1 Maccabees 9 - Revised Version with Apocrypha 1885, 1895(RV1895)

1And the hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against Jerusalem:

4And they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse.

5And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:

6And they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men.

7And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint.

8And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if peradventure we may be able to fight with them.

9And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again, we and our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few.

10And Judas said, Let it not be so that I should do this thing, the hundred and fifty and third year, in the second month, See ch. 7.5.Alcimus commanded to pull down Cp. Ezek. 42.20.the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary; he pulled down also Cp. Ezra 5.2.the works of the prophets;

55And he began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give order concerning his house.

56And Alcimus died at that time with great torment.

57And See ch. 7.8.Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king: and the land of Judah Cp. ch. 7.50 & 14.4.had rest two years.

58And all ch. 7.5.the lawless men took counsel, saying, Behold, Jonathan and they of his part are dwelling at ease, and in security: now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he shall lay hands on them all in one night.

59And they went and consulted with him.

60And he removed, and came with a great host, and sent letters privily to all his confederates that were in Judæa, that they should lay hands on Jonathan and those that were with him: and they could not, because their counsel was known unto them.

61And they that were of Jonathan's part laid hands on about fifty of the men of the country, that were authors of the wickedness, and he slew them.

62And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, gat them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down thereof, and they made it strong.

63And Bacchides knew it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent word to them that were of Judæa.

64And he went and encamped against Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

65And Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went forth into the country, and he went with a few men.

66And he smote Odomera and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their tent.

67And they began to smite them, and to go up with their forces. And Simon and they that were with him went out of the city, and set on fire the engines of war,

68And fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore; for his counsel was in vain, and his inroad.

69And they were very wroth with the lawless men Cp. ver. 58.that gave him counsel to come into the country, and they slew many of them. And he took counsel to depart into his own land.

70And Jonathan had knowledge thereof, and sent ambassadors unto him, Cp. ch. 10.4.to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore unto them the captives.

71And he accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and sware unto him that he would not seek his hurt all the days of his life.

72Cp. ch. 10.33.And he restored unto him the captives which he had taken aforetime out of the land of Judah, and he returned and departed into his own land, and came not any more into their borders.

73And the sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan dwelt at 1 Sam. 13.2.Michmash; and Jonathan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.