Nicanor's Cruel Plan
1 Nicanor learned that Judas and his men were in the region of Samaria, and so he decided to attack them on a Sabbath, when he could do so without any danger to himself. 2 The Jews who were forced to accompany his army begged him not to do such a cruel and savage thing, but to respect the day that the all-seeing God had honored and made the most holy of all days. 3 Then Nicanor, the lowest creature on earth, asked if there was some sovereign ruler in heaven who had commanded them to honor the Sabbath. 4 And the Jews replied, “Yes; the living Lord, who rules in heaven, commanded us to honor the Sabbath.”
5 But Nicanor answered, “I am the ruler on earth, and I order you to take up your weapons and to do what the king commands.” However, he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan.
Judas Prepares His Troops for Battle
6 In his arrogance Nicanor had boasted that he would set up a monument in honor of his victory over Judas. 7 But Judas was fully confident that the Lord would help him, 8 so he urged his men not to be afraid of the enemy. He encouraged them to remember how the Almighty had helped them in times past and to rest assured that he would give them victory this time also. 9 He renewed their hope by reading to them from the Law and the Prophets and by reminding them of the battles they had already won. 10 When his men were ready for battle, he gave them their orders and at the same time pointed out how the Gentiles could not be trusted, because they never kept their treaties. 11 He armed all his men, not by encouraging them to trust in shields and spears, but by inspiring them with courageous words. He also lifted their morale by telling them about his dream, a kind of vision that they could trust in.
12 He told them that he had seen a vision of Onias, the former High Priest, that great and wonderful man of humble and gentle disposition, who was an outstanding orator and who had been taught from childhood how to live a virtuous life. With outstretched arms Onias was praying for the entire Jewish nation. 13 Judas then saw an impressive white-haired man of great dignity and authority. 14 Onias said: “This is God's prophet Jeremiah, who loves the Jewish people and offers many prayers for us and for Jerusalem, the holy city.”
15 Then Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave Judas a gold sword, saying as he did so, 16 “This holy sword is a gift from God. Take it and destroy your enemies.”
17 The eloquent words that Judas spoke encouraged everyone to be brave, and inspired boys to fight like men. Their city, their religion, and their Temple were in danger. So the Jews made up their minds not to waste any time, but to make a daring attack against the enemy and bravely decide their fate in hand-to-hand combat. 18 They were not so concerned about their own families and relatives as they were about their sacred Temple. 19 And the people who had to stay in Jerusalem were deeply concerned about how a battle on open ground would turn out.
The Defeat and Death of Nicanor
20 Everyone was waiting to see who would win the battle. The enemy troops were already moving forward, with their cavalry on each side of them, and their elephants placed in strategic positions. 21 Judas Maccabeus looked at the huge enemy force, the variety of their weapons, and their fierce elephants. Then he raised his hands toward heaven and prayed to the Lord, who works miracles, because he knew that the Lord gives victory to those who deserve it, not to those who have a strong army. 22 Judas said: “Lord, when Hezekiah was king of Judah, you sent your angel, who killed 185,000 of King Sennacherib's men. 23 Now once again, Lord of heaven, send your good angel to make our enemies shake and tremble with fear. 24 With your great power, destroy these people who have slandered you and have come out to attack your chosen people.” So Judas ended his prayer.
25 Nicanor and his army moved forward to the sound of trumpets and battle songs, 26 but Judas and his men went into battle calling on God for help. 27 So by fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, the Jews killed more than 35,000 of the enemy. How grateful they were for the help they had received from God! 28 When the battle was over and they were going home celebrating their victory, they noticed Nicanor in full armor lying dead on the battlefield. 29 Then with loud shouts they praised the Lord in their native language.
30 Judas Maccabeus, who had always fought with all his body and soul for his own people, never losing the patriotism of his youth, ordered his men to cut off Nicanor's head and right arm and to take them to Jerusalem. 31 When they arrived in the city, he called together all the people, stationed the priests before the altar, and sent for the men in the fort. 32 He showed them the head of the evil Nicanor and the arm which that wicked man had arrogantly stretched out against the sacred Temple of the Almighty God. 33 Then he cut out the tongue of that godless man, promising to feed it bit by bit to the birds and to hang up his head opposite the Temple, as evidence of what his foolishness did for him. 34 Everyone there looked up to heaven and praised the Lord, who had revealed his power and had kept his Temple from being defiled. 35 Judas hung Nicanor's head from the wall of the fort, as a clear proof to everyone of the Lord's help. 36 By unanimous vote it was decided that this day would never be forgotten, but would be celebrated each year on the eve of Mordecai's Day, which is the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic.
