1 Machabees — Chapter 13

Jima seth God. Bue haomble faules defire onowy os Ged > proud men wil be nenosred more then Ged, erevithour Goi. O how jmanie Epita- phes are of wicked men, nothing els but perpetual monuments of their ambition, vaintie;in- iuftice,cruel- deie., & other vices , but thofe rhatare of true ver- tues,are to Gods more henour : the jauGor of a] vercus, a ah j(e) By how much more, that mercie is adtnixed with iuflice , fo that iuftice be nor deftroyed , and thatreligion be aduanced , the better it pleafeth God, aad edifieth Ked wel difpo. ed. 894 FIRST BOOK by guile he flew him, 32. And he reigned im his-place, & put the crowne of Afia vpon himfelf, and made a greatplague in the land. 33. And Si- mon built the fortrefles-of Iurte , fortifying them with hightowres 5 & great wals, and gates , and locks: and hepuc victuals in the fortrefles. 34.And Sitnonchole men:& fent to Demetriusthe King that he would make a-releafe.co the countrie : becaufe al Tryphons actes had been done-by fpoile. 35. And Demetrius the King according to thefe words an{wered him, and wrote an epiftte in this manner 136. KING Deme-. trius to Simenthe High.Pricit, and the freind of Kings, andcothe an- cients, and'to the nation of the lewes, greeting. 37. Thecrowne of gold, and * the bahem, which youfent , we hauereceiued : and we are readie to make with you great peace, and to writero the Kings chiefe ofhicers to.releafe you the things that we haue ‘eleafed, 38. For whatfocuer things we haue decreed vnto you, ftand in force, The holdes that you haue built, let them be to you. 39. We remitte alf othe ignora:.ces , and offences euen vntil this day , and the crowne which you owed.: and tt any other thing was tributarie in lerufalem,now let it notbe. teibutanic. 40, And if anie of you be fit.to be enrolled among ‘ours , let chem be enrolled , and ler there be peace between vs. 41, inthe yeare an hun- dreth feuentie wasthe yoke of the Gentils taken away from Sfrael, 42. And the people of Iftael began to write in the tables, and publique in- ftrumems. The firft yeare vnder Simon the High-Prieft , the great Duke , and the Prince of the lewes : 43. In thefe. dayes Simon appro- -ched to.Gaza., and.compafied it with campes,.and he made engins, and fer them.to the citie., and he ftruck one towre., and tooke it. 44. And they that were within the engin, brake outinto.the-citic :and there was made agreat fturrein the.citic. 45. And they that were in the cite went vp with their wiues and children vpon the wal their coates rent, and they cried with alowd voice, defyring ot Simon that the right hands might be giuenthem,, 46. and they fayd : Requite vs not according to our malices ,but:according to thy mercies, 47. And Simon yealding de- {troyed-them net : bur (e¢) yet he caft them out of the citie, and clenfed the houfes , wherein there had been idals , and.then he entred into it with hymes bleffing our Lord :.4%, and al filthines being caft out of it, the placed in it menthat fhould doe the law : and he fortified it , and madeithis habitation. 49, But they that were in the caftel of lerufa- lem , were prohibited to goe out and to come into the countrie, andto bye and fel: and they were exceeding hungrie , and manic of them perilhed for famine , 50. and they cried to Simonto receiue the right bands , and he gauc it them ; and he caft them out from thence , and clenfed.the caftel from the contan.inations : 51, aid they entred. into it the three and twentith day of the {ccond north , the yeare. and hundreth feuentie one , with prayfe , and boughes of palme trees , and harpes , and cyimbals , and nables ,and hymnes , at.d canti- cles, becaufe the great enemie was deftroyed out of Ifracl. 52. And he. ordayned OF MACHABEES, 895, ordayned that eueri¢ yeare thefe dayes fhould be kept with gladhes. t 53. And he fortified she mount of thecemple , that was by thecaftel, and he dwelc there himfelf,& they thac were with himn.s.4.And Simon ‘faw (f) Tehn his fonne, that he was avalient man of wacte: and-be made him captayne of al the hofts : and he dwelt in Gazara. CHAP, XITLIL Demetrius inuading Media is taken captine: 4.and Lurie is in peace. 14.Simon cherisheth the godlie, and punssheth she wicked: 16. recermeth freillic ler ters from the Romanes and Spartiates: 20. wherof the copie % recited +24. fendeth a legate to Rome with ap-efent, 25. And is eftabsshed bigh-Pricft and goucrnour by publique confent. , N the yeare an hundreth feuentie ewo, King Demetrius gathered his armie , and went into Media to get him aydesto expugne Try- phon, 2, And Arfaces the King of Perfia, aud Mcdia heard , that Demetrius was entred, to take him aliue. 