and fled, and many fell mortally
wounded. And they seized the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he
took the spoils of Egypt.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 1:20-22, 24-28]
Then after Antiochus had conquered Egypt he returned in the hundred and
forty-third year (169 B.C.) and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with
a great multitude. And he insolently went into the sanctuary, and took the
golden altar, and the candelabrum, and all that belonged to the table of
the showbread, and the cups for libations, and the bowls, and the golden
censers, and the curtain and the garlands; and the decorations which were
on the front of the temple--he scaled them all off. And taking all, he
went away into his own land, after he had made a great slaughter, and had
spoken very insolently. Thus a great mourning came to the Israelites
wherever they were.

And the rulers and elders groaned,
he virgins and young men were made feeble.
And the beauty of the women was changed.

Every bridegroom took up a lamentation,
She that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness.
And the land was shaken because of its inhabitants,
And all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 1:29-40]
After two years the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities
of Judah, who came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he spoke words
of peace to deceive them, and they trusted him. Then he attacked the
city suddenly, and inflicted a severe blow on it, and destroyed many
Israelites. And he took the spoils of the city, and set it on fire, and
pulled down its houses and walls on every side. They took captive the
women and the children, and gained possession of the cattle. Then they
walled in the city of David with a great and strong wall, with strong
towers, and it served as a citadel. And they put there sinful people,
lawless men. And they fortified themselves in it. And they stored up
weapons and food and, gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they
stowed them away there.

And the citadel became a great trap,
And served as a place of ambush against the sanctuary,
And an evil adversary to Israel continually.
And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary
And polluted the sanctuary.
Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of this,
And she became the habitation of foreigners.
And she became strange to those who were born in her,
And her children forsook her.
Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness.