1 Maccabees 5 — Greek text and reception

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When the nations round about heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary dedicated as before, they became exceedingly angry.

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They resolved to remove the descendants of Jacob living among them, and began killing and destroying people.

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Judas fought against the sons of Esau in Idumea, in Akrabattene, because they were besieging Israel. He struck them a great blow, subdued them, and took their spoils.

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He remembered the evil of the sons of Baean, who had become a trap and a stumbling block for the people by ambushing them on the roads.

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He shut them into the towers, encamped against them, devoted them to destruction, and burned the towers with everyone inside.

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He crossed over against the sons of Ammon and found a strong force and many people, with Timothy as their leader.

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He engaged them in many battles. They were crushed before him, and he struck them.

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He seized Jazer and its daughter towns, then returned to Judea.

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The nations in Gilead gathered against the Israelites living in their territory to destroy them, and they fled into the stronghold of Dathema.

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They sent letters to Judas and his brothers, saying, “The nations around us have gathered against us to destroy us.

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They are preparing to come and seize the stronghold into which we fled, and Timothy is leading their force.

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Now, therefore, come and rescue us from their hand, because many of us have fallen.

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All our brothers in the region of Tobiah have been put to death. They have taken their wives, children, and belongings captive, and have destroyed about a thousand men there.”

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While the letters were still being read, other messengers arrived from Galilee with torn garments, reporting similar things.

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They said that people from Ptolemais, Tyre, and Sidon, and all Galilee of foreigners, had gathered against them “to consume us completely.”

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When Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly gathered to deliberate what to do for their brothers who were in distress and under attack.

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Judas said to Simon his brother, “Choose men for yourself and go rescue your brothers in Galilee. I and Jonathan my brother will go to Gilead.”

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He left Joseph son of Zechariah and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the remaining force in Judea to guard it.

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He commanded them, saying, “Take charge of this people, and do not engage the nations in battle until we return.”

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Three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand men to Judas for Gilead.

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Simon went to Galilee and engaged the nations in many battles. The nations were crushed before him,

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and he pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais. About three thousand men of the nations fell, and he took their spoils.

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He took those from Galilee and Arbattos, with their wives, children, and everything they had, and brought them into Judea with great gladness.

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Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan his brother crossed the Jordan and traveled a three-day journey in the wilderness.

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They met the Nabateans, who received them peacefully and recounted everything that had happened to their brothers in Gilead.

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Many of them had been confined in Bosora, Bosor in Alema, Chaspho, Maked, and Carnaim—all these cities were strong and large.

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They were also confined in the other cities of Gilead. The enemy had arranged to attack the strongholds the next day, seize them, and destroy all these people in one day.

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Judas and his army suddenly turned their route toward Bosora through the wilderness. He seized the city, killed every male with the edge of the sword, took all their spoils, and burned it with fire.

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He set out from there by night, and they traveled as far as the stronghold.

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In the morning they raised their eyes and saw a great people beyond counting, carrying ladders and siege engines to seize the stronghold and attacking its defenders.

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Judas saw that the battle had begun and that the city's cry rose to heaven with trumpets and a loud shout.

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He said to the men of the force, “Fight today for our brothers!”

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He came out behind them in three divisions. They sounded the trumpets and cried out in prayer.

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Timothy's army recognized that it was Maccabeus and fled before him. He struck them a great blow, and about eight thousand of their men fell that day.

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He turned aside to Alema, attacked it, seized it, killed every male in it, took its spoils, and burned it with fire.

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He set out from there and seized Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.

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After these events Timothy gathered another army and encamped opposite Raphon, beyond the stream.

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Judas sent men to spy out the camp. They reported to him, saying, “All the nations around us have gathered to him, a very large force.

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They have hired Arabs to help them and are encamped beyond the stream, ready to come against you in battle.” Judas went to meet them.

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As Judas and his army approached the watercourse, Timothy said to his army commanders, “If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to stand against him; he will surely prevail against us.

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But if he becomes afraid and encamps beyond the river, we will cross over to him and prevail against him.”

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When Judas approached the watercourse, he stationed the officers of the people at the stream and commanded them, saying, “Do not allow anyone to encamp; let everyone come into the battle.”

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He crossed over against them first, with all the people behind him. All the nations were crushed before them; they threw away their weapons and fled to the sacred precinct of Carnaim.

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They seized the city and burned the sacred precinct with everyone inside. Carnaim was overthrown, and they could no longer stand before Judas.

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Judas gathered all Israel in Gilead, from small to great, with their wives, their children, and their belongings—a very great company—to go into the land of Judah.

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They came as far as Ephron. It was a large, exceedingly strong city on the road, and there was no way to turn aside from it to the right or left, but only to pass through its midst.

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The people of the city shut them out and blocked the gates with stones.

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Judas sent to them with peaceful words, saying, “We will pass through your land to go to our land. No one will harm you; we will only pass through on foot.” But they would not open to him.

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Judas ordered a proclamation through the company that each should encamp in the place where he was.

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The men of the force encamped. He attacked the city all that day and all that night, and the city was given into his hand.

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He destroyed every male with the edge of the sword, uprooted the city, took its spoils, and passed through the city over the slain.

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They crossed the Jordan into the great plain opposite Beth-shan.

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Judas gathered those who lagged behind and encouraged the people along the whole road until he came into the land of Judah.

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They went up to Mount Zion with gladness and joy and presented whole burnt offerings, because none of them had fallen before they returned in peace.

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In the days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother was in Galilee opposite Ptolemais,

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Joseph son of Zechariah and Azariah, commanders of the force, heard of their brave deeds and the warfare they had carried out.

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They said, “Let us also make a name for ourselves. Let us go and fight the nations around us.”

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They gave orders to the men of the force with them, and they marched against Jamnia.

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Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle.

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Joseph and Azariah were routed and pursued to the borders of Judea. About two thousand men of the people of Israel fell that day.

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A great rout occurred among the people because they had not listened to Judas and his brothers, thinking to perform brave deeds.

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But they were not of the line of those men through whose hand the deliverance of Israel had been granted.

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The man Judas and his brothers were greatly honored before all Israel and all the nations wherever their name was heard.

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People gathered to them, acclaiming them.

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Judas and his brothers went out and fought the sons of Esau in the southern land. He struck Hebron and its daughter towns, demolished its fortifications, and burned its towers all around.

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He set out to go into the land of foreigners and passed through Marisa.

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That day priests fell in battle because they wished to perform brave deeds and went out to battle without counsel.

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Judas turned aside to Azotus in the land of foreigners, pulled down their pagan altars, burned the carved images of their gods with fire, took the spoils of the cities, and returned to the land of Judah.