2Mac 12:1 

When these covenants were made, Lysias went unto the king, 

and the Jews were about their husbandry. 

2Mac 12:2 

But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and 

Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, 

and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer 

them to be quiet and live in peace. 

2Mac 12:3 

The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed 

the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and 

children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they 

had meant them no hurt. 

2Mac 12:4 

Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the 

city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting 

nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they 

drowned no less than two hundred of them. 

2Mac 12:5 

When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he 

commanded those that were with him to make them ready. 

2Mac 12:6 

And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against 

those murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, 

and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew. 

2Mac 12:7 

And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he 

would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa. 

2Mac 12:8 

But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like 

manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them, 

2Mac 12:9 

He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the 

haven and the navy, so that the light of the fire was seen at 

Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off. 

2Mac 12:10 

Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their 

journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on 

foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him. 

2Mac 12:11 

Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas' side by 

the help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, 

being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising both to give 

him cattle, and to pleasure him otherwise. 

2Mac 12:12 

Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in 

many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and 

so they departed to their tents. 

2Mac 12:13 

He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, 

which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of 

divers countries; and the name of it was Caspis. 

2Mac 12:14 

But they that were within it put such trust in the strength 

of the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved 

themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas, railing and 

blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken. 

2Mac 12:15 

Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord 

of the world, who without rams or engines of war did cast down 

Jericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the 

walls, 

2Mac 12:16 

And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable 

slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near 

adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with 

blood. 

2Mac 12:17 

Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty 

furlongs, and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called 

Tubieni. 

2Mac 12:18 

But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for 

before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, 

having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold. 

2Mac 12:19 

Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus' 

captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in 

the fortress, above ten thousand men. 

2Mac 12:20 

And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the 

bands, and went against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred 

and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five 

hundred horsemen. 

2Mac 12:21 

Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas' coming, he sent 

the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress 

called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to 

come unto, by reason of the straitness of all the places. 

2Mac 12:22 

But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, 

being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him 

who seeth all things, fled amain, one running into this way, 

another that way, so as that they were often hurt of their own 

men, and wounded with the points of their own swords. 

2Mac 12:23 

Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those 

wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men. 

2Mac 12:24 

Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus 

and Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go 

with his life, because he had many of the Jews' parents, and the 

brethren of some of them, who, if they put him to death, should 

not be regarded. 

2Mac 12:25 

So when he had assured them with many words that he would 

restore them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let 

him go for the saving of their brethren. 

2Mac 12:26 

Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of 

Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons. 

2Mac 12:27 

And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas 

removed the host toward Ephron, a strong city, wherein Lysias 

abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong 

young men kept the walls, and defended them mightily: wherein 

also was great provision of engines and darts. 

2Mac 12:28 

But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, 

who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, they 

won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that 

were within, 

2Mac 12:29 

From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six 

hundred furlongs from Jerusalem, 

2Mac 12:30 

But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the 

Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them 

kindly in the time of their adversity; 

2Mac 12:31 

They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still 

unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks 

approaching. 

2Mac 12:32 

And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth 

against Gorgias the governor of Idumea, 

2Mac 12:33 

Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred 

horsemen. 

2Mac 12:34 

And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the 

Jews were slain. 

2Mac 12:35 

At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor's company, who was on 

horseback, and a strong man, was still upon Gorgias, and taking 

hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken 

that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him 

smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa. 

2Mac 12:36 

Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and 

were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew 

himself to be their helper and leader of the battle. 

2Mac 12:37 

And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms 

with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon Gorgias' men, he 

put them to flight. 

2Mac 12:38 

So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of 

Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified 

themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same 

place. 

2Mac 12:39 

And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and 

his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, 

and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers' graves. 

2Mac 12:40 

Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found 

things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is 

forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was 

the cause wherefore they were slain. 

2Mac 12:41 

All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who 

had opened the things that were hid, 

2Mac 12:42 

Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin 

committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that 

noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, 

forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to 

pass for the sins of those that were slain. 

2Mac 12:43 

And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to 

the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to 

Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and 

honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection: 

2Mac 12:44 

For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have 

risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the 

dead. 

2Mac 12:45 

And also in that he perceived that there was great favour 

laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good 

thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that 

they might be delivered from sin.