Battle at Emmaus
1 Gorgias took five thousand infantry and one thousand select cavalry, and this division moved out secretly at night.
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He wanted to come to the Jewish camp and attack without warning. Men from the elevated fortress served as his guides.
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But Judas heard about it, and he and his warriors moved out to attack the king's forces in Emmaus
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while the division was absent from the camp.
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So when Gorgias entered Judas' camp during the night, there was no one there. He started looking for them in the hills, because he said, "These men are running away from us."
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At daybreak, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men. But they didn't have armor and swords such as they would have liked.
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They saw the Gentile camp, strongly fortified, surrounded by cavalry clearly trained in warfare.
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Judas said to those who were with him: "Don't fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge.
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Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh was pursuing them with his forces.
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So let's cry to heaven to see if the heavenly one will favor us and remember his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army in front of us today.
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Then all the Gentiles will know that there is someone who redeems and saves Israel."
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The foreigners looked up and saw the Israelites coming against them.
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They went out from their camp to engage them in battle. The men with Judas blew their trumpets, and the battle began.
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The Gentiles were crushed and fled into the plain.
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All those who were in the rear were killed by the sword. The Israelites pursued them to Gazara, to the plains of Idumea, and to Azotus and Jamnia. Three thousand Gentiles died.
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Judas and his forces stopped pursuing them.
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He said to everyone: "Don't be greedy to plunder, for there is still a battle ahead of us.
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Gorgias and his force are still near us in the hills. Stand now against our enemies and fight them. Then afterward boldly seize the spoils."
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Just as Judas said this, a detachment of Gentiles cautiously appeared, coming out of the hills.
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They saw that their army had been put to flight and that the Jews were burning the camp, as evident from the smoke over the area.
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When they saw the devastation and noticed Judas' army in the plain ready for battle, they were terrified.
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They ran away into the land of the Philistines.
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So Judas went back to plunder the camp. His army took a great amount of gold and silver, cloth that was dyed blue and purple, and great riches.
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As they returned, they sang hymns and songs of praise to heaven: "God is good, because his mercy endures forever."
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That day Israel had a great deliverance.