iled, and that
the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension, and
the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the
laws of old times:

3:30. And he feared that he should not have as formerly enough for
charges and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand: for he
had abounded more than the kings that had been before him.

3:31. And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into
Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.

3:32. And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the blood royal to oversee the
affairs of the kingdom from the river Euphrates even to the river of
Egypt:

3:33. And to bring up his son, Antiochus, till he came again.

3:34. And he delivered to him half the army, and the elephants: and he
gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning
the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem.

3:35. And 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 the memory of them from that place.

3:36. And that he should settle strangers, to dwell in all their coasts,
and divide their land by lot.

3:37. So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went
forth from Antioch, the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and
forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went
through the higher countries.

3:38. Then Lysias chose Ptolemee, the son of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and
Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends.

3:39. And he sent with them forty thousand men, and seven thousand
horsemen: to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, according to
the king's orders.

3:40. So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched
near Emmaus, in the plain country.

3:41. And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and
they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into
the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were
joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.

3:42. And Judas, and his brethren, saw that evils were multiplied, and
that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders
the king had given to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them.

3:43. And they said, every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low
condition of our people, and let us fight for our people, and o