8
And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.
9
And his servants made themselves kings every one in his place:
10
And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years, and evils were multiplied in the earth.
11
And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
12
In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us.
13
And the word seemed good in their eyes.
14
And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.
15
And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations:
16
And they made themselves prepuces, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil.
17
And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms.
18
And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants, and horsemen, and a great number of ships: