1 Maccabees 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

16 John went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon what Cendebeus had done. 2 And Simon called in his two eldest sons Judas and John, and said to them: ‘My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in our hands so that we have delivered Israel many times. 3 But now I have grown old, and you by Heaven’s[a] mercy are mature in years. Take my place and my brother’s, and go out and fight for our nation, and may the help that comes from Heaven be with you.’

4 So John[b] chose out of the country twenty thousand warriors and cavalry, and they marched against Cendebeus and camped for the night in Modein. 5 Early in the morning they started out and marched into the plain, where a large force of infantry and cavalry was coming to meet them; and a stream lay between them. 6 Then he and his army lined up against them. He saw that the soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed over first; and when his troops saw him, they crossed over after him. 7 Then he divided the army and placed the cavalry in the centre of the infantry, for the cavalry of the enemy were very numerous. 8 They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight; many of them fell wounded and the rest fled into the stronghold. 9 At that time Judas the brother of John was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebeus[c] reached Kedron, which he had built. 10 They also fled into the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and John[d] burned it with fire, and about two thousand of them fell. He then returned to Judea safely.

Murder of Simon and His Sons

11 Now Ptolemy son of Abubus had been appointed governor over the plain of Jericho; he had a large store of silver and gold, 12 for he was son-in-law of the high priest. 13 His heart was lifted up; he determined to get control of the country, and made treacherous plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with them. 14 Now Simon was visiting the towns of the country and attending to their needs, and he went down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas, in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year,[e] in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat. 15 The son of Abubus received them treacherously in the little stronghold called Dok, which he had built; he gave them a great banquet, and hid men there. 16 When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Simon in the banqueting-hall and killed him and his two sons, as well as some of his servants. 17 So he committed an act of great treachery and returned evil for good.

John Succeeds Simon

18 Then Ptolemy wrote a report about these things and sent it to the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over to him the towns and the country. 19 He sent other troops to Gazara to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and gold and gifts; 20 and he sent other troops to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill. 21 But someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and brothers had perished, and that ‘he has sent men to kill you also.’ 22 When he heard this, he was greatly shocked; he seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that they were seeking to destroy him.

23 The rest of the acts of John and his wars, and the brave deeds that he did, and the building of the walls that he completed, and his achievements, 24 are written in the annals of his high-priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his father.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Maccabees 16:3 Gk his
  2. 1 Maccabees 16:4 Other ancient authorities read he
  3. 1 Maccabees 16:9 Gk he
  4. 1 Maccabees 16:10 Gk he
  5. 1 Maccabees 16:14 134 bc

You Might Also Like:

1 Maccabees 16 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

16 And John ascended or went up from Gazara, and told to Simon, his father, what things Cendebeus did in (or to) the people of them. 2 And Simon called his twain elder sons [or his two older sons], Judah and John, and said to them, I, and my brethren, and the house of my father, have overcome the en...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

16 John went up from Gazar′a and reported to Simon his father what Cendebe′us had done. 2 And Simon called in his two older sons Judas and John, and said to them: “I and my brothers and the house of my father have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

16 John went up from Gazar′a and reported to Simon his father what Cendebe′us had done. 2 And Simon called in his two older sons Judas and John, and said to them: “I and my brothers and the house of my father have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

16 John went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon what Cendebeus had done. 2 And Simon called in his two eldest sons Judas and John, and said to them: ‘My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in our h...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 John went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon what Cendebeus had done.(A)2 And Simon called in his two eldest sons Judas and John and said to them: “My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in our h...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - New Catholic Bible (NCB)

Chapter 16Simon’s Sons Repulse the Invader. 1 John then went up from Gazara and reported to Simon his father what Cendebeus was doing. 2 Simon summoned his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them, “My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth unt...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 161 John then went up from Gazara and told his father Simon what Cendebeus was doing.(A) 2 Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: “I and my brothers and my father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until today, and many times we succeeded in s...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - Good News Translation (GNT)

16 Simon's son John left Gezer and went to report to his father what Cendebeus had done. 2 Simon said to John and Judas, his two oldest sons,All my father's family, my brothers, and I have fought Israel's battles all our lives, and many times we have been successful in saving Israel. 3 I am old now,...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

16 Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done against their people. 2 And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and...
Read More

1 Maccabees 16 - Common English Bible (CEB)

16 John went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon what Cendebeus had done. 2 Simon summoned his two oldest boys, Judas and John. He said to them, “My brothers and I, and my father’s family, have fought Israel’s wars from our youth until this day. We have prospered and have delivered Israe...
Read More