3. And he went, and ftruck @ the campe of Demetrius :and tooke him, and brought him to Arfaces, and he put him into ward, 4. And (a)al the land of luda was at reft al the dayes of Simon, and he {ought good to his nation : & his power, and his glorie pleafed chem al dayes.5.And with al his glorie he tooke loppe for an hauen , and made itan entrance vnto the iles of the fea, 6. Andheenlarged the borders of ‘his nation , and obteyned the countric. 7. And gathered a great (¥).captiuitié, and had the dominion of Gazara , and of Befura , and of the caftle:.and tooke away the vn- cleanes out of it, and there was none that refifted him. 8. And cuerie man tilled his land with peace : and the land of ludayealded her fruits, and the trees of the fields their fruit, 9, The ancients fate al in the {treets,and treated of the good things of the land,and the yongmen did onthem glorie,and the ftoles of warre. 10, And he gaue viGuals tothe cities, and he appointed them that they fhould be veflels of munition, til the name of his gloric was renowmed euen to the end of the-earth. 11. He made peace vpon the land, and Ifrael reioyced with great ioy,12, 4 And euerie man fate vnder his vine,and vnder his figtree : and there was { none to make them afrayd,12. There was none Jett that impugned thé vpon the earth. Kings were difcomfited in thofe dayes. 14. And he con-. firmed al the humble of his people, and foughtthe law, & toeke away cucti¢e wicked and euilman : he glorified the-holies, and multiplied thc i veflels {beginning witt {great ditiicul- (f) This Iohe Hyreanus de- fended the countric a- gainft inua~ ders, chats. (#) Simon had nowgouer- 2 ned the peo- ple two yeares, ties but hence- torth cn- loyed peace til Antiochus So+ detes brake the league , & in- uaded Lurie-ch.- If .U.27,CP3>» ¢b)He reduced: manie lewes from capti= ustre, ngyams S fff 3 nae ¢) Sparta being the chief citie yof Lacedemo- nia, had manie' 4cities fubie@ & depending as vpen their Metropoli- tane, 4d) When peace was eftabifhed fin al Luric,and freind thippe confirmed iwiththe Ro- nantes ,& La- icedemonians, (the whole na- tion of the Ie-! Wes in grati~ . fude towards {Simon , who gonlie naw re- mated of Ma- thathias fon- nes, confirmed him in the of- hice of high- prielt preperu- ally or for emer, v.gt that is, hasnt wae Wyre {& to his pro- 42 ENIE,V. 49. during his life,!. 896 FIRST BOOK veffels of the holie places.16. And it was heard at Rome that Jonathas was dead , & euen ynto the Spartiats : andthey were very forie.17. But as they heard that Simon his brother was made the High-Prieft in his place, and he obteyned al the countrie , and the cities therein; 18, they wrote to him in brafen tables, to renew theamities and-focierie , which they had made with Iudas, & with Ianathas his brethren. 19. And they weteread in the fight of the Church in Ierufalem. And this is a copie of the epiftles that the Spartiates fent. 20. THE P RINCES and (c) the cities of the Spartians to Simon the grand Prieft ,& to the ancients, and the Priefts , and the reft of the people of the ewes their brethren, greeting, 21. The legates, that were fentto our people , haue told vs of your gloric, and honour ,and ioy: and we reioyced at their entrance, 22, And we wrote that, which was fayd of them in the counfels of the people, thus : Numenius the fonne of Antiochus, and Antipater the, fonne of Lafon, legates of the lewes , came to vs, renewing withvs old amitie, 23, And it pleafed the people to receiue the men glorioufly, and to put a copie of their words in the feuered Book of the people, to be for a memorie to the people of the Spartiats, Anda copie of thefe we haue written to Simon the grand Prieft,‘24. And after thefe things Si- mon fent Numenius to Rome , hauing a great buckler of gold, of the weight of thoufand pounds, to eftablilh amitie with them. But when the people of Rome had heard 25.thefe words, they fayd: What thanks giuing (hal we render ta Simon & his children 226. For he hath refto- red his brethren, and hath expugned the enemies of Ifrael from them : and they decreed him libertie,& regiftred it in tables of braffe , & put itintitlesin mount Sion.37, And this is a copie of the writing, THE EIGHTEENTH day of the month Elul, inthe yeare an hundreth feuentie two,the third yeare vnder Simon the grand-Prieft in Atarainel,

