The Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrue and Greke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languges. VVith moste profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the epistle to the reader

CHAP. IX.

1 Antiochus wil ling to spoyle Persepolis, is put to flight. 9 As he persecuteth the Iewes, he is striken of the Lord. 13 The fained repentance of Antiochus. 28 He dyeth mi serably.

1 AT the same time, came Antio chus agai ne with dishonour out of the countrey of Persia.

2 For when he came to Persepolia, and went about to robbe the Temple, and to subdue the citie, the people ranne in a rage to defē ded them selues with their weapons, and put them to flight, and Antiochus was put to flight by the inhabitants, and returned with shame.

3 Now when he came to Ecbatana, he vnder stode the things that had come vnto Nica∣nor, and Timotheus.

4 And then being chased in his fume, he thoght to impute to the Iewes their faute which had put him to flight, and therefore commanded his charetman to driue conti∣nually, and to dispatche the iourney: for Gods iudgement compelled him: for he had said thus in his pride, I wil make Ierusalem a commune burying place of the Iewes whē I come the ther.

5 But the Lord almightie and God of Israél smote him with an incurable and inuisible plague: for assone as he had spoken these wordes, a paine of the bowels, that was re∣mediles, came vpon him, and sore torments of the inner partes.

6 And that moste iustely: for he had tormen∣ted other mens bowels with diuerse, and strange torments.

7 How be it he wolde in no wise cease from his arrogancie: but swelled the more with pride, breathing outfyre in his rage against the Iewes, and commanded to haste the iornay: but it came to passe that he feldow ne from the charet that rāne swiftely, so that all the mēbres of his bodie were brui∣sed with the great fall.

8 And thus he thata litle a fore thoght he might commande the floods of the sea [so proude was he beyonde the condicion of man] and to weigh the hie moūtaines in the balance, was now cast on the ground, and ca∣ried in an horselitter, declaring vnto all the manifest power of God,* 1.1

9 * So that the wormes came out of the bo

die of this wicked man in abundance: and whiles he was aliue, his flesh fel of for paine and torment, and all his armie was grieued at his“ 1.2 smel.

10 Thus no man colde be are because of his stinke, him that a litle afore thoght he might reach to the starres of heauen.

11 Then he began to leaue of his great pride and self wil, when he was plagued and ca∣me to the knowledge of him self by the scourge of God, & by this paine which in∣creased 〈◊〉〈◊〉 moment.

12 And when he him self might not abide his owne stinke, he said these wordes, It is mete to be subiect vnto God, & that a man which is mortal, shulde not thinke him self equal vnto God through pride,

13 This wicked persone prayed also vnto the Lord, who wolde now haue no mercie on him

14 And said thus that he wolde set at libertie the holie citie vnto the which he made haste to destroy it, & to make it a burying place

15 And as touching the Iewes, whome he had iudged not worthie to be buryed, but wol∣de haue cast them out with their children to be deuoured of the foules & wilde bea∣stes, he wolde make thē all like the citizēs of Athenes.

16 And whereas he had spoiled the holie Tē∣ple afore, he wolde garnish it with great giftes, and encrease the holie vessels, and of his ownerentes beare the charges belon∣ging to the sacrifices.

17 Yea, & that he wolde also become a Iewe him self, & go through all the worlde that was inhabited, & preache the power of God

18 But for all this his paines wolde not cease for the iustiudgemēt of God was come vpō him: therefore despairing of his helth, he wrote vnto the Iewes this letter vnder wri ten, cōteining the forme of a supplicatiō.

19 ¶ THE KING & prince Antiochus vn∣to the Iewes his louing citizens wisheth muche ioye and helth and prosperitie.

20 If ye & your childrē fare wel, & if all things go after your minde, I giue great thankes vnto God hauing hope in the heauen.

21 Thogh I lie sicke, yet I am mindeful of your honour, and good wil for the loue I beare you: therefore when I returned from the countrey of Persia, and fel into a fore disease, I thoght it necessarie to care for the commune safetie of all.

22 Not distrusting mine helth, but hauing great hope to escape this sickenes.

23 Therefore considering that when my fa∣ther led an hoste against the high coūtreys he appointed who shulde succede him.

24 That if anie controuersie happened con∣trary to his expectation, or if that anie ti∣dings were broght that were grieuous, they in the land might knowe to whome the affaires were commited, that they shul de not be troubled.

25 Againe, when I ponder how that the go∣uernours, that are borderers, and neigh∣bours vnto my kingdome, waite for all oc casions, and loke but for opportunitie, I haue ordeined that my sonne Antiochus shal be King whome I oft commende and committed to many of you, when I went into the hie prouinces, and haue writen vn to him as followeth hereafter.

26 Therefore I pray you and require you, to remember the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and particularly, and that euerie man wil be faithful to me and to my sonne.

27 For I trust that he wil be gentle, and louing vnto you according to my minde.

28 ¶ Thus the murtherer and blasphemer suf∣fered moste grieuously, and as he had in∣treated other men, so he dyed a miserable death in a strange countrey among the mountaines.

29 And Phillippe that was broght vp with him, carryed away his bodie, who fearing the sonne of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemeus Philometor.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 12. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• “ 1.2

  Or, rotennes.