27
Now when King Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation. Therefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.
28
He opened also his treasury and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them.
29
Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasuries failed and that the tributes from the country were small, because of the dissension and plague which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old times,
30
he feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before; for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.
31
Therefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes from the countries and to gather much money.
32
So he left Lysias, a nobleman and one of the royal blood, to oversee the affairs of the king from the River Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt,
33
and to bring up his son Antiochus until he came back.
34
Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning those who dwelt in Judah and Jerusalem,
35
to wit, that he should send an army against them to destroy and root out the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memory from that place;
36
and that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
37
So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed over the River Euphrates, he went through the high countries.