1. In the one hundred and fifty-first year, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, departed from the city of Rome, and he went up with a few men to a maritime city, and he reigned there.
2. And it happened that, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, the army captured Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him.
3. And the matter became known to him, and he said, "Do not show me their face."
4. And so the army killed them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom.
5. And there came to him iniquitous and impious men from Israel. And Alcimus was their leader, who wanted to be made a priest.
6. And they accused the people to the king, saying: "Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends, and he has scattered us from our land.
7. Now, therefore, send a man, whom you trust, and let him go and see all the destruction he has done to us and to the regions of the king. And let him punish all his friends and their helpers."
8. And so the king chose, from among his friends, Bacchides, who ruled across the great river in the kingdom, and who was faithful to the king. And he sent him
9. to see the destruction that Judas had done. Moreover, he appointed the wicked Alcimus to the priesthood, and he commanded him to take revenge on the sons of Israel.
10. And they rose up and came forth with a great army into the land of Judah. And they sent messengers, who spoke to Judas and his brothers with words of peace, in deceitfulness.
11. But they did not heed their words, for they saw that they arrived with a great army.
12. Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides, a congregation of scribes, to seek just terms.
13. And first, the Hasideans, who were among the sons of Israel, also sought peace from them.
14. For they said, "A man who is a priest from the offspring of Aaron has arrived; he will not deceive us."
15. And he spoke to them peaceful words, and he swore to them, saying, "We will not carry out any evil against you or your friends."
16. And they believed him. And he captured sixty of their men and killed them in one day, according to the word that is written:
17. The flesh of your saints, and their blood, they have poured out all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them.
18. Then fear and trembling hovered over all the people. For they said: "There is no truth or judgment among them. For they have transgressed the agreement and the oath that they swore."
19. And Bacchides moved the camp from Jerusalem, and he took up a position at Bethzaith. And he sent and captured many of those who had fled from him, and some of the people he killed in sacrifice, and he threw them into a great pit.
20. Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and he left behind troops with him to assist him. And so Bacchides went away to the king.