3. He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many nations; the earth fell silent before him, and his heart became proud and arrogant.
4. He collected a very strong army and won dominion over provinces, nations, and rulers, and they paid him tribute.
5. But after all this he took to his bed, realizing that he was going to die.
6. So he summoned his noblest officers, who had been brought up with him from his youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive.
7. Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.
8. So his officers took over his kingdom, each in his own territory,
9. and after his death they all put on diadems, and so did their sons after them for many years, multiplying evils on the earth.
10. There sprang from these a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11. In those days there appeared in Israel transgressors of the law who seduced many, saying: “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.”
12. The proposal was agreeable;
13. some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the ordinances of the Gentiles.
14. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom.
15. They disguised their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.
16. When his kingdom seemed secure, Antiochus undertook to become king of the land of Egypt and to rule over both kingdoms.
17. He invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots, elephants and cavalry, and with a large fleet,
18. to make war on Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Ptolemy was frightened at his presence and fled, and many were wounded and fell dead.
19. The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the land of Egypt.