Alcineus lay depe- fed from che offre of bigh Price, 6. accufeth good.men of diflsyalste 2 ie others alfosmcenfe Demetrius. 12, Wherapon Nicanor being fent inte ie maketh Alcmus againe bighepricf: 13, bath peace wich ludas , con fing with-bim moft familtarly.26. Bur by. Alctmus (ug geftion , ferkes ' deleucr biminto the Kings hands: 30. .orher wife threaineth to prophaue vn temple, 24. The Pricfts pray God to protect them, 37. Raztas being accused, and parfued , 41,00 extreme diftreffe killeth hunfelf with meruclous cou- rage of (pirtte. VT after the fpace of three yeares Tudas vn- derftood , and they that were with hima, thae. Demetrius.the fonne of Selcucus with a ftrong. nvulzitude, & with fhippes was.come vp by. the. port of Tripolisto commodiousplaces,2..and j -beld the countries agaiaft Antiochus’, and his Ae gouernour Lyfias. 3. And one(a)Alciinus that Sj 2ad been highprieit, but voluntarily was con- wed} cami.ated in the tume of the céfufion,confide- ring tnat tere Wa: tactic for him byno means, nor accefle to the alrar,, ' 4.cameroKing Demetrius. inthe yeare an hundred fittie,offering him a * aco. crowne of gold & a palme,& befidesthefe, * Talloes,which feemed to a foe~ “ , be of.the téple, And that fame day in deede he held his peace. 5, But ha- bouzh, ing gotten a commodins tims for his madnes , being called.of Deme- e > SD . ;trius:to counfel and asked 0:2. wiat thing and counfels-rhe lewes-refted, he anfwered: 6. They of the lewes that are calied:(b) Affidians,of W ho- Tudas Machabeus ts captaine, nourilh battels ,.and moue feditions,nei~ ther doe they fuffer the realme to be quiet. 7.For alfo being defrauded of my anceftours glorie (1 meane ofthe highpriefthocd ) amt come hi- ther: 3.principally in deede keeping fidelitietothe Kings commodities, But fecondly alfo prouiding for my citizens , for by their naughtines al ite, prouide I pray thee, bothtor the countrie,ard fer our ftocke ac. cordiag to thy humacitie publiihed to.al men, 10 For as leng‘asdudas is aiiue te is vnpoflible that there be peace to theaffaires..11, And fuch , d enemies agaist ludas , incenfed Demettius.* 12. Wao torthwita fen: Nicanor,chiefe ouer the elephaits Captal..¢ into luracit, ‘gluing him LO. miMio,thar he ibould take ludas himicf:bur thé shat. were with bim,be . . . . aoe . . 7 . . : 1 mould difperic,& make Aicimus the bign prictt of the greateit.tempie,, “Z2227z 2 ra. Tien our ftocke isnot alisle vexed. 9. But.al thefe thin; s being knowen., 6 1™°'1'g Gods - things being fasd of him, the-other tremds alfo behaving themfclues_as . > n Nee (4) Alcimus: was of Aarons ftoek &.1.2.7, v.14. but for ‘this apoftafie ihere mentioe- }- “med. was vrica- ipable of high . -pricfthood , & ‘fo Marrhathias Was ordayned, ! cing of the fame progenie jand moft fn- icere in reli- gicn, (6) This deferis} Ptionof the Aflideans mauedy their. malicious ene- - mie-in-calum} nious and o- fheweth wel their fingular zele ,& fince- {titie in pro- - femuce.And fo \theu . aduerfa- accufations ; . imore .againft.. them.rhen al. lothers , tsa. plaine ccfti- - nONnic-of cheig!: smore-rarc and: more finiiar ldious termes, : dries malignant [ Vopr. po (ce) Apottarts and _poliiikes make their gayneby fooyling the faithful. 4 4. Then the nations, which nad fied trom ludas outof Jurie, ioyned SECOND BOOK themfelues by troupes with Nicanor , (¢) efteeming the miferies and calamities of the lewes the profperities of their Gwne affaires, 15. The lewes therfore hauing heard of Nicanors comming, and the affemblie of the nations, being forinkled with earth befought him ,that ordayned his people to keepe them for cuer,& that procecteth his portion by eui- dent fiznes.16. And the captaine commanding forthwith they-remoued from thence,and they came together tothe caftel of Deffau. 17,And Si- mon the brother of Judas had ioyned battel with Nicanor:: but he was made afrayd with the fodaine-comming of the aduerfaries, 18, Neuer- theles Nicanor hearing the manlines of Judas companions , & greatnes of courage, tharthey had for the conflicts of their countrie , was aftayd to make tryall by bloud. ig: Wherfore he fent Pofidonius, and Theodo- tius, & Marthias before to giue and take the right-hands. z0.And when there was long confultation of thefethings , and thecaptayne himfelf had moueditto.the multicude , there was one fentence ot them al to ac- -cord vnto amitie, 21. Therfore they appointed a day,wherin they might fecretly deale among themfelues , and feates were broughe forth & fet for euery one, 22, But ludas cOinanded armed men to-be in places con- uenient., left perhaps fome mifchete might fodainly arife from the ene- tnies : and they made agrcable communication. 23, Nicanor abode at lerufalem, and did nothing vniultly, and the flockes of the muirizudes. ‘that had been gathered together he dimini:hed, 24, And he efteemed Tudas alwayes deare from the hart, and he was inclined tothe man.

