VI. About that time aking Antiochus travelling through athe high countries, heard say that bElymais in the country of bbPersia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold; 2 and that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were * coverings of gold, and breastplates, and * shields, which cAlexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, cwho reigned first among the Grecians, had left there. 3 Wherefore dhe came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof, 4 rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to wBabylon. 5 Moreover there came one who brought him tidings ddinto Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put to flight: 6 and that eLysias, who went forth first with a great power, was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and fstore of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed: 7 also that gthey had pulled down hthe abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that ithey had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city kBethsura. 8 Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: lwhereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, mbecause it had not befallen him as he looked for. 9 And there he continued many days: nfor his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die. 10 Wherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care. 11 And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was obountiful and beloved in my power. 12 But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that pI took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and qsent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause. 13 I perceive therefore that for this cause these rtroubles are come upon me, and behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land. 14 Then called he for sPhilip, one of his friends, whom he made ruler over all his realm, 15 and gave him tthe crown, and his robe, and his usignet, to the end * he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom. 16 vSo king Antiochus died wthere in * the hundred forty and ninth year. 17 Now when xLysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son (xwhom he had brought up, being young) to reign in his stead, and his name he called yEupator.

18 About this time they that were in zthe tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen. 19 Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them. 20 So they came together, and besieged them in * the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made amounts for shot against them, and other engines. 21 Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some bungodly men of Israel joined themselves: 22 and they went unto cthe king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren? 23 We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments; 24 for which cause bthey of our nation besiege dthe tower, and are alienated from us: moreover eas many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance. 25 Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against all their borders. 26 And behold, this day are they besieging dthe tower at Jerusalem, to take it: fthe sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified. 27 Wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.

28 Now gwhen the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse. 29 There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from hisles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers. 30 iSo that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty kelephants exercised in battle. 31 These went through lIdumea, and mpitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burnt them with fire, and fought valiantly. 32 Upon this Judas removed from dthe tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king’s camp. 33 Then the king rising very early marched tfiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets. 34 And to the end they might provoke kthe elephants to fight, they shewed them nthe blood of grapes and mulberries. 35 Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every kelephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and besides this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best. 36 These were ready at every occasion, wheresoever the beast was: and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him. 37 And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, besides the Indian that ruled him. 38 As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host, * giving them signs what to do, and being oharnessed all over amidst the ranks. 39 Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire. 40 So part of the king’s army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order. 41 Wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the pharness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

42 Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king’s army six hundred men. 43 Eleazar also, surnamed qSavaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal pharness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him, 44 rput himself in rjeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and sget him a perpetual name: 45 wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, * so that they were divided from him on both sides. 46 Which done, he crept under the kelephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died. 47 Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and tthe violence of his forces, turned away from them.

48 Then the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents * against Judea, and against mount Sion. 49 But uwith them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city * , because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being wa year of rest to the land. 50 So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it. 51 As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and * set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts, and slings. 52 Whereupon * they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season. 53 Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was wthe seventh year, and they in Judea, that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the xstore;) 54 there were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

55 At that time yLysias heard say, that zPhilip (whom Antiochus the king whiles he lived had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king) 56 was returned out of aPersia and Media, and the king’s host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs. 57 Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us: 58 now therefore let us * be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation; 59 and covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we babolished their laws. 60 cSo the king and the princes dwere content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof. 61 Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold. 62 Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he ebrake his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down fthe wall round about. 63 Afterward departed he in all haste, gand returned unto hAntiochia, where he found zPhilip to be master of the city: so ihe fought against him, and took the city by force.