1Mac 4:1 

Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of 

the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night; 

1Mac 4:2 

To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and 

smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his 

guides. 

1Mac 4:3 

Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the 

valiant men with him, that he might smite the king's army which 

was at Emmaus, 

1Mac 4:4 

While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp. 

1Mac 4:5 

In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of 

Judas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the 

mountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us 

1Mac 4:6 

But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain 

with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor 

swords to their minds. 

1Mac 4:7 

And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and 

well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and 

these were expert of war. 

1Mac 4:8 

Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not 

their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault. 

1Mac 4:9 

Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when 

Pharaoh pursued them with an army. 

1Mac 4:10 

Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the 

Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our 

fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day: 

1Mac 4:11 

That so all the heathen may know that there is one who 

delivereth and saveth Israel. 

1Mac 4:12 

Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming 

over against them. 

1Mac 4:13 

Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that 

were with Judas sounded their trumpets. 

1Mac 4:14 

So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled 

into the plain. 

1Mac 4:15 

Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: 

for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of 

Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them 

upon a three thousand men. 

1Mac 4:16 

This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing 

them, 

1Mac 4:17 

And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch 

as there is a battle before us, 

1Mac 4:18 

And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but 

stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after 

this ye may boldly take the spoils. 

1Mac 4:19 

As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part 

of them looking out of the mountain: 

1Mac 4:20 

Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to 

flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen 

declared what was done: 

1Mac 4:21 

When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore 

afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to 

fight, 

1Mac 4:22 

They fled every one into the land of strangers. 

1Mac 4:23 

Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much 

gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and 

great riches. 

1Mac 4:24 

After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, 

and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his 

mercy endureth forever. 

1Mac 4:25 

Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day. 

1Mac 4:26 

Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias 

what had happened: 

1Mac 4:27 

Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, 

because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, 

nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass. 

1Mac 4:28 

The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together 

threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand 

horsemen, that he might subdue them. 

1Mac 4:29 

So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at 

Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men. 

1Mac 4:30 

And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed 

art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of 

the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the 

host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, 

and his armourbearer; 

1Mac 4:31 

Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let 

them be confounded in their power and horsemen: 

1Mac 4:32 

Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of 

their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their 

destruction: 

1Mac 4:33 

Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let 

all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving. 

1Mac 4:34 

So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of 

Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they 

slain. 

1Mac 4:35 

Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness 

of Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or 

die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a 

company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it 

was, he purposed to come again into Judea. 

1Mac 4:36 

Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are 

discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary. 

1Mac 4:37 

Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and 

went up into mount Sion. 

1Mac 4:38 

And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar 

profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the 

courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the 

priests' chambers pulled down; 

1Mac 4:39 

They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast 

ashes upon their heads, 

1Mac 4:40 

And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew 

an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven. 

1Mac 4:41 

Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that 

were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 

1Mac 4:42 

So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had 

pleasure in the law: 

1Mac 4:43 

Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones 

into an unclean place. 

1Mac 4:44 

And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt 

offerings, which was profaned; 

1Mac 4:45 

They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a 

reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore 

they pulled it down, 

1Mac 4:46 

And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a 

convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what 

should be done with them. 

1Mac 4:47 

Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a 

new altar according to the former; 

1Mac 4:48 

And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within 

the temple, and hallowed the courts. 

1Mac 4:49 

They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they 

brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and 

of incense, and the table. 

1Mac 4:50 

And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that 

were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give 

light in the temple. 

1Mac 4:51 

Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread 

out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun 

to make. 

1Mac 4:52 

Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which 

is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth 

year, they rose up betimes in the morning, 

1Mac 4:53 

And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar 

of burnt offerings, which they had made. 

1Mac 4:54 

Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, 

even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and 

harps, and cymbals. 

1Mac 4:55 

Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and 

praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success. 

1Mac 4:56 

And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and 

offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the 

sacrifice of deliverance and praise. 

1Mac 4:57 

They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of 

gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they 

renewed, and hanged doors upon them. 

1Mac 4:58 

Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that 

the reproach of the heathen was put away. 

1Mac 4:59 

Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation 

of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar 

should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of 

eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, 

with mirth and gladness. 

1Mac 4:60 

At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high 

walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should 

come and tread it down as they had done before. 

1Mac 4:61 

And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified 

Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence 

against Idumea.