1 Maccabees 6

About that time King Antiochus was traveling through the upper countries, and he heard that Elymais, in the country of Persia, was a city famous for its riches, its silver, and its gold.

1About that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;

NoteThe king is Antiochus IV, called Epiphanes, the Seleucid ruler whose ban on Jewish practice set off the revolt this book describes. The "high countries" or upper countries are the inland eastern provinces of his empire, Persia and Media, far from his capital at Antioch in Syria; he was there partly to collect tribute and refill an empty treasury. Elymais was in fact a region of southwestern Persia, ancient Elam, rather than a city, and the author seems to have taken the name for a city's name.

2He also heard that there was a very rich temple in it, and that in it were gold coverings, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who was the first to rule over the Greeks.

2And that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there.

NoteGreek and Persian temples served as treasuries, and victorious armies hung captured or dedicated armor on their walls as offerings. Alexander son of Philip is Alexander the Great, king of Macedon, who conquered the Persian empire in the 330s and 320s BC; the Seleucid kings ruled one of the pieces his empire broke into after his death.

3So he came and tried to take the city and plunder it, but he could not do it, because the people of the city had learned of his plan.

3Wherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof,

4They rose up against him in battle, so he fled and left there in great grief, and went back to Babylon.

4Rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.

5While he was still in Persia, someone came and brought him news that the armies that had gone against the land of Judea had been put to flight,

5Moreover there came one who brought him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put to flight:

6and that Lysias, who had gone out first with a strong force, had been driven back by the Jews, and that the Jews had grown strong from the weapons, the forces, and the piles of plunder they had taken from the armies they destroyed,

6And that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:

NoteLysias was the chief minister and deputy whom Antiochus IV left in charge of the western half of the empire, including Judea, while he campaigned in the east.

7and that they had torn down the offensive thing he had set up on the altar in Jerusalem, and had built high walls all around the sanctuary, as they were before, and around Bethsura, his city.

7Also that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.

NoteThe "abomination" was the pagan altar or cult object Antiochus had erected on the great altar of the Jerusalem temple in 167 BC, ending the Jewish sacrifices there. Bethsura, usually spelled Beth-zur, was a fortress town about fifteen miles south of Jerusalem guarding the road up from Idumea; calling it "his city" marks it as a royal stronghold.

8When the king heard these words, he was shocked and deeply shaken. He lay down on his bed and grew sick with grief, because things had not turned out for him the way he expected.

8Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.

9He stayed there many days, because his grief kept growing greater and greater, and he decided that he was going to die.

9And there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.

10So he called for all his friends and said to them, "Sleep has left my eyes, and my heart is failing from worry.

10Wherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care.

Note"His friends" is not a description of affection. Friends of the King was a formal rank at the Seleucid court, a graded order of officials and advisers who held the title as an office.

11I said to myself, 'What trouble I have come into! How deep is the flood of misery I am in now! For I was generous and well loved when I had power.'

11And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.

12But now I remember the evil things I did in Jerusalem, how I took all the gold and silver vessels that were there, and how I sent men to destroy the people living in Judea for no reason.

12But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.

NoteThese were the temple's sacred utensils, the gold and silver equipment used in worship, which Antiochus stripped out and carried off in 169 BC.

13So I understand that these troubles have come on me because of this. And look, I am dying of great grief in a foreign land."

13I perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

14Then he called for Philip, one of his friends, and put him in charge of his whole kingdom.

14Then called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made ruler over all his realm,

15He gave him his crown, his robe, and his signet ring, so that Philip would guide his son Antiochus and raise him to be king.

15And gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the end he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom.

NoteA signet ring carried the king's personal seal, pressed into wax or clay to authenticate documents. Handing over the ring with the crown and robe was the legal act of transferring royal authority, not a keepsake.

16So King Antiochus died there in the one hundred and forty-ninth year.

16So king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.

Note1 Maccabees counts years by the Seleucid era, which began in 312 BC. The hundred and forty-ninth year is roughly 164 to 163 BC.

17When Lysias learned that the king was dead, he set up the king's son Antiochus to rule in his place. Lysias had raised him from the time he was young, and he named him Eupator.

17Now when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.

NoteEupator was a throne name, added on accession in the Greek royal fashion. It means something like "of a noble father." The boy was about nine, and Lysias governed in his name.

18About this time the men in the citadel kept the Israelites shut in around the sanctuary. They were always looking for ways to harm them and to strengthen the people of the other nations.

18About this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.

NoteThe citadel, called the Akra, was the fortress Antiochus built in Jerusalem in 168 BC and manned with a garrison of his soldiers and Jews who supported his policies. It overlooked the temple, so its troops could harass anyone coming to worship.

19So Judas planned to destroy them, and he called all the people together to lay siege to them.

19Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

20They gathered together and besieged them in the one hundred and fiftieth year, and Judas built mounds to shoot from and other war machines.

