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[1]In the hundred fourtie and nine yere, gat Iudas knowledge that Antiochus Eupator was comming with a great power into iurie,
[2]And Lysias the stewarde and ruler of his matters with him, hauing an hundred & ten thousand men of foote of the Grecians, fyue thousande horsemen, twentie and two Elephantes, and three hundred charettes set with hookes.
[3]Menelaus also ioyned hym selfe with them, but with great disceyte spake faire to the king, not for any good of the countrey, but because he thought to haue ben made some great man of aucthoritie.
[4]But the king of kinges moued Antiochus minde against this vngodly person, and Lysias enformed the king that this Menelaus was the cause of all mischiefe: so that the king commaunded to bring him vnto Berea, and as the maner of them is, to put him vnto death in the same place.
[5]There was also in the same place a towre of fiftie cubites hie, heaped with asshes: and it had an instrument that turned rounde, & on euery side it rouled downe into the asshes, and there whosoeuer was condempned of sacriledge, or of any other greeuous crime, was cast of all men vnto the death.
[6]Whereinto the king comaunded that shamefull person to be cast among the asshes, as one that was cause of all vngraciousnesse.
[7]And reason it was that the vnthrift should dye such a death, and not to be buried,
[8]For he had done much mischiefe vnto the aulter of God, whose fire and asshes were holy: therefore was it right that he him selfe also should be destroyed with asshes.
[9]But the king was wood in his minde, and came to shew him selfe more cruell vnto the Iewes, then his father was.
[10]Which when Iudas perceaued, he commaunded the people to call vpon the Lord nyght and day, that he would nowe helpe them also lyke as he had done alway: for they were afraide to be put from their lawe, from their natural countrey, and from the holy temple:
[11]And not to suffer the people which a litle while afore began to recouer, to be subdued againe of the blasphemous nations.
[12]So when they had done this together, and besought the Lorde for mercie, with weeping and fasting three dayes long flat vpon the grounde, Iudas exhorted them to make them selues redie.
[13]But he and the eldest together deuised to go foorth [first with the people] afore the king brought his hoast into Iurie, and afore he besieged the citie, and so to commit the matter vnto God.
[14]Wherefore he committed the charge of all thinges vnto God the maker of all the worlde, exhorting his people to fight manfully, yea euen vnto death, for the lawes, the temple, the citie, their owne natiue countrey, and to defend the citezins: and he set his hoast before Modin.
[15]He gaue them also that were with him a token of the victory of God, choosing out the manliest young men, went by night into the kinges pauilion, slue of the hoast fourteene thousand men, and the greatest of the Elephantes, with those that sate vpon him.
[16]Thus when they had brought a great feare and rumour among the tentes of their enemies, and al thinges went prosperously with them,
[17]They departed in the breake of the day, God being their helper and defender.
[18]Nowe when the king perceaued the manlinesse of the Iewes, he went about to take the strong places by craft,
[19]And remoued his hoast vnto Bethsura, which was a wel kept house of defence of the Iewes: but they were chased away, hurt, and discomfited.
[20]And Iudas sent vnto them that were in it, such thinges as were necessarie.
[21]In the Iewes hoast also there was one Rhodochus, which tolde the enemies their secretes: but they sought him out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.
[22]After this did the king commune with them that were in Bethsura, toke truice with them, departed, and stroke a battaile with Iudas, which ouercame him.
[23]But when he vnderstoode that Philip, whom he had left to be ouerseer of this busines at Antioch, began to rebell against him, he was astonied in his mind, so that he yeelded him selfe to ye Iewes, and made them an oth to do whatsoeuer they thought right.
[24]Now when he was reconciled with them, he offered, made much of the temple, gaue great giftes vnto it,
[25]Embraced Machabeus, making him captaine and gouernour from Ptolomais vnto the Gerrhenes.
[26]Neuerthelesse when he came to Ptolomais, the people of the citie were not content with the bond of frendship: for they were afraide that he would breake the couenaunt.
[27]Then went Lysias vp into the iudgement seate, and excused the fact as well as he coulde, and enformed the people, shewed them the cause why, & pacified them: so he came againe to Antioch. This is now the matter concerning the kinges iourney, and his returne.
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