King James Version · Under the Greeks
1 Maccabees 12
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1Now when saw that time him, he chose certain men, and sent them to , for to confirm and renew the friendship that they had with them. 2He sent letters also to the , and to other places, for the same purpose. 3So they went unto , and entered into the senate, and said, the , and the people of the , sent us unto you, to the end ye should renew the friendship, which ye had with them, and league, as in former time. 4Upon this the gave them letters unto the governors of every place that they should bring them into the land of peaceably. 5And this is the copy of the letters which wrote to the : 6 the , and the of the nation, and the priests, and the other of the , unto the their brethren send greeting: 7There were letters sent in times past unto the from Darius, who reigned then among you, to signify that ye are our brethren, as the copy here underwritten doth specify. 8At which time entreated the ambassador that was sent honourably, and received the letters, wherein declaration was made of the league and friendship. 9Therefore we also, albeit we need none of these things, that we have the books of in our hands to comfort us, 10Have nevertheless attempted to send unto you for the renewing of brotherhood and friendship, lest we should become strangers unto you altogether: for there is a long time passed since ye sent unto us. 11We therefore at all times without ceasing, both in our feasts, and other convenient days, do remember you in the which we offer, and in our prayers, as reason is, and as it becometh us to think upon our brethren: 12And we are right glad of your . 13As for ourselves, we have had great troubles and wars on every side, forsomuch as the kings that are round about us have fought against us. 14Howbeit we would not be troublesome unto you, nor to others of our confederates and friends, in these wars: 15For we have help from that succoureth us, so as we are from our , and our are brought under foot. 16For this cause we chose the son of , and Antipater he son of , and sent them unto the , to renew the amity that we had with them, and the former league. 17We commanded them also to go unto you, and to salute and to you our letters concerning the renewing of our brotherhood. 18Wherefore now ye shall do well to give us an answer thereto. 19And this is the copy of the letters which Oniares sent. 20Areus king of the to the , greeting: 21It is found in writing, that the and are brethren, and that they are of the stock of : 22Now therefore, since this is come to our knowledge, ye shall do well to write unto us of your prosperity. 23We do write back again to you, that your cattle and goods are our’s, and our’s are your’s We do command therefore our ambassadors to make report unto you on this . 24Now when heard that Demebius’ princes were come to fight against him with a greater host than afore, 25He removed from , and met them in the land of Amathis: for he gave them no respite to enter his country. 26He sent spies also unto their tents, who came again, and told him that they were appointed to come upon them in the night season. 27Wherefore so soon as the sun was down, commanded his men to watch, and to be in arms, that all the night long they might be ready to fight: also he sent forth centinels round about the host. 28But when the heard that and his men were ready for battle, they feared, and trembled in their , and they kindled fires in their camp. 29Howbeit and his company knew it not till the morning: for they saw the lights burning. 30Then pursued after them, but overtook them not: for they were gone over the river Eleutherus. 31Wherefore turned to the , who were called Zabadeans, and smote them, and took their spoils. 32And removing thence, he came to , and so passed through all the country, 33 also went forth, and passed through the country unto , and the holds there adjoining, from whence he turned aside to , and won it. 34For he had heard that they would the hold unto them that took ’ part; wherefore he set a garrison there to keep it. 35After this came home again, and calling the of the people together, he consulted with them about building strong holds in , 36And making the walls of higher, and raising a great mount between the tower and the city, for to separate it from the city, that so it might be alone, that men might neither sell nor buy in it. 37Upon this they came together to build up the city, forasmuch as part of the wall toward the brook on the east side was fallen down, and they repaired that which was called Caphenatha. 38 also set up in Sephela, and made it strong with and bars. 39Now went about to get of , and to kill the king, that he might set the upon his own head. 40Howbeit he was afraid that would not suffer him, and that he would fight against him; wherefore he sought a way how to take , that he might kill him. So he removed, and came to . 41Then went out to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for the battle, and came to . 42Now when saw came with so great a force, he durst not stretch his hand against him; 43But received him honourably, and commended him unto all his friends, and gave him gifts, and commanded his men of war to be as obedient unto him, as to himself. 44Unto also he said, Why hast thou brought all this people to so great trouble, seeing there is no war betwixt us? 45Therefore send them now home again, and choose men to wait on thee, and come thou with me to , for I will give it thee, and the rest of the strong holds and forces, and all that have any charge: as for me, I will return and depart: for this is the cause of my coming. 46So believing him did as he bade him, and sent away his host, who went into the land of . 47And with himself he retained but three thousand men, of whom he sent two thousand into , and one thousand went with him. 48Now as soon as entered into , they of shut the and took him, and all them that came with him they slew with . 49Then sent an host of footmen and horsemen into , and into the great plain, to destroy all ’s company. 50But when they knew that and they that were with him were taken and slain, they encouraged one another; and went close together, prepared to fight. 51They therefore that followed upon them, perceiving that they were ready to fight for their lives, turned back again. 52Whereupon they all came into the land of peaceably, and there they bewailed , and them that were with him, and they were sore afraid; wherefore all Israel made great . 53Then all the heathen that were round about then sought to destroy them: for said they, They have no captain, nor any to help them: now therefore let us make war upon them, and take away their memorial from among men.
The 1611 translation, public domain. Its original printing included the Apocrypha, which is why the deuterocanonical books can be read here. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under the Greeks, 332 BC to 63 BC ›
Alexander's conquest and the kingdoms of his successors. Greek language and custom press in everywhere, and the crisis under Antiochus IV provokes the Maccabean revolt.
- The successors
- Alexander dies at thirty-two and his generals carve up the empire. Judea sits on the border between the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria, and is fought over by both for a century and a half, which is the ordinary condition of the corridor.
- Hellenism
- Not just conquest but a culture: the gymnasium, the theatre, Greek names, Greek dress, Greek as the language of anyone with ambitions. Some Jews embraced it, some resisted it, and the argument between them is the real subject of the Maccabean books. In Alexandria the Hebrew scriptures are translated into Greek, producing the Septuagint, which is the Bible most New Testament writers quote.
- The crisis
- Antiochus IV bans the practice of Judaism, plunders the temple, and sets up a pagan altar in it in 167 BC. The revolt under the Maccabees wins, the temple is rededicated in 164 BC, which is the origin of Hanukkah, and Judea has about eighty years of independence under the Hasmoneans before Rome arrives.
- Further afield
- Rome fights Carthage three times and ends up master of the Mediterranean. Euclid writes the Elements and Archimedes does his work at Syracuse. In China the Qin unify the country in 221 BC and the Han follow, opening what becomes the Silk Road.