Commentaria in I Machabaeorum
Chapter the Seventh. Synopsis of the Chapter
Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, fleeing from Rome, seizes his father’s kingdom of Syria, and therefore kills Antiochus Eupator, his cousin, who was occupying it, together with his guardian Lysias. Soon, stirred up by the false accusations of Alcimus, he sends Bacchides against Judas; but Judas overcomes both. At length, verse 26, Demetrius sends Nicanor; but him also Judas conquers and slays, and hangs his head with his hand opposite Jerusalem.
1. In the hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from the city of Rome, and came up with a few men into a city of the sea coast, and reigned there. 2. And it came to pass, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized upon Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him. 3. And when he knew it, he said: Let me not see their face. 4. And the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom: 5. And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel, and Alcimus was their leader, who desired to be made high priest. 6. And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and have driven us out of our land. 7. Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him go and see all the havoc he hath made among us, and in the king’s land, and let him punish all his friends and their helpers. 8. And the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends, who ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him 9. To see the havoc that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he appointed to the priesthood: and he commanded him to take vengeance on the children of Israel. 10. So they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Juda: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brethren peaceably with deceit. 11. But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they were come with a great army. 12. And there assembled together to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes, to ask those things that are just: 13. And the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel, and they asked peace of them. 14. For they said: There is come a priest of the seed of Aaron, he will not deceive us. 15. And he spoke to them peaceably, and swore to them, saying: We will do you no harm, nor your friends. 16. And they believed him: and he took of them threescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the word which is written: 17. The flesh of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. 18. And fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said: There is no truth nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant and the oath that they made. 19. And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bezetha: and he sent and took many of them that had gone from him, and some of the people he killed, and cast them into a great pit. 20. And he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him a force to assist him: and Bacchides went to the king. 21. And Alcimus strove for the high priesthood: 22. And there came to him all such as disturbed the people, and they became masters in the land of Juda, and did great mischief in Israel. 23. And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus and they that were with him had done among the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles. 24. And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance on the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country. 25. But Alcimus seeing that Judas and they that were with him had gotten the upper hand, and knowing that he was not able to withstand them, went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes. 26. And the king sent Nicanor, one of his honourable princes, who bore great hatred to Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people. 27. And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army: and he sent to Judas and his brethren deceitfully with peaceable words, 28. Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come with a few men, to see you in peace.
29. And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: but the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force. 30. And it was told Judas that Nicanor was come to him with deceit: and he was afraid of him, and would see his face no more. 31. And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas near Capharsalama. 32. And there fell of Nicanor’s army about five thousand men, and the rest fled into the city of David. 33. And after these things Nicanor went up to mount Sion, and some of the priests and ancients of the people came forth to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king. 34. But he mocking them, despised them, and defiled them, and spoke proudly, 35. And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands, as soon as I return in peace I will burn up this house. And he went out in a great rage. 36. And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and of the temple, weeping, and said: 37. Thou, O Lord, didst choose this house for thy name to be called upon in it, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people. 38. Be avenged of this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer. 39. And Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and pitched his camp near Bethoron: and the army of Syria joined him. 40. But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said: 41. O Lord, when they who were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand. 42. So crush this army in our sight today, and let the rest know that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him according to his wickedness. 43. And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle. 44. And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain, they threw away their arms, and fled. 45. And they pursued after them one day’s journey from Adazer, till you come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals. 46. And they came forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they drove them back with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain by the sword, and there was not one left of them. 47. And they took the spoils, and the booty, and they cut off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he had stretched out so proudly, and brought them, and hung them up over against Jerusalem. 48. And the people were exceeding glad, and they spent that day in great joy. 49. And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month Adar. 50. And the land of Juda was quiet for a few days.