20So they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and other engines.

NoteThe hundred and fiftieth year is about 163 to 162 BC. The mounds were earth ramps raised against the walls so that archers and catapults could shoot down into the fortress; the engines were siege machines, rams and stone throwers.

21But some of those who were shut in got out, and some ungodly men of Israel joined them.

21Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:

Note"Ungodly men of Israel" is this author's standard term for the Jews who backed the king's program of Greek customs and worship against those who kept the traditional law. The book is written from the opposing side, and the label is its judgment, not a neutral description.

22They went to the king and said, "How long will it be before you do justice and avenge our brothers?

22And they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?

23We were willing to serve your father, to live by what he said, and to obey his commands.

23We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;

24That is why the men of our own nation are besieging the citadel and have cut themselves off from us. They also killed as many of us as they could catch, and plundered the land we inherited.

24For which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance.

NoteThe inheritance was ancestral family farmland, held and passed down within a household, so plundering it was an attack on the family's standing as well as its property.

25They have not stretched out their hand against us only, but against all their borders as well.

25Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against their borders.

Note"Their borders" is awkward in the King James and in the Greek behind it. The speakers seem to mean the neighboring territories outside Judea, which Judas had also raided.

26Look, this very day they are camped against the citadel at Jerusalem to capture it, and they have fortified the sanctuary and Bethsura.

26And, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.

27If you do not move quickly and stop them first, they will do greater things than these, and you will not be able to control them."

27Wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do the greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.

Note"Prevent" in 1611 English meant to get ahead of someone, to forestall or act first, not to stop something from happening in the modern sense.

28When the king heard this, he was angry, and he gathered all his friends, the commanders of his army, and the men in charge of the cavalry.

28Now when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse.

29Bands of hired soldiers also came to him from other kingdoms and from islands of the sea.

29There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

Note"Isles of the sea" means the Greek islands and the coastlands of the Aegean, the usual recruiting ground for professional mercenary soldiers in this period.

30So the number of his forces was one hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained for war.

30So that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.

NoteWar elephants were the heavy shock weapon of Hellenistic armies, prestigious and expensive. The Seleucids had been forbidden to keep them by the treaty the Romans imposed in 188 BC, so fielding thirty-two of them was itself a public act of defiance.

31They went through Idumea and camped against Bethsura, which they attacked for many days, building war machines. But the men of Bethsura came out and burned the machines with fire, and fought bravely.

31These went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.

NoteIdumea is the region immediately south of Judea, the old territory of Edom, settled by Edomites who had moved north. Bethsura sat on the frontier between the two.

32At this Judas moved away from the citadel and camped at Bathzacharias, facing the king's camp.

32Upon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king’s camp.

NoteBathzacharias, usually spelled Beth-zechariah, lies about six miles north of Bethsura on the road toward Jerusalem, in hill country where Judas could block the army's advance.

33The king got up very early and marched his army at full speed along the road toward Bathzacharias. There his forces got ready for battle and sounded the trumpets.

33Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.

34To get the elephants ready to fight, they showed them the juice of grapes and mulberries.

34And to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.

NoteDark red grape and mulberry juice was shown to the elephants to excite them before the charge, apparently because it resembled blood. "Blood of the grape" is an old idiom for wine.

35They spread the animals out among the ranks of foot soldiers. For each elephant they assigned a thousand men wearing coats of chain armor and bronze helmets on their heads, and besides these, five hundred picked horsemen were assigned to each animal.

35Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.

NoteThe ranks of foot soldiers are the phalanx, a deep block of infantry fighting shoulder to shoulder with long pikes. "Coats of mail" are body armor of linked rings or overlapping scales, and the King James "brass" means bronze, the metal actually used for helmets.

36These men were ready ahead of time wherever the animal was. Wherever the animal went, they went too, and they never left it.

36These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

37On the animals were strong wooden towers, one covering each of them, strapped tightly on with harnesses. On each one were four strong men who fought from them, besides the Indian who drove the animal.

37And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

NoteThe tower was a wooden fighting platform strapped to the elephant's back. The Indian is the mahout, the driver, who sat on the neck; elephants and their handlers were imported from India, so the driver's nationality had become the name for the job. The King James "two and thirty" follows a Greek copy that repeats the number of elephants from verse 30; most manuscripts read four men per tower, which is what a tower could actually hold.

38The rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and that side, on the two wings of the army, to strike fear into the enemy while being protected by the ranks of foot soldiers.

38As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.

NoteThe King James "being harnessed all over amidst the ranks" is hard to follow. The cavalry were posted on the two wings, in full armor, sheltered behind the infantry blocks until they were ordered forward.

39When the sun shone on the shields of gold and bronze, the mountains lit up with the glare and blazed like flaming torches.

39Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of fire.

