the antiquities of the jews-1-第137章

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round　about；　as　also　many　of　the　runagate　Jews。　And　besides　these
came　some　merchants　to　buy　those　that　should　be　carried　captives；
（having　bonds　with　them　to　bind　those　that　should　be　made
prisoners；）　with　that　silver　and　gold　which　they　were　to　pay　for
their　price。　And　when　Judas　saw　their　camp；　and　how　numerous
their　enemies　were；　he　persuaded　his　own　soldiers　to　be　of　good
courage；　and　exhorted　them　to　place　their　hopes　of　victory　in
God；　and　to　make　supplication　to　him；　according　to　the　custom　of
their　country；　clothed　in　sackcloth；　and　to　show　what　was　their
usual　habit　of　supplication　in　the　greatest　dangers；　and　thereby
to　prevail　with　God　to　grant　you　the　victory　over　your　enemies。
So　he　set　them　in　their　ancient　order　of　battle　used　by　their
forefathers；　under　their　captains　of　thousands；　and　other
officers；　and　dismissed　such　as　were　newly　married；　as　well　as
those　that　had　newly　gained　possessions；　that　they　might　not
fight　in　a　cowardly　manner；　out　of　an　inordinate　love　of　life；　in
order　to　enjoy　those　blessings。　When　he　had　thus　disposed　his
soldiers；　he　encouraged　them　to　fight　by　the　following　speech；
which　he　made　to　them：　〃O　my　fellow　soldiers；　no　other　time
remains　more　opportune　than　the　present　for　courage　and　contempt
of　dangers；　for　if　you　now　fight　manfully；　you　may　recover　your
liberty；　which；　as　it　is　a　thing　of　itself　agreeable　to　all　men；
so　it　proves　to　be　to　us　much　more　desirable；　by　its　affording　us
the　liberty　of　worshipping　God。　Since　therefore　you　are　in　such
circumstances　at　present；　you　must　either　recover　that　liberty；
and　so　regain　a　happy　and　blessed　way　of　living；　which　is　that
according　to　our　laws；　and　the　customs　of　our　country；　or　to
submit　to　the　most　opprobrious　sufferings；　nor　will　any　seed　of
your　nation　remain　if　you　be　beat　in　this　battle。　Fight　therefore
manfully；　and　suppose　that　you　must　die；　though　you　do　not　fight；
but　believe；　that　besides　such　glorious　rewards　as　those　of　the
liberty　of　your　country；　of　your　laws；　of　your　religion；　you
shall　then　obtain　everlasting　glory。　Prepare　yourselves；
therefore；　and　put　yourselves　into　such　an　agreeable　posture；
that　you　may　be　ready　to　fight　with　the　enemy　as　soon　as　it　is
day　tomorrow　morning。〃

4。　And　this　was　the　speech　which　Judas　made　to　encourage　them。
But　when　the　enemy　sent　Gorgias；　with　five　thousand　foot　and　one
thousand　horse；　that　he　might　fall　upon　Judas　by　night；　and　had
for　that　purpose　certain　of　the　runagate　Jews　as　guides；　the　son
of　Mattathias　perceived　it；　and　resolved　to　fall　upon　those
enemies　that　were　in　their　camp；　now　their　forces　were　divided。
When　they　had　therefore　supped　in　good　time；　and　had　left　many
fires　in　their　camp；　he　marched　all　night　to　those　enemies　that
were　at　Emmaus。　So　that　when　Gorgias　found　no　enemy　in　their
camp；　but　suspected　that　they　were　retired；　and　had　hidden
themselves　among　the　mountains；　he　resolved　to　go　and　seek　them
wheresoever　they　were。　But　about　break　of　day　Judas　appeared　to
those　enemies　that　were　at　Emmaus；　with　only　three　thousand　men；
and　those　ill　armed；　by　reason　of　their　poverty；　and　when　he　saw
the　enemy　very　well　and　skillfully　fortified　in　their　camp；　he
encouraged　the　Jews；　and　told　them　that　they　ought　to　fight；
though　it　were　with　their　naked　bodies；　for　that　God　had
sometimes　of　old　given　such　men　strength；　and　that　against　such
as　were　more　in　number；　and　were　armed　also；　out　of　regard　to
their　great　courage。　So　he　commanded　the　trumpeters　to　sound　for
the　battle；　and　by　thus　falling　upon　the　enemies　when　they　did
not　expect　it；　and　thereby　astonishing　and　disturbing　their
minds；　he　slew　many　of　those　that　resisted　him；　and　went　on
pursuing　the　rest　as　far　as　Gadara；　and　the　plains　of　Idumea；　and
Ashdod；　and　Jamnia；　and　of　these　there　fell　about　three　thousand。
Yet　did　Judas　exhort　his　soldiers　not　to　be　too　desirous　of　the
spoils；　for　that　still　they　must　have　a　contest　and　battle　with
Gorgias；　and　the　forces　that　were　with　him；　but　that　when　they
had　once　overcome　them；　then　they　might　securely　plunder　the
camp；　because　they　were　the　only　enemies　remaining；　and　they
expected　no　others。　And　just　as　he　was　speaking　to　his　soldiers；
Gorgias's　men　looked　down　into　that　army　which　they　left　in　their
camp；　and　saw　that　it　was　overthrown；　and　the　camp　burnt；　for　the
smoke　that　arose　from　it　showed　them；　even　when　they　were　a　great
way　off；　what　had　happened。　When　therefore　those　that　were　with
Gorgias　understood　that　things　were　in　this　posture；　and
perceived　that　those　that　were　with　Judas　were　ready　to　fight
them；　they　also　were　affrighted；　and　put　to　flight；　but　then
Judas；　as　though　he　had　already　beaten　Gorgias's　soldiers　without
fighting；　returned　and　seized　on　the　spoils。　He　took　a　great
quantity　of　gold；　and　silver；　and　purple；　and　blue；　and　then
returned　home　with　joy；　and　singing　hymns　to　God　for　their　good
success；　for　this　victory　greatly　contributed　to　the　recovery　of
their　liberty。

