2 Maccabees 13 - Revised Version with Apocrypha 1885, 1895(RV1895)

1In each having a Greek force, passion of Antiochus against the wicked wretch; and when Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king commanded to bring him unto Berœa, and to put him to death after the manner of that place.

5Now there is in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all round it a gallery descending sheer on every side into the ashes.

6Here him that is all push forward into destruction.

7By such a fate it befell the breaker of the law, against the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, in ashes did he receive his death.

9Now the king, infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had befallen them in his father's time.

10But when Judas heard of these things, he gave charge to the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, beseeching him, if ever at any other time, so now to succour them that were at the point to be deprived of the law and their country and the holy temple,

11And not to suffer the people that had been but now a little while revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen.

12So when they had all done the same thing together, beseeching God.

14And committing the decision to Lord of the world, and exhorting them that were with him to contend nobly even unto death commonwealth, he pitched his camp by tent, and slew of the army as many as two thousand men, and brought down the chiefest elephant with him that was in the tower upon him.

16And at last they filled the army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success.

17And this had been accomplished when the day was but now dawning, because of Judas help.

18But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made attempts by stratagem upon their positions,

19And upon a strong fortress of the Jews at Gerrenians,

25Came to Ptolemais. The men of came forward to speak, made the best defence that was possible, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, Cp. 1 Mac. 6.63.departed unto See ver. 23.Antioch. This was the issue of the inroad and departure of the king.