Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/151

Apocrypha. 67 Take also unto you all those that ob serve the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.

69 Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

69 So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

70 And he died in the hundred forty and fixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.

HEN his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.

2 And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.

3 So he gat his people great honour, and ut on a breastplate as a giant, and girt is warlike harness about him, and he rrmde 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 wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.

6 Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because 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 Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel :

9 So that he was renowned unto the ut most part of the earth, and he f received unto him such as were ready to perish.

10 Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Sa maria, to fight against Israel.

11 Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and flew him : many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.

12 Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword also, and there with he fought all his life long.

13 Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard fay that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and com pany of the faithful to go out with him towar;

14 He said, I will get me an ame and honour in the kingdom ; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king's commandment.

15 So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.

16 And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company :

ty Who, w.hen they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, feeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day ?

18 Unto whom Judas answered, a It is I no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few ; and with the God of t^i* heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or 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 J[ pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our f Gr. in wives and children, and to spoil us :

21 But we fight for our lives and our laws.

22Wherefore the Lord himself will over throw them before our face : and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.

23 Now as soon as he had left off" speak ing," he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron' and his host was overthrown before him.

24 And they pursued them t from the (fT:ia going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, J0'£TS' where were slain about eight hundred men of them ; and the residue 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 him :

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 : wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.

28 He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding