Alexander the Great

1 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated^[a] King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)^{(A) 2} He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and slaughtered the kings of the earth. ³ He advanced to the ends of the earth and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.^{(B) 4} He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they paid him tribute.

⁵ After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. ⁶ So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷ And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.

⁸ Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. ⁹ They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years, and they caused many evils on the earth.^(C)

Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews

¹⁰ From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.^(D)

¹¹ In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the nations around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.”^{(E) 12} This proposal pleased them, ¹³ and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the nations.^{(F) 14} So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the customs of the nations,^{(G) 15} and made foreskins for themselves, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the nations and sold themselves to do evil.^(H)

Antiochus in Egypt

¹⁶ When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷ So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet.^{(I) 18} He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.^{(J) 19} They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

⁵ When a false rumor arose that Antiochus was dead, Jason took no fewer than a thousand men and suddenly made an assault on the city. When the troops on the wall had been forced back and at last the city was being taken, Menelaus took refuge in the citadel.^(A)

¹¹ When news of what had happened reached the king, he took it to mean that Judea was in revolt. So, raging inwardly, he left Egypt and took the city by storm.^{(A) 12} He commanded his soldiers to cut down relentlessly everyone they met and to kill those who went into their houses.^{(B) 13} Then there was massacre of young and old, destruction of boys, women, and children, and slaughter of young girls and infants.^{(C) 14} Within the total of three days eighty thousand were destroyed, forty thousand in hand-to-hand fighting, and as many were sold into slavery as were killed.

Pillage of the Temple

¹⁵ Not content with this, Antiochus^[a] dared to enter the most holy temple in all the world, guided by Menelaus, who had become a traitor both to the laws and to his country.^{(D) 16} He took the holy vessels with his polluted hands and swept away with profane hands the votive offerings that other kings had made to enhance the glory and honor of the place.^(E)

Persecution of the Jews

²⁰ After subduing Egypt, Antiochus turned back in the one hundred forty-third year and went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force.^{(A) 21} He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.^{(B) 22} He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off.^{(C) 23} He took the silver and the gold and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found.^{(D) 24} Taking them all, he went into his own land.