Note"Glistered" is simply the older form of glistened. The shields were polished bronze, some faced with gold, and the glare off a whole army of them was visible for miles.

40Part of the king's army was spread out on the high hills and part on the low ground, and they moved forward steadily and in order.

40So part of the king’s army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.

41Everyone who heard the noise of their crowd, the marching of the company, and the rattling of the weapons trembled, for the army was very large and very strong.

41Wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

42Then Judas and his army came near and went into battle, and six hundred men of the king's army were killed.

42Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king’s army six hundred men.

43Eleazar, who was also called Savaran, saw that one of the animals was fitted with royal armor and was taller than all the rest, and he thought the king was on it.

43Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,

NoteEleazar was one of the brothers of Judas Maccabeus, sons of Mattathias. His nickname appears as Savaran in the King James and as Avaran in most Greek copies; its meaning is unknown. The tallest elephant in its royal trappings was a reasonable guess at where the king rode, but the boy king was not with the army at that point.

44So he risked his life to save his people and to win himself a name that would last forever.

44Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

Note"A perpetual name" means lasting fame, having one's name remembered and spoken after death. In a culture without a settled belief in individual afterlife, this was the recognized reward for a soldier's sacrifice.

45He ran at the animal boldly, right into the middle of the ranks, killing men on his right and on his left, so that they fell back from him on both sides.

45Wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.

46When he had done that, he crept under the elephant, stabbed it from beneath, and killed it. The elephant fell down on top of him, and he died there.

46Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

47But the rest of the Jews, seeing the strength of the kingdom and the fierce attack of its forces, turned away from them.

47Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

48Then the soldiers of the king's army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king set up camp facing Judea and facing mount Sion.

48Then the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount Sion.

NoteMount Sion, usually spelled Zion, here means the temple hill in Jerusalem itself, the fortified sanctuary precinct, not the hill on the western side of the city that later took the name.

49He made peace with the people of Bethsura, and they came out of the city, because they had no food there to hold out through the siege, since it was a year of rest for the land.

49But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.

NoteUnder the law in Leviticus 25 the land was left unsown and unharvested every seventh year, a sabbath for the fields. A fortress that had used up the previous harvest had no new crop coming in, which is why a siege in that year could not be endured.

50So the king took Bethsura and stationed soldiers there to hold it.

50So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.

51As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days. He set up there mounds to shoot from, war machines, machines to hurl fire and stones, and engines to shoot arrows and to sling stones.

51As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

NoteThis is a full siege train: earth ramps for archers, battering and stone throwing machines, incendiary devices, and torsion catapults that shot heavy bolts, the "darts" of the King James.

52The Jews built machines of their own against the king's machines, and fought them for a long time.

52Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

53But in the end their storage jars had no food in them. It was the seventh year, and those who had fled into Judea for safety from among the other nations had eaten up what was left of the stores.

53Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)

NoteThe "vessels" are the large storage jars in which grain and oil were kept. The seventh year is the same sabbatical year as in verse 49, and refugees from outlying areas had eaten through the reserves.

54Only a few men were left in the sanctuary, because the famine was too strong for them, and they scattered, each man to his own place.

54There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

Note"Fain to disperse themselves" in the King James means they had no choice but to scatter, driven out by hunger rather than choosing to leave.

55At that time Lysias heard that Philip, whom King Antiochus while he was still alive had appointed to raise his son Antiochus to be king,

55At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,

56had come back from Persia and Media with the king's army that had gone with him, and that he was trying to take control of the government.

56Was returned out of Persia and Media, and the king’s host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs.

57So he acted with all speed and said to the king, the commanders of the army, and the men, "We are growing weaker every day, our food is running short, the place we are besieging is strong, and the business of the kingdom is on our hands.

57Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

Note"We decay daily" means our strength is being worn down day by day, not that anything is rotting.

58So now let us make friends with these men, and make peace with them and with their whole nation.

58Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

59Let us agree with them that they may live by their own laws, as they did before. It was because we did away with their laws that they were angered and did all these things."

59And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.

NoteThe laws in question are the Jewish religious laws, which Antiochus IV had banned outright in 167 BC: sabbath observance, circumcision, the food rules, and the temple sacrifices. Restoring the right to live by them was the concession that ended the fighting.

60The king and the princes were pleased with this, so he sent word to them to make peace, and they accepted it.

60So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

61The king and the princes also swore an oath to them, and on these terms they came out of the stronghold.

61Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

62Then the king went into mount Sion. But when he saw how strong the place was, he broke the oath he had sworn and gave orders to pull down the wall all around it.

62Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

63After that he left in great haste and returned to Antiochia, where he found that Philip was master of the city. So he fought against him and took the city by force.

63Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.

NoteAntiochia is Antioch on the Orontes in northern Syria, the Seleucid capital. Whoever held it held the government, which is why Lysias broke off the siege to race back.