The Death of Judah

Friendship with Rome

Chapter 8

¹Now Judah heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were very strong and were well-disposed toward all who made an alliance with them, that they pledged friendship to those who came to them, ²and that they were very strong. [ . . . ]

¹⁷So Judah chose Eupolemus son of John son of Accos, and Jason son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance, ¹⁸and to free themselves from the yoke; for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks was enslaving Israel completely. ¹⁹They went to Rome, a very long journey; and they entered the senate chamber and spoke as follows: ²⁰“Judah, who is also called Maccabee, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, so that we may be enrolled as your allies and friends.” ²¹The proposal pleased them, ²²and this is a copy of the letter that they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets, and sent to Jerusalem to remain with them there as a memorial of peace and alliance:

²³“May all go well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews at sea and on land forever, and may sword and enemy be far from them. ²⁴If war comes first to Rome or to any of their allies in all their dominion, ²⁵the nation of the Jews shall act as their allies wholeheartedly, as the occasion may indicate to them. ²⁶To the enemy that makes war they shall not give or supply grain, arms, money, or ships, just as Rome has decided; and they shall keep their obligations without receiving any return. ²⁷In the same way, if war comes first to the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall willingly act as their allies, as the occasion may indicate to them. ²⁸And to their enemies there shall not be given grain, arms, money, or ships, just as Rome has decided; and they shall keep these obligations and do so without deceit. ²⁹Thus on these terms the Romans make a treaty with the Jewish people. ³⁰If after these terms are in effect both parties shall determine to add or delete anything, they shall do so at their discretion, and any addition or deletion that they may make shall be valid.

³¹“Concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius is doing to them, we have written to him as follows, ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy on our friends and allies the Jews? ³²If now they appeal again for help against you, we will defend their rights and fight you on sea and on land.’”

Judah’s Last Battle

Chapter 9

¹When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judaea a second time, and with them the right wing of the army. ²They went by the road that leads to Gilgal [near Jericho] and encamped against Mesaloth in Arbela [in the Galilee], and they took it and killed many people. ³In the first month of the one hundred fifty-second year they encamped against Jerusalem; ⁴then they marched off and went to Berea [near Jerusalem] with twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry.¹

⁵Now Judah was encamped in Elasa [near Jerusalem], and with him were three thousand picked men. ⁶When they saw the huge number of the enemy forces, they were greatly frightened, and many slipped away from the camp, until no more than eight hundred of them were left.

⁷When Judah saw that his army had slipped away and the battle was imminent, he was crushed in spirit, for he had no time to assemble them. ⁸He became faint, but he said to those who were left, “Let us get up and go against our enemies. We may have the strength to fight them.” ⁹But they tried to dissuade him, saying, “We do not have the strength. Let us rather save our own lives now, and let us come back with our kindred and fight them; we are too few.” ¹⁰But Judah said, “Far be it from us to do such a thing as to flee from them. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kindred, and leave no cause to question our honor.”

¹¹Then the army of Bacchides marched out from the camp and took its stand for the encounter. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors. ¹²Bacchides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets; and the men with Judah also blew their trumpets. ¹³The earth was shaken by the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.

¹⁴Judah saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right; then all the stouthearted men went with him, ¹⁵and they crushed the right wing, and he pursued them as far as Mount Azotus [Ashdod]. ¹⁶When those on the left wing saw that the right wing was crushed, they turned and followed close behind Judah and his men. ¹⁷The battle became desperate, and many on both sides were wounded and fell. ¹⁸Judah also fell, and the rest fled. ¹⁹Then Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judah and buried him in the tomb of their ancestors at Modiin, ²⁰and wept for him. All Israel made great lamentation for him; they mourned many days and said, ²¹“How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!” [see 2 Samuel 1:19–27].