Concluding Words
37 That is how things turned out for Nicanor. The city of Jerusalem remained in the possession of the Jewish people from that time on, so I will end my story here. 38 If it is well written and to the point, I am pleased; if it is poorly written and uninteresting, I have still done my best. 39 We know it is unhealthy to drink wine or water alone, whereas wine mixed with water makes a delightfully tasty drink. So also a good story skillfully written gives pleasure to those who read it. With this I conclude.
Nikanora nāve
1 Kad Nikanors uzzināja, ka Jūda kopā ar savējiem atrodas Samarijas zemē, viņš nolēma, ka atdusas dienā droši varēs viņiem uzbrukt. 2 Tie jūdi, kas piespiedu kārtā sekoja viņam, teica: “Nenogalini viņus tik mežonīgi un barbariski, bet izrādi cieņu dienai, kuru par svētu izraudzījies tas, kurš visu redz.” 3 Bet trīskārt noziedzīgais pajautāja: “Vai tad patiešām debesīs ir Valdnieks, kas noteicis, ka jāsvin sabata diena?” 4 Kad tie atbildēja: “Ir debesīs dzīvais Kungs, Valdnieks, kas pavēlējis turēt godā septīto dienu,” 5 viņš savukārt teica: “Bet es esmu noteicējs uz zemes, es pavēlu ņemt ieročus un izpildīt ķēniņa rīkojumu.” Tomēr viņš nespēja sasniegt to, ko savā pārdrošībā gribēja.
6 Nikanors lielīgā uzpūtībā bija nolēmis uzvarēt visus, kas bija kopā ar Jūdu, un uzlikt vienu kopīgu uzvaras zīmi. 7 Bet Makabejs, nezaudējot cerību, paļāvās, ka saņems atbalstu no Kunga. 8 Viņš mudināja savējos nenobīties no cittautiešu uzbrukuma, bet paturēt prātā palīdzību, ko viņi jau iepriekš bija saņēmuši no debesīm, un arī tagad cerēt, ka uzvaru viņi gūs ar Visuvarenā palīdzību. 9 Makabejs mierināja viņus, atsaucoties uz bauslību un praviešiem, un atgādināja cīņas, kuras viņi paši bija izcīnījuši. Tā viņš padarīja tos drošsirdīgākus. 10 Uzmundrinājis tos garā, viņš norādīja arī, ka cittautieši atkāpušies no vienošanās un pārkāpuši zvērestus. 11 Ikvienu viņš apbruņoja nevis ar vairogu un šķēpu, bet ar drošu paļāvību, ko dod uzmundrinājums ar krietniem vārdiem. Vēl viņš visus iepriecināja, izstāstīdams sapni, kas bija tik ticams, it kā nomodā piedzīvots. 12 Bet viņa sapnis bija tāds: viņš redzēja bijušo virspriesteri Oniju, krietnu un godīgu vīru, godbijīgu attieksmē pret citiem, laipnu pēc sava rakstura un patīkamu pēc runas veida, kurš no bērnu dienām bija tiecies iemantot visus krietnos tikumus. Onija esot izstiepis rokas un lūdzis par visu jūdu tautu. 13 Tad parādījies vīrs, kas bijis pavisam sirms un cienījama izskata; to apņēmis kāds apbrīnojami spožs diženums. 14 Onija par viņu teicis: “Šis ir Dieva pravietis Jeremija, kas mīlestībā pret brāļiem ir daudz lūdzis par tautu un svēto pilsētu.” 15 Tad Jeremija esot izstiepis labo roku un iedevis Jūdam zelta zobenu, teikdams: 16 “Ņem šo svēto zobenu, tā ir dāvana no Dieva, ar to tu satrieksi pretiniekus.”
