2Maccabees:12

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* When these covenants were made , Lysias went unto the king , and the Jews were about their husbandry . * But of the governours of several places , Timotheus , and Apollonius the son of Genneus , also Hieronymus , and Demophon , and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus , would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace . * The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed : they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared , as though they had meant them no hurt . * Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city , as being desirous to live in peace , and suspecting nothing : but when they were gone forth into the deep , they drowned no less than two hundred of them . * When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen , he commanded those that were with him to make them ready . * And calling upon God the righteous Judge , he came against those murderers of his brethren , and burnt the haven by night , and set the boats on fire , and those that fled thither he slew . * And when the town was shut up , he went backward , as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa . * But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them , * He came upon the Jamnites also by night , and set fire on the haven and the navy , so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off . * Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus , no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him . * Whereupon there was a very sore battle ; but Judas ' side by the help of God got the victory ; so that the Nomades of Arabia , being overcome , besought Judas for peace , promising both to give him cattle , and to pleasure him otherwise . * Then Judas , thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things , granted them peace : whereupon they shook hands , and so they departed to their tents . * He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city , which was fenced about with walls , and inhabited by people of divers countries ; and the name of it was Caspis . * But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals , that they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas , railing and blaspheming , and uttering such words as were not to be spoken . * Wherefore Judas with his company , calling upon the great Lord of the world , who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua , gave a fierce assault against the walls , * And took the city by the will of God , and made unspeakable slaughters , insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto , being filled full , was seen running with blood . * Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs , and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni . * But as for Timotheus , they found him not in the places : for before he had dispatched any thing , he departed from thence , having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold . * Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater , who were of Maccabeus ' captains , went forth , and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress , above ten thousand men . * And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands , and set them over the bands , and went against Timotheus , who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot , and two thousand and five hundred horsemen . * Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas ' coming , he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion : for the town was hard to besiege , and uneasy to come unto , by reason of the straitness of all the places . * But when Judas his first band came in sight , the enemies , being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all things , fled amain , one running into this way , another that way , so as that they were often hurt of their own men , and wounded with the points of their own swords . * Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them , killing those wicked wretches , of whom he slew about thirty thousand men . * Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater , whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life , because he had many of the Jews ' parents , and the brethren of some of them , who , if they put him to death , should not be regarded . * So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt , according to the agreement , they let him go for the saving of their brethren . * Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion , and to the temple of Atargatis , and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons . * And after he had put to flight and destroyed them , Judas removed the host toward Ephron , a strong city , wherein Lysias abode , and a great multitude of divers nations , and the strong young men kept the walls , and defended them mightily : wherein also was great provision of engines and darts . * But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God , who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies , they won the city , and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within , * From thence they departed to Scythopolis , which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem , * But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them , and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity ; * They gave them thanks , desiring them to be friendly still unto them : and so they came to Jerusalem , the feast of the weeks approaching . * And after the feast , called Pentecost , they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea , * Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen . * And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain . * At which time Dositheus , one of Bacenor 's company , who was on horseback , and a strong man , was still upon Gorgias , and taking hold of his coat drew him by force ; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive , a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder , so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa . * Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long , and were weary , Judas called upon the Lord , that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle . * And with that he began in his own language , and sung psalms with a loud voice , and rushing unawares upon Gorgias ' men , he put them to flight . * So Judas gathered his host , and came into the city of Odollam , And when the seventh day came , they purified themselves , as the custom was , and kept the sabbath in the same place . * And upon the day following , as the use had been , Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain , and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers ' graves . * Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites , which is forbidden the Jews by the law . Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain . * All men therefore praising the Lord , the righteous Judge , who had opened the things that were hid , * Betook themselves unto prayer , and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance . Besides , that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin , forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain . * And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver , he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering , doing therein very well and honestly , in that he was mindful of the resurrection : * For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again , it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead . * And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly , it was an holy and good thought . Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead , that they might be delivered from sin .

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