1 Maccabees 16

1 Subindo de Gazara a Jerusalém, veio João anunciar a seu pai os atos de Cendebeu.

2 Mandou então Simão vir seus dois filhos mais velhos, João e Judas, e lhes disse: "Eu, meus irmãos e a casa de meu pai temos combatido os inimigos de Israel desde nossa juventude até o dia de hoje, e, muitas vezes, conseguimos libertar a nação.

3 Mas já estou velho, enquanto que vós, graças a Deus, tendes a idade necessária. Tomai, pois, o meu lugar e o de meu irmão. Ide combater por nossa raça, e que o socorro do céu esteja convosco".

4 João recrutou no país vinte mil combatentes e cavaleiros. Foram eles contra Cendebeu e acamparam em Modin.

5 Levantaram-se ao romper do dia, avançaram pela planície, e eis que um exército numeroso de infantes e de cavaleiros apareceu diante deles, estando separado apenas por uma torrente.

6 João dispôs seus homens diante do inimigo, mas, percebendo que eles temiam passar a torrente, atravessou-a por primeiro e, a exemplo dele, todos atravessaram em seguida.

7 Dividiu seu exército e colocou os cavaleiros no meio dos infantes, porque a cavalaria inimiga era muito numerosa.

8 Fizeram soar as trombetas. Cendebeu e seu exército foram derrotados. Muitos dentre os seus caíram sob os golpes e o restante fugiu para a fortaleza.

9 Judas, irmão de João, foi ferido, mas João perseguiu o inimigo até Quedron, construída por ele.

10 Muitos fugiram para as torres construídas no campo de Azoto, mas ele incendiou-as e pereceram cerca de dois mil homens. Depois disso, João voltou em paz para a Judeia.

11 Ptolomeu, filho de Abubo, tinha sido nomeado comandante da planície de Jericó. Possuía muito ouro e prata,

12 porque era genro do sumo sacerdote.

13 Seu coração ensoberbeceu-se e ele resolveu tornar-se senhor do país. Maquinou pois uma traição contra Simão e seus filhos para livrar-se deles.

14 Ora, no undécimo mês, isto é, no mês de Sabat do ano cento e setenta e sete, quando ele percorria as cidades do país, para cuidar de seus interesses, Simão desceu a Jericó com seus filhos Matatias e Judas.

15 O filho de Abubo recebeu-o dolosamente no forte de Doc, que tinha construído, e onde ele havia ocultado seus homens. Deu um grande banquete

16 e, quando Simão e seus filhos ficaram ébrios, Ptolomeu e seus companheiros ergueram-se, tomaram suas armas e lançaram-se sobre Simão, na sala do banquete. Mataram-no como também seus dois filhos e alguns de seus servidores.

17 Isso foi uma grande perfídia cometida em Israel e pagou-se o bem com o mal.

18 Ptolomeu escreveu ao rei para informá-lo, pedindo que lhe enviasse tropas de socorro e lhe cedesse a região e as cidades.

19 Mandou outros a Gazara, com a missão de matar João. Convocou por meio de cartas os chefes do exército, para entregar-lhes prata, ouro e presentes.

20 Enviou outros emissários a conquistar Jerusalém e a montanha santa.

21 Mas, antecipando-os, alguém veio a Gazara avisar João de que seu pai e seus irmãos tinham perecido e que tinham enviado assassinos para matá-lo.

22 Com essa notícia, João ficou espavorido, mas mandou prender aqueles que vinham matá-lo, e os exterminou, sabendo perfeitamente que tinham a intenção de assassiná-lo.

23 As outras palavras de João, suas guerras e os seus feitos que realizou com valentia, como construiu as muralhas,

24 tudo isso está narrado nos anais de seu pontificado, desde o momento em que ele se tornou sumo sacerdote em lugar de seu pai.

1 John went up from Gazara and told Simon his father what Cendebaeus was doing. 2 Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them, "I and my brothers and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even to this day; and things have prospered in our hands, so that we have often delivered Israel. 3 But now I am old, and you moreover, by his mercy, are of a sufficient age. Take the place of me and my brother, and go out and fight for our nation; and let the help which is from heaven be with you.

4 He chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and cavalry, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. 5 Rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great army of infantry and cavalry came to meet them. There was a brook between them. 6 He encamped near them, he and his people. He saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, and he passed over first. When the men saw him, they passed over after him. 7 He divided the people, and placed the cavalry in the midst of the infantry; but the enemies’ cavalry were exceedingly many. 8 They sounded the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to flight, and many of them fell wounded to death, but those who were left fled to the stronghold. 9 At that time Judas, John’s brother, was wounded; but John pursued after them until he came to Kidron, which Cendebaeus had built. 10 They fled to the towers that are in the fields of Azotus; and he burned them with fire. About two thousand men of them fell. Then he returned into Judea in peace.

11 Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed governor over the plain of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold; 12 for he was the high priest’s son-in-law. 13 His heart was lifted up, and he planned to make himself master of the country, and he made deceitful plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with them. 14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and attending to their needs. He went down to Jericho—himself with Mattathias and Judas his sons—in the one hundred seventy-seventh year,*16:14 circa B.C. 136. in the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat. 15 The son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men there. 16 When Simon and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Simon in the banqueting place, and killed him, his two sons, and some of his servants. 17 He committed a great iniquity, and repaid evil for good.

18 Ptolemy wrote these things and sent to the king, that he should send him forces to aid him, and should deliver him their country and the cities. 19 He sent others to Gazara to do away with John. To the captains of thousands, he sent letters to come to him, that he might give them silver, gold, and gifts. 20 He sent others to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill. 21 One ran before to Gazara, and told John that his father and kindred had perished, and that he has sent to kill you also. 22 When he heard, he was greatly shocked. He seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them; for he perceived that they were seeking to destroy him.

23 And the rest of the acts of John and of his wars and of his valiant deeds which he did, and of the building of the walls which he built, and of his achievements, 24 behold, they are written in the chronicles*16:24 Gr. book of days. of his high priesthood, from the time that he was made high priest after his father.