1 Maccabees 16
Killed at a Banquet by His Own Kin
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Simon Sends His Sons Against Cendebaeus
16:1John came up from Gazara and reported to Simon his father what Cendebaeus had done.
16:2Simon called his two elder sons, Judas and John, and said to them, “I, my brothers, and my father’s house have fought Israel’s wars from youth until this day, and it has prospered in our hands to rescue Israel many times.
16:3Now I have grown old, but through mercy you are mature in years. Take my place and my brother’s, go out and fight for our nation, and may help from Heaven be with you.”
16:4He chose from the country twenty thousand warriors and cavalry, and they marched against Cendebaeus and lodged in Modein.
The Battle in the Plain
16:5They arose in the morning and went into the plain. A large force of infantry and cavalry came to meet them, with a stream between them.
16:6He and his people encamped opposite them. He saw that the people were afraid to cross the stream, and he crossed first. The men saw him and crossed behind him.
16:7He divided the people, placing the cavalry among the infantry, for the adversaries had very many cavalry.
16:8They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebaeus and his army were routed. Many of them fell wounded, and the survivors fled into the stronghold.
16:9Then Judas, John’s brother, was wounded. John pursued them until he came to Kedron, which Cendebaeus had built.
16:10They fled into the towers in the countryside of Azotus, and he burned it with fire. About two thousand of their men fell. He returned to Judea in peace.
The Treachery of Ptolemy Son of Abubus
16:11Ptolemy son of Abubus had been appointed commander over the plain of Jericho and possessed much silver and gold,
16:12for he was the high priest’s son-in-law.
16:13His heart was lifted up, and he wished to gain control of the country. He plotted deceitfully against Simon and his sons to remove them.
16:14Simon was visiting the cities in the country and attending to their care. He came down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat.
16:15The son of Abubus deceitfully received them in the small stronghold called Dok, which he had built. He made a great drinking feast for them and hid men there.
16:16When Simon and his sons had become drunk, Ptolemy and his men arose, took their weapons, entered the banquet room against Simon, and killed him, his two sons, and some of his attendants.
16:17He committed a great act of treachery and repaid evil for good.
16:18Ptolemy wrote these things and sent them to the king, asking him to send forces to help him and hand over their country and cities.
John Escapes at Gazara
16:19He sent others to Gazara to remove John, and sent letters to the commanders of thousands to come to him so that he might give them silver, gold, and gifts.
16:20He sent others to seize Jerusalem and the temple mountain.
16:21Someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and brothers had perished, and said, “He has also sent men to kill you.”
16:22When he heard, he was greatly astonished. He seized the men who had come to destroy him and killed them, for he had learned that they were seeking to destroy him.
16:23The rest of John’s deeds, his wars, the brave acts he performed, the building of the walls he built, and his actions—
16:24these are written in the book of the days of his high priesthood, from the time he became high priest after his father.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.