|
1 When these covenants were made, Lyslas went to the king, and the Jews gave themselves to
husbandry.
2 But they that were behind, namely, Timotheus and Apollonius the son of Genneus,
also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and besides them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to
live in peace, and to be quiet.
3 The men of Joppe
also were guilty of this kind of wickedness: they desired the Jews who dwelt
among them to go with their wives and children into the boats, which they had
prepared, as though they had no enmity to them.
4 Which when they had consented to, according
to the common decree of the city, suspecting nothing, because of the peace :
when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no fewer than two
hundred of them.
5 But as soon as Judas heard of this cruelty
done to his countrymen, he commanded the men that were with him: and after
having called upon God the just judge,
6 He came against those murderers of his
brethren, and set the haven on fire in the night, burnt the boats, and slew
with the sword them that escaped from the fire.
7 And when he had done these things in this
manner, he departed as if he would return again, and root out all the Joppites.
8 But when he understood that the men of Jamnia also designed to do in like manner to the Jews
that dwelt among them,
9 He came upon the Jamnites
also by night, end set the haven on fire with the ships, so that the light of
the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.
10 And when they were now gone from thence
nine furlongs, and were marching towards Timotheus,
five thousand footmen and Ave hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon them.
11 And after a hard fight, in which by the
help of God they got the victory, the rest of the Arabians being overcome,
besought Judas for peace, promising to give him pastures, and to assist him
in other things.
12 And Judas thinking that they might be
profitable indeed in many things, promised them peace, and after having
joined hands, they departed to their tents.
13 He also laid siege to a certain strong
city, encompassed with bridges and walls, and inhabited by multitudes of
different nations, the name of which is Casphin.
14 But they that were within it, trusting in
the strength of the walls, and the provision of victuals, behaved in a more
negligent manner, and provoked Judas with railing and blaspheming, and
uttering such words as were not to be spoken.
15 But Machabeus
calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without any rams or engines of
war threw down the walls of Jericho in the time of Josue,
fiercely assaulted the walls.
16 And having taken the city by the will of
the Lord, he made an unspeakable slaughter, so that a pool adjoining of two
furlongs broad seemed to run with the blood of the slain.
17 From thence they departed seven hundred and
fifty furlongs, and came to Characa to the Jews
that are called Tubianites.
18 But as for Timotheus,
they found him not in those places, for before he had dispatched any thing he went back, having left a very strong
garrison in a certain hold :
19 But Dositheus,
and Sosipater, who were captains with Machabeus, slew them that were left by Timotheus in the hold, to the number of ten thousand men.
20 And Machabeus
having set in order about him six thousand men, and divided them by bands,
went forth against Timetheus, who had with him a
hundred and twenty thousand footmen, and two thousand five hundred horsemen.
21 Now when Timotheus
had knowledge of the coming of Judas, he sent the women and children, and the
other baggage before him into a fortress, called Carnion:
for it was impregnable and hard to come at, by reason of the straitness of the places.
22 But when the first band of Judas came in
sight, the enemies were struck with fear, by the presence of God, who seeth all things, and they were put to flight one from
another, so that they were often thrown down by their own companions, and
wounded with the strokes of their own swords.
23 But Judas was vehemently earnest in
punishing the profane, of whom he slew thirty thousand men.
24 And Timotheus
himself fell into the hands of the band of Dositheus
and Sosipater, and with many prayers he besought
them to let him go with his life, because he had the parents and brethren of
many of the Jews, who, by his death, might happen to be deceived.
25 And when he had given his faith that he
would restore them according to the agreement, they let him go without hurt,
for the saving of their brethren.
26 Then Judas went away to Carnion,
where he slew five and twenty thousand persons.
27 And after he had put to flight and
destroyed these, he removed his army to Ephron, a
strong city, wherein there dwelt a multitude of divers nations: and stout
young men standing upon the walls made a vigorous resistance: and in this
place there were many engines of war, and a provision of darts.
28 But when they had invocated the Almighty,
who with his power breaketh the strength of the
enemies, they took the city; and slew five and twenty thou- sand of them that
were within.
29 From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six
hundred furlongs from Jerusalem.
30 But the Jews that were among the Scythopolitans testifying that they were used kindly by
them, and that even in the times of their adversity they had treated them
with humanity:
31 They gave them thanks exhorting them to
be still friendly to their nation, and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast
of the weeks being at hand.
32 And after Pentecost they marched against Gorgias the governor of Idumea.
33 And he came out with three thousand
footmen, and four hundred horsemen.
34 And when they had joined battle, it
happened that a few of the Jews were slain.
35 But Dositheus,
a horseman, one of Bacenor's band, a valiant man,
took hold of Gorgias: and when he would have taken
him alive, a certain horseman of the Thracians came upon him, and cut off his
shoulder: and so Gorgias escaped to Maresa.
