2049 verses about Courage

But when the young man would in no wise give heed, the king called to him his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the lad to save himself.

And when he had exhorted her with many words, she undertook to persuade her son.

But bending toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, she spoke thus in the language of her fathers: My son, have pity upon me that carried you nine months in my womb, and gave you suck three years, and nourished and brought you up to this age, and sustained you.

But before she had yet ended speaking, the young man said, Whom wait you⌃ for? I obey not the commandment of the king, but I hearken to the commandment of the law that was given to our fathers through Moses.

But I, as my kindred, give up both body and soul for the laws of our fathers, calling upon God that he may speedily become gracious to the nation; and that you amidst trials and plagues may confess that he alone is God;

But the king, falling into a rage, handled him worse than all the rest, being exasperated at his mocking.

But Judas, who is also called Maccabaeus, and those who were with him, making their way privily into the villages, called to them their kinsfolk; and taking to them such as had continued in the Jews’ religion, gathered together as many as six thousand.

And when Maccabaeus had trained his men for service, the heathen at once found him irresistible, for that the wrath of the Lord was turned into pity.

And coming unawares he set fire to cities and villages. And in winning back the most important positions, putting to flight no small number of the enemies,

he specially took advantage of the nights for such assaults. And his courage was loudly talked of everywhere.

But tidings came to Judas concerning the inroad of Nicanor; and when he communicated to those who were with him the presence of the army,

those who were cowardly and distrustful of the judgement of God ran away and left the country.

And Maccabaeus gathered his men together, six thousand in number, and exhorted them not to be stricken with dismay at the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen who came wrongfully against them; but to contend nobly,

setting before their eyes the outrage that had been lawlessly perpetrated upon the holy place, and the shameful handling of the city that had been turned to mockery, and further the overthrow of the mode of life received from their ancestors.

For they, said he, trust to arms, and withal to deeds of daring; but we trust on the almighty God, since he is able at a beck to cast down those who are coming against us, and even the whole world.

And moreover he recounted to them the help given from time to time in the days of their ancestors, both the help given in the days of Sennacherib, how that a hundred fourscore and five thousand perished,

and the help given in the land of Babylon, even the battle that was fought against the Gauls, how that they came to the engagement eight thousand in all, with four thousand Macedonians, and how that, the Macedonians being hard pressed, the six thousand destroyed the hundred and twenty thousand, because of the succour which they had from heaven, and took great booty.

And when he had with these words made them of good courage, and ready to die for the laws and their country, he divided his army into four parts;

appointing his kindred to be with himself leaders of the several bands, to wit, Simon and Joseph and Jonathan, giving each the command of fifteen hundred men,

and moreover Eleazer also: then, having read aloud the sacred book, and having given as watchword, THE HELP OF GOD, leading the first band himself, he joined battle with Nicanor.

And, since the Almighty fought on their side, they killed of the enemy above nine thousand, and wounded and disabled the more part of Nicanor’s army, and compelled all to flee:

And having had an encounter with the forces of Timotheus and Bacchides, they killed above twenty thousand of them, and made themselves masters of strongholds exceeding high, and divided very much plunder, giving the maimed and orphans and widows, and moreover the aged also, an equal share with themselves.

And when they had gathered the arms of the enemy together, they stored them all up carefully in the most important positions, and the residue of the spoils they carried to Jerusalem.

For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and he assayed to rob a temple and to hold down the city. Whereupon there was an onset of the multitudes, and Antiochus and his men turned to make defence with arms; and it came to pass that Antiochus was put to flight by the people of the country and broke up his camp with disgrace.

And Maccabaeus and those who were with him, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city;

But Maccabaeus and his men, having made solemn supplication and implored God to fight on their side, rushed upon the strongholds of the Idumaeans;

and assaulting them vigorously they made themselves masters of the positions, and kept off all that fought upon the wall, and killed those that fell in their way, and killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

Maccabaeus, having left Simon and Joseph, and Zacchaeus besides and those who were with him, a force sufficient to besiege them, departed himself to places where he was most needed.

But when word was brought to Maccabaeus of what was done, he gathered the leaders of the people together, and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money, by setting their enemies free to fight against them.

And prospering with his arms in all things he took in hand, he destroyed in the two strongholds more than twenty thousand.

Now Timotheus, who had been before defeated by the Jews, having gathered together foreign forces in great multitudes, and having collected the horsemen which belonged to Asia, not a few, came as though he would take Judea by force of arms.

