1 Mac 6:35 Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of bra.s.s on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred hors.e.m.e.n of the best.

1 Mac 6:36 These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

1 Mac 6:37 And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

1 Mac 6:38 As for the remnant of the hors.e.m.e.n, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.

1 Mac 6:39 Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and bra.s.s, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.

1 Mac 6:40 So part of the king's army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.

1 Mac 6:41 Wherefore all that heard the noise of their mult.i.tude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

1 Mac 6:42 Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king's army six hundred men.

1 Mac 6:43 Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,

1 Mac 6:44 Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

1 Mac 6:45 Wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.

1 Mac 6:46 Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

1 Mac 6:47 Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

1 Mac 6:48 Then the king's army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount Sion.

1 Mac 6:49 But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.

1 Mac 6:50 So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.

1 Mac 6:51 As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

1 Mac 6:52 Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

1 Mac 6:53 Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)

1 Mac 6:54 There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

1 Mac 6:55 At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,

1 Mac 6:56 Was returned out of Persia and Media, and the king's host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs.

1 Mac 6:57 Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

1 Mac 6:58 Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

1 Mac 6:59 And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.

1 Mac 6:60 So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

1 Mac 6:61 Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

1 Mac 6:62 Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

1 Mac 6:63 Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.

1 Mac 7:1 In the hundred and one and fiftieth year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from Rome, and came up with a few men unto a city of the sea coast, and reigned there.

1 Mac 7:2 And as he entered into the palace of his ancestors, so it was, that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them unto him.

1 Mac 7:3 Wherefore, when he knew it, he said, Let me not see their faces.

1 Mac 7:4 So his host slew them. Now when Demetrius was set upon the throne of his kingdom,

1 Mac 7:5 There came unto him all the wicked and unG.o.dly men of Israel, having Alcimus, who was desirous to be high priest, for their captain:

1 Mac 7:6 And they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and his brethren have slain all thy friends, and driven us out of our own land.

1 Mac 7:7 Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him go and see what havock he hath made among us, and in the king's land, and let him punish them with all them that aid them.

1 Mac 7:8 Then the king chose Bacchides, a friend of the king, who ruled beyond the flood, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king,

1 Mac 7:9 And him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high priest, and commanded that he should take vengeance of the children of Israel.

1 Mac 7:10 So they departed, and came with a great power into the land of Judea, where they sent messengers to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully.

1 Mac 7:11 But they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they were come with a great power.

1 Mac 7:12 Then did there a.s.semble unto Alcimus and Bacchides a company of scribes, to require justice.

1 Mac 7:13 Now the a.s.sideans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them:

1 Mac 7:14 For said they, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come with this army, and he will do us no wrong.

1 Mac 7:15 So he spake unto them, peaceably, and sware unto them, saying, we will procure the harm neither of you nor your friends.

1 Mac 7:16 Whereupon they believed him: howbeit he took of them threescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the words which he wrote,

1 Mac 7:17 The flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.

1 Mac 7:18 Wherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, who said, There is neither truth nor righteousness in them; for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made.

1 Mac 7:19 After this, removed Bacchides from Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in Bezeth, where he sent and took many of the men that had forsaken him, and certain of the people also, and when he had slain them, he cast them into the great pit.

1 Mac 7:20 Then committed he the country to Alcimus, and left with him a power to aid him: so Bacchides went to the king.

1 Mac 7:21 But Alcimus contended for the high priesthood.