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CHAPTER 1: A LETTER

The Jewish people of Jerusalem write a letter to the Jews of Egypt.
They remind them of the camping out festival and the purification of the temple, and tell the story of Nehemiah and when first.

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CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION

The writer of the letter writes about Jeremiah, and Solomon and talks about the sacrifice process.
The writer then introduces the reader to the topic of the book, Judas Maccabeus.

CHAPTER 3: ONIAS AND THE TREASURE

Onias the high Priest ruled Jeruslaem in peace, until Simon the governor of the temple disagreed with how Onias was ruling
When Simon cannot convince Onias, he goes behind his back and contacts a member of King Seleucus’s party, and tells them of the vast riches that are in Jerusalem’s treasury.
After receiving the news King Seleucus sends Heliodorus to retrieve the money. After telling the Jews why he has come, the Jews explain it is not there money but it has only been deposited there by others. But Heliodorus insists that it must be confiscated. On the day of the inspection people protest and pray to the lord, and Lord sends down a spirit horseman who strikes Heliodorus.
Heliodorus is limp on a strecher, and his friends then beg Onias to call on the Lord to grant Heliodorus’s life. Onias decicdes to do this so the King Seleucus would not get spuspicious.
After Heliodorus recovers and returns to the King, the King asks him about the Jews. Heliodorus has only good things to say about them.

CHAPTER 4: MENELAUS BECOMES HIGH PRIEST

Simon tells the King Heliodurus’s story isn’t true. Simon continues to harass Onias and plot his downfall.
King Seleucus eventually dies and Antiochus Epiphanes come to the throne. He selects Onias’s brother Jason to be High Priest who promises the King money from the revenues in return. He then begins to convert the Jews to Greek culture.
One day Jason sends Menelaus to make a tribute to the King. However while with the King Menelaus offers him a larger tribute if he makes him High Priest.
Menelaus once high Priest refused to pay the tribute to the King. He then also began selling gold dishes from the temple which Onias rebuked him about. He then had Onias killed.
People protested over this and Antiochus put Menelaus on trial. But Menelaus then offered money to persuade Antiochus to drop the charges. Which Ptolemy successfully did.
Menelaus remained High Priest.

CHAPTER 5: ANTIOCHUS ATTACKS JERUSALEM

King Antiochus attacks Egypt.
After hearing rumors that Antiochus died, Jason attacks Jerusalem but fails to gain control of the government and is forced to flee.
When Antiochus hears of this he attacks Jerusalem thinking that it is in revolt, and plunders it.
After leaving he sends another force to attack the Jews on Sabbath Day. Many of them fall but Judas Maccabeus and some men flee to the mountain.

CHAPTER 6: CONVERSION OF JERUSALEM

Antiochus orders Jerusalem to be converted to Greek culture. Ptolemy encourages surrounding regions to enforce Greek culture on the Jews.
Eleazar and old Jew resists the conversion, and is tortured to death.

CHAPTER 7: ANTIOCHUS TORTURES

CHAPTER 8: JUDAS LIBERATES JERUSALEM

Judas comes down from the mountains and begins recruiting men to fight.
He then start conquering various towns throughout Israel until it had been liberated.

CHAPTER 9:

Antiochus hears of Judas’s victories and plans to go defeat Judas by himself. But then he comes down with a sickness.
After being tortured by the pain of the sickness, Antiochus repents from his desire to attack the Jews.
Antiochus then writes the Jews, and sends them his blessings and tells them he is dying but his Son will take over rule

CHAPTER 10: WARS

Judas purifies the temples.
Initially the Ptolemy who was called Macron was just to the Jews, however he was soon replaced by Gorgias who was cruel to the Jews.
The Jews fought against there persecutors and were victorious.

CHAPTER 11: LYSIAS

Lysias one of the King’s officials gathers an army and attacks the Jews, but is defeated.
After his defeat Lysias gains respect for the Jews and asks King Antiochus to leave them be.
Antiochus agrees.
The Romans also agree.

CHAPTER 12: MORE WAR

CHAPTER 13: MORE WAR

Lysias and Antiochus come to Judea with an army. Menelaus encourages them but they decide to kill him.
The army attacks the Jews, but are defeated.
Phillip behind Antiochus back makes a peace treaty with the Jews.

CHAPTER 14: DEMETRIUS

Demetrius Son of Seleucus captures Antiochus and Lysias and takes control of the Empire.
Alcimus who had formerly been high priest, uses the opportunity to gain power and goes to Demetrius and encourages him to attack Israel. Demetrius select Nicanor to lead the army.
However once reaching Jerusalem Nicanor hearing of Judas’s military success makes a treaty with him instead, and encourages Judas to marry and have children, which he does.
Alcimus then goes and Informs Demetrius of the treaty. And Demetrius then sends order to Nicanor to arrest Judas.
Nicanor then begins to plot against Judas, but Judas notices a change in his behavior and decides to flee.
Nicanor then goes to temple and demands to know where Judas, but the priests do not know. He then threatens to arrest Razis one of the elder. When Nicanor returns with an army to arrest him, Razis kills himself.

CHAPTER 15: NICANOR DEFEATED