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1 But Machabeus,
and they that were with him, by the protection of the Lord, recovered the
temple and the city again.
2 But he
threw down the altars, which the heathens had set up in the streets, as also
the temples of the idols.
3 And
having purified the temple, they made another altar: and taking fire out of
the fiery stones, they offered sacrifices after two years, and set forth
incense, and lamps, and the leaves of proposition.
4 And when
they had done these things, they besought the Lord, lying prostrate on the
ground, that they might no more fall into such evils; but if they should at
any time sin, that they might be chastised by him more gently, and not be
delivered up to barbarians and blasphemous men.
5 Now upon
the same day that the temple had been polluted by the strangers, on the very
same day it was cleansed again, to wit, on the five and twentieth day of the
month of Casleu.
6 And they
kept eight days with joy, after the manner of the feast of the tabernacles,
remembering that not long before they had kept the feast of the tabernacles
when they were in the mountains, and in dens like wild beasts.
7 Therefore
they now, carried boughs, and green branches, and palms for Him that had
given them good success in cleansing his place.
8 And they
ordained by a common statute, and decree, that all the nation of the Jews
should keep those days every year.
9 And this
was the end of Antiochus that was called the Illustrious.
10 But now
we will relate the acts of Eupator the son of that
wicked Antiochus, abridging the account of the evils that happened in the
wars.
11 For when
he was come to the crown. he appointed over the
affairs of his realm one Lysias, general of the
army of Phenicia and Syria.
12 For Ptolemee that was called Macer,
was determined to be strictly just to the Jews, and especially by reason of
the wrong that had been done them, and to deal peaceably with them.
13 But being
accused for this to Eupator by his friends, and
being oftentimes called traitor, because he had left Cyprus which Philometor had committed to him, and coming over to
Antiochus the Illustrious, had revolted also from him, he put an end to his
life by poison.
14 But Gorgias, who was governor of the holds, taking with him
the strangers, often fought against the Jews.
15 And the
Jews that occupied the most commodious hold, received those that were driven
out of Jerusalem, and at- tempted to make war.
16 Then they
that were with Machabeus, beseeching the Lord by
prayers to be their helper, made a strong attack upon the strong holds of the
Idumeans:
17 And
assaulting them with great force, won the holds, killed them that came in the
way, and slew altogether no fewer than twenty thousand.
18 And
whereas some were fled into very strong towers, having all manner of
provision to sustain a siege,
19 Machabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zacheus,
and them that were with them in sufficient number to besiege them, and
departed to those expeditions which urged more.
20 Now they
that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were persuaded For the
sake of money by some that were in the towers: and taking seventy thousand didrachmas, let some of them escape.
21 But when
it was told Machabeus what was done, he assembled
the rulers of the people, and accused those men that they had sold their
brethren for money, having let their adversaries escape.
22 So he
put these traitors to death, and forthwith took the two towers.
23 And
having good success in arms and in all things he took in hand, he slew more
than twenty thousand in the two holds.
24 But Timotheus who before had been overcome by the Jews,
having called together a multitude of foreign troops, and assembled horsemen
out of Asia, came as though he would take Judea by force of arms.
25 But Machabeus and they that were with him, when he drew near,
prayed to the Lord, sprinkling earth upon their heads and girding their loins
with hair- cloth,
26 And lying
prostrate at the foot of the altar, besought him to be merciful to them, and
to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as
the law saith.
27 And so
after prayer taking their arms, they went forth further from the city, and
when they were come very near the enemies they rested.
28 But as
soon as the sun was risen both sides joined battle: the one part having with
their valour the Lord for a surety o victory and
success: but the other side making their rage their leader in battle.
29 But when
they were in the heat of the engagement there appeared to the enemies from
heaven five men upon horses, comely with golden bridles, con- ducting the
Jews:
30 Two of
whom took Machabeus between them, and covered him
on every side with their arms, and kept him safe: but cast darts and
fireballs against the enemy, so that they fell down, being both confounded
with blindness, and filled with trouble.
31 And
there were slain twenty thousand five hundred, and six hundred horsemen.
32 But Timotheus fled into Gazara a
strong hold, where Chereas was governor.
33 Then Machabeus, and they that were with him, cheerfully laid
siege to the fortress four days.
34 But they
that were within, trusting to the strength of the place, blasphemed
exceedingly, and cast forth abominable words.
35 But when
the fifth day appeared, twenty young men of them that were with Machabeus, inflamed in their minds because of the
blasphemy, approached manfully to the wall, and pushing forward with fierce
courage got up upon it.
36 Moreover
others also getting up after them, went to set Are to the towers and the
gates, and to burn the blasphemers alive.
37 And
having for two days together pillaged and sacked the fortress, they killed Timotheus, who was found hid in a certain place: they
slew also his brother Chereas, and Apollophanes.
38 And when
this was done, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, who had
done great things in Israel, and given them the victory.
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1- اما المكابي و الذين معه
فبامداد الرب استردوا الهيكل و المدينة.
2- و هدموا المذابح التي كان الاجانب قد بنوها
في الساحة و خربوا المعابد.
3- و طهروا الهيكل و صنعوا مذبحا اخر و
اقتدحوا حجارة اقتبسوا منها نارا و قدموا ذبيحة بعد فترة سنتين و هياوا البخور و
السرج و خبز التقدمة.
4- و بعدما اتموا ذلك ابتهلوا الى الرب و قد
خروا بصدورهم ان لا يصابوا بمثل تلك الشرور لكن اذا خطئوا يؤدبهم هو برفق و لا
يسلمهم الى امم كافرة وحشية.
5- و اتفق انه في مثل اليوم الذي فيه نجست
الغرباء الهيكل في ذلك اليوم عينه ثم تطهير الهيكل و هو اليوم الخامس و العشرون
من ذلك الشهر الذي هو شهر كسلو.