5。　Hereupon　Lysias　was　confounded　at　the　defeat　of　the　army　which
he　had　sent；　and　the　next　year　he　got　together　sixty　thousand
chosen　men。　He　also　took　five　thousand　horsemen；　and　fell　upon
Judea；　and　he　went　up　to　the　hill　country　of　Bethsur；　a　village
of　Judea；　and　pitched　his　camp　there；　where　Judas　met　him　with
ten　thousand　men；　and　when　he　saw　the　great　number　of　his
enemies；　he　prayed　to　God　that　he　would　assist　him；　and　joined
battle　with　the　first　of　the　enemy　that　appeared；　and　beat　them；
and　slew　about　five　thousand　of　them；　and　thereby　became　terrible
to　the　rest　of　them。　Nay；　indeed；　Lysias　observing　the　great
spirit　of　the　Jews；　how　they　were　prepared　to　die　rather　than
lose　their　liberty；　and　being　afraid　of　their　desperate　way　of
fighting；　as　if　it　were　real　strength；　he　took　the　rest　of　the
army　back　with　him；　and　returned　to　Antioch；　where　he　listed
foreigners　into　the　service；　and　prepared　to　fall　upon　Judea　with
a　greater　army。

6。　When　therefore　the　generals　of　Antiochus's　armies　had　been
beaten　so　often；　Judas　assembled　the　people　together；　and　told
them；　that　after　these　many　victories　which　God　had　given　them；
they　ought　to　go　up　to　Jerusalem；　and　purify　the　temple；　and
offer　the　appointed　sacrifices。　But　as　soon　as　he；　with　the　whole
multitude；　was　come　to　Jerusalem；　and　found　the　temple　deserted；
and　its　gates　burnt　down；　and　plants　growing　in　the　temple　of
their　own　accord；　on　account　of　its　desertion；　he　and　those　that
were　with　him　began　to　lament；　and　were　quite　confounded　at　the
sight　of　the　temple；　so　he　chose　out　some　of　his　soldiers；　and
gave　them　order　to　fight　against　those　guards　that　were　in　the
citadel；　until　he　should　have　purified　the　temple。　When　therefore
he　had　carefully　purged　it；　and　had　brought　in　new　vessels；　the
candlestick；　the　table　＇of　shew…bread＇；　and　the　altar　＇of
incense＇；　which　were　made　of　gold；　he　hung　up　the　veils　at　the
gates；　and　added　doors　to　them。　He　also　took　down　the　altar　＇of
burnt…offering＇；　and　built　a　new　one　of　stones　that　he　gathered
together；　and　not　of　such　as　were　hewn　with　iron　tools。　So　on　the
five　and　twentieth　day　of　the　month　Casleu；　which　the　Macedonians
call　Apeliens；　they　lighted　the　lamps　that　were　on　the
candlestick；　and　offered　incense　upon　the　altar　＇of　incense＇；　and
laid　the　loaves　upon　the　table　＇of　shew…bread＇；　and　offered
burnt…offerings　upon　the　new　altar　＇of　burnt…offering＇。　Now　it　so
fell　out；　that　these　things　were　done　on　the　very　same　day　on
which　their　Divine　worship　had　fallen　off；　and　was　reduced　to　a
profane　and　common　use；　after　three　years'　time；　for　so　it　was；
that　the　temple　was　made　desolate　by　Antiochus；　and　so　continued
for　three　years。　This　desolation　happened　to　the　temple　in　the
hundred　forty　and　fifth　year；　on　the　twenty…fifth　day　of　the
month　Apeliens；　and　on　the　hundred　fifty　and　third　olympiad：　but
it　was　dedicated　anew；　on　the　same　day；　the　twenty…fifth　of　the
month　Apeliens；　on　the　hundred　and　forty…eighth　year；　and　on　the
hundred　and　fifty…fourth　olympiad。　And　this　desolation　came　to
pass　according　to　the　prophecy　of　Daniel；　which　was　given　four
hundred　and　eight　years　before；　for　he　declared　that　the
Macedonians　would　dissolve　that　worship　＇for　some　time＇。

