33,354 verses contain “The” (in the KJV: 32,434, in the BSB: 26,201) — showing 32,801–32,900
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So Antiochus the king camped against Dora the second day, assaulting it continually, and making engines, by which means he shut up Tryphon, that he could neither go out nor in.
Furthermore he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his friends, to commune with him, and say, Ye withhold Joppa and Gazera; with the tower that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my realm.
The borders thereof ye have wasted, and done great hurt in the land, and got the dominion of many places within my kingdom.
Or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and for the harm that ye have done, and the tributes of the cities, other five hundred talents: if not, we will come and fight against you
So Athenobius the king’s friend came to Jerusalem: and when he saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver plate, and his great attendance, he was astonished, and told him the king’s message.
Then answered Simon, and said unto him, We have neither taken other men’s land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others, but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had wrongfully in possession a certain time.
Wherefore we, having opportunity, hold the inheritance of our fathers.
In the mean time fled Tryphon by ship unto Orthosias.
Then came up John from Gazera, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done.
Wherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said unto them, I, and my brethren, and my father’s house, have ever from my youth unto this day fought against the enemies of Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
But now I am old, and ye, by God’s mercy, are of a sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go and fight for our nation, and the help from heaven be with you.
So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war with horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus, and rested that night at Modin.
So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he saw that the people were afraid to go over the water brook, he went first over himself, and then the men seeing him passed through after him.
At that time was Judas John’s brother wounded; but John still followed after them, until he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus had built.
Moreover in the plain of Jericho was Ptolemeus the son of Abubus made captain, and he had abundance of silver and gold:
For he was the high priest’s son in law.
Wherefore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the country to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against Simon and his sons to destroy them.
Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he came down himself to Jericho with his sons, Mattathias and Judas, in the hundred threescore and seventeenth year, in the eleventh month, called Sabat:
Where the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a little hold, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great banquet: howbeit he had hid men there.
So when Simon and his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemee and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and certain of his servants.
Then Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him the country and cities.
He sent others also to Gazera to kill John: and unto the tribunes he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give them silver, and gold, and rewards.
And others he sent to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
Hereof when he heard, he was sore astonished: so he laid hands on them that were come to destroy him, and slew them; for he knew that they sought to make him away.
As concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and worthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he made, and his doings,
Behold, these are written in the chronicles of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.
The brethren, the Jews that be at Jerusalem and in the land of Judea, wish unto the brethren, the Jews that are throughout Egypt health and peace:
What time as Demetrius reigned, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we the Jews wrote unto you in the extremity of trouble that came upon us in those years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and kingdom,
And now see that ye keep the feast of tabernacles in the month Casleu.
For he cast them out that fought within the holy city.
For when the leader was come into Persia, and the army with him that seemed invincible, they were slain in the temple of Nanea by the deceit of Nanea’s priests.
Which when the priests of Nanea had set forth, and he was entered with a small company into the compass of the temple, they shut the temple as soon as Antiochus was come in:
Blessed be our God in all things, who hath delivered up the ungodly.
Therefore whereas we are now purposed to keep the purification of the temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, we thought it necessary to certify you thereof, that ye also might keep it, as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire, which was given us when Neemias offered sacrifice, after that he had builded the temple and the altar.
The only giver of all things, the only just, almighty, and everlasting, thou that deliverest Israel from all trouble, and didst choose the fathers, and sanctify them:
Receive the sacrifice for thy whole people Israel, and preserve thine own portion, and sanctify it.
And the priests sung psalms of thanksgiving.
Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Neemias commanded the water that was left to be poured on the great stones.
Then the king, inclosing the place, made it holy, after he had tried the matter.
And the king took many gifts, and bestowed thereof on those whom he would gratify.
It is also found in the records, that Jeremy the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as it hath been signified:
And with other such speeches exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts.
And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.
And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it.
Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.
Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.
It was also declared, that he being wise offered the sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.
And as when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifices: even so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings.
And Moses said, Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was consumed.
The same things also were reported in the writings and commentaries of Neemias; and how he founding a library gathered together the acts of the kings, and the prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings concerning the holy gifts.
In like manner also Judas gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the war we had, and they remain with us,
Wherefore if ye have need thereof, send some to fetch them unto you.
Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we have written unto you, and ye shall do well, if ye keep the same days.
We hope also, that the God, that delivered all his people, and gave them all an heritage, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctuary,
As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of every land under heaven into the holy place: for he hath delivered us out of great troubles, and hath purified the place.
Now as concerning Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,
And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,
For considering the infinite number, and the difficulty which they find that desire to look into the narrations of the story, for the variety of the matter,
We have been careful, that they that will read may have delight, and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might have ease, and that all into whose hands it comes might have profit.
Leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular, and labouring to follow the rules of an abridgement.
To stand upon every point, and go over things at large, and to be curious in particulars, belongeth to the first author of the story:
But to use brevity, and avoid much labouring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment.
Now when the holy city was inhabited with all peace, and the laws were kept very well, because of the godliness of Onias the high priest, and his hatred of wickedness,
It came to pass that even the kings themselves did honour the place, and magnify the temple with their best gifts;