6 including the huge army Lysias led there. They are now a powerful force because they have taken a lot of weapons, supplies, and other things from the armies they defeated.
7 The Jews have always despised the “Horrible Thing” you placed on their altar in Jerusalem. Now they have torn it down and once again built high walls around their temple and turned your town of Beth-Zur into a fortress.
8 Antiochus was so shocked and discouraged by this report that he got sick and had to stay in bed
9 for many days. He never got over the shock, and just before he died,
10 he called together his trusted friends and said:I can't close my eyes at night. I'm sick from worry
11 and keep saying to myself, “How did you ever get into such a mess? Why are you up to your neck in troubles? After all, you're a kind ruler, and everyone likes you.”
12 My friends, I can't forget about the crimes I committed in Jerusalem. I robbed the city of its silver and gold, and I sent soldiers to murder the innocent people of Judea.