2 Maccabees 8

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

2 Maccabees 8

1Then Judas Maccabeus, and they that were with him, went privily into the towns, and called their kinsfolks together, and took to them all such as continued in the Jews' religion, and assembled about six thousand men.Ἰούδας δὲ ὁ Μακκαβαῖος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, παρεισπορευόμενοι λεληθότως εἰς τὰς κώμας, προσεκαλοῦντο τοὺς συγγενεῖς, καὶ τοὺς μεμενηκότας ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ προσλαβόμενοι, συνήγαγον εἰς ἑξακισχιλίους.

2And they called upon the Lord, that he would look upon the people that was trodden down of all; and also pity the temple profaned of ungodly men;Καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο τὸν Κύριον ἐπιδεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν ὑπὸ πάντων καταπατούμενον λαόν, οἰκτεῖραι δὲ καὶ τὸν ναὸν, τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων βεβηλωθέντα,

3And that he would have compassion upon the city, sore defaced, and ready to be made even with the ground; and hear the blood that cried to him,ἐλεῆσαι δὲ καὶ τὴν καταφθειρομένην πόλιν καὶ μέλλουσαν ἰσόπεδον γίνεσθαι, καὶ τῶν καταβοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν αἱμάτων εἰσακοῦσαι,

4And remember the wicked slaughter of harmless infants, and the blasphemies committed against his name; and that he would show his hatred against the wicked.μνησθῆναι δὲ καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀναμαρτήτων νηπίων παρανόμου ἀπωλείας, καὶ περὶ τῶν γενομένων εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ βλασφημιῶν, καὶ μισοπονηρῆσαι.

5Now when Maccabeus had his company about him, he could not be withstood by the heathen: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.Γενόμενος δὲ ἐν συστήματι ὁ Μακκαβαῖος, ἀνυπόστατος ἤδη τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐγίνετο, τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἔλεον τραπείσης.

6Therefore he came at unawares, and burnt up towns and cities, and got into his hands the most commodious places, and overcame and put to flight no small number of his enemies.Πόλεις δὲ καὶ κώμας ἀπροσδοκήτως ἐρχόμενος ἐνεπίμπρα, καὶ τοὺς ἐπικαίρους τόπους ἀπολαμβάνων, οὐκ ὀλίγους τῶν πολεμίων ἐνίκα τροπούμενος.

7But specially took he advantage of the night for such privy attempts, insomuch that the fruit of his holiness was spread every where.Μάλιστα τὰς νύκτας πρὸς τὰς τοιαύτας ἐπιβουλὰς συνεργοὺς ἐλάμβανε· καὶ λαλιά τις τῆς εὐανδρίας αὐτοῦ διεχεῖτο πανταχῆ.

8So when Philip saw that this man increased by little and little, and that things prospered with him still more and more, he wrote to Ptolemeus, the governor of Celosyria and Phenice, to yield more aid to the king's affairs.Συνορῶν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος κατὰ μικρὸν εἰς προκοπὴν ἐρχόμενον τὸν ἄνδρα πυκνότερον δὲ ἐν ταῖς εὐημερίαις προβαίνοντα, πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον τὸν κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης στρατηγὸν ἔγραψεν ἐπιβοηθεῖν τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως πράγμασιν.

9Then forthwith choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, he sent him with no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations under him, to root out the whole generation of the Jews; and with him he joined also Gorgias a captain, who in matters of war had great experience.Ὁ δὲ ταχέως προχειρισάμενος, Νικάνορα τὸν τοῦ Πατρόκλου, τῶν πρώτων φίλως, ἀπέστειλεν, ὑποτάξας παμφύλων ἔθνη οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν δισμυρίων, τὸ σύμπαν τῶν Ἰουδαίως ἐξᾶραι γένος· συνέστησε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Γοργίαν ἄνδρα στρατηγὸν, καὶ ἐν πολεμικαῖς χρείαις πείραν ἔχοντα.

10So Nicanor undertook to make so much money of the captive Jews, as should defray the tribute of two thousand talents, which the king was to pay to the Romans.Διεστήσατο δὲ ὁ Νικάνωρ τὸν φόρον τῷ βασιλεῖ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ὄντα ταλάντων δισχιλίων ἐκ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίας ἐκπληρώσειν.

11Therefore immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, proclaiming a sale of the captive Jews, and promising that they should have fourscore and ten bodies for one talent, not expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from the Almighty God.Εὐθέως δὲ εἰς τὰς παραθαλασσίους πόλεις ἀπέστειλε προσκαλούμενος ἐπʼ ἀγορασμὸν Ἰουδαϊκῶν σωμάτων, ὑπισχνούμενον ἐννενήκοντα σώματα ταλάντου παραχωρήσειν· οὐ προσδεχόμενος τὴν παρὰ τοῦ παντοκράτορος μέλλουσαν παρακολουθήσειν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δίκην.

