1
Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,
2
he commanded him, with a quantity of unmixed wine and handfuls of incense to drug the elephants early on the following day. These five hundred elephants were, when infuriated by the copious draughts of frankincense, to be led up to the execution of death upon the Jews.
3
The king, after issuing these orders, went to his feasting, and gathered together all those of his friends and of the army who hated the Jews the most.
4
The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.
5
The underlings appointed for the purpose went out about eventide and bound the hands of the miserable victims, and took other precautions for their security at night, thinking that the whole race would perish together.
6
The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about.
7
they invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,