16
whereupon they believed him. Nonetheless he took from them threescore men and slew them in one day, according to the words which were written:
17
"The flesh of Thy saints have they cast out, and their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them."
18
Therefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, who said, "There is neither truth nor righteousness in them, for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made."
19
After this, Bacchides removed from Jerusalem and pitched his tents in Bezeth, where he sent and took many of the men who had forsaken him, and certain of the people also; and when he had slain them, he cast them into the great pit.
20
Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him a power to aid him. So Bacchides went to the king.
21
But Alcimus labored to defend his high priesthood.
22
And unto him resorted all such as troubled the people who, after they had gotten the land of Judah into their power, did much harm in Israel.
23
Now when Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his company had done among the Israelites, even above the heathen,
24
he went out into all the borders of Judea round about and took vengeance on those who had revolted from him, so that they no more dared go forth into the country.
25
On the other side, when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company had gotten the upper hand, and knew that he was not able to abide their force, he went again to the king and said all the worst against them that he could.
26
Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man who bore deadly hate against Israel, with a commandment to destroy the people.