had destroyed.

And they had pulled down the abomination which he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem, and had encompassed the sanctuary with high walls, as it was aforetime, and fortified Beth-zur their city.

When the king heard these words, he was astonished and greatly troubled; and he cast himself upon his bed, for grief had laid him low with sickness, because the matter had fallen out contrary to his desire.

And he lay there many days, for great grief renewed itself in him, and he perceived that he should die.

Then he called all his friends and said unto them, “Sleep is departed from mine eyes, and my heart has failed because of sorrow.”

“I remember the evils which I wrought in Jerusalem, and how I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without cause.”

“Therefore I know that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and behold, I perish with great sorrow in a strange land.”

Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and appointed him over all his kingdom.

And there King Antiochus died in the one hundred forty-ninth year.

And Lysias knew that the king was dead, and Antiochus his son reigned in his stead, whom he had brought up in his youth, and called his name Eupator.

And the men of the citadel kept Israel from entering the sanctuary, and sought to harm them on every side, and to establish the Gentiles among them.

So Judah resolved to put an end to them and gathered all the people to besiege them.

And they gathered together and besieged them in the one hundred fiftieth year, and set up against them slings and engines.

And they went to the king and said, “How long wilt thou not execute judgment, nor avenge our brethren?”

“And because of this, the children of our people besiege the citadel out of hatred for us, and whomsoever they find of us, they slay him and plunder our possessions.”

“And they have not contented themselves with laying hands upon us, but they have gone beyond to all our borders.”

“And behold, they have already marched against the citadel of Jerusalem to take possession of it and the sanctuary, and they have fortified Beth-zur.”

“Now therefore, if thou wilt not make haste and anticipate them, they will do worse than this, and thou wilt not be able to restrain them.”

When the king heard this, he was wroth, and gathered all his friends and the captains of his army and the chief of the horsemen.

And there came to him mercenary soldiers from other kingdoms and from the islands of the seas.

And the number of his armies was one hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained for war. 31 And they marched through Idumea, and pitched their tents at Beth-zur, and fought many days, and made engines. But they came forth and burned them with fire, and slew them valiantly. 32 Then Judas departed from the citadel and encamped at Beth Zechariah, over against the king's camp. 33 And the king rose early and sent his army valiantly by the way of Beth Zechariah; and the armies prepared for battle and blew the trumpets. 34 And they showed the elephants the juice of grapes and mulberries, to stir them up to battle. 35 Then they distributed them among the divisions, placing with each elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, their heads with helmets of brass, and for each elephant they appointed five hundred chosen horsemen. 36 And these were they who, wherever the elephant was found, hastened to it and went with it, never leaving it. 37 And upon every elephant there was a strong tower of wood, protecting it, surrounded with engines; and in the tower were thirty-two valiant men fighting from it, and the Indian guided the elephant. 38 And they placed the rest of the horsemen here and there on both sides of the army, urging it on and encompassing it in the valleys. 39 And when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains gleamed therewith and blazed up like broken pieces of fire. 40 And the king's army spread out, part on the high mountains and part in the plains, and they marched in order and with caution. 41 And all who heard their din and the tramping of their multitude and the clanking of their weapons trembled, for the army was very great and strong. 42 Then Judas and his army advanced to battle, and six hundred men of the king's army fell. 43 And Eleazar, son of Saoaran, saw one of the elephants surpassing all the elephants, having the king's shield upon it, and he thought that the king was upon it. 44 So he gave himself to save his people and to gain for himself an everlasting name. 45 And he ran to it, rushing into the midst of the division, slaying right and left, so they scattered from him here and there. 46 And he went under the elephant's legs, until he was beneath it, and he slew it; and it fell upon him to the ground, so he died there. 47 And when the Jews saw the might of the king and the overwhelming force of the armies, they turned back from them. 48 So the king went up with his army towards Jerusalem to meet them; and he marched against Judea and Mount Zion. 49 And he made peace with the inhabitants of Beth-zur, so they came out of the city, for their food had failed during their siege, for it was a year of scarcity for the land. 50 So the king took Beth-zur and placed there a garrison to guard it. 51 And he encamped at the sanctuary many days, and set up there catapults and engines and implements for shooting fire and stones, and tools for casting arrows and slings. 52 And the Jews made engines against their engines, and fought many days.

And there was no food in their storerooms, for it was the seventh year, and those who had taken refuge in Judea from the Gentiles had eaten what remained of the provisions.

So there remained in the sanctuary but a few men, for hunger had overcome them, and they scattered, every man to his own place.

And Lysias learned that Philip, whom Antiochus had appointed in his lifetime to enthrone his son Antiochus as king.

So he hastened and went to the king and the commanders and the army, and said unto them, “We grow weaker day by day, and our food is diminished, and the place we besiege is fortified, and the affairs of the kingdom urge us on.”

“Now therefore, let us make peace with these men and with all their nation.”

“And let us decree for them that they may live after their own laws, as they did aforetime, for it was for their laws that we abolished that they were wroth, and did all these things.”

And the speech pleased the king and the princes, so he sent to them to make peace, and they answered him.

So the king and the princes swore unto them; and thereupon they came out of the fortress.

Then the king entered Mount Zion, and saw the place was fortified, so he broke the oath he had sworn and commanded to pull down the wall around it.

Then he departed in haste and returned to Antioch, and found that Philip had taken possession of the city, so he fought him and took the city by force.