The Koine Bible

And it came to pass when the nations around heard that the altar had been built and the sanctuary had been dedicated as before, they were very angry.

And they took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob, those who were among them, and they began to put to death among the people and to remove.

And Judas fought against the sons of Esau in Idumea at Acrabattene, because they were besetting Israel, and he struck them with a great blow and restrained them and took their spoils.

And he remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean, who were a snare and a stumbling block to the people, in their lying in wait for them on the roads.

And they were shut up by him in the towers, and he pitched against them and he devoted them to destruction and he burned her towers with fire, together with all the things that were in them

And he crossed over against the sons of Ammon, and he found a mighty hand and a great people and Timotheus leading them

And he joined many wars against them, and they were shattered before his face, and he struck them

And he took Jazer and its daughters before them, and he returned into Judea.

And the nations that were in Gilead were gathered together against Israel, those who were on their borders, to destroy them; and they fled to Dathema, the stronghold.

And they sent letters to Judas and his brothers, saying, The nations around us have gathered together against us to wipe us out.

And they are preparing to come and to seize beforehand the stronghold into which we fled, and Timothy is leading their force.

Now therefore come and rescue us from their hand, for a multitude from us has fallen

and all our brothers who are in the land of Tubias have been put to death, and they have captured their wives and their children and their baggage, and there they destroyed about one thousand men

While the letters were still being read, behold, other messengers arrived from Galilee, having torn their garments, reporting according to these words.

saying that from Ptolemais and Tyre and Sidon and all Galilee of the foreigners had gathered together against us to destroy us

And when Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly was gathered to deliberate what they should do for their brothers who were in affliction and being warred against by them.

And Judas said to Simon his brother, Choose for yourself men and go and rescue your brothers who are in Galilee, but I and Jonathan my brother will go to Gilead.

And he left Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, leader of the people, with the rest of the force in Judea for guarding

And he commanded them, saying, Stand by this people and do not join battle with the nations until our return.

And three thousand men were allotted to Simon to go into Galilee, and to Judas, eight thousand men, into Gileaditide.

And Simon went into Galilee, and he engaged in many wars against the nations, and the nations were crushed from before him.

And he pursued them as far as the gate of Ptolemais, and there fell of the nations about three thousand men, and he took their spoils.

And he took those from Galilee and in Arbattis, with the women and the children and all that was theirs, and he brought them into Judea with great rejoicing

And Judas the Maccabee and Jonathan his brother crossed the Jordan and went a journey of three days in the wilderness

And they met the Nabataeans and greeted them peaceably, and told them all the things that had happened to their brothers in Gilead.

and that many of them are gathered together in Bosorra and Bosor in Alemois, Chaspho, Maked, and Carnain; all these cities are fortified and large

And in the remaining cities of Gilead they are gathered together; for tomorrow they are arranged to encamp against the strongholds and to capture them and to remove all these in one day.

And Judas and his camp turned by the way into the wilderness of Bosor, suddenly, and he captured the city and killed every male with the edge of the sword and took all their spoils and burned it with fire.

And he departed from there by night, and they were going as far as to the fortress

And it happened in the morning that they lifted up their eyes, and behold, a great people, of whom there was no number, carrying ladders and siege engines to take the fortress, and they were waging war against them.

And Judas saw that the war had begun, and the cry of the city had gone up to heaven, with trumpets and a loud cry

And he said to the men of the force, Fight today for our brothers.

And he went out in three divisions behind them, and they trumpeted with the trumpets and cried out in prayer

And the camp of Timotheus recognized that it was Maccabaeus, and they fled from before him, and he struck them with a great blow, and there fell of them on that day as many as eight thousand men.

And he turned aside into Alema and fought against it and captured it and killed every male of it and took its spoils and burned it with fire

From there he set out and took in advance Chaspho, Maked, and Bosor, and the remaining cities of Gilead.

And after these words Timothy gathered another army and encamped opposite Raphon beyond the torrent stream.

And Judas sent to scout out the camp, and they reported to him, saying, All the nations around us are gathered together to him, a very great force.

And the Arabs have been hired to help them, and they are encamping beyond the wadi, ready to come against you for war; and Judas went to meet them

And Timotheus said to the commanders of his force, as Judas and his camp drew near to the torrent of water, If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to withstand him, because, being able, he will be able against us.

But if he should be afraid and encamp beyond the river, we shall cross over to him, and we shall be able against him.

And as Judas drew near to the brook of water, he stationed the scribes of the people at the brook and instructed them, saying, Do not let any man encamp, but let all come into the battle.

And he crossed over against them first, and all the people behind him, and all the nations were crushed before them, and they threw down their weapons and fled to the sanctuary of Karnain.

And they took the city beforehand, and they burned the temple with fire, together with all that was in it, and Carnain was routed, and they were no longer able to stand before the face of Ioudou

And Judas gathered all Israel, those in Gilead, from little to great, and their women and their children and their baggage, a very large camp, to come into the land of Judah

And they came as far as Ephron, and this was a large city on the road, very strong; it was not possible to turn aside from it to the right or to the left, but only to go through the middle of it.

And those from the city shut them out and blocked up the gates with stones

And Judas sent to them with words of peace, saying, We will pass through your land to depart into our land, and no one will do you harm; only we will pass by on foot. But they were not willing to open to him.

And Judas ordered to proclaim in the camp for each to encamp in the place where he is

And the men of the force encamped, and he fought the city all that day and all that night, and the city was given into his hand.

and he destroyed every male by the mouth of the sword and uprooted it and took its spoils and passed through the city over the slain

And they crossed the Jordan into the great plain opposite Beth-shan

And Judas was gathering together the laggards and encouraging the people along the whole way until he came into the land of Judah

And they went up to Mount Zion in gladness and joy, and they offered whole burnt offerings, because none of them had fallen until their return in peace.

And in the days in which Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee, opposite Ptolemais

Joseph son of Zacharias and Azarias, leaders of the force of the mighty deeds and of the war, heard what they had done

And they said, Let us make a name for ourselves also, and let us go and fight against the nations around us.

And he commanded those from the force that was with him, and they went to Iamneia.

And Gorgias went out from the city and his men to meet them for war

And Joseph and Azarias were routed, and they were pursued as far as the borders of Judea, and on that day about two thousand men of the people of Israel fell.

And there arose a great turning among the people, because they did not listen to Judas and his brothers, supposing to act bravely.

But they were not of the seed of those men to whom deliverance was given to Israel by their hand

And the man Judas and his brothers were greatly glorified before all Israel and all the nations, wherever their name was heard

And they were gathering together to them, speaking well of them.

And Judas and his brothers went out and were fighting the sons of Esau in the land toward the south, and he struck Hebron and its daughters, and pulled down its fortresses, and burned its towers all around.

And he departed to go into the land of the Philistines, and he went through Marisa.

On that day priests fell in war, desiring to do brave deeds, in their going out into battle thoughtlessly

And Judas turned aside to Azotus, the land of the foreigners, and he pulled down their altars and burned the carved images of their gods with fire and plundered the spoils of the cities and returned to the land of Judah