The Koine Bible

And Nicanor, having learned of those around Judas who were in the places around Samaria, planned on the day of rest to fall upon them with all security

And the Jews who followed him of necessity were saying, In no way destroy so savagely and barbarously, but apportion glory to the day preferred by him who oversees all things with holiness.

But the thrice-wretched man asked whether there is in heaven a ruler who has ordered the day of the Sabbaths to be led away.

of those who had declared it is the Lord living himself in heaven, the Sovereign, the one who commanded the observance of the week

And the other one, says he, is ruler over the land, the one commanding to take up arms and to carry out the royal affairs; nevertheless he was not able to carry out his wicked purpose.

And Nicanor indeed, with all arrogance, lifting up his neck, had resolved to set up a common trophy from those around Judas

But Maccabeus was unceasingly trusting with every hope to obtain help from the Lord

And he exhorted those with him not to fear the assault of the nations, but keeping in mind the help that had come to them from heaven before, and now to expect the victory that would be for them from the Almighty.

And encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them beforehand also of the struggles which they had carried through, he made them more eager.

And by arousing them to anger he commanded them, at the same time pointing out the impiety of the nations and the violation of oaths

And arming each one of them, not with the security of shields and spears, but with the encouragement in good words, and having further explained a trustworthy dream, as if it were something real, he cheered them all.

Now the vision of this one was such: Onias, the man who had become high priest, a good and noble man, modest in his bearing and gentle in his manner and speaking with propriety, and from childhood having diligently practiced all things proper to virtue, this one with hands outstretched was praying for the whole company of the Jews.

Then in this way a man distinguished by gray hair and glory appeared, and his splendor around him was marvelous and most magnificent.

And Onias answering, to say: This is the lover of his brothers, who prays much concerning the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God.

And Jeremiah, having stretched out his right hand, gave to Judas a golden sword, and giving it, he addressed him thus:

Take the holy sword as a gift from God, by which you will break the adversaries.

And being encouraged by the words of Judas, very fine and able to urge on to virtue and to make the souls of young men manly, they resolved not to campaign, but to conduct themselves bravely and with all valor, and, having engaged, to decide the matters, because both the city and the holy things and the sanctuary were in danger.

For the concern for wives and children, and still for brothers and relatives, was laid in a lesser place with them; but greatest and first was the fear for the consecrated temple.

And there was also no slight distress for those in the city who had been seized, as they were being troubled by the attack in the open country.

And when all were already expecting the judgment that was about to come, and the enemies had already come into close conflict, and the army had been drawn up, and the beasts had been set in place on a suitable part, and the cavalry arranged by wing

And Maccabaeus, having perceived the coming of the multitudes and the varied equipment of the weapons and the savageness of the beasts, lifting up his hands to heaven, called upon the Lord who works wonders, knowing that victory is not gained by weapons, but that as it may be judged by him, he grants the victory to those who are worthy.

And he was saying, calling upon in this manner: You, Master, sent your angel against Hezekiah, the king of Judea, and he killed from the camp of Sennacherib one hundred eighty-five thousand.

And now, O ruler of the heavens, send a good angel before us for dread and trembling

By the greatness of your arm let those who come with blasphemy against your holy people be struck with fear, and he indeed ended in these things.

But those around Nicanor were advancing with trumpets and paeans.

But those around Judas, with invocation and prayers, joined battle with the enemies

And fighting with their hands, and praying with their hearts to God, they laid low no fewer than three myriads and five thousand, greatly rejoiced at the appearance of God.

But having become free from the necessity and setting out with joy, they recognized that Nicanor had fallen down with the full armor

And when there was a cry and confusion, they were blessing the Master in the ancestral language

And the chief actor, in body and soul altogether, on behalf of the citizens, who had preserved the goodwill of his age toward his fellow countrymen, ordered them to cut off the head of Nicanor and to carry the hand with the shoulder to Jerusalem

And having come there and having called together the compatriots and the priests, and having set them before the altar, he summoned those from the Akra.

and having displayed the head of the vile Nicanor and the hand of the ill-famed man, which, stretching out against the holy house of the Almighty, he had boasted greatly

and cutting out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor, he said that he would give it in pieces to the birds, and hang the recompense of his folly opposite the temple

And all together blessed the glorious Lord in heaven, saying, Blessed is the one who kept his own place undefiled

And he untied the head of Nicanor from the citadel, evident to all and a manifest sign of the help of the Lord

And all decreed with a common vote to let this day by no means pass unmarked, but to keep the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar as notable, which is called in the Syrian tongue the day before the Mordecai day

So then, since those concerning Nicanor had ended thus, and from those times the city was held by the Hebrews, I myself also will bring the account to an end there.

And if indeed this was well and fittingly done in the composition, I myself also wanted it; but if cheaply and moderately, this was attainable for me

For just as to drink wine by itself, and likewise also water, is again hostile, but in what way wine, mixed with water, produces a sweet and delightful grace, so also the arrangement of the composition of the account delights the ears of those who encounter the arrangement; and here will be the end.