12Now when word was brought to Judas of Nicanor's coming, and he had imparted to those that were with him that the army was at hand,Τῷ δὲ ʼΙούδᾳ προσέπεσε περὶ τῆς τοῦ Νικάνορος ἐφόδου· καὶ μεταδόντος αὐτοῦ σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ στρατοπέδου,

13They that were fearful, and distrusted the justice of God, fled, and conveyed themselves away.οἱ δει λανδροῦντες καὶ ἀπιστοῦντες τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δίκην, διεδίδρασκον, καὶ ἐξετόπιζον ἑαυτούς.

14Others sold all that they had left, and withal implored the Lord to deliver them, sold by the wicked Nicanor before they met together:Οἱ δὲ τὰ περιλελειμμένα πάντα ἐπώλουν, ὁμοῦ δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἠξίουν ῥύσασθαι τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς Νικάνορος πρὶν συντυχεῖν πεπραμένους.

15And if not for their own sakes, yet for the covenants he had made with their fathers, and for his holy and glorious name's sake, by which they were called.Καὶ εἰ μὴ διʼ αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν διαθήκας, καὶ ἕνεκεν τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐπικλήσεως τοῦ σεμνοῦ καὶ μεγαλοπρεποῦς ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ.

16So Maccabeus called his men together to the number of six thousand, and exhorted them not to be stricken with terror of the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen, who came wrongly against them; but to fight manfully,Συναγαγὼν δὲ ὁ Μακκαβαῖος τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἑξακισχιλίους, παρεκάλει μὴ καταπλαγῆναι τοὺς πολεμίους, μηδὲ εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὴν τῶν ἀδίκως παραγινομένων ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐθνῶν πολυπληθίαν, ἀγωνίσασθαι δὲ γενναίως,

17And to set before their eyes the injury that they had unjustly done to the holy place, and the cruel handling of the city, whereof they made a mockery, and also the taking away of the government of their forefathers:πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν λαβόντας τὴν ἀνόμως εἰς τὸν ἅγιον τόπον συντετελεσμένην ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ὕβριν, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐμπεπαιγμένης πόλεως αἰκισμόν, ἔτι δὲ τὴν τῆς προγονικῆς πολιτείας κατάλυσιν.

18For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in the Almighty who at a beck can cast down both them that come against us, and also all the world.Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὅπλοις πεποίθασιν ἅμα καὶ τόλμαις, ἔφησεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ παντοκράτορι Θεῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ τοὺς ἐρχομένους ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸν ὅλον κόσμον ἐν ἑνὶ νεύματι καταβαλεῖν, πεποίθαμεν.

19Moreover, he recounted to them what helps their forefathers had found, and how they were delivered, when under Sennacherib one hundred fourscore and five thousand perished.Προσαναλεξάμενος δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων γενομένας ἀντιλήψεις, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ Σενναχηρεὶμ τῶν ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε χιλιάδων ὡς ἀπώλοντο.

20And he told them of the battle that they had in Babylon with the Galatians, how they came but eight thousand in all to the business, with four thousand Macedonians, and that the Macedonians being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand because of the help that they had from heaven, and so received a great booty.Καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Γαλάτας παράταξιν γενομένην, ὡς οἱ πάντες ἐπὶ τὴν χρείαν ἦλθον ὀκτακισχιλιοι σὺν Μακεδόσι τετρακισχιλίοις, τῶν Μακεδόνων ἀπορουμένων, οἱ ὀκτακισχίλιοι τὰς δώδεκα μυρίαδας ἀπώλεσαν διὰ τὴν γενομένην αὐτοῖς ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ βοήθειαν, καὶ ὠφέλειαν πολλὴν ἔλαβον.

21Thus when he had made them bold with these words, and ready to die for the law and the country, he divided his army into four parts;Ἐφʼ οἷς εὐθαρσεῖς αὐτοὺς παραστήσας, καὶ ἑτοίμους ὑπὲρ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποθνήσκειν, τετραμερές τι τὸ στράτευμα ἐποίησε·

22And joined with himself his own brethren, leaders of each band, to wit Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving each one fifteen hundred men.τάξας καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ προηγουμένους ἑκατέρας τάξεως, Σίμωνα καὶ Ἰώσηφον καὶ Ἰωνάθαν, ὑποτάξας ἑκάστῳ χιλίους πρὸς τοῖς πεντακοσίοις,

23Also he appointed Eleazar to read the holy book: and when he had given them this watchword, The help of God; himself leading the first band,ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἐλεάζαρον, παραγνοὺς τὴν ἱερὰν βίβλον, καὶ δοὺς σύνθημα Θεοῦ βοηθείας, τῆς πρώτης σπείρας αὐτὸς προηγούμενος, συνέβαλε τῷ Νικάνορι.

24And by the help of the Almighty they killed above nine thousand of their enemies, and wounded and maimed the most part of Nicanor's host, and so put all to flight;Γενομένου δὲ αὐτοῖς τοῦ παντοκράτορος συμμάχου, κατέσφαξαν τῶν πολεμίων ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐννακισχιλίους, τραυματίας δὲ καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν ἀναπήρους τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς τοῦ Νικάνορος στρατιᾶς ἐποίησαν, πάντας δὲ φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασαν.

