1 Maccabees 7:8-20

New Catholic Bible

⁸ The king chose Bacchides, one of the Friends of the King, who was the governor of West-of-Euphrates, an influential personage in the kingdom, and a loyal supporter of the king. ⁹ He sent him and the godless Alcimus, whom he appointed as high priest, with orders to exact vengeance on the Israelites. ¹⁰ They set out, and when they arrived with a large army in the land of Judah, they sent envoys to Judas and his brothers to suggest deceitful proposals of peace. ¹¹ But the latter placed no trust in their words, since they saw the immense force that had accompanied them.

¹² However, a group of scribes approached Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for just terms of peace. ¹³ The Hasideans were the first among the Israelites to request a peace agreement, ¹⁴ for they said, “A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not be a party to any wrongful act.” ¹⁵ Alcimus engaged in peace talks with them, and he swore this oath to them: “We will not attempt to injure you or your friends.” ¹⁶ However, once he had gained their confidence, he arrested sixty of them and put them to death in one day, in fulfillment of the words of Scripture:

¹⁸ Then fear and dread of them fell on the whole people. “There is no truth or justice among them,” they said. “They have violated their agreement and their sworn oath.”

¹⁹ Bacchides then withdrew from Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-zaith,^[a] where he ordered the arrest of many of those who had deserted to him, along with some of the people. He slaughtered them and cast them into an immense pit. ²⁰ After that he placed Alcimus in charge of the province, leaving an army with him to give him support, while he himself went back to the king.