top 1 Maccabees ch 1

Chapter 1

1 Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν Φιλίππου Μακεδόνα, ὃς ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ γῆς Χεττιίμ, καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν Δαρεῖον βασιλέα Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ, πρότερον ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα. 1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had defeated Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, formerly [he was king] over Greece,
2 καὶ συνεστήσατο πολέμους πολλοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ὀχυρωμάτων καὶ ἔσφαξεν βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς· 2 And made many wars, and won many strongholds, and killed the kings of the land,
3 καὶ διῆλθεν ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔλαβεν σκῦλα πλήθους ἐθνῶν. καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώθη, καὶ ἐπήρθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ. 3 And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils from many nations, so that the land was quiet before him; he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.
4 καὶ συνῆξεν δύναμιν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα καὶ ἦρξεν χωρῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τυράννων, καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ εἰς φόρον. 4 And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.
5 καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀποθνῄσκει. 5 And after these things he fell upon his bed, and knew that he should die.
6 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐνδόξους τοὺς συνεκτρόφους αὐτοῦ ἐκ νεότητος καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος. 6 Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and divided his kingdom among them, while he was still alive.
7 καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν Ἀλέξανδρος ἔτη δώδεκα καὶ ἀπέθανεν. 7 So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died.
8 καὶ ἐπεκράτησαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ, ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ. 8 And his servants ruled, each one in his place.
9 καὶ ἐπέθεντο πάντες διαδήματα μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ ἐπλήθυναν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ. 9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the land.
10 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥίζα ἁμαρτωλὸς Ἀντίοχος Ἐπιφανὴς υἱὸς Ἀντιόχου τοῦ βασιλέως, ὃς ἦν ὅμηρα ἐν Ῥώμῃ· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ἔτει ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τριακοστῷ καὶ ἑβδόμῳ βασιλείας Ἑλλήνων. 10 And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the 137th year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθον ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ υἱοὶ παράνομοι καὶ ἀνέπεισαν πολλοὺς λέγοντες πορευθῶμεν καὶ διαθώμεθα διαθήκην μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν κύκλῳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐχωρίσθημεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν εὗρεν ἡμᾶς κακὰ πολλά. 11 In those days wicked men went out from Israel persuading many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are around us: for ever since we departed from them, much evil has found us.
12 καὶ ἠγαθύνθη ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν, 12 So this device pleased them well.
13 καὶ προεθυμήθησάν τινες ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἐθνῶν. 13 Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:
14 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν γυμνάσιον ἐν Ἰεροσολύμοις κατὰ τὰ νόμιμα τῶν ἐθνῶν 14 Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:
15 καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς ἀκροβυστίας καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ διαθήκης ἁγίας καὶ ἐζευγίσθησαν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἐπράθησαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν. 15 And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
16 καὶ ἡτοιμάσθη ἡ βασιλεία ἐνώπιον Ἀντιόχου, καὶ ὑπέλαβεν βασιλεῦσαι γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅπως βασιλεύσῃ ἐπὶ τὰς δύο βασιλείας. 16 Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.
17 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ, ἐν ἅρμασιν καὶ ἐλέφασιν καὶ ἐν ἱππεῦσιν καὶ ἐν στόλῳ μεγάλῳ 17 Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,
18 καὶ συνεστήσατο πόλεμον πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου· καὶ ἐνετράπη Πτολεμαῖος ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφυγεν, καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί. 18 And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.
19 καὶ κατελάβοντο τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὀχυρὰς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἔλαβεν τὰ σκῦλα γῆς Αἰγύπτου. 19 Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.
20 καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Ἀντίοχος μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Αἴγυπτον ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ τρίτῳ ἔτει καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ. 20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,
21 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν καὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς 21 And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,
22 καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα καὶ τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰς θυΐσκας τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ τὸ καταπέτασμα καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ τὸν κόσμον τὸν χρυσοῦν τὸν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐλέπισεν πάντα· 22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.
23 καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ καὶ ἔλαβεν τοὺς θησαυροὺς τοὺς ἀποκρύφους οὓς εὗρεν· 23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
24 καὶ λαβὼν πάντα ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐποίησεν φονοκτονίαν καὶ ἐλάλησεν ὑπερηφανίαν μεγάλην. 24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.
25 καὶ ἐγένετο πένθος μέγα ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ αὐτῶν. 25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;
26 καὶ ἐστέναξαν ἄρχοντες καὶ πρεσβύτεροι, παρθένοι καὶ νεανίσκοι ἠσθένησαν, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν γυναικῶν ἠλλοιώθη. 26 So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.
27 πᾶς νυμφίος ἀνέλαβεν θρῆνον, καὶ καθημένη ἐν παστῷ ἐπένθει. 27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,
28 καὶ ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτήν, καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος Ἰακὼβ ἐνεδύσατο αἰσχύνην. 28 The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
29 μετὰ δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἄρχοντα φορολογίας εἰς τὰς πόλεις Ἰούδα, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ. 29 And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,
30 καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λόγους εἰρηνικοὺς ἐν δόλῳ, καὶ ἐνεπίστευσαν αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐξάπινα καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὴν πληγὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἀπώλεσεν λαὸν πολὺν ἐξ Ἰσραήλ. 30 And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.
