51
Then he surrounded the Temple and besieged it for a long time. He set up siege platforms, battering rams, catapults for throwing fire and stones, and other weapons to throw spears and rocks.
52
The defenders also made war machines to oppose those of the enemy, and so the battle went on for a long time.
53
But there was no food left in the Temple storage bins because it was the sabbatical year, and the people who had fled from the Gentiles and taken refuge in Judea had eaten all the food that had been stored there.
54
The shortage of food had been so severe that many people had scattered to their homes, and only a few men were left in the Temple.
55
Meanwhile, Philip, who had been appointed by King Antiochus before his death to educate his son to be king,
56
returned from Persia and Media. He had come back with the royal army and planned to take control of the government. When Lysias heard this news,
57
he made rapid preparations to depart. He said to the young king, to his officers, and to his men, "We are growing weaker each day; we are short of provisions, and this place we are besieging is strong. Besides, there are pressing government affairs which need our attention.
58
So now let's arrange a truce and make a peace treaty with the Jews and their whole nation.
59
We will allow them to follow their own laws and customs as they did before. All this trouble started when we provoked them by abolishing their laws and customs."
60
This recommendation was well received by the king and the officers, so Lysias proposed peace terms to the Jews, and they accepted them.
61
When the king and his officers solemnly agreed to abide by these terms, the Jews came out of their fortress.