1 Maccabees 6:1-16

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

6 Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold.

² And that there was in it a temple, exceeding rich: and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields which king Alexander, son of Philip the Macedonian that reigned first in Greece, had left there.

³ Lo, he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it: But he was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the city.

⁴ And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.

⁵ And whilst he was in Persia, there came one that told him, how the armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:

⁶ And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that they were grown strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed:

⁷ And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also his city.

⁸ And it came to pass when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined.

⁹ And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more and more upon him, and he made account that he should die.

¹⁰ And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for anxiety.

¹¹ And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and into what floods of sorrow, wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and beloved in my power!

¹² But now I remember the evils that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.

¹³ I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me: and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.

¹⁴ Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he made him regent over all his kingdom.

¹⁵ And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he should go to Antiochus his son, and should bring him up for the kingdom.

¹⁶ So king Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine.