Visions in Jerusalem

1About this time, King Antiochus began a second invasion of Egypt. 2 And for more than 40 days, the people of Jerusalem saw visions of cavalry in gold armor, galloping through the air. The cavalry rode in companies, and the riders were holding spears and swords. 3They lined up like armies facing one another, then they attacked and counterattacked. Gold ornaments and all kinds of armor glittered and sparkled in the sunlight. Shields flashed, and spears and arrows filled the sky. 4Everyone prayed that these visions meant something good.

The Death of Jason

5Soon a rumor spread around that King Antiochus was dead. Right away, Jason got together a force of over 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on Jerusalem, defeating the troops that Menelaus had stationed on the city walls. After this, they captured the city and forced Menelaus to retreat to the fortress overlooking the temple. 6But Jason kept on killing more Jews, without realizing that a victory which destroys your own people is the worst possible defeat. He seemed to think he had won a battle against enemies rather than against other Jews.

7But Jason wasn't able to take control of the government. In fact, he was so disgraced by what he had done that he had to run for his life once again to the country of the Ammonites. 8Afterwards, he died a miserable death.

Accused before the court

of Aretas, the Arab ruler,

Jason was forced to hide

in town after town.

He was hunted and hated

by everyone,

because he had rebelled

against the Law of God

and had sentenced to death

many Jews in Israel.

Jason lived in Egypt for a while,

9then sailed to Sparta,

so he could beg protection

from distant relatives.

This man who had forced Jews

to live in foreign countries

died in that foreign city.

10Because he didn't even bury

the Jews he killed,

no one grieved when he died,

or gave him a funeral,

or made a place for his body

in the family grave.

Antiochus Attacks Jerusalem

11 When King Antiochus heard about the fighting in Jerusalem, he thought that Judea had rebelled against him. So in his fury, he led his army from Egypt and captured Jerusalem. 12Then he ordered his soldiers to kill everyone they found, even those hiding in their own homes.

13-14Forty thousand men, women, children, and babies were killed in this slaughter that lasted for three days. Forty thousand more were sold as slaves.

15As though that were not enough, Antiochus walked straight into the world's most sacred temple and was shown around by Menelaus, who had betrayed our laws and our nation. 16Then, with his own filthy hands, Antiochus took away sacred dishes and helped himself to the treasures given by other kings to the honor and glory of the temple.

Why God Punished the People

17Antiochus was really proud of himself. But he did not understand that the Lord was punishing the people of Jerusalem, because they had sinned and made him angry for a while. And this was the reason the Lord had let Antiochus disgrace the temple. 18If the people had not sinned so terribly, the Lord would have beaten him with whips and stopped him from doing such a foolish thing, just as he did to Heliodorus, when Seleucus sent him to examine the treasury.

19But the Lord did not choose the nation for the good of the temple. He chose the temple for the good of the nation. 20That's why the temple and our people suffered together and were later blessed together. So when God All-Powerful got angry with us, he deserted our temple. But after God had made peace with us, he gave the temple back its glory.

Antiochus Torments the People

21After King Antiochus had stolen 1,800,000 silver coins from the temple, he rushed back to Antioch, arrogant and drunk with power. He believed he could walk on water and sail on dry land!

22Antiochus picked cruel rulers to govern the people. He appointed Philip from Phrygia to be governor of Jerusalem, and this man was more of a savage than the king himself. 23Then Antiochus put Andronicus in charge of Mount Gerizim. Even Menelaus was made a ruler, and although he was a Jew himself, he was more abusive than any of the other governors.

King Antiochus hated the Jews so much, 24that he sent a Mysian officer named Apollonius to Jerusalem with 22,000 soldiers. Apollonius had orders to kill every man in the city and to sell their families as slaves.

25When Apollonius arrived in Jerusalem, he lied and said he wanted peace. But on the Sabbath, which is our sacred day of rest, he ordered his soldiers to take their weapons and parade outside the city. 26Some of the people came out to watch, and Apollonius ordered his troops to slaughter them all. After this, he and his soldiers ran into the city where they killed many others.

27Judas Maccabeus and about nine of his followers escaped to the rugged hill country, where they survived like wild animals by eating only things that grew wild. The men did this, so they could keep themselves fit to worship God.