1 Machabees Chapter 5
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
5:40. And Timotheus said to the captains of his army: When Judas and his army come near the torrent of water, if he pass over unto us first, we shall not be able to withstand him: for he will certainly prevail over us.
5:41. But if he be afraid to pass over, and camp on the other side of the river, we will pass over to them, and shall prevail against him.
5:42. Now when Judas came near the torrent of water, he set the scribes of the people by the torrent, and commanded them, saying: Suffer no man to stay behind: but let all come to the battle.
5:43. And he passed over to them first, and all the people after him, and all the heathens were discomfited before them, and they threw away their weapons, and fled to the temple that was in Carnaim.
5:44. And he took that city, and the temple he burnt with fire, with all things that were therein: and Carnaim was subdued, and could not stand against the face of Judas.
5:45. And Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the land of Galaad, from the least even to the greatest, and their wives and children, and an army exceeding great, to come into the land of Juda.
5:46. And they came as far as Ephron: now this was a great city, situate in the way, strongly fortified, and there was no means to turn from it on the right hand or on the left, but the way was through the midst of it.
5:47. And they that were in the city shut themselves in, and stopped up the gates with stones: and Judas sent to them with peaceable words,
5:48. Saying: Let us pass through your land, to go into our own country, and no man shall hurt you; we will only pass through on foot. But they would not open to them.
5:49. Then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the camp, that they should make an assault, every man in the place where he was.
5:50. And the men of the army drew near, and he assaulted that city all the day, and all the night; and the city was delivered into his hands:
5:51. And they slew every male with the edge of the sword, and he razed the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through all the city over them that were slain.
5:52. Then they passed over the Jordan to the great plain that is over against Bethsan.
5:53. And Judas gathered together the hindmost, and he exhorted the people, all the way through, till they came into the land of Juda.
5:54. And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain, till they had returned in peace.
5:55. Now in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galaad, and Simon his brother in Galilee, before Ptolemais,
5:56. Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captain of the soldiers, heard of the good success, and the battles that were fought,
5:57. And he said: Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us.
5:58. And he gave charge to them that were in his army, and they went towards Jamnia.
5:59. And Gorgias and his men went out of the city, to give them battle.
5:60. And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued unto the borders of Judea: and there fell on that day, of the people of Israel, about two thousand men, and there was a great overthrow of the people:
5:61. Because they did not hearken to Judas and his brethren, thinking that they should do manfully.
5:62. But they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel.
5:63. And the men of Juda were magnified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the nations where their name was heard.
5:64. And the people assembled to them with joyful acclamations.
5:65. Then Judas and his brethren went forth and attacked the children of Esau, in the land towards the south, and he took Chebron and her towns: and he burnt the walls thereof, and the towers all round it.
5:66. And he removed his camp to go into the land of the aliens, and he went through Samaria.
5:67. In that day some priests fell in battle, while desiring to do manfully they went out unadvisedly to fight.
5:68. And Judas turned to Azotus, into the land of the strangers, and he threw down their altars, and he burnt the statues of their gods with fire: and he took the spoils of the cities, and returned into the land of Juda.