the countrie, thefe things were noti- fied : that there haue often been battels made in our countrie, 29, But Simon the fonne of. Mathathias of the children of larib,& his brethren put themfelues in danger, and refilted the aduerfaries of their nation, that their holies and law might ftand : and with great glorie haue they glorified theic nation. 30.And lonathas gathered together his nation, & was-made their grand Pricft, & he was laydto hispeople. 31. And their enemies would conculcate, and deftroy.their countrie, and extend their hands againft the holies. 32. Then Simon, refifted and fought for his nation, and beftowed much money ,and.armed the valient men of. his nation, and gaue them wages.: 33, and he fortified the cities of lurie, and Bethfura,that was in the borders of Jurte, where the armour ofthe enimies was before: and he placed. chere lewes for s-garrifon.- 34.And he fortified loppe , which was by-the fea: and Gazara; which. is inthe borders of Azotus , wherin the enemies dwelt before , and he: placed lewes there : and whatfoeuer was fitte for their correption , be pur £3. OF MACHABEES, ‘put in them, 35. And the people faw the fact of Sinion , and the glorie that he meant ro doe to his nation , andtkey made him their'duke, and grand -Prieft, forthae he had done al thefe things,and for the iuftice,tand_ fayth,which he kept to his nation, and fer that he fought by al meanes to aduance his people. 36. And in his dayes it profpered in his hands,fo that the heathen were taken away out of their countrie, and they thar -were in theeitie of Dauid in Ierufalem in the caftel, out of which the Came forth, and contaminated al things that were round about the ho- lies,and they brought great plague vpon chaftitie: 37. and he placed in ttmenof Turie to the defence ‘of the countrie , and of the citie , and he tayfed the wals of Jerefalem. 38, And King Demetrius appointed him the high-Prieft-hood, 39. According to thefe things he made him his freind and glorified him with great glorie. 40, For he heard thatthe lewes were called of the Romanes, freinds, & fclowes, & brethren, & ‘that they receiued Simons legats glorioufly: 41, and that the lewes, and their Pricfts.edfenred that he fhould be their duke, & high-Prieft(e) for ever, til there rife the faithful Prophet: 42. and that he be dukeouer them, and that he fhould haue the care of the holies, and that he fhould appoint rulers ouer their works, and ouer the countrie, and ouer the ar- mour, and ouer the holds, 4;.And that-he haue care of the holies ; and that he be heard of al, and that al writings in the countric be writen in his name: and that he be clothed with purple and gold: 44, and that it be not lawful for any of the people, and of the Priefts to difanul anie of thefe, and to gainfay thofe things, that are fayd of him, orto cal to- ether an affemblie inthe countrie without him : & to be clothed with purple,& to weare a cheyne of gola.45.But lie thar shal doe befide thefe things , or thal make fruftrate any of thefe, he thalbe guiltie, 46, And it pleafed al the people to appoint Simon,and to doe according to thefe words, 47.And Simion tooke it vpon him, and it pleafed him to execute high Prieft-hood,and to be duke & Prince of the nation of the lewes, and of the Priefts, and to be chiefe ouer al. 48, And this writing they bad them put if tables of braffe , and to fet them in the circuite of the holies, in a famous place: 49.and to puta copie therof in thetreafurie, that Simon may haue it, and his children, 897 (e) The high- Prieft-hood continewed in this familie 5 the Machabees vntil Herod reok€ it from them,felJing it for money , and then fhortly came Chrift she faith. if Prophes, . CHAS. 898 FIRST BOOK