top 2 Maccabees ch 13

Chapter 13

Verses: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26]
1 Τῷ δὲ ἐνάτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει προσέπεσεν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν Ἀντίοχον τὸν Εὐπάτορα παραγενέσθαι σὺν πλήθεσιν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν 1 In the hundred forty and ninth year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,
2 καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Λυσίαν τὸν ἐπίτροπον καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων, ἕκαστον ἔχοντα δύναμιν Ἑλληνικὴν πεζῶν μυριάδας ἕνδεκα καὶ ἱππέων πεντακισχιλίους τριακοσίους καὶ ἐλέφαντας εἴκοσι δύο, ἅρματα δὲ δρεπανηφόρα τριακόσια. 2 And with him Lysias his protector, and ruler of his affairs, having either of them a Grecian power of footmen, an hundred and ten thousand, and horsemen five thousand and three hundred, and elephants two and twenty, and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.
3 συνέμειξεν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Μενέλαος καὶ παρεκάλει μετὰ πολλῆς εἰρωνείας τὸν Ἀντίοχον, οὐκ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῆς πατρίδος, οἰόμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς κατασταθήσεσθαι. 3 Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation encouraged Antiochus, not for the safeguard of the country, but because he thought to have been made governor.
4  δὲ βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλέων ἐξήγειρεν τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ Ἀντιόχου ἐπὶ τὸν ἀλιτήριον, καὶ Λυσίου ὑποδείξαντος τοῦτον αἴτιον εἶναι πάντων τῶν κακῶν, προσέταξεν, ὡς ἔθος ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, προσαπολέσαι ἀγαγόντας εἰς Βέροιαν. 4 But the King of kings moved Antiochus’ mind against this wicked wretch, and Lysias informed the king that this man was the cause of all mischief, so that the king commanded to bring him unto Berea, and to put him to death, as the manner is in that place.
5 ἔστιν δὲ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ πύργος πεντήκοντα πήχεων πλήρης σποδοῦ, οὗτος δὲ ὄργανον εἶχεν περιφερὲς πάντοθεν ἀπόκρημνον εἰς τὴν σποδόν. 5 Now there was in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had a round instrument which on every side hanged down into the ashes.
6 ἐνταῦθα τὸν ἱεροσυλίας ἔνοχον καί τινων ἄλλων κακῶν ὑπεροχὴν πεποιημένον ἅπαντες προσωθοῦσιν εἰς ὄλεθρον. 6 And whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or had committed any other grievous crime, there did all men thrust him unto death.
7 τοιούτῳ μόρῳ τὸν παράνομον συνέβη θανεῖν μηδὲ τῆς γῆς τυχόντα Μενέλαον· 7 Such a death it happened that wicked man to die, not having so much as burial in the earth; and that most justly:
8 πάνυ δικαίως· ἐπεὶ γὰρ συνετελέσατο πολλὰ περὶ τὸν βωμὸν ἁμαρτήματα, οὗ τὸ πῦρ ἁγνὸν ἦν καὶ σποδός, ἐν σποδῷ τὸν θάνατον ἐκομίσατο. 8 For inasmuch as he had committed many sins about the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.

9 τοῖς δὲ φρονήμασιν βασιλεὺς βεβαρβαρωμένος ἤρχετο τὰ χείριστα τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ γεγονότων ἐνδειξόμενος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις. 9 Now the king came with a barbarous and haughty mind to do far worse to the Jews, than had been done in his father’s time.
10 μεταλαβὼν δὲ Ἰούδας ταῦτα παρήγγειλεν τῷ πλήθει δι᾿ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν κύριον, εἴ ποτε καὶ ἄλλοτε, καὶ νῦν ἐπιβοηθεῖν τοῖς τοῦ νόμου καὶ πατρίδος καὶ ἱεροῦ ἁγίου στερεῖσθαι μέλλουσιν 10 Which things when Judas perceived, he commanded the multitude to call upon the Lord night and day, that if ever at any other time, he would now also help them, being at the point to be put from their law, from their country, and from the holy temple:
11 καὶ τὸν ἄρτι βραχέως ἀνεψυχότα λαὸν μὴ ἐᾶσαι τοῖς δυσφήμοις ἔθνεσιν ὑποχειρίους γενέσθαι. 11 And that he would not suffer the people, that had even now been but a little refreshed, to be in subjection to the blasphemous nations.
12 πάντων δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιησάντων ὁμοῦ καὶ καταξιωσάντων τὸν ἐλεήμονα κύριον μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ καὶ νηστειῶν καὶ προπτώσεως ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τρεῖς ἀδιαλείπτως παρακαλέσας αὐτοὺς Ἰούδας ἐκέλευσεν παραγίνεσθαι. 12 So when they had all done this together, and besought the merciful Lord with weeping and fasting, and lying flat upon the ground three days long, Judas, having exhorted them, commanded they should be in a readiness.
13 καθ᾿ ἑαυτὸν δὲ σὺν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις γενόμενος ἐβουλεύσατο πρὶν εἰσβαλεῖν τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ στράτευμα εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν καὶ γενέσθαι τῆς πόλεως ἐγκρατεῖς ἐξελθόντας κρῖναι τὰ πράγματα τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ. 13 And Judas, being apart with the elders, determined, before the king’s host should enter into Judea, and get the city, to go forth and try the matter in fight by the help of the Lord.
14 δοὺς δὲ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν τῷ κτίστῃ τοῦ κόσμου παρακαλέσας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ γενναίως ἀγωνίσασθαι μέχρι θανάτου περὶ νόμων, ἱεροῦ, πόλεως, πατρίδος, πολιτείας. περὶ δὲ Μωδεῒν ἐποιήσατο τὴν στρατοπεδείαν. 14 So when he had committed all to the Creator of the world, and exhorted his soldiers to fight manfully, even unto death, for the laws, the temple, the city, the country, and the commonwealth, he camped by Modin:
15 ἀναδοὺς δὲ τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν σύνθημα « θεοῦ νίκην » μετὰ νεανίσκων ἀρίστων κεκριμένων ἐπιβαλὼν νύκτωρ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν αὐλὴν τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἀνεῖλεν εἰς ἄνδρας δισχιλίους, καὶ τὸν πρωτεύοντα τῶν ἐλεφάντων σὺν τῷ κατ᾿ οἰκίαν ὄντι συνεκέντησεν 15 And having given the watchword to them that were about him, "Victory is of God"; with the most valiant and choice young men he went in into the king’s tent by night, and slew in the camp about four thousand men, and the chiefest of the elephants, with all that were upon him.
16 καὶ τὸ τέλος τὴν παρεμβολὴν δέους καὶ ταραχῆς ἐπλήρωσαν καὶ ἐξέλυσαν εὐημεροῦντες· 16 And at last they filled the camp with fear and tumult, and departed with good success.
17 ὑποφαινούσης δὲ ἤδη τῆς ἡμέρας τοῦτο ἐγεγόνει διὰ τὴν ἐπαρήγουσαν αὐτῷ τοῦ κυρίου σκέπην. 17 This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help him.

