55
And as he began to pull down, even at that time was Alcimus plagued, and his enterprises hindered: for his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak any thing, nor give order concerning his house.
53
Besides, he took the chief men's sons in the country for hostages, and put them into the tower at Jerusalem to be kept.
54
Moreover in the hundred fifty and third year, in the second month, Alcimus commanded that the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary should be pulled down; he pulled down also the works of the prophets
55
And as he began to pull down, even at that time was Alcimus plagued, and his enterprises hindered: for his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak any thing, nor give order concerning his house.
56
So Alcimus died at that time with great torment.
57
Now when Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king: whereupon the land of Judea was in rest two years.
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.