1. And king Antiochus walked through the higher countries, and he heard that there was a city Elymais in Persis, most noble, and plentiful in silver & gold,
2. and a temple therein exceeding rich: and coverings thereof gold, and brigantines, and shields, which Alexander Philip's son the king of Macedonia that reigned first in Greece left there.
3. And he came, and sought to take the city, and to spoil it, and he could not, because the word was known to them that were in the city.
4. And they rose up into battle, and he fled from thence, and departed with great sorrow, and returned into Babylonia.
5. And there came one that told him in Persis, that the camps that were in the land of Juda, were put to flight:
6. and that Lysias went with great power with the first, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and they grew strong with armour, and force, and many spoils: which they took out of the camps, which they destroyed:
7. and that they threw down the abomination which they had builded upon the altar that was in Jerusalem, and the sanctification they compassed about as before with high walls, yea and Bethsura his city,
8. And it came to pass as the king heard these words, he was sore afraid, and was moved exceedingly: and he lay down upon his bed, and fell into sickness for sorrow, because it was not chanced to him as he thought.
9. And he was there for many days: because there was renewed in him great sorrowfulness, and he made account to die.
10. And he called all his friends, & said to them: sleep is departed from mine eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is gone for pensiveness:
11. and I said in my heart: Into how great tribulation am I come, & into what waves of sorrow, wherein now I am: who was pleasant, and beloved in my power!
12. But now I remember the evils, that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver, that were in it, and I sent to take away the inhabitants of Jewry, without cause.
13. I know therefore that for this cause have these evils found me: and lo I perish with great sorrow in a strange country.
14. And he called Philip, one of his friends, & he made him chief over all his kingdom.
15. And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and ring, that he should bring Antiochus his son, and should bring him up to reign.
16. And Antiochus the king died there in the year an hundredth forty nine.
17. And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he appointed Antiochus his son to reign, who he brought up a young man: and he called his name Eupator.
18. And they that were in the castle, had inclosed Israel round about the holy places: and they sought them evils always, and the strengthening of the Gentiles.
19. And Judas thought to destroy them: and he called together all the people, to besiege them.
20. And they came together, and besieged them in the year an hundredth fifty, and they made balists and engines.
21. And certain of them that were besieged, went forth: and some impious men of Israel joined themselves unto them,
22. and they went to the king, & said: How long doest thou not judgements, & revengest our brethren?
23. We decreed to serve thy father, and to walk in his precepts, and obey his edicts:
24. and the children of our people for this alienated themselves from us, & whosoever were found of us, they were slain, and our inheritances were spoiled.
25. And not to us only have they extended the hand, but also into all our coasts.
26. and behold they have approached this day to the castle in Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified a fortress in Bethsura:
27. and unless thou prevent them more speedily, they will do greater things than these, and thou shalt not be able to win them.
28. And the king was angry, as he heard these things: & he called together all his friends, & the princes of his army, and them that were over the horsemen.
29. Yea and of other realms, and of the islands by the sea there came unto him hired armies.
30. And the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and elephants thirty two, taught to battle.
31. And they came through Idumea, and approached to Bethsura, and fought many days, and they made engines and came forth, and burnt them with fire, and fought manfully.
32. And Judas departed from the castle, & removed the camp to Bethzacaram against the king's camp.
33. And the king arose before it was light, and stirred the bands into fierceness against the way to Bethzacaram: and the armies made themselves ready to the battle, and they sounded with trumpets:
34. and to the elephants they shewed the blood of the grape, and of the mulberry, to provoke them to the battle.
35. And they divided the beasts by the legions: & there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast.
36. These before the time wheresoever the beast was, there were they: & whither soever it went, they went, & they departed not from it.
37. Yea and upon them were strong wooden towers protecting every beast: and upon them engines, and upon every one thirty two men of strength which fought from above: and within the master of the beast.
38. And the residue of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side into two parts, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to urge them that stood thick together in the legions thereof.
39. And as the sun did shine upon the bucklers of gold, and of brass, the mountains glistered therewith, & they glistered as lamps of fire.
40. And part of the king's army was severed by the high mountains, & an other part by the low places: & they marched warily and orderly.
41. And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the voice of the multitude of them, and the marching of the troop, and the rattling of the armour, for it was an army exceeding great and strong.
42. And Judas approached, and his army into battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men.
43. And Eleazar the son of Saura saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: & it was eminent above the other beasts; & it seemed to him that the king was on it:
44. and he gave himself to deliver his people, and to get himself an everlasting name.
45. And he ran to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, & on the left, and they were slain of him on this side and that side.
46. And he went under the feet of the elephant, and put himself under him, and slew him: and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there.
47. And they seeing the king's power, and the fierceness of his army, turned themselves aside from them.
48. But the king's camp went up against them unto Jerusalem: and the king's camp approached to Jurie and mount Sion.
49. And he made peace with them that were in Bethsura: & they came forth out of the city, because there were no victuals for them there being shut up, because it was the sabbath of the land.
50. And the king took Bethsura: and he placed there a garrison to keep it.
51. And he turned the place of the sanctification many days: and he placed there arbalists, and engines, and instruments to cast fire, & pieces to cast stones, and arrows, & scorpions to shoot arrows, and slings.
52. And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought many days.
53. But there were no victuals in the city, for that it was the seventh year: and they that had remained in Jury of the Gentiles, had consumed their remains, that had been laid up.
54. And there remained in the holies few men, because famine had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man into his place.
55. And Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus when he lived, had appointed to bring up his son to reign,
56. was returned from Persis, and Media, and the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom:
57. and he hastened to go, and to say to the king, & to the princes of the army: We decay daily, and there is little victual for us, and the place that we besiege, is fenced, and it lieth upon us to take order for the kingdom.
58. Now therefore let us give the right hands to these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation.
59. And let us decree for them, that they walk in their own ordinances as before. For, because of their ordinances which we despised, they have been wrath, and have done all these things.
60. And the word was liked in the sight of the king, and of the princes: and he sent unto them to make peace: and they received it.
61. And the king and the princes sware to them: & they came out of the fortress.
62. And the king entered mount Sion, and saw the munition of the place: and he brake quickly the oath which he sware, and commanded to destroy the wall round about.
63. And he departed in haste, and returned to Antioch, and found Philip ruling over the city: and he fought against him and won the city.