1About that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;
2And that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there.
6And that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armor, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:
7Also that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.
8Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.
11And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.
12But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.
17Now when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.
18About this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.
24For which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they killed, and spoiled our inheritance.
28Now when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse.
31These went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.
33Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.
35Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.
37And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girded fast to them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.
38As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.
41Therefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.
43Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,
45Therefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.
49But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no food there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.
51As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.
53Yet at the last, their vessels being without food, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)
54There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.
55At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, while he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,
57Therefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our food are but small, and the place we lay siege to is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:
59And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.
62Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.
63Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned to Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.
