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.
38
Then Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends;
39
and with them he sent forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horsemen to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
40
So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched camp by Emmaus in the plain country.
41
And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took very much silver and gold, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves. A power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.