But as he drew near, Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled earth upon their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God,

And rising from their prayer they took up their arms, and advanced some distance from the city; and when they had come near to their enemies they halted.

And when the dawn was now spreading, the two armies joined battle; the one part having this, beside their virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the strife.

and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while on the adversaries they shot forth arrows and thunderbolts; by reason whereof they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment.

But Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of exceeding strength, Chaereas being in command there.

But Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress four and twenty days.

But at dawn of the five and twentieth day certain young men of the company of Maccabaeus, inflamed with passion because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall with masculine force and with furious passion, and cut down whoever came in their way.

And others climbing up in like manner, while the besieged were distracted with them that had made their way within, set fire to the towers, and kindling fires burned the blasphemers alive; while others broke open the gates, and, having given entrance to the rest of the band, occupied the city.

And coming into Judea and drawing near to Bethsuron, which was a strong place and distant from Jerusalem about five leagues, he pressed it hard.

And Maccabaeus himself took up arms first, and exhorted the others to jeopard themselves together with him and succour their kindred; and they sallied forth with him right willingly.

And they all together praised the merciful God, and were yet more strengthened in heart: being ready to assail not men only but the wildest beasts, and walls of iron,

And hurling themselves like lions upon the enemy, they killed of them eleven thousand footmen and sixteen hundred horsemen, and forced all the rest to flee.

But the more part of them escaped wounded and naked; and Lysias also himself escaped by shameful flight.

But when Judas heard of the cruelty done to his fellow-countrymen, giving command to the men that were with him

Now when they had drawn off nine furlongs from thence, as they marched against Timotheus, an army of Arabians attacked him, no fewer than five thousand footmen and five hundred horsemen.

And he also fell upon a certain city Gephyrun, strong and fenced about with walls, and inhabited by a mixed multitude of various nations; and it was named Caspin.

But Judas and his company, calling upon the great sovereign of the world, who without rams and cunning engines of war hurled down Jericho in the times of Joshua, rushed wildly against the wall;

And Timotheus they found not in occupation of that district, for he had then departed from the district without accomplishing anything, but had left behind a garrison, and that a very strong one, in a certain post.

But Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabaeus’s captains, sallied forth and destroyed those that had been left by Timotheus in the stronghold, above ten thousand men.

And Maccabaeus, ranging his own army by bands, set these two over the bands, and marched in haste against Timotheus, who had with him a hundred and twenty thousand footmen and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.

And after he had put these to flight and destroyed them, he marched against Ephron also, a strong city, wherein were multitudes of people of all nations; and stalwart young men placed on the walls made a vigorous defence; and there were great stores of engines and darts there.

But calling upon the Sovereign who with might breaks in pieces the strength of the enemy, they got the city into their hands, and killed as many as twenty and five thousand of those who were within.

and he came out with three thousand footmen and four hundred horsemen.

And a certain Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback and a strong man, pressed hard on Gorgias, and taking hold of his cloke drew him along by main force; and while he was minded to take the accursed man alive, one of the Thracian horsemen bore down upon him and disabled his shoulder, and so Gorgias escaped to Marisa.

And when those who were with Esdris had been fighting long and were wearied out, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself, fighting on their side and leading the van of the battle;

and then in the language of his fathers he raised the battle-cry joined with hymns, and rushing unawares upon the troops of Gorgias put them to flight.

In the hundred forty and ninth year tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with great multitudes against Judea,

But when Judas heard of these things, he gave charge to the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, beseeching him, if ever at any other time, so now to succour those who were at the point to be deprived of the law and their country and the holy temple,

and not to suffer the people that had been but now a little while revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen.

And having gone apart with the elders he resolved that, before the king’s army should enter into Judea and make themselves masters of the city, they should go forth and try the matter in fight by the help of God.

And committing the decision to the Lord of the world, and exhorting those who were with him to contend nobly even to death for laws, temple, city, country, commonwealth, he pitched his camp by Modin.

And given out to his men the watchword, VICTORY IS GOD’S, with a chosen body of the bravest young men he fell upon the camp by night and penetrated to the king’s tent, and killed of the army as many as two thousand men, and brought down the chiefest elephant with him that was in the tower upon him.

And at last they filled the army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success.

