1Mac 7:1 

In the hundred and one and fiftieth year Demetrius the son of 

Seleucus departed from Rome, and came up with a few men unto a 

city of the sea coast, and reigned there. 

1Mac 7:2 

And as he entered into the palace of his ancestors, so it 

was, that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias, to bring 

them unto him. 

1Mac 7:3 

Wherefore, when he knew it, he said, Let me not see their 

faces. 

1Mac 7:4 

So his host slew them. Now when Demetrius was set upon the 

throne of his kingdom, 

1Mac 7:5 

There came unto him all the wicked and ungodly men of Israel, 

having Alcimus, who was desirous to be high priest, for their 

captain: 

1Mac 7:6 

And they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and 

his brethren have slain all thy friends, and driven us out of 

our own land. 

1Mac 7:7 

Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him 

go and see what havock he hath made among us, and in the king's 

land, and let him punish them with all them that aid them. 

1Mac 7:8 

Then the king chose Bacchides, a friend of the king, who 

ruled beyond the flood, and was a great man in the kingdom, and 

faithful to the king, 

1Mac 7:9 

And him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high 

priest, and commanded that he should take vengeance of the 

children of Israel. 

1Mac 7:10 

So they departed, and came with a great power into the land 

of Judea, where they sent messengers to Judas and his brethren 

with peaceable words deceitfully. 

1Mac 7:11 

But they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they 

were come with a great power. 

1Mac 7:12 

Then did there assemble unto Alcimus and Bacchides a company 

of scribes, to require justice. 

1Mac 7:13 

Now the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel 

that sought peace of them: 

1Mac 7:14 

For said they, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is 

come with this army, and he will do us no wrong. 

1Mac 7:15 

So he spake unto them, peaceably, and sware unto them, 

saying, we will procure the harm neither of you nor your 

friends. 

1Mac 7:16 

Whereupon they believed him: howbeit he took of them 

threescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the words 

which he wrote, 

1Mac 7:17 

The flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood 

have they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury 

them. 

1Mac 7:18 

Wherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the 

people, who said, There is neither truth nor righteousness in 

them; for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made. 

1Mac 7:19 

After this, removed Bacchides from Jerusalem, and pitched his 

tents in Bezeth, where he sent and took many of the men that had 

forsaken him, and certain of the people also, and when he had 

slain them, he cast them into the great pit. 

1Mac 7:20 

Then committed he the country to Alcimus, and left with him a 

power to aid him: so Bacchides went to the king. 

1Mac 7:21 

But Alcimus contended for the high priesthood. 

1Mac 7:22 

And unto him resorted all such as troubled the people, who, 

after they had gotten the land of Juda into their power, did 

much hurt in Israel. 

1Mac 7:23 

Now when Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his 

company had done among the Israelites, even above the heathen, 

1Mac 7:24 

He went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and 

took vengeance of them that had revolted from him, so that they 

durst no more go forth into the country. 

1Mac 7:25 

On the other side, when Alcimus saw that Judas and his 

company had gotten the upper hand, and knew that he was not able 

to abide their force, he went again to the king, and said all 

the worst of them that he could. 

1Mac 7:26 

Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honourable princes, a 

man that bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to 

destroy the people. 

1Mac 7:27 

So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great force; and sent 

unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with friendly words, 

saying, 

1Mac 7:28 

Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a 

few men, that I may see you in peace. 

1Mac 7:29 

He came therefore to Judas, and they saluted one another 

peaceably. Howbeit the enemies were prepared to take away Judas 

by violence. 

1Mac 7:30 

Which thing after it was known to Judas, to wit, that he came 

unto him with deceit, he was sore afraid of him, and would see 

his face no more. 

1Mac 7:31 

Nicanor also, when he saw that his counsel was discovered, 

went out to fight against Judas beside Capharsalama: 

1Mac 7:32 

Where there were slain of Nicanor's side about five thousand 

men, and the rest fled into the city of David. 

1Mac 7:33 

After this went Nicanor up to mount Sion, and there came out 

of the sanctuary certain of the priests and certain of the 

elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to shew him 

the burnt sacrifice that was offered for the king. 

1Mac 7:34 

But he mocked them, and laughed at them, and abused them 

shamefully, and spake proudly, 

1Mac 7:35 

And sware in his wrath, saying, Unless Judas and his host be 

now delivered into my hands, if ever I come again in safety, I 

will burn up this house: and with that he went out in a great 

rage. 

1Mac 7:36 

Then the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and 

the temple, weeping, and saying, 

1Mac 7:37 

Thou, O Lord, didst choose this house to be called by thy 

name, and to be a house of prayer and petition for thy people: 

1Mac 7:38 

Be avenged of this man and his host, and let them fall by the 

sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to 

continue any longer. 

1Mac 7:39 

So Nicanor went out of Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in 

Bethhoron, where an host out of Syria met him. 

1Mac 7:40 

But Judas pitched in Adasa with three thousand men, and there 

he prayed, saying, 

1Mac 7:41 

O Lord, when they that were sent from the king of the 

Assyrians blasphemed, thine angel went out, and smote an hundred 

fourscore and five thousand of them. 

1Mac 7:42 

Even so destroy thou this host before us this day, that the 

rest may know that he hath spoken blasphemously against thy 

sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness. 

1Mac 7:43 

So the thirteenth day of the month Adar the hosts joined 

battle: but Nicanor's host was discomfited, and he himself was 

first slain in the battle. 

1Mac 7:44 

Now when Nicanor's host saw that he was slain, they cast away 

their weapons, and fled. 

1Mac 7:45 

Then they pursued after them a day's journey, from Adasa unto 

Gazera, sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets. 

1Mac 7:46 

Whereupon they came forth out of all the towns of Judea round 

about, and closed them in; so that they, turning back upon them 

that pursued them, were all slain with the sword, and not one of 

them was left. 

1Mac 7:47 

Afterwards they took the spoils, and the prey, and smote off 

Nicanors head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so 

proudly, and brought them away, and hanged them up toward 

Jerusalem. 

1Mac 7:48 

For this cause the people rejoiced greatly, and they kept 

that day a day of great gladness. 

1Mac 7:49 

Moreover they ordained to keep yearly this day, being the 

thirteenth of Adar. 

1Mac 7:50 

Thus the land of Juda was in rest a little while.