7。　Now　Judas　celebrated　the　festival　of　the　restoration　of　the
sacrifices　of　the　temple　for　eight　days；　and　omitted　no　sort　of
pleasures　thereon；　but　he　feasted　them　upon　very　rich　and
splendid　sacrifices；　and　he　honored　God；　and　delighted　them　by
hymns　and　psalms。　Nay；　they　were　so　very　glad　at　the　revival　of
their　customs；　when；　after　a　long　time　of　intermission；　they
unexpectedly　had　regained　the　freedom　of　their　worship；　that　they
made　it　a　law　for　their　posterity；　that　they　should　keep　a
festival；　on　account　of　the　restoration　of　their　temple　worship；
for　eight　days。　And　from　that　time　to　this　we　celebrate　this
festival；　and　call　it　Lights。　I　suppose　the　reason　was；　because
this　liberty　beyond　our　hopes　appeared　to　us；　and　that　thence　was
the　name　given　to　that　festival。　Judas　also　rebuilt　the　walls
round　about　the　city；　and　reared　towers　of　great　height　against
the　incursions　of　enemies；　and　set　guards　therein。　He　also
fortified　the　city　Bethsura；　that　it　might　serve　as　a　citadel
against　any　distresses　that　might　come　from　our　enemies。

CHAPTER　8。

How　Judas　Subdued　The　Nations　Round　About；　And　How　Simon　Beat　The
People　Of　Tyre　And　Ptolemais；　And　How　Judas　Overcame　Timotheus；
And　Forced　Him　To　Fly　Away；　And　Did　Many　Other　Things　After
Joseph　And　Azarias　Had　Been　Beaten

1。　When　these　things　were　over；　the　nations　round　about　the　Jews
were　very　uneasy　at　the　revival　of　their　power；　and　rose　up
together；　and　destroyed　many　of　them；　as　gaining　advantage　over
them　by　laying　snares　for　them；　and　making　secret　conspiracies
against　them。　Judas　made　perpetual　expeditions　against　these　men；
and　endeavored　to　restrain　them　from　those　incursions；　and　to
prevent　the　mischiefs　they　did　to　the　Jews。　So　he　fell　upon　the
Idumeans；　the　posterity　of　Esau；　at　Acrabattene；　and　slew　a　great
many　of　them；　and　took　their　spoils。　He　also　shut　up　the　sons　of
Bean；　that　laid　wait　for　the　Jews；　and　he　sat　down　about　them；
and　besieged　them；　and　burnt　their　towers；　and　destroyed　the　men
＇that　were　in　them＇。　After　this　he　went　thence　in　haste　against
the　Ammonites；　who　had　a　great　and　a　numerous　army；　of　which
Timotheus　was　the　commander。　And　when　he　had　subdued　them；　he
seized　on　the　city　Jazer；　and　took　their　wives　and　their　children
captives；　and　burnt　the　city；　and　then　returned　into　Judea。　But
when　the　neighboring　nations　understood　that　he　was　returned；
they　got　together　in　great　numbers　in　the　land　of　Gilead；　and
came　against　those　Jews　that　were　at　their　borders；　who　then　fled
to　the　garrison　of　Dathema；　and　sent　to　Judas；　to　inform　him　that
Timotheus　was　endeavoring　to　take　the　place　whither　they　were
fled。　And　as　these　epistles　were　reading；　there　came　other
messengers　out　of　Galilee；　who　informed　him　that　the　inhabitants
of　Ptolemais；　and　of　Tyre　and　Sidon；　and　strangers　of　Galilee；
were　gotten　together。

2。　Accordingly　Judas；　upon　considering　what　was　fit　to　be　done；
with　relation　to　the　necessity　both　these　cases　required；　gave
order　that