1 Machabees — Chapter 4

Confidence in God proveth his assistance.

Altars, temples, & statues of false Gods made of stone, and set vp in the temple were now destroyed.

The temple was purged two yeares & somewhat more after the prophanation. Our Sauiour Iesus, observed this feast being instituted long after the Law of Moyses. Ioan. 10.

And ludas decreed, and his brethren, and al che Church of Ifrael, that the day of the dedication of the altar be kept in the times therof fr6 yeare to yeare for eight dayes, from the fine & twentith day of the mouth Cafteu , with-ioy and glad- nes, 60. .And they builded.at that time mount Sion, and round about high wals. and firong towres,, left fometime the Gentils fhould.come. and conculcate it.as they did betore. 16. And he placed an armie there, a loan.io, OF MACHABEES, 864 keepe it, & he fenfed itto keepe Bethfura , that the people might haue a munition againft the face of Idumea.* +12... 10, V.I. ' CHAP V. ludas and his brethren expugne thes bordering enemies; 9. deliary them-that were diftreffed. 17. Simon profpereth in Galetey, 24. Iudas.in Galaad, 45. taketh Ephron , and al rerurne-fafe into lerafalem. 55. lofepbus and Axa- vies attempting ambicioufly without order to fight again(t thet enemies , are defeated, 63. And Ludas. bath more vidories, ND it canteto: paffe , as (4) the Gentils round about ‘#/Tn this chap- . heard that the altar was builded vp, and the fanctuarie as iter is mention . : , ‘of ten bat~ before, they were excecding angrie: 2, and they thought ities in which to take away the ftock of lacob , that were among thé, Iudasos his b> ‘and they began to kil of the people, and to perfecute. 3, :bretheren Io- And Iudas fought again{t (b) the children of Efauin Idurnea , & them taathas and that were in Acrabathane: becaule they befet the I{taelites round abour, y dors were and he ftrack them witha great glague. 4, And he remembred the ma- 1(b) The firft a- ‘ lice of the children (c) of Bean , which were to the people a {nare and a ‘gainft the I- feandal , tying in waite for them in the way. 5. And they were fhut-vp ‘dumeans in A- jetrerly by him in towres, and he came neretothem, and anathematized them, ‘abathane. defiroy- and burat their towres with fyre , with althat were in them, 6. And he. ¢) The fecond: . : jag. : ft - ‘4. paffed tothe children (4) of Ammon , and found a ftrong band , and a ane’ ‘ copious people , and Timothee their captaine; 7. and he made manie djThethird ; battels with them, and they were difcomfited in their fight,& he {truck :againft the vilagow' them: 8.and he tooke Gazer the citie, and her daughters, and returned ‘Ammonites, - into Tewrie, 9. And the Gentilsthat are (e) in Galaad gathered together oo eeu agayrit the Iraelites , that were in their cofts to difpatch them :and Qu adices,. they fled into the fortreffe of Bacheman, 10. And they fent lettersto Iu- das, and his brethren, faying: The heathen round about are gathered together againft vs ,todilpatch vs : 11. and they prepare to come , and to occupte the fortreffe into which we are fled : and Timothee is the captayne of their hoft,12,Now therfore come,& deliuer vs, ont of their hands , becaufe a multitude of vs.is fallen. 13. And al our breshren, that were inthe.places of Tubin , are flaine: and they led away their wives captiues ,and the children, and the-fpoiles , and they haue flaine there } _almoft a thoufand men, 14, And the epiftles were yet.in reading ,and loe other meffengers came out of Galilee their coates rent,teporting ac- ‘cording rothefe words: 15. faying that there were affembled againft them from Peolemais , and Tyre, and Sidon , and al'Galilee is reple- inithed with alicms, to confume vs, 16. And as Judas andthe people ‘heard thefe words, a great affemblie aficmbled together to confider what they fhould doe fortheir brethren , that were intribulation , and Ppppp were! if) The fifth a- gaint the Ga- lileans of the Gentils, _ cities of Galaad they are held captiue , & on the morow thcy appoynted $68 FIRST BOODK ' were. expugned af them, 17. And ludas fayd' ro’ Simon his brother : ' Choofe thee men, and goe, and deliuer thy brethren in (f) Galilee : and tand my brother Tonathas wil goe into the countrie of Galaad.18. And he lefefofeph thefonne of Zacharie , and Azarias,captaynes of the peo- ple, with the refidue of the armie in Lurie to keepe it: 19.and he com- manded them,faying : Be ye ouer this people:& makeno battel againft the heathen , til wereturne. 20, Andthere were parted to Simon three thoufand men , to goe into Galilee ; butto Judas cight thoufandto goe ix.to the courtrie of Galaad. 21. And Simon went into Galilee, & made manie battels with :the heathen : and the heathen were difcomfited bofore his face , and “he purfued.them euen wo the gate of Peolemais.