The Koine Bible

And Philopator, learning from those who had returned of the removal by Antiochus of the places under his control, after giving orders to all the forces, both infantry and cavalry, and taking along his sister Arsinoe, set out as far as the places near Raphia, where those around Antiochus had encamped.

But a certain Theodotus, having intended to carry out the plot, taking the best of the Ptolemaic weapons that had been assigned to him, was brought by night to the tent of Ptolemy, so as to kill him alone and by this to end the war

And Dositheus, called the son of Drimylus, a Jew by race, having afterward changed the ordinances and being alienated from the ancestral doctrines, laid this one down in the tent, a certain obscure man, whom it happened to receive that one’s punishment.

And when there had been a severe battle, and the affairs were rather strengthened for Antiochus, Arsinoe, going about sufficiently among the forces, was appealing with pity and tears, her locks loosened, to help both themselves and the children and the women, promising boldly to give to each one who had conquered two minas of gold

And thus it happened that the opponents were destroyed in hand-to-hand fighting, and many were also taken captive.

And having gained control of the plot, he decided to go to the neighboring cities to encourage them.

And having done this and having distributed gifts to the shrines, he made the subjects bold.

But the Jews having sent to him from the senate and the elders those who were to greet him and bring gifts of hospitality and to give thanks for the events that had happened, it happened that he was rather encouraged to come to them as quickly as possible.

And having been conveyed to Jerusalem and sacrificed to the Most High God and given thanks and done something of what follows to the place, and indeed having arrived at the place and being struck with amazement at the seriousness and magnificence

And marveling also at the good order of the sanctuary, he determined to plan to enter into the temple.

But those who said that this ought not to happen, because it was not permitted for even those from the nation to enter, nor for all the priests, except only the high priest who was chief of all, and to him once a year, were in no way persuaded by him.

When the law had been read aloud, he did not give up, but kept advancing himself, saying that he ought to enter, and if those men have been deprived of this honor, then it is not right that I should be deprived of it.

And he inquired for what reason, when he was entering into every sacred precinct, no one of those present had hindered him.

And someone said, thoughtlessly, that this very thing was being made into a bad portent

But when this had happened, he says, for some reason they would certainly not enter, even though they wished and not.

And the priests, in all their garments, having fallen down and begging the Most High God to help those present and to turn aside the attack of the one plotting evil, and having filled the temple with a cry and with tears,

Those remaining in the city, being troubled, sprang out, making unclear what was happening.

and the shut-in virgins in chambers, together with the women who had borne children, rushed out and sprinkled their hair with dust, filling the streets with wailing and groanings

And those also, just recently dispatched, leaving aside the litter-bearers arranged to meet them and the fitting modesty, were assembling in the city in a disorderly run

But the newborn children, their mothers and nurses, leaving them behind in every way and in every way, some in houses and others in the streets, were gathering without turning back to the most high sanctuary

And varied was the supplication of those gathered for this, on behalf of those being impiously handled by him.

And together with these, those about the citizens, having become bold, were not enduring his fully pressing upon them and intending to carry out the matter of his purpose.

And having called out, they made the impulse to take up arms and to die courageously for the ancestral law, enough to produce in the place severity, but with difficulty being turned back by both the old men and the elders, they came to the same posture of supplication.

And the multitude, as before, was spending time in these things, making supplication.

But the elders around the king were in many ways trying to turn aside his haughty mind from the plot he had conceived.

But becoming bold and having already neglected everything, he was also making an approach, thinking to put an end to the aforesaid matter.

Therefore both he and those around him, seeing these things, were turned to join with our people in invoking him who has all might, to help those present, not overlooking the lawless and arrogant deed

And from the very dense and painful cry of the crowds being gathered there was a shout impossible to compare.

For it seemed not only the men but also the walls and the whole ground to resound, since indeed all things were then exchanging death in place of the desecration of the place