But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made attempts by stratagem upon their positions,

The king treated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse,

Now after a space of three years tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having sailed into the haven of Tripolis with a mighty army and a fleet,

Those of the Jews that he called Hasidaeans, whose leader is Judas Maccabaeus, keep up war, and are seditious, not suffering the kingdom to find tranquillity.

But do you, O king, having informed yourself of these things severally, take thought both for our country and for our race, which is surrounded by foes, according to the gracious kindness with which you receive all.

And when the leader had given his commands, he straightway sets out from thence, and joineth battle with them at a village called Lessau.

But Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, yet not till late, having received a check by reason of the sudden consternation caused by his adversaries.

Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the manliness of those who were with Judas, and their courage in fighting for their country, shrank from bringing the matter to the decision of the sword.

So when these proposals had been long considered, and the leader had made the troops acquainted therewith, and it appeared that they were all of like mind, they consented to the covenants.

Judas stationed armed men ready in convenient places, lest haply there should suddenly be treachery on the part of the enemy; they held such conference as was meet.

But Maccabaeus, when he perceived that Nicanor was behaving more harshly in his dealings with him, and that he had become ruler in his customary bearing, understanding that this harshness came not of good, gathered together not a few of his men, and concealed himself from Nicanor.

But the other, when he became aware that he had been bravely defeated by the stratagem of Judas, came to the great and holy temple, while the priests were offering the usual sacrifices, and commanded them to deliver up the man.

And having said this, he departed. But the priests, stretching forth their hands toward heaven, called upon him that ever fights for our nation, in these words:

Now information was given to Nicanor against one Razis, an elder of Jerusalem, as being a lover of his countrymen and a man of very good report, and one called Father of the Jews for his good will toward them.

For in the former times when there was no mingling with the Gentiles he had been accused of cleaving to the Jews’ religion, and had jeoparded body and life with all earnestness for the religion of the Jews.

And Nicanor, wishing to make evident the ill will that he bare to the Jews, sent above five hundred soldiers to take him;

But when the troops were on the point of taking the tower, and were forcing the door of the court, and bade bring fire and burn the doors, he being surrounded on every side fell upon his sword,

choosing rather to die nobly than to fall into the hands of the wicked wretches, and suffer outrage unworthy of his own nobleness:

but since he missed his stroke through the excitement of the struggle, and the crowds were now rushing within the door, he ran bravely up to the wall and cast himself down manfully among the crowds.

And having yet breath within him, and being inflamed with passion, he rose up, and though his blood gushed out in streams and his wounds were grievous, he ran through the crowds, and standing upon a steep rock,

when as his blood was now well near spent, he drew forth his bowels through the wound, and taking them in both his hands he shook them at the crowds; and calling upon him who is Lord of the life and the spirit to restore him these again, he thus died.

But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the region of Samaria, resolved to set upon them with all security on the day of rest.

And when the Jews that were compelled to follow him said, O destroy not so savagely and barbarously, but give due glory to the day which he that sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days;

then says the other, I also am a sovereign upon the earth, who now command to take up arms and execute the king’s business. Nevertheless he prevailed not to execute his cruel purpose.

but Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly, with all hope that he should obtain help from the Lord.

And he exhorted his company not to be fearful at the inroad of the heathen, but, keeping in mind the help which of old they had oftentimes received from heaven, so now also to look for the victory which would come to them from the Almighty;

and comforting them out of the law and the prophets, and withal putting them in mind of the conflicts that they had maintained, he made them more eager for the battle.

And when he had roused their spirit, he gave them his commands, at the same time pointing out the perfidiousness of the heathen and their breach of their oaths.

And arming each one of them, not so much with the sure defence of shields and spears as with the encouragement that lies in good words, and moreover relating to them a dream worthy to be believed, he made them all exceeding glad.

and Jeremiah stretching forth his right hand delivered to Judas a sword of gold, and in giving it addressed him thus,

Take the holy sword, a gift from God, wherewith you shall strike down the adversaries.

And being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were of a lofty strain, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determined not to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down upon the enemy, and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to an issue, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.

And when all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and the elephants brought back to a convenient post, and the horsemen drawn up on the flank,

Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of the troops, and the various arms with which they were equipped, and the savageness of the elephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord that works wonders, recognising that success comes not by arms, but that, according as the Lord shall judge, he gaineth the victory for those who are worthy.

through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay that with blasphemy are come here against your holy people. And as he ended with these words,

Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and paeans;