1Mac 3:1 

Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead. 

1Mac 3:2 

And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that 

held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the 

battle of Israel. 

1Mac 3:3 

So he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate 

as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made 

battles, protecting the host with his sword. 

1Mac 3:4 

In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp 

roaring for his prey. 

1Mac 3:5 

For He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up 

those that vexed his people. 

1Mac 3:6 

Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the 

workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered 

in his hand. 

1Mac 3:7 

He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his 

acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever. 

1Mac 3:8 

Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the 

ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel: 

1Mac 3:9 

So that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, 

and he received unto him such as were ready to perish. 

1Mac 3:10 

Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great 

host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel. 

1Mac 3:11 

Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, 

and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, 

but the rest fled. 

1Mac 3:12 

Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword 

also, and therewith he fought all his life long. 

1Mac 3:13 

Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that 

Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the 

faithful to go out with him to war; 

1Mac 3:14 

He said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for 

I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who 

despise the king's commandment. 

1Mac 3:15 

So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a 

mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the 

children of Israel. 

1Mac 3:16 

And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas 

went forth to meet him with a small company: 

1Mac 3:17 

Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto 

Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so 

great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint 

with fasting all this day? 

1Mac 3:18 

Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be 

shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is 

all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company: 

1Mac 3:19 

For the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an 

host; but strength cometh from heaven. 

1Mac 3:20 

They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy 

us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us: 

1Mac 3:21 

But we fight for our lives and our laws. 

1Mac 3:22 

Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our 

face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them. 

1Mac 3:23 

Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly 

upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him. 

1Mac 3:24 

And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto 

the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and 

the residue fled into the land of the Philistines. 

1Mac 3:25 

Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an 

exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about 

them: 

1Mac 3:26 

Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations 

talked of the battles of Judas. 

1Mac 3:27 

Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of 

indignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the 

forces of his realm, even a very strong army. 

1Mac 3:28 

He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a 

year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need 

them. 

1Mac 3:29 

Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures 

failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because 

of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land 

in taking away the laws which had been of old time; 

1Mac 3:30 

He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any 

longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did 

before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before 

him. 

1Mac 3:31 

Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined 

to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, 

and to gather much money. 

1Mac 3:32 

So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to 

oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto 

the borders of Egypt: 

1Mac 3:33 

And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again. 

1Mac 3:34 

Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and 

the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would 

have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and 

Jerusalem: 

1Mac 3:35 

To wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy 

and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of 

Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place; 

1Mac 3:36 

And that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and 

divide their land by lot. 

1Mac 3:37 

So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and 

departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and 

seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went 

through the high countries. 

1Mac 3:38 

Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and 

Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends: 

1Mac 3:39 

And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven 

thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy 

it, as the king commanded. 

1Mac 3:40 

So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched 

by Emmaus in the plain country. 

1Mac 3:41 

And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, 

took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the 

camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of 

Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto 

them. 

1Mac 3:42 

Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were 

multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their 

borders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to 

destroy the people, and utterly abolish them; 

1Mac 3:43 

They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune 

of our people, and let us fight for our people and the 

sanctuary. 

1Mac 3:44 

Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might 

be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and 

compassion. 

1Mac 3:45 

Now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her 

children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden 

down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their 

habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the 

pipe with the harp ceased. 

1Mac 3:46 

Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and 

came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the 

place where they prayed aforetime in Israel. 

1Mac 3:47 

Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast 

ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes, 

1Mac 3:48 

And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had 

sought to paint the likeness of their images. 

1Mac 3:49 

They brought also the priests' garments, and the firstfruits, 

and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had 

accomplished their days. 

1Mac 3:50 

Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What 

shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away? 

1Mac 3:51 

For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy 

priests are in heaviness, and brought low. 

1Mac 3:52 

And lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to 

destroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest. 

1Mac 3:53 

How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O 

God, be our help? 

1Mac 3:54 

Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice. 

1Mac 3:55 

And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even 

captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, 

and over tens. 

1Mac 3:56 

But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed 

wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he 

commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, 

according to the law. 

1Mac 3:57 

So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of 

Emmaus. 

1Mac 3:58 

And Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see 

that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight 

with these nations, that are assembled together against us to 

destroy us and our sanctuary: 

1Mac 3:59 

For it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the 

calamities of our people and our sanctuary. 

1Mac 3:60 

Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.