The King James Version Bible

1 Maccabees 1:12-27

  1. So this device pleased them well.

  2. Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:

  3. Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:

  4. And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.

  5. Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.

  6. Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,

  7. And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.

  8. Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.

  9. And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,

  10. And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,

  11. And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.

  12. He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.

  13. And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.

  14. Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;

  15. So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.

  16. Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,