17 Brīnišķīgie Jūdas vārdi iedrošināja, to spēks mudināja uz drosmi un deva jaunekļiem vīrišķīgu garu. Viņi nolēma neapmesties nometnē, bet taisnā ceļā drosmīgi doties uzbrukumā un, vīrišķīgi cīnoties, izšķirt kauju, jo pilsēta, svētumi un templis bija briesmās. 18 Mazāk viņi baidījās par sievām, bērniem, brāļiem un tuviniekiem, vislielākās bailes viņiem bija galvenokārt par svēto templi. 19 Nopietns uztraukums bija pārņēmis arī tos, kas bija palikuši pilsētā, jo viņi bažījās par cīņu, kurai vajadzēja notikt kaujas laukā. 20 Kad visi gaidīja, ka nupat notiks izšķirošā cīņa – ienaidnieki jau bija tuvu klāt un karaspēks izkārtojies kaujai, ziloņi nostādīti visizdevīgākajā vietā un jātnieki izvietoti abos flangos –, 21 tad Makabejs, ieraudzījis pretinieku milzīgo pūli, kas nāca virsū, un viņu daudzveidīgos ieročus un mežonīgos zvērus, pacēla rokas pret debesīm un piesauca Kungu, kas spēj darīt brīnumus, jo viņš zināja, ka ne ar ieročiem tiek panākta uzvara, bet to piešķir Kungs pats pēc sava lēmuma tiem, kas to pelnījuši. 22 Piesaukdams Kungu, viņš teica: “Tu, Kungs, sūtīji savu eņģeli jūdu ķēniņa Hizkijas laikā, un viņš no Sanherība karaspēka nogalināja simt astoņdesmit piecus tūkstošus. 23 Arī tagad, debesu Valdniek, sūti mums labo eņģeli par bailēm un drebēšanu ienaidniekiem. 24 Ar tavas rokas spēku lai tiek satriekti tie, kas šeit ieradušies zaimot tavu svēto tautu.” Ar šiem vārdiem viņš beidza. 25 Tie, kas bija kopā ar Nikanoru, nāca virsū taurēdami un skandēdami kaujas saucienus, 26 bet tie, kas bija ar Jūdu, ar Kunga piesaukšanu un lūgšanām metās cīņā pret ienaidniekiem. 27 Cīnīdamies ar rokām, bet sirdīs pielūgdami Dievu, viņi nokāva ne mazāk kā trīsdesmit piecus tūkstošus un priecājās, ka Dievs viņiem bija parādījies. 28 Pabeiguši cīņu un priecīgi dodoties atpakaļ, viņi uzzināja, ka Nikanors ar visām savām bruņām kritis kaujā. 29 Viņi sāka skaļi kliegt un trokšņot un slavēja Kungu savā tēvu valodā. 30 Tad Jūda, kas ar miesu un dvēseli bija pirmais cīnītājs par saviem līdzpilsoņiem un visu mūžu saglabājis labvēlību pret saviem cilts brāļiem, lika Nikanoram nocirst galvu un roku līdz plecam un nogādāt Jeruzālemē. 31 Kad viņš pats tur ieradās, viņš sasauca savus cilts brāļus, priesteriem lika nostāties altāra priekšā un paaicināja arī tos, kas atradās pilsētas nocietinājumā. 32 Parādījis nešķīstā Nikanora galvu un roku, kuru viņš zaimojot bija izstiepis pret Visuvarenā svēto mājokli un dižojies, 33 viņš pavēlēja šim bezdievim izgriezt mēli, sakapāt to gabalos un nomest plēsīgiem putniem, bet roku, ko bija vadījis neprāts, pakārt tempļa priekšā. 34 Tad visi, pavērsuši skatienu pret debesīm, pateicībā slavēja Kungu: “Lai slavēts tas, kurš savu vietu nosargājis no apgānīšanas!” 35 Nikanora galvu Jūda pakāra pie pilsētas nocietinājuma visiem redzamā vietā kā skaidru zīmi par Kunga palīdzību. 36 Tad visi kopīgi pieņēma lēmumu nekad nepieļaut, ka šī diena netiek atzīmēta, un vienmēr atzīmēt kā svētkus trīspadsmito dienu divpadsmitajā mēnesī, ko sīriešu valodā sauc adārs. Tā ir diena pirms Mordohaja svētkiem.
Stāstījuma beigas
37 Tā beidzās notikumi, kas saistīti ar Nikanoru. Tā kā kopš tā laika pilsēta nonāca ebreju rokās, es savu stāstījumu šeit beigšu. 38 Ja mana stāstījuma izkārtojums izdevies labs, tad tieši to es biju gribējis, bet, ja paviršs un viduvējs, tad ir iznācis tāds, kāds man ir bijis pa spēkam. 39 Gluži tāpat kā nav patīkami dzert tikai vīnu un tad atkal tikai ūdeni, bet ar ūdeni sajaukts vīns ir salds un rada tīkamu baudu, tāpat arī stāstījuma izklāsts ir patīkams klausītāja ausīm, ja tajā ir samērīgs izkārtojums. Šeit lai ir stāsta beigas.
