The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 16
1 John went up from Gazara and told
Simon his father what Cendebaeus was
doing.
2 Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas
and John, and said to them, “I and
my brothers and my father’s house have
fought the battles of Israel from our youth,
even to this day; and things have prospered
in our hands, that we have often
delivered Israel.
3 But now I am old, and you moreover, by
his mercy, are of a sufficient age. Take the
place of me and my brother, and go out and
fight for our nation; and let the help which
is from heaven be with you.
4 He chose out of the country twenty
thousand men of war and cavalry, and
they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at
Modin.
5 Rising up in the morning, they went
into the plain, and, behold, a great army of
infantry and cavalry came to meet them.
There was a brook between them.
6 He encamped near them, he and his
people. He saw that the people were afraid
to pass over the brook, and he passed over
first. When the men saw him, they passed
over after him.
7 He divided the people, and placed the
calvary in the midst ofthe infantry; butthe
enemies’ cavalry were exceedingly many.
8 They sounded the trumpets; and
Cendebaeus and his army were put to
flight, and many of them fell wounded to
death, but those who were left fled to the
stronghold.
9 At that time Judas, John’s brother, was
wounded; butJohnpursued after them until
he came to Kidron, which Cendebaeus had built.
10 They fled to the towers that are in the
fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire.
About two thousand men men ofthem fell.
Then he returned into Judea in peace.
11 Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been
appointed governor over the plain of
Jericho, and he had much silver and gold;
12 for he was the high priest’s son-in-law.
13 His heart was lifted up, and he
planned to make himself master of the
country, and he made deceitful plans
against Simon and his sons, to do away
with them.
14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that
were in the country, and attending to their
needs. He went down to Jericho—himself
with Mattathias and Judas his sons—in the
one hundred seventy-seventh year,† in the
eleventh month, which is the month Sebat.
15 The son of Abubus received them deceitfully
into the little stronghold that is
called Dok, which he had built, and made
them a great banquet, and hid men there.
16 When Simon and his sons had drunk
freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took
their weapons, rushed in against Simon in
the banqueting place, and killed him, his
two sons, and some of his servants.
17 He committed a great iniquity, and
repaid evil for good.
18 Ptolemy wrote these things and sent
to the king, that he should send him forces
to aid him, and should deliver him their
country and the cities.
19 He sent others to Gazara to do away
with John. To the captains ofthousands, he
sent letters to come to him, that he might
give them silver, gold, and gifts.
20 He sent others to take possession of
Jerusalem and the temple hill.
21 One ran before to Gazara, and told
John that his father and kindred had perished,
and he has sent to kill you also.
22 When he heard, he was greatly
shocked. He seized the men who came
to destroy him and killed them; for
he perceived that they were seeking to
destroy him.
23 And the rest of the acts of John and of
his wars and of his valiant deeds which he
did, and of the building of the walls which
he built, and of his achievements,
24 behold, they are written in the chronicles‡
of his high priesthood, from the time
that he was made high priest after his father.