18  δὲ βασιλεὺς εἰληφὼς γεῦμα τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων εὐτολμίας κατεπείρασεν διὰ μεθόδων τοὺς τόπους, 18 Now when the king had taken a taste of the manliness of the Jews, he went about to take the holds by policy,
19 καὶ ἐπὶ Βαιθσουρὰ φρούριον ὀχυρὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων προσῆγεν, ἐτροποῦτο, προσέκρουεν, ἠλαττονοῦτο· 19 And marched toward Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was put to flight, failed, and lost of his men:
20 τοῖς δὲ ἔνδον Ἰούδας τὰ δέοντα εἰσέπεμψεν. 20 For Judas had conveyed unto them that were in it such things as were necessary.
21 προσήγγειλεν δὲ τὰ μυστήρια τοῖς πολεμίοις Ῥοδοκὸς ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς τάξεως· ἀνεζητήθη καὶ κατελήμφθη καὶ κατεκλείσθη. 21 But Rhodocus, who was in the Jews’ host, disclosed the secrets to the enemies; therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.
22 ἐδευτερολόγησεν βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐν Βαιθσούροις, δεξιὰν ἔδωκεν, ἔλαβεν, ἀπῄει, προσέβαλεν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν, ἥττων ἐγένετο, 22 The king treated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took their’s, departed, fought with Judas, was overcome;
23 μετέλαβεν ἀπονενοῆσθαι τὸν Φίλιππον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τὸν ἀπολελειμμένον ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων, συνεχύθη, τοὺς Ἰουδαίους παρεκάλεσεν, ὑπετάγη καὶ ὤμοσεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς δικαίοις, συνελύθη καὶ θυσίαν προσήγαγεν, ἐτίμησεν τὸν νεὼ καὶ τὸν τόπον ἐφιλανθρώπησεν· 23 Heard that Philip, who was left over the affairs in Antioch, was desperately bent, confounded, intreated the Jews, submitted himself, and sware to all equal conditions, agreed with them, and offered sacrifice, honoured the temple, and dealt kindly with the place,
24 καὶ τὸν Μακκαβαῖον ἀπεδέξατο, κατέλιπεν στρατηγὸν ἀπὸ Πτολεμαίδος ἕως τῶν Γερρηνῶν Ἡγεμονίδην. 24 And accepted well of Maccabeus, made him principal governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerrhenians;
25 ἦλθεν εἰς Πτολεμαίδα· ἐδυσφόρουν περὶ τῶν συνθηκῶν οἱ Πτολεμαεῖς, ἐδείναζον γὰρ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἠθέλησαν ἀθετεῖν τὰς διαστάλσεις. 25 Came to Ptolemais: the people there were grieved for the covenants; for they stormed, because they would make their covenants void:
26 προσῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα Λυσίας, ἀπελογήσατο ἐνδεχομένως, συνέπεισεν, κατεπράυνεν, εὐμενεῖς ἐποίησεν, ἀνέζευξεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν. οὕτω τὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς ἐφόδου καὶ τῆς ἀναζυγῆς ἐχώρησεν. 26 Lysias went up to the judgment seat, said as much as could be in defence of the cause, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, returned to Antioch. Thus it went touching the king’s coming and departing.