36 But when they that were with Esdrin had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon
the Lord to be their helper, and leader of the battle:
37 Then beginning in his own language, and
singing hymns with a loud voice, he put Gorgias'
soldiers to flight.
38 So Judas having gathered together his
army, came into the city Odollam: and when the
seventh day came, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept
the sabbath in the place.
39 And the day following Judas cam with his
company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them
with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their
fathers.
40 And they found under the coats o the slain
some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth
the Jews:
41 Then they all blessed the just judgment
of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.
42 And so betaking themselves to prayers, they
besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But
the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin,
forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the
sins of those that were slain.
43 And making a gathering, he twelve thousand
drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of
the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection,
44 (For if he had not hoped that the that
were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to
pray for the dead,)
45 And because he considered that the who
had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them.
46 It is therefore a holy and wholesome
thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
47 90 that all plainly saw, for this cause
they were slain.
|
1- و بعد ابرام هذه المواثيق
انصرف ليسياس الى الملك و اقبل اليهود على حرث اراضيهم.
2- الا ان القواد الذين في البلاد و هم
تيموتاوس و ابلونيوس بن جنايوس و ايرونيمس و ديمفون و كذلك نكانور حاكم قبرس لم
يدعوا لهم راحة و لا سكينة.
3- و اتى اهل يافا اغتيالا فظيعا و ذلك انهم
دعوا اليهود المساكنين لهم ان يركبوا هم و نساؤهم و اولادهم قوارب كانوا اعدوها
لهم كان لا عداوة بينهم.
4- و اذ كان ذلك باجماع اهل المدينة كلهم رضي
به اليهود و هم واثقون منهم بالاخلاص و غير متهمين لهم بسوء فلما امعنوا في
البحر اغرقوهم و كان عددهم يبلغ المئتين.
5- فلما بلغ يهوذا ما وقع على بني امته من
الغدر الوحشي نادى فيمن معه من الرجال و دعا الله الديان العادل.
6- و سار على الذين اهلكوا اخوته و اضرم النار
في المرفا ليلا و احرق القوارب و قتل الذين فروا الى هناك.
7- و لما كانت المدينة مغلقة
انصرف في نية الرجوع و محو دولة اليافيين من اصلها.
8- لكن لما علم ان اهل يمنيا ناوون ان يصنعوا
بمساكنيهم من اليهود مثل ذلك.
9- نزل على اهل يمنيا ليلا و احرق المرفا مع
الاسطول حتى رؤى ضوء النار من اورشليم على بعد مئتين و اربعين غلوة.
10- ثم ساروا من هناك تسع غلوات زاحفين على
تيموتاوس فتصدى لهم قوم من العرب يبلغون خمسة الاف و معهم خمس مئة فارس.
11- فاقتتلوا قتالا شديدا و كان الفوز لاصحاب
يهوذا بنصرة الله فانكسر عرب البادية و سالوا يهوذا ان يعاقدهم على ان يؤدوا
اليهم مواشي و يمدوهم بمنافع اخرى.
12- و لم يشك يهوذا انه يحصل منهم على جدوى
طائلة فرضي بمصالحتهم فعاقدهم فانصرفوا الى اخبيتهم.
13- ثم اغار على مدينة حصينة ممنعة بالجسور و
الاسوار يسكتها لفيف من الامم اسمها كسفيس.
14- و اذ كان الذين فيها واثقين بمناعة
الاسوار و وفرة الميرة اخذوا الامر بالتهاون و طفقوا يشتمون اصحاب يهوذا و
يجدفون و ينطقون بما لا يحل.
15- فدعا اصحاب يهوذا رب العالمين العظيم الذي
اسقط اريحا على عهد يشوع بغير كباش و لا مجانيق ثم وثبوا على السور كالاسود.
16- و فتحوا المدينة بمشيئة الله و قتلوا من
الخلق ما لا يحصى حتى ان البحيرة التي هناك و عرضها غلوتان امتلات و طفحت
بالدماء.
17- ثم ساروا من هناك مسيرة سبع
مئة و خمسين غلوة حتى انتهوا الى الكرك الى اليهود الذين يعرفون بالطوبيين.
18- فلم يظفروا بتيموتاوس في تلك المواضع لانه
كان قد انصرف عنها دون ان يصنع شيئا لكنه ترك في بعض المواضع محرسا منيعا.
19- فخرج دوسيتاوس و سوسيباتير من قواد
المكابي و اهلكا من الجند الذي تركه تيموتاوس في الحصن ما ينيف على عشرة الاف.
20- و قسم المكابي جيشه فرقا و اقامهما على
الفرق و حمل على تيموتاوس و كان معه مئة و عشرون الف راجل و الفان و خمس مئة
فارس.
