2 Maccabees 2
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1IT is founde also in the writings of Ieremias the Prophet, that he commanded them, which were caried away, to take fyre, as was declared,& as the Prophet commanded them that were led into captiuitie, 2* Giuing them a Law that they shulde not forget the commandements of the Lord, & that they shulde not erre in their mindes, when they sawe images of golde and siluer, with their ornaments. 3These and suche other things commanded he them, and exhorted them that they shuld not let the Law go out of their hearts. 4It is writen also, how the Prophet, by an oracle that he had, charged them to take the tabernacle and the arke, and follow him: & when he came vp into the mountaine where Moyses went vp, *and sawe the heritage of God, 5Ieremias went forthe, and founde an hollowe caue, wherein he laid the Tabernacle, and the Arke, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the dore. 6And there came certeine of those that followed him, to marke the place: but they colde not finde it. 7Which when Ieremias perceiued, he reproued them, saying, As for that place, it shalbe vnknowen, vntil the time that God gather his people together againe,& that mercie be shewed. 8Then shal the Lord shewe them these things, and the maiestie of the Lord shal appeare and the cloude also, as it was shewed vnder Moyses, and as*when Salomon desired, that the place might be honorably sanctified. 9For it is manifest that he, being a wise man, offred the sacrifice of dedication, and consecracion of the Temple. 10*And as when Moyses prayed vnto the Lord, the fyre came downe from heauen, & consumed the sacrifice: so, when Salomon prayed,*the fyre came downe from heauen, and consumed the burnt offring. 11And Moyses said, Because the sinoffring was not eaten, therefore is it consumed. 12So Salomon kept those eight dayes. 13These things also are declared in the writings, and registers of Neemias, and how he made a librarie, and how he gathered the actes of the Kings,& of the Prophets, and the actes of Dauid, and the epistles of the Kings concerning the holie giftes. 14Euen so Iudas also gathered all things that came to passe by the warres that were among vs, which things we haue. 15Wherefore if ye haue nede thereof, send some to fetche them vnto you . 16Where as we then are about to celebrate the purification, we haue writen vnto you, and ye shal do wel, if ye kepe the same dayes. 17We hope also that the God, which deliuered all his people, and gaue an heritage to them all & the kingdome, & the priesthode, and the Sanctuarie, 18*As he promised in the Law, wil shortly haue mercy vpon vs, & gather vs together from vnder the heauen into his holie place: for he hathe saued vs from great perils, and hathe clensed the place. 19As concerning Iudas Maccabeus, & his brethren, the purification of the great Temple, and the dedicacion of the altar, 20And the warres against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his sonne, 21And the manifest signes, that came from heauen vnto those, which manfully stode for the Iewes religion:(for thogh they were but fewe, yet they ranne through whole countreis, and pursued the barbarous armies, 22And repaired the Temple that was renoumed thorow out all the worlde, and deliuered the citie, and established the Lawes, that were like to be abolished, because the Lord was merciful vnto them with all lenitie) 23We wil assay to abbridge in one volume those things, that Iason the Cyrenean hathe declared in fiue bokes. 24For considering the wonderful nomber, & the difficultie that thei haue that wolde be occupied in the rehearsal of stories, because of the diuersitie of the matters, 25We haue indeuored, that they that wolde read, might haue pleasure, and that thei which are studious, might easily kepe them in memorie, & that whosoeuer read them, might haue profite. 26Therefore to vs that haue taken in hand this great labour, it was no easie thing to make this abbridgement, but required bothe the sweat, and watching. 27Like as he that maketh a feast, & seketh other mens commoditie, hathe no smale labour: so we also for manie mens sakes are verie wel content to vndertake this great labour. 28Leauing to the autor the exact diligence of euerie particular, we wil labour to go forwarde according to the prescript order of an abbridgement. 29For as he that wil buylde a newe house, must prouide for the whole buylding, but he that setteth out the plat or goeth about to painte it, seketh but onely what is comlie for the decking thereof: 30Euen so I thinke for vs, that it apperteineth to the first writer of a storie to enter depely into it, and to make mencion of all things, and to be curious in euerie parte. 31But it is permitted to him that wil shorten it, to vse fewe wordes, and to auoyde those things that are curious therein. 32Here then wil we beginne the storie, adding thus muche to our former wordes, that it is but a foolish thing to abonde in wordes before the storie, and to be shorte in the storie.