The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 05
1 It came to pass, when the Gentiles all
around heard that the altar had been rebuilt and
the sanctuary dedicated as before, they were exceedingly angry.
2 They took counsel to destroy the race of
Jacob that was in the midst of them, and
they began to kill and destroy among the people.
3 Judas fought against the children of
Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, because
they besieged Israel. He struck them with
a great slaughter, humbled them, and took
their spoils.
4 He remembered the wickedness of the
childrenof†Baean, who were a snare anda
stumbling block to the people, lying in wait
for them on the highways.
5 They were shut up by him in the towers.
He encamped against them, and destroyed
them utterly, and burned with fire the
towers of the place with all who
were in them.
6 He passed over to the children of Ammon,
and found a mighty band and many
people, with Timotheus for their leader.
7 He fought many battles with them, and
they were defeated before his face. He
struck them,
8 and took possession of Jazer and its
villages,‡ and returned again into Judea.
9 The Gentiles who were in Gilead gathered
themselves together against the Israelites
who were on their borders, to destroy them.
They fled to the stronghold of Dathema
10 and sent letters to Judas and his
kindred, saying, “The Gentiles who are
aroundus are gathered together againstus
to destroy us.
11 They are preparing to come and get
possessionofthe stronghold where wefled
for refuge, and Timotheus is the leader of
their army.
12 Now therefore come and deliver us
from their hand, for many of us have fallen.
13 All our kindred who were in the land
of §Tubias have been put to death. They
have carried their wives, their children,
and their stuff into captivity. They
destroyed about a thousand men there.
14 While the letters were still being
read, behold, other messengers came from
Galilee with their clothes torn, bringing a
similar report,
15 saying, “People of Ptolemais, of Tyre,
of Sidon, and all Galilee of the† Gentiles
have gathered together to destroy us.
16 Now when Judas and the people heard
these words, a great congregation assembled
together to determine what they
should do for their kindred who were in
distress and under attack.
17 Judas said to Simon his brother,
“Choose men and go deliver your kindred
who are in Galilee, but Jonathan my
brother and I will go into the land of
Gilead.”
18 He left Joseph the son of Zacharias,
and Azarias, as leaders of the people, with
the remnant ofthe army, in Judea, to guard it.
19 He commanded them, saying, “Take
charge of this people, and fight no battle
with the Gentiles until we return.
20 Then three thousand men were assigned to
go into Galilee with Simon, but eight thousand
men were assigned to Judas to go into the
land of Gilead.
21 Simon went into Galilee and fought
many battles with the Gentiles, and the
Gentiles were defeated before him.
22 He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais.
About three thousand men of the
Gentiles fell, and he took their spoils.
23 They took to them those who were in
Galilee and in Arbatta, with their wives,
their children, and all that they had, and
brought them into Judea with great gladness.
24 Judas Maccabaeus and his brother
Jonathanpassedover the Jordan, and went
three days’ journey in the wilderness.
25 They met with the Nabathaeans, and
these met them in a peaceful manner and
told them all things that had happened to
their kindred in the land of Gilead,
26 and how many of them were shut up
in Bosora, Bosor, Alema,‡ Casphor, Maked,
and§ Carnaim—all these cities are strong
and large
27 and how they were shut up in the rest
of the cities of the land of Gilead, and that
tomorrow they planned to encamp against
the strongholds, and to take them, and to
destroy all these men in one day.
28 Judas and his army turned suddenly
by the way ofthe wilderness toBosora; and
he took the city, and killed all the males
with the edge of the sword, took all their
spoils, and burned the city with fire.