25And took their money that came to buy them, and pursued them far: but lacking time they returned:Τὰ δὲ χρήματα τῶν παραγεγονότων ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγορασμὸν αὐτῶν ἔλαβον· συνδιώξαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐφʼ ἱκανὸν, ἀνέλυσαν ὑπὸ τῆς ὥρας συγκλειόμενοι.

26For it was the day before the sabbath, and therefore they would no longer pursue them.Ἦν γὰρ ἡ πρὸ τοῦ σαββάτου, διʼ ἥν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐμακροθύμησαν κατατρέχοντες αὐτούς.

27So when they had gathered their armor together, and spoiled their enemies, they occupied themselves about the sabbath, yielding exceeding praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them to that day, which was the beginning of mercy distilling upon them.Ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὰ σκῦλα ἐκδύσαντες τῶν πολεμίων, περὶ τὸ σάββατον ἐγίνοντο, περισσῶς εὐλογοῦντες, καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ διασώσαντι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην, ἀρχὴν ἐλέους τάξαντος αὐτοῖς.

28And after the sabbath, when they had given part of the spoils to the maimed, and the widows, and orphans, the residue they divided among themselves and their servants.Μετὰ δὲ τὸ σάββατον τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις, καὶ ταῖς χήραις, καὶ ὀρφανοῖς, μερίσαντες ἀπὸ τῶν σκύλων, τὰ λοιπὰ αὐτοὶ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἐμερίσαντο.

29When this was done, and they had made a common supplication, they implored the merciful Lord to be reconciled with his servants for ever.Ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενοι, καὶ κοινὴν ἱκετείαν ποιησάμενοι, τὸν ἐλεήμονα Κύριον ἠξίουν εἰς τέλος, καταλλαγῆναι τοῖς αὐτοῦ δούλοις.

30Moreover of those that were with Timotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, they killed above twenty thousand, and very easily got high and strong holds, and divided among themselves many spoils more, and made the maimed, orphans, widows, yes, and the aged also, equal in spoils with themselves.Καὶ τῶν περὶ Τιμόθεον καὶ Βακχίδην συνεριζοντων, ὑπὲρ τοὺς δισμυρίους αὐτῶν ἀνεῖλον, καὶ ὀχυρωμάτων ὑψηλῶν εὖ μάλα ἐγκρατεῖς ἐγένοντο· καὶ λάφυρα πλεῖστα ἐμερίσαντο, ἰσομοίρους ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις, καὶ ὀρφανοῖς, καὶ χήραις, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ποιήσαντες.

31And when they had gathered their armor together, they laid them up all carefully in convenient places, and the remnant of the spoils they brought to Jerusalem.Ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς, ἐπιμελῶς πάντα συνέθηκαν εἰς τοὺς ἐπικαίρους τόπους, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τῶν σκύλων ἤνεγκαν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.

32They killed also Philarches, that wicked person, who was with Timotheus, and had annoyed the Jews many ways.Τὸν δὲ φυλάρχην τῶν περὶ Τιμόθεον ἀνεῖλον, ἀνοσιώτατον ἄνδρα καὶ πολλὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐπιλελυπηκότα.

33Furthermore at such time as they kept the feast for the victory in their country they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire upon the holy gates, who had fled into a little house; and so he received a reward meet for his wickedness.Ἐπινίκια δὲ ἄγοντες ἐν τῇ πατρίδι, τοὺς ἐμπρήσαντας τοὺς ἱεροὺς πυλῶνας, Καλλισθένην, καί τινας ἄλλους ὑφῆψαν εἰς ἓν οἰκίδιον πεφευγότας, οἵ τινες ἄξιον τῆς δυσσεβείας ἐκομίσαντομισθόν.

34As for that most ungracious Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to buy the Jews,Ὁ δὲ τρισαλιτήριος Νικάνωρ, ὁ τοὺς χιλίους ἐμπόρους ἐπὶ τὴν πράσιν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀγαγὼν,

35He was through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he made least account; and putting off his glorious apparel, and discharging his company, he came like a fugitive servant through the midland to Antioch having very great dishonor, for that his host was destroyed.ταπεινωθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν κατʼ αὑτὸν νομιζομένων ἐλαχίστων εἶναι, τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθείᾳ, τὴν δοξικὴν ἀποθέμενος ἐσθῆτα, διὰ τῆς μεσογείου, δραπέτου τρόπον ἔρημον ἑαυτὸν ποιήσας, ἧκεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, ὑπεράγαν δυσημερήσας ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ στρατοῦ διαφθορᾷ.

36Thus he, that took upon him to make good to the Romans their tribute by means of captives in Jerusalem, told abroad, that the Jews had God to fight for them, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws that he gave them.Καὶ ὁ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἀναδεξάμενος φόρον ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις αἰχμαλωσίας κατορθώσασθαι, κατήγγελλεν ὑπέρμαχον ἔχειν τὸν Θεὸν τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ διὰ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἀτρώτους εἶναι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, διὰ τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν τοῖς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προτεταγμένοις νόμοις.