1
Very soon after this, Lysias, the king's guardian and kinsman, who was in charge of the government, being vexed at what had happened,
2
gathered about eighty thousand men and all his cavalry and came against the Jews. He intended to make the city a home for Greeks,
3
and to levy tribute on the temple as he did on the sacred places of the other nations, and to put up the high priesthood for sale every year.
4
He took no account whatever of the power of God, but was elated with his ten thousands of infantry, and his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants.
5
Invading Judea, he approached Beth-zur, which was a fortified place about five leagues from Jerusalem, and pressed it hard.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.