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were put to the sword; and there fell of them three thousand. Whereupon Judas returned again with his host from pursuing after them, and said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil, inasmuch as there is a battle before us; and Gorgias and his army are near by in the mountains; but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and afterwards ye may boldly take the spoil.

Now while Judas was yet speaking, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain: who when they perceived that their army was put to flight and that the Jews were burning the camp for the smoke that was seen declared what was done they were sore afraid; and, seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight, they fled everyone into the land of the Philistines.

Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold and silver and blue and seapurple, and great treasure. After this they went home, and sang a hymn of thanksgiving and blessing unto God, because he is good and his mercy endureth for ever. So Israel had a great deliverance that day.

1 MACCABEES iv. 1-25.

§ 47. Reopening of the Temple.

Then said Judas, Behold our enemies are discomfited; let us go up to cleanse and repair the sanctuary. And all the host assembled themselves together and went up to mount Zion. And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and

shrubs growing in the courts as in a thicket or on one of the mountains, and the priests' chambers pulled down, they rent their clothes and made great lamentation and cast ashes on their heads, and fell to the ground upon their faces, and blew with the trumpets and cried toward heaven.

Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the citadel, till he should have cleansed the sanctuary; and he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had delight in the law, who cleansed the sanctuary and bare out the stones of defilement into an unclean place. . .

And on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called Chisleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up early in the morning, and offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made. Then all the people fell upon their faces worshipping and praising God, who had given them good success. Thus there was very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was turned away.

1 MACCABEES iv. 36-58 (selections).

§ 48. In the Days of Simon the Maccabee. And the land of Judah had rest all the days of Simon, for he sought the good of the nation in such wise that his authority and his renown pleased them well. And in the midst of all his glory he took Joppa for an haven, and made an entrance for the ships of the sea, and enlarged the bounds of his nation and recovered the country. More

over he gathered together a great multitude of captives, and gat possession of Gazara, and Bethsura, and the citadel, out of the which he took all uncleanness, neither was there any that resisted him. In those days did men till their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase and the trees of the field their fruit. The ancient men sat in the streets, communing together of the wealth of the land, and the young men put on gay apparel and put off the garments of war. He provided victual for the cities, and furnished them with weapons of defence, so that his honourable name was renowned unto the end of the earth. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy, for every man sat under his vine and fig-tree, and there was none to fray them. Neither was there any left in the land to fight against them; and the kings were discomfited in those days. Moreover he strengthened those of his people that were brought low; he searched out the law, and every despiser of the law and wicked person he took away. The sanctuary, too, he glorified, and multiplied the vessels of the temple.

1 MACCABEES xiv. 4-15.

§ 49. The Tale of the Seven Brethren and

their Mother.

It came to pass that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by King Antiochus to taste of swine's flesh-which is contrary to the law-being tormented with whips and scourges. But one of them became spokesman, and said,

We are

What wouldest thou ask or learn of us? ready to die rather than transgress the law of our fathers. Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and braziers to be heated, and the tongue of him that was spokesman to be cut out, and his hands and feet to be stricken off, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on. Now when he had thus been maimed, the king commanded him to be brought alive to the fire, and to be fried in the pan; and as the vapour of the pan spread far, the brethren and their mother exhorted one another to die nobly, saying thus:

The Lord looketh upon us, and in truth is comforted in us, as Moses openly showed in his song, which witnesseth against them, saying, And he shall be comforted in his servants.

So when the first was dead after this manner, they brought the second to mock him; and after that they had rent the skin from his head with the hair, they asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thy body be punished, limb by limb? But he answered in his own language, No. Wherefore he also received the next torment in order, as the former had done. And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou, accursed one, takest us out of this present life; but the King of the world shall raise us up unto eternal life, seeing we have died for his laws.

After him was the third made a mocking-stock; and, when he was required, he put out his tongue right soon, holding forth his hands valiantly, and said, These had I from the Lord; and for his laws

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I despise them, and from him I hope to receive them again. Insomuch that the king and they that were with him marvelled at the young man's courage, for that he nothing regarded the pain.

Now when he was dead they tormented the fourth in like manner. And when he was at the point of death, he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him; as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection.

Afterward they brought the fifth also and mangled him. Then looked he upon the king and said, Because thou hast power among men, though thou art mortal, thou doest what thou listest; yet deem not that our nation is forsaken of God, but abide awhile and behold his sovran power, how he will torment thee and thy seed.

After him they brought the sixth, who, being at the point of death, said, Deceive not thyself in vain; for we suffer these things for our own deeds, having sinned against our God; wherefore marvellous things are come to pass. But think not that thou, that takest in hand to fight against God, shall escape unpunished.

But the mother was marvellous above all, and worthy of honourable memory; for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bare it with a good courage, because of the hope she had in the Lord.

Now Antiochus, while the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but assured him with an oath that he would make

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