1 Maccabees 1:1–9

^aAnd it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of ^bChettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and ^cMedes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece, ²and made many wars, and won many ^dstrong holds, and slew the kings of the earth, ³and went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. ⁴And he gathered a mighty strong host, and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him. ⁵And after these things he ^efell sick, and perceived that he should die. ⁶Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and ^fhad been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive. ⁷So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died. ⁸And his servants bare rule every one in his place. ⁹And after his death they all put ^ffcrowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.