Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/192

Apocrypha. realm, and appointed'him chief governor of Celosyria and Phenice.

12 For Ptolemeus, that was called Ma cron, choosing rather to do justice unto the Jews for the wrongs that had been done unto them, endeavoured to continue peace with them.

13 Whereupon being accused of the kings friends before Eupator, and called traitor at every word, because he had left Cyprus, that Philometor had committed unto him, and departed to Antiochus Epi- jor, and phanes, || and seeing that he was in no %**tu? honourable place, he was so discouraged, ray a* be. that he poisoned himself and died.

14 But when Gorgias was governor of the D holds, he hired soldiers, and nourish ed war continually with the Jews :

15 And therewithal the Id u means, hav ing gotten into their hands the most com modious holds, kept the Jews occupied, and receiving thole that were banished from Jerusalem, they went about to nou rish war.

16 Then they that were with Maccabeus made supplication, and besought God that he would be their helper ; and so they ran with violence upon the strong holds of the Idumeans,

17 And assaulting them strongly, they won the holds, and kept off all that fought upon the wall, and stew all that fell into tneir hands, and killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

18 And because certain, who were no less than nine thousand, were fled together into two very strong castles, having all manner of things convenient to sustain the siege,

19 Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus also, and them that were with him, who were enough to besiege them, and departed himself unto those places which more needed his help. lpr,

20 Now I! they that were with Simon, swum. being led with covetousness, were per suaded for money through certain of those that were in the castle, and took seventy thousand drachms, and let some of them escape.

21 But when it was told Maccabeus what was done, he called the governors of the people together, and accused those men, that they had sold their brethren for mo ney, and set their enemies free to fight against them.

22 So he stew those that were found trai tors, and immediately took the two castles.

23 And having good success with his weapons in all things he took in hand, he stew in the two holds more than twenty thousand.

24 Now Timotheus, e whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had ga thered a great multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a few, came as though he would take Jewry by force of arms.

25 But when he drew near, || they that were with Maccabeus turned themselves to pray unto God, and sprinkled earth upon their heads, and girded their loins with sackcloth,

•• 26 And fell down at the foot of the altar, and besought him to be merciful to them, and to be f an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declareth.

27 So after the prayer they took their weapons, and went on further from the city : and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by themselves.

28 Now the fun being newly risen, they joined both together ; the one part having together with their virtue their refuge also unto the Lord for a || pledge of their success and victory : the other side making their rage leader of their battle.

29 But when the battle waxed strong,. 1 there appeared unto the enemies from heaven five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold, and two of them led the Jews,

30 And took Maccabeus betwixt them, and covered him on every side with their weapons, and kept him safe, but shot arrows and lightnings against the enemies : so that being confounded with blindness, and full of trouble, they were killed.

31 And there were stain of footmert twenty thousand and five hundred, and six hundred horsemen.

32 As for Timotheus himself, he fled in to a very strong hold, called Gazara, where Chereas was governor.

33 But they that were with Maccabeus laid siege against the fortress courageously four days.

34 And they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and uttered wicked words.

35 Nevertheless upon the fifth day early twenty young men of Maccabeus' com pany, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall manly, and with a fierce courage killed all that they met withal.

36 Others likewise ascending after them,, whiles they were busied with them that were within, burnt the towers, and kind-