21- فلما بلغ تيموتاوس مقدم يهوذا وجه النساء
و الاولاد و سائر الثقل الى مكان يسمى قرنيم و كان موضعا منيعا يصعب فتحه و
الاقدام عليه لانه محاط بالمضايق.
22- و لما بدت اول فرقة من جيش يهوذا داخل
الاعداء الرعب و الرعدة اذ تراءى لهم من يرى كل شيء فبادروا المفر من كل وجه حتى
ان بعضهم كان يؤذي بعضا و اصاب بعضهم بعضا بحد السيوف.
23- و شد يهوذا في اثارهم يثخن في اولئك
الكفرة حتى اهلك منهم ثلاثين الف رجل.
24- و وقع تيموتاوس في ايدي اصحاب دوسيتاوس و
سوسيباتير فطفق يتضرع اليهم بكل وسيلة ان يطلقواه حيا بحجة ان عنده كثيرين من
ابائهم و اخوتهم اذا هلك يخذلون.
25- و اكد لهم العهد بضمانات كثيرة انه يطلقهم
سالمين فخلوا سبيله لاجل خلاص اخوتهم.
26- ثم اغار يهوذا على قرنيم و هيكل اترجتيس و
قتل خمسة و عشرون الف نفس.
27- و بعد انكسار اولئك و هلكتهم زحف يهوذا
على عفرون احدى المدن الحصينة و كان يسكنها ليسياس و امم شتى و كان على اسوارها
شبان من ذوي الباس يقاتلون بشدة و معهم كثير من المجانيق و السهام.
28- فدعا اصحاب يهوذا القدير الذي يحطم باس
العدو بشدة فاخذوا المدينة و صرعوا من الذين في داخلها خمسة و عشرين الفا.
29- ثم ارتحلوا من هناك و هجموا على مدينة بيت
شان و هي على ست مئة غلوة من اورشليم.
30- الا ان اليهود المقيمين هناك شهدوا بان
اهل بيت شان مصافون لهم و انهم عاملوهم بالاحسان في ازمنة الضيق.
31- فشكروهم على صنيعهم و اوصوهم ان لا يزالوا
معهم على المصافاة ثم جاءوا اورشليم لقرب عيد الاسابيع.
32- و بعد العيد المعروف بعيد
الخمسين اغاروا على جرجياس قائد ارض ادوم.
33- فبرز اليهم في ثلاثة الاف راجل و اربع مئة
فارس.
34- و اقتتل الفريقان فسقط من اليهود نفر
قليل.
35- و كان فيهم فارس ذو باس يقال له دوسيتاوس
من رجال بكينور فادرك جرجياس و قبض على ثوبه و اجتذبه بقوة يريد ان ياسر ذلك
المنافق حيا فعدا عليه فارس من التراكيين و قطع كتفيه و فر جرجياس الى مريشة.
36- و تمادى القتال على
اصحاب اسدرين حتى كلوا فدعا يهوذا الرب لياخذ بنصرتهم و يقاتل في مقدمتهم.
37- و جعل يهتف بالاناشيد بلسان ابائه ثم صرخ
و حمل على اصحاب جرجياس بغتة و كسرهم.
38- ثم جمع يهوذا جيشه و سار به الى مدينة
عدلام و لما كان اليوم السابع تطهروا بحسب العادة و قضوا السبت هناك.
39- و في الغد جاء يهوذا و من معه على ما
تقتضيه السنة ليحملوا جثث القتلى و يدفنوهم مع ذوي قرابتهم في مقابر ابائهم.
40- فوجدوا تحت ثياب كل واحد من القتلى انواطا
من اصنام يمنيا مما تحرمه الشريعة على اليهود فتبين للجميع ان ذلك كان سبب
قتلهم.
41- فسبحوا كلهم الرب الديان
العادل الذي يكشف الخفايا.
42- ثم انثنوا يصلون و يبتهلون ان تمحى تلك
الخطيئة المجترمة كل المحو و كان يهوذا النبيل يعظ القوم ان ينزهوا انفسهم عن
الخطيئة اذ راوا بعيونهم ما اصاب الذي سقطوا لاجل الخطيئة.
43- ثم جمع من كل واحد تقدمة فبلغ المجموع
الفي درهم من الفضة فارسلها الى اورشليم ليقدم بها ذبيحة عن الخطيئة و كان ذلك
من احسن الصنيع و اتقاه لاعتقاده قيامة الموتى.
44- لانه لو لم يكن مترجيا قيامة الذين سقطوا
لكانت صلاته من اجل الموتى باطلا و عبثا.
45- و لاعتباره ان الذين رقدوا بالتقوى قد
ادخر لهم ثواب جميل.
46- و هو راي مقدس تقوي و لهذا قدم الكفارة عن
الموتى ليحلوا من الخطيئة
|