AND it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Makedonian, who came out of the land of Kittiym, had smitten Dareyavesh king of the Persians and Madai, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Yavan,
And made many wars, and won many strongholds, and slew the kings of the earth,
And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, so much so that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.
And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.
And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.
Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honorable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.
So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died.
And his servants bore rule everyone in his place.
And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.
And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Yavaniym.
In those days went there out of Yashar'el wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and cut a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.
So this device pleased them well.
Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:
Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Yerushalayim according to the customs of the heathen:
And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Mitsrayim that he might have the dominion of two realms.
Wherefore he entered into Mitsrayim with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,
And made war against Ptolemy king of Mitsrayim: but Ptolemy was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.
Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Mitsrayim and he took the spoils thereof.
And after that Antiochus had smitten Mitsrayim, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Yashar'el and Yerushalayim with a great multitude,
And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the menorah of light, and all the vessels thereof,
And the table of the showbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the Temple, all which he pulled off.
He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.
Therefore there was a great mourning in Yashar'el, in every place where they were;
So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.
Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,
The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Ya`aqov was covered with confusion.
And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Yahud, who came unto Yerushalayim with a great multitude,
And spoke peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Yashar'el.
And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.
But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.
Then built they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a stronghold for them.
And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.
They stored it also with armor and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Yerushalayim, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:
For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Yashar'el.
Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
So much so that the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fled because of them: whereupon the city was made a habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.
Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Shabbaths into reproach her honor into contempt.
As had been her glory, so was her dishonor increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
Moreover King Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
And everyone should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
Yea, many also of Yashar'el consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the Shabbath.
For the king had sent cepheriym by messengers unto Yerushalayim and the cities of Yahud that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
And forbid ascending smoke offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the Temple; and that they should profane the Shabbaths and feast days:
And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
Set up altars, and Asherah poles, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:
That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:
To the end they might forget the Torah, and change all the ordinances.
And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.
In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Yahud to sacrifice, city by city.
Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit everyone that forsook the Torah; and so they committed evils in the land;
And drove Yashar'el into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for help.
Now the fifteenth day of the month Kiclev, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and built idol altars throughout the cities of Yahud on every side;
And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.
And when they had rent in pieces the cepheriym of the Torah which they found, they burnt them with fire.
And whosoever was found with any cepher of the covenant, or if any committed to the Torah, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death.
Thus did they by their authority unto Yashar'el every month, to as many as were found in the cities.
Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of Elohiym.
At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.
And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.
Howbeit many in Yashar'el were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.
Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.
And there was very great wrath upon Yashar'el.