31 καὶ ἔλαβεν τὰ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐνέπρησεν αὐτὴν πυρὶ καὶ καθεῖλεν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τείχη κύκλῳ. 31 And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.
32 καὶ ᾐχμαλώτισαν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα, καὶ τὰ κτήνη ἐκληρονόμησαν. 32 But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.
33 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὴν πόλιν Δαυὶδ τείχει μεγάλῳ καὶ ὀχυρῷ, πύργοις ὀχυροῖς, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς εἰς ἄκραν. 33 Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.
34 καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐκεῖ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλόν ἄνδρας παρανόμους, καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν αὐτῇ. 34 And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.
35 καὶ παρέθεντο ὅπλα καὶ τροφὴν καὶ συναγαγόντες τὰ σκῦλα Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἀπέθεντο ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς μεγάλην παγίδα. 35 They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:
36 καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς ἔνεδρον τῷ ἁγιάσματι καὶ εἰς διάβολον πονηρὸν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ διὰ παντός. 36 For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.
37 καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῷον κύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸ ἁγίασμα. 37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
38 καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κάτοικοι Ἱερουσαλὴμ δι᾿ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐγένετο κατοικία ἀλλοτρίων καὶ ἐγένετο ἀλλοτρία· τοῖς γενήμασιν αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἐγκατέλιπον αὐτήν. 38 Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.
39 τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτῆς ἠρημώθη ὡς ἔρημος, αἱ ἑορταὶ αὐτῆς ἐστράφησαν εἰς πένθος, τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς εἰς ὀνειδισμόν, ἡ τιμὴ αὐτῆς εἰς ἐξουδένωσιν. 39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.
40 κατὰ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῆς ἐπληθύνθη ἡ ἀτιμία αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς ἐστράφη εἰς πένθος. 40 As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
41 καὶ ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ εἶναι πάντας εἰς λαὸν ἕνα 41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
42 καὶ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἕκαστον τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπεδέξαντο πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως. 42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
43 καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ Ἰσραὴλ εὐδόκησαν τῇ λατρείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθυσαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ἀποδιδόναι τὸ σάββατον. 43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.
44 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς βιβλία ἐν χειρὶ ἀγγέλων εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὰς πόλεις Ἰούδα πορευθῆναι ὀπίσω νομίμων ἀλλοτρίων τῆς γῆς 44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
45 καὶ κωλῦσαι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ βεβηλῶσαι σάββατα καὶ ἑορτὰς 45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
46 καὶ μιᾶναι ἁγίασμα καὶ ἁγίους, 46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
47 οἰκοδομῆσαι βωμοὺς καὶ τεμένη καὶ εἰδώλια καὶ θύειν ὕεια καὶ κτήνη κοινὰ 47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts:
48 καὶ ἀφιέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἀπεριτμήτους βδελύξαι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν παντὶ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ βεβηλώσει 48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:
49 ὥστε ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἀλλάξαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα· 49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
50 καὶ ὃς ἄν μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀποθανεῖται 50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.
51 κατὰ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἔγραψεν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπισκόπους ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο ταῖς πόλεσιν Ἰούδα θυσιάζειν κατὰ πόλιν καὶ πόλιν. 51 In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.
52 καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πολλοὶ πρὸς αὐτούς, πᾶς ὁ ἐγκαταλείπων τὸν νόμον, καὶ ἐποίησαν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ 52 Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;
53 καὶ ἔθεντο τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν κρύφοις ἐν παντὶ φυγαδευτηρίῳ αὐτῶν. 53 And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.
54 καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ Χασελεῦ τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει ᾠκοδόμησεν βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον. καὶ ἐν πόλεσιν Ἰούδα κύκλῳ ᾠκοδόμησαν βωμούς· 54 Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
55 καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν τῶν οἰκιῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐθυμίων. 55 And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.
56 καὶ τὰ βιβλία τοῦ νόμου, ἃ εὗρον, ἐνεπύρισαν ἐν πυρὶ κατασχίσαντες. 56 And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.
57 καὶ ὅπου εὑρίσκετο παρά τινι βιβλίον διαθήκης, καὶ εἴ τις συνευδόκει τῷ νόμῳ, τὸ σύγκριμα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτου αὐτόν. 57 And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king’s commandment was, that they should put him to death.
58 ἐν ἰσχύϊ αὐτῶν ἐποίουν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς εὑρισκομένοις ἐν παντὶ μηνὶ καὶ μηνὶ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν. 58 Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.
59 καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνὸς θυσιάζοντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν, ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου. 59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.
60 καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τὰς περιτετμηκυίας τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐθανάτωσαν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα 60 At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.
61 καὶ ἐκρέμασαν τὰ βρέφη ἐκ τῶν τραχήλων αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς περιτετμηκότας αὐτούς. 61 And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.
62 καὶ πολλοὶ ἐν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκραταιώθησαν καὶ ὠχυρώθησαν ἐν αὑτοῖς τοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν κοινὰ 62 Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.
63 καὶ ἐπεδέξαντο ἀποθανεῖν, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν τοῖς βρώμασιν καὶ μὴ βεβηλώσωσιν διαθήκην ἁγίαν, καὶ ἀπέθανον. 63 Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.
64 καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ μεγάλη ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ σφόδρα. 64 And there was very great wrath upon Israel.