Liberation of Galilean Jews
9 Then the Gentiles in Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived in their territory, planning to destroy them. So the Jews fled to the fortress of Dathema.
10
They sent a letter to Judas and his brothers: The Gentiles around us have gathered to destroy us.
11
They are making preparations to come and capture the fortress to which we've escaped, and Timothy is leading them.
12
Please, come and rescue us from them because many of us have died already.
13
Our people who were in the land of Tob have been killed. The enemy captured their wives, children, and goods. They killed nearly a thousand people there.
14
While the letter was still being read, other messengers from Galilee, with torn clothing, said similar things.
15
They related that the people of Ptolemais, Tyre, Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles had gathered together "to annihilate us."
16
When Judas and the people heard all this, a great assembly was called to decide what they should do to assist their people who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies.
17
Then Judas said to Simon his brother: "Choose your men and go rescue your people in Galilee. My brother Jonathan and I will go to Gilead."
18
He left Joseph, Zechariah's son, and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the rest of the forces in Judea to guard it.
19
He commanded them, "Take charge of this people, but don't engage in battle with the Gentiles before we return."
20
Three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand were to go with Judas to Gilead.
21
So Simon went to Galilee, fought several battles with the Gentiles, and crushed them.
22
He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais. As many as three thousand Gentiles died, and he plundered their possessions.
23
Then he took the Jews of Galilee and Arbatta, together with their wives and children and all they owned, and led them to Judea with great rejoicing.