6- فعيدوا ثمانية ايام بفرح كما في عيد المظال
و هم يذكرون كيف قضوا عيد المظال قبيل ذلك في الجبال و المغاور مثل وحوش البرية.
7- و لذلك سبحوا لمن يسر تطهير هيكله و في
ايديهم غصون ذات اوراق و افنان خضر و سعف.
8- و رسموا رسما عاما على جميع
امة اليهود ان يعيدوا هذه الايام في كل سنة.
9- هكذا كانت وفاة انطيوكس الملقب بالشهير.
10- و لنشرع الان في خبر ابن ذاك
المنافق و نذكر ما كان من رزايا الحروب بالايجاز.
11- انه لما استولى هذا على الملك فوض تدبير
الامور الى ليسياس قائد القواد في بقاع سورية و فينيقية.
12- و ذلك ان بطلماوس المسمى
بمكرون عزم على ان ينصف اليهود مما كانوا فيه من الظلم و اجتهد في معاملتهم
بالسلم.
13- فلذلك سعى به اصحابه الى اوباطور و كثر
كلام الناس فيه بانه خائن لانه تخلى عن قبرس التي كان فيلوماطور قد استعمله
عليها و انحاز الى انطيوكس الشهير و اذ ذهبت عنه كرامة السلطان بلغ منه الكمد
فقتل نفسه بسم.
14- فولى جرجياس قيادة البلاد و
شرع يجيش من الاجانب و ناصب اليهود حربا متواصلة.
15- و كذلك الادوميون الذين كانت لهم حصون
ملائمة كانوا يرغمون اليهود و يقبلون المهاجرين من اورشليم و يتجهزون للحرب.
16- فابتهل الذين مع المكابي و تضرعوا الى
الله ان يكون لهم نصيرا ثم هجموا على حصون الادوميين.
17- و اندفعوا عليها بشدة و امتلكوا مواضع
منها و صدموا جميع الذين كانوا يقاتلون على السور و كل من اقتحمهم قتلوه فاهلكوا
منهم عشرين الفا.
18- و فر تسعة الاف منهم الى برجين حصينين جدا
مجهزين بكل اسباب الدفاع.
19- فخلف المكابي سمعان و يوسف و زكا و عددا
من اصحابه كافيا لمحاصرتهما و انصرف الى مواضع اخرى كانت اشد اقتضاء له.
20- غير ان الذين كانوا مع سمعان استغواهم حب
المال فارتشوا من بعض الذين في البرجين و خلوا سبيلهم بعد ان اخذوا منهم سبعين
الف درهم.
21- فلما اخبر المكابي بما وقع جمع رؤساء
الشعب و شكا ما فعلوا من بيع اخوتهم بالمال اذ اطلقوا اعدائهم عليهم.
22- ثم قتل اولئك الخونة و من فوره استولى على
البرجين.
23- و قرنت اسلحته بكل فوز على يده فاهلك في
البرجين ما يزيد على عشرين الفا.
24- ثم ان تيموتاوس الذي كان اليهود قد قهروه
من قبل حشد جيشا عظيما من الغرباء و جمع من فرسان اسية عددا غير قليل و نزل على
اليهودية نزول مستفتح قهرا.
25- فعندما اقترب توجه اصحاب المكابي الى
الابتهال الى الله و قد حثوا التراب على رؤوسهم و حزموا احقاءهم بالمسوح.
26- و خروا عند رجل المذبح و ابتهلوا اليه ان
يكون راحما لهم و معاديا لاعدائهم و مضايقا لمضايقيهم كما ورد في الشريعة.
27- و لما فرغوا من الدعاء اخذوا السلاح و
تقدموا حتى صاروا عن المدينة بمسافة بعيدة و لما قاربوا العدو وقفوا.
28- و عند طلوع الشمس تلاحم
الفريقان و هؤلاء متوكلون على الرب كفيلا بالفوز و النصر مع بسالتهم و اولئك
متخذون الباس قائدهم في الحروب.
29- فلما اشتد القتال تراءى للاعداء من السماء
خمسة رجال رائعي المنظر على خيل لها لجم من ذهب فجعل اثنان منهم يقدمان اليهود.
30- و هما قد اكتنفا المكابي يحفزانه
باسلحتهما و يقيانه الجراح و هم يرمون بالسهام و الصواعق حتى عميت ابصارهم و
جعلوا يخبطون و يتصرعون.
31- فقتل عشرون الفا و خمس مئة و من الفرسان
ست مئة.
32- و انهزم تيموتاوس الى الحصن المسمى بجازر
و هو حصن منيع و كان تحت امرة كيراوس.
33- فاستبشر اصحاب المكابي و
حاصروا المعقل اربعة ايام.
34- و ان الذين في داخله لثقتهم بمناعة المكان
تمادوا في التجديف و افحشوا في الكلام.
35- فلما كان صباح اليوم الخامس هجم عشرون فتى
من اصحاب المكابي على السور و هم متقدون غيظا من التجاديف و طفقوا يذبحون ببسالة
و تنمر كل من عرض امامهم.
36- و عطف اخرون فتسلقوا الى الذين في الداخل
و اضرموا البرجين و احرقوا اولئك المجدفين احياء في النيران المتقدة.
37- و كسر اخرون الابواب و
ادخلوا بقية الجيش فاستحوذوا على المدينة و كان تيموتاوس مستخفيا في جب فذبحوه
هو و كيراوس اخاه و ابلوفانيس.
38- و بعد ذلك باركوا الرب بالنشيد و الاعتراف
على احسانه العظيم الى اسرائيل و تاييده لهم بالنصر
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