The First Book of Maccabees : Chapter 1

Jackson Capper | 27 April 2019

This is an English rendering, The Living English Rendering (LER), of the First Book of Maccabees I’m working on. LER will be a system of continuous refinement according to the development of the English language and of linguistic studies. Therefore, it is built-in with a simple incremental system of versioning so that a reader knows he is reading the latest refinement. For now the LER is restricted licensed until it can be made publicly available with confidence.

The Rise & Fall of Alexander the Great

It was after Alexander the Macedonian, son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim and struck the king of Persia and Medes, that he reigned over Greece. He fought many battles, seized strongholds and slayed the kings of the land. He pursued the furthest extents of the land and seized many spoils, and nations. The land was silenced before him. He was exalted and his heart was lifted up. He gathered an exceedingly strong power and he ruled regions, nations, and states and they became tributaries to him.

After this, he fell sick and knew that he would die. He called his servants whom were honourable from his youth and appointed them the kingdom while he was yet alive. Alexander reigned twelve years and then died.

The servants divided it separately by their place. After his death, they placed crowns upon themselves, and their sons for many years and they multiplied wickedness in the land. ¹Out of them came a sinful son, Anthiochus Epiphanes, the king whom was a hostage at Rome. He reigned in the hundred and thirty seventh year of the Grecian Empire.

The Paganism of Israel

In those days came out of Israel transgressors of the law. They persuaded many saying, “We should go and make a covenant with the gentiles that surround us, because since we parted from them many evils have came upon us!” This saying was good in their eyes. Some from the people approached the king and he gave them authority to do as the gentiles. So, they built in Jerusalem a gymnasium according to the gentiles. They made themselves foreskins and separated from the holy covenant and sold themselves to the gentiles to do evil.

The Invasion of Egypt

King Antiochos prepared the kingdom and sought to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms. So, he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and with horsemen. Ptolemy, the king of Egypt was ashamed and he fled, and many fell. They laid hold of the cities of the land of Egypt, and they took the spoils of the land of Egypt.

The Invasion of Judah

After Antiochus had struck Egypt in the third year, he turned around and ascended upon Israel and into Jerusalem with a great multitude. He entered into the altar with arrogance and took the golden altar, the lampstand, the light, and all her vessels,  the table, its arrangements, the veil, the wreaths and all the gold against the face of the temple. He took the silver, the pieces of gold, the vessels, and took the hidden treasures which he found. Upon taking them, he departed into the land and acted and spoke with great arrogance. He became a great grief upon every place in Israel.

They groaned, did the elders and the virgins
and made feeble were the young men.
The wives were made turned
and every groom took up mourning while she grieved.
Shaken, was the land upon those who settled there.
All the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

The Persecution of the Jews

After two years, the king sent forth into Jerusalem and the cities of Judah a great multitude. He spoke to them peaceful words, but with deviousness. Then, he fell upon the city suddenly and struck her a great wound and killed many people of Israel. He took the spoils of the city, set her on fire, and destroyed her homes on every side. They arrested the women and children, and the livestock were confiscated. They built around the city of David a great wall and towers and it became to them a fortress. They placed there a sinful nation of men and they strengthened themselves. They stored implements and food, and gathered the spoils of Jerusalem that they despised. They became a sore snare.

Israel became an ambush,
and because of them a diabolical evil.
They poured guiltless blood all around and defiled the sanctuary.
The people of Jerusalem fled because of its strangers.
She became a stranger to her own offspring
and her own children abondoned her.
Her sanctuary was desolated, like a desert,
and the her festivals were turned into grief,
her sabbaths turned into reproach,
and her preciousness into ruin.
Her glory was cut down,
her dishonour was multiplied,
and her heights fell to grief.

The king wrote to every kingdom that all become as one people, and to leave each of their own laws. The nations consented according to the word of the king. Many from Israel were well pleased of this commandment and sacrificed to the idols and defiled the sabbath. The king sent forth small scrolls by hands of messengers into Jerusalem and the cities of Judah to do as the others of the land. Offerings and sacrifices were hindered and sabbaths and festivals were defiled. The holy sanctuary was polluted. Idols were raised and unclean animals were sacrificed. Their sons were left to be uncircumcised and loathed were their souls by everything unclean and defiled. All the ordinances were changed so that they would be forgotten. Whomever didn’t do according to the word of the king would be killed. He wrote down all these words to each kingdom and made overseers upon all the people. Many people who had abandoned the laws and customs were gathered and they did evil in the land, and they drove Israelites into secret places.

In the hundred and forty and fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar and they set up idols throughout the cities of Judah. They burned incense upon the doors of the houses everywhere. Any scrolls of the law that were found they burned with fire. Wherever someone was found with a scroll of the covenant, or if someone was concurring with the law the king would put them to death. They strengthened themselves against Israel, month after month upon the cities.

On the five and twentieth day of the month, they sacrificed upon the alter and put to death the women and their children of circumcision according to the commandment. They hanged the babies by their throats and the families that had circumcised them. Many in Israel strengthened themselves not to eat unclean things and submitted to die in order not to be polluted by such food, that they should not defile the holy covenant. So, they died. Thus, an exceedingly, great wrath was upon Israel.