MAQQAḆIM 1-1

1 And it came to be, after Alexandros son of Philippos, the Makedonian, who came out of the land of Kittim, had smitten Dareyawesh sovereign of Paras and Maḏai, that he reigned in his place, the first over Yawan.

2 And he fought many battles, and won many strongholds, and slew the sovereigns of the earth.

3 And he went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils from many nations, so that the earth was at rest before him; therefore he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.

4 And he gathered a very mighty army and ruled over countries, and nations, and sovereigns, who became tributary to him.

5 And after these events he fell sick, and perceived that he would die.

6 So he called his servants, who were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and divided his reign among them, while he was still alive.

7 So Alexandros reigned twelve years, and then he died.

8 And his servants ruled, each one in his place.

9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves, as did their sons after them many years, and evils were multiplied in the earth.

10 And a wicked root came out from them: Antioḵos also called Epiphanĕs, son of Antioḵos the sovereign, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the reign of the Yawanites.

11 In those days wicked men went out of Yisra’ĕl, who persuaded many saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the gentiles that are round about us, for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.”

12 So this plan was well-pleasing to them.

13 Then some of the people were so bold in this, that they went to the sovereign, who gave them authority to do according to the laws of the gentiles.

14 So they built a place of training at Yerushalayim according to the customs of the gentiles;

15 and made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook qodesh Covenant, and joined themselves to the gentiles, and were sold to do evil.

16 Now when the reign was established before Antioḵos, he thought to reign over Mitsrayim that he might have the rule of two reigns.

17 Therefore he entered into Mitsrayim with a great multitude; with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great fleet,

18 and fought against Ptolemaeus, sovereign of Mitsrayim. But Ptolemaeus was afraid of him, and fled, and many were wounded and slain.

19 Therefore they took the fortified cities in the land of Mitsrayim and he took the spoils from there.

20 And after Antioḵos had smitten Mitsrayim, he returned again in the hundred and forty-third year, and went up against Yisra’ĕl and Yerushalayim with a great multitude.

21 And he entered proudly into the Miqdash, and took away the golden altar, and the lampstand of light, and all its utensils,

22 and the table of the showbread, and the bowls for pouring, and the vessels, and the gold fire holders, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before Hĕyḵal, all which he pulled off.

23 He also took the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels. He also took the hidden treasures which he found.

24 And when he had taken all away, he went to his own land, having made a great slaughter, and spoken very proudly.

25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Yisra’ĕl, in every place where they were,

26 so that the rulers and elders mourned, the maidens and young men were weakened, and the pleasantness of women was changed.

27 Every bridegroom lamented, and she that sat in the bridal chamber was in grief.

28 The land also was moved for the inhabitants, and all the house of Ya’aqoḇ was covered with shame.

29 And after a full two years passed, the sovereign sent his chief tax collector to the cities of Yahuḏah, who came to Yerushalayim with a great multitude,

30 and spoke peaceable words to them. But all was deceit, for when they had accepted him, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it greatly, and destroyed many people of Yisra’ĕl.

31 And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he lit it on fire, and pulled down the houses and its walls all around.

32 But they took the women and children captive, and took possession of the cattle.

33 Then they built the city of Dawiḏ with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a stronghold for themselves.

34 And they put a sinful nation in it – wicked men – and strengthened themselves within.

35 They also stored it with weapons and food, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Yerushalayim, they laid them up there. And so they became a great snare,

36 for it was a place to lie in wait against the Miqdash, and an evil adversary to Yisra’ĕl.

37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the Miqdash, and defiled it,

38 so that the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fled because of them. Therefore the city was made a dwelling of foreigners, and became foreign to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.

39 Her Miqdash was laid waste like a wilderness; her Feasts were turned into mourning; her Shabbathoth into reproach; her honour into contempt.

40 As had been her esteem, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.

41 And Sovereign Antioḵos wrote to his whole reign, that all should be one people,

42 and everyone should leave his laws. So all the gentiles agreed according to the command of the sovereign.

43 Even many of the Yisra’ĕlites also agreed to his belief, and slaughtered to idols, and profaned the Shabbath.

44 For the sovereign had sent letters by messengers to Yerushalayim and the cities of Yahuḏah that they should follow the foreign laws of the land,

45 and forbid burnt offerings, and slaughtering, and drink offerings, in the Hĕyḵal; and that they should profane the Shabbathoth and Festival days,

46 and pollute the Miqdash and qodesh people,

47 put up altars, and Ashĕrim, and temples of idols, and offer pig’s flesh, and unclean beasts.

48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their beings abominable with all manner of uncleanness and abomination,

49 so that they might forget the Torah, and change all the Laws.

50 And whoever would not do according to the command of the sovereign, he said, “He should die.”

51 He wrote to his whole reign in the same way, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Yahuḏah to offer, city by city.

52 Then many of the people were gathered to them, that is, every one that forsook the Law; and so they committed evils in the land,

53 and drove the Yisra’ĕlites into hiding places, even wherever they could flee for safety.

54 Now on the fifteenth day of the month Kislĕw, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, they put up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and built idol altars throughout the cities of Yahuḏah on every side,

55 and burned incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.

56 And when they had torn in pieces the Books of the Law which they found, they burned them with fire.

57 And whoever was found with any of the Book of the Covenant, or if any adhered to the Law, the sovereign’s command was that they should put him to death.

58 Thus they did by their authority to the Yisra’ĕlites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.

59 Now on the twenty-fifth day of the month they slaughtered on the idol altar, which was upon the altar of Elohim,

60 at which time, according to the command they put to death some women that had allowed their children to be circumcised.

61 And they hanged the infants by their necks, and ransacked their houses, and slew those that had circumcised them.

62 However, many in Yisra’ĕl were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean matter.

63 Therefore rather to die, that they might not be defiled with food, and that they might not profane the qodesh Covenant; so then they died.

64 And very great wrath came to be upon Yisra’ĕl.