Open English Translation 1 MAC Chapter 7

7 In the one hundred and fifty first year,[fn] Demetrios the son of Seleukos (Seleucus) came out of Romai (Rome), and went up with a few men to a city by the sea, and reigned there. 2 When he’d go into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army laid hands on Antiokos (Antiochus) and Lusias, to bring them to him. 3 The thing became known to him, and he said, “Don’t show me their faces!” 4 So the army killed them. Then Demetrios sat on the throne of his kingdom.

5 All the lawless and ungodly men of Yisrael (Israel) came to him. Alkimos was their leader, desiring to be high priest. 6 They accused the people to the king, saying, “Yehudah and his kindred have destroyed all your friends, and have scattered us from our own land. 7 Now therefore send a man whom you trust, and let him go and see all the destruction which he’s brought on us and the king’s country, and how he’s punished them and all who helped them.” 8 So the king chose Bakides, one of the king’s[fn] friends, who was ruler in the country beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king. 9 He sent him and that ungodly Alkimos, whom he made the high priest; and he commanded him to take vengeance on the Israeli people.

10 They marched away and came with a great army into Yehudah (Judah). He sent messengers to Yehudah and his kindred with words of peace deceitfully. 11 They paid no attention to their words; for they saw that they’d come with a great army. 12 A group of scribes gathered together to Alkimos and Bakides to seek just terms. 13 The[fn] Hasidim were the first among the Israeli people who strived for peace from them, 14 for they said, “One who’s a priest of the seed of Aharon (Aaron) has come with the army, and he’ll do us no wrong.” 15 He spoke with them words of peace, and swore to them, saying, “We won’t seek to harm you or your friends.” 16 They trusted him. Then he seized sixty men of them, and killed them in one day, according to the word which was written,

17 The flesh of your saints[fn]

and their blood was shed all around Yerushalem (Jerusalem),

and there was no one to bury them.

18 The fear and the dread of them fell onto all the people, for they said, “There’s neither truth nor justice in them; for they’ve broken the covenant and the oath which they swore.” 19 Bakides withdrew from Yerushalem, and encamped in Bezeth. He sent and seized many of the deserters who were with him, and some of the people, and he killed them, throwing them into a large pit. 20 He placed Alkimos in charge of the country and left with him a force to aid him. Then Bakides went away to the king.

21 Alkimos struggled to maintain his high priesthood. 22 All those who troubled their people joined him, and they took control of Yehudah (Judah), and did great damage in Yisrael. 23 Yehudah saw all the wrongs that Alkimos and his company had done among the Israeli people, even more than the Gentiles. 24 He went out into all the borders of Yehudah and took vengeance on the men who’d deserted from him, and they were restrained from going out into the country. 25 But when Alkimos saw that Yehudah and his company had grown strong, and knew that he wasn’t able to withstand them, he returned to the king, and brought evil accusations against them.

26 Then[fn] the king sent Nikanor, one of his honourable princes, a man who hated Yisrael (Israel) and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the people. 27 Nikanor came to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) with a great army. He sent to Yehudah and his kindred deceitfully with words of peace, saying, 28 “Let there be no battle between me and you; I’ll come with a few men, that I may see your faces in peace.” 29 He came to Yehudah, and they saluted one another peaceably. The enemies were ready to seize Yehudah by violence. 30 This was known to Yehudah, that he came to him with deceit, and he was very afraid of him, and would see his face no more. 31 Nikanor found out that his plan was disclosed; and he went out to meet Yehudah in battle beside Kefar-Shalama. 32 About five hundred men of Nikanor’s army fell, and the rest fled into David’s city.

33 After those things, Nikanor went up to Mt. Tsiyon (Zion). Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, with some of the people’s elders, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burnt sacrifice that was being offered for the king. 34 He mocked them, laughed at them, derided them shamefully,[fn] spoke arrogantly, 35 and swore in a rage, saying, “Unless Yehudah and his army are now delivered into my hands, it’ll be that, if I return safely, I’ll burn up this house!” And he went out in a great rage. 36 The priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and they wept, and said, 37 “You chose this house to be called by your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. 38 Take vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and don’t allow them to live any longer.”

39 Then Nikanor went out from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and encamped in Beyt-Horon, and there the Arami (Syrian) army met him. 40 Yehudah encamped in Adasa with three thousand men. Yehudah prayed and said, 41 “When those who came from the king blasphemed, your angel went out, and struck among them one hundred and eighty-five thousand. 42 Even so, crush this army before us today, and let all the rest know that he’s spoken wickedly against your sanctuary. Judge him according to his wickedness.” 43 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar, the armies met in battle. Nikanor’s army was defeated, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. 44 Now when his army saw that Nikanor had fallen, they threw away their weapons and fled. 45 They pursued them a day’s journey from Adasa until you come to[fn] Gezer, and they sounded an alarm after them with the signal trumpets. 46 Men came out of all the surrounding villages of Yehudah, and outflanked them. These turned them back on those, and they all fell by the sword. There wasn’t one of them left. 47 The Yehudim (Jews) took the spoils and the booty, and they cut off Nikanor’s head and his right hand, which he’d stretched out so arrogantly, and brought them, and hung them up beside Yerushalem. 48 The people were extremely glad, and they kept that day as a day of great gladness. 49 They[fn] ordained to keep this day year by year on the thirteenth day of Adar. 50 So Yehudah had rest a few days.