1   Machabeus nowe and his company ^note thorowe the helpe of the Lorde wan the temple and the citie againe,

2   Destroyed the aulters and chappels that the heathen had buylded through the streetes,

3   Clensed the temple, ^note made another aulter of bricke stone, and after two yeres they offered sacrifices, set foorth the incense, the lightes, and shewe bread.

4   When that was done, they fell downe flat vpon the grounde, and besought the Lord that they might come no more into such trouble: but if they sinned any more against him, he him selfe to chasten them with mercie, and not to come in the handes of those aliauntes and blasphemous men.

5   Nowe vpon the same day that the straungers polluted the temple, it happened that on the very same day it was clensed againe: [namely] ^note the twentie and fyfth day of the moneth called ^note Casleu.

6   They kept eyght dayes in gladnesse, like as in the feast of the tabernacles, remembring that not long afore they held the feast of the tabernacles vpon the mountaynes and in dennes, like beastes. B   

7   And to the same token they bare greene bowes, braunches, ∧ palmes, and song Psalmes before hym that had geuen them good successe to clense his place.

8   They agreed also together, and made a statute that euery yere those dayes shoulde be solemply kept of all the people of the Iewes.

9   How Antiochus then, that was called the noble, died, it is sufficiently tolde.

10   Nowe will we speake of Eupator the sonne of that wicked Antiochus howe it happened with hym, and so with fewe wordes to comprehende the aduersitie that chaunced in the warres.

11   When he had taken in the kingdome, he made one Lysias whiche had ben captayne of the hoast in Phenices and ^note Syria, ruler ouer the matters of the realme.

12   For Ptolomi, that was called Macron, beyng a ruler for the Iewes, and specially to sit in iudgement for such wrong as was done vnto them, vndertoke to deale peaceably with them.

13   For the whiche cause he was accused of his friendes before Eupator: and when he was suspect to be a traytour, because he had left Cypres that Philometor had committed vnto him, and because he departed from noble Antiochus that he was come vnto, he poysoned hym selfe, and died. C   

14   Now when Gorgias was gouernour of the same places, he toke straungers, and vndertoke oft times to warre with the Iewes.

15   Moreouer, the Idumeans that helde the strong holdes, receaued those that were dryuen from Hierusalem, and toke in hande to warre also.

16    ^noteBut they that were with Machabeus besought ∧ prayed vnto the Lorde that he woulde be their helper, and so they fell vpon the strong holdes of the Idumeans,

17   And wan many places by strength: such as came against them they slue, and killed no lesse of all together then twentie thousande.

18   Neuerthelesse some, no lesse then nyne thousande, were fled into two strong towres, hauing all maner of ordinaunce to withstande them.

19   Then Machabeus leauing Simon, Iosephus, Zacheus, and those that were with them, whiche were very many, went to besiege them, ∧ to fight where most neede was.

20   Nowe they that were with Simon, beyng led with couetousnesse, were intreated for money thorowe certayne of those that lay in the castles, toke threescore and ten thousande ^note dragmas: and let some of them escape.

21   But when it was tolde Machabeus what had happened, he called the captaynes of the people together, accusing those persons, that they had sold the brethren for money, ∧ let their enemies go. D   

22   So he slue those traytours, ∧ immediatly went in hande with the two castles.

23   And when they had ordred them selues manly with their weapons ∧ handes, they slue in the two castles mo then twentie thousande.

24    ^noteNow Timotheus, whom the Iewes had ouercome afore, gathered a multitude of strange people, brought an hoast also of horsemen of the Asians to winne Iurie by strength.

25   But when he drewe nye, Machabeus and they that were with him, ^note fell to their prayer, sprinkled asshes vpon their heades, beyng gyrded with heery cloth about their loynes,

26   Fell downe before the aulter, and besought the Lord that he would be mercifull to them, but an enemie vnto their enemies, and to take part against their aduersaries, ^note according as it is promised in the lawe.

27   So after the prayer, they toke their weapons ∧ went on further from the citie: ∧ when they came nye the enemies, they prepared them selues against them. E   

28   And betimes in the morning at the breake of the day, both the hoastes buckled together: ^note The one part had the Lorde for their refuge, which is the geuer of prosperitie, strength, and victorie: the other had a manly stomacke, which is a captayne of warre.

29   The battayle nowe beyng great, ^note there appeared vnto the enemies from heauen fiue goodly men vpon horsebackes, with bridels of gold, leading the Iewes:

30   And two of them hauing Machabeus betwixt them, that kept him safe on euery side with their weapons, but shot dartes and lightninges vpon the enemies, where thorow they were confounded with blindnesse, and so sore afrayde that they fell downe.

31   There were slayne of footemen twentie thousand and fyue hundreth, and sixe hundreth horsemen.

32   As for Timotheus him selfe, he fled vnto Gazara, a very strong hold, wherin Chereas was captayne.

33   But Machabeus and his companie layed siege to it chearfully foure dayes.

34   Now they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place, cursed and banned exceedingly, and made great craking with wicked wordes. F   

35   Neuerthelesse, vpon the fyft day in the morning, twentie yong men of Machabeus company, beyng set on fire in their mindes because of the blasphemie, came manfully vnto the wall, and with bolde stomakes smote downe those that they mette.

36   Others also clymed vp vp&obar; the towres, vndertaking to set fire vpon the portes, ∧ to burne those blasphemous persons quicke with the fiers that they had made, others brake open the gates, and receaued the rest of the armie, and toke the citie.

37   Two dayes were they destroying the castle, which when they founde Timotheus that was crept in a corner, they killed him, and slue Chereas his brother in like maner, with Apollophanes.

38   When this was done, they song Psalmes with prayses and thankesgeuing vnto the Lorde, which had done so great thinges for Israel, and geuen them the victorie.

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