19
Judas was just finishing his speech when an enemy patrol on a scouting mission looked down from the mountains
20
and saw that their army had been put to flight; they could tell from the smoke that their camp was burning.
21
When they saw all this, they were terrified, and when they also saw that Judas' army was in the plain ready for battle,
22
they all fled to Philistia.
23
Then Judas returned to loot the enemy camp; he took large amounts of gold and silver, blue and purple cloth, and other rich plunder.
24
When the Jews came back to their own camp, they sang a hymn: "The Lord is worthy of praise; his mercy endures forever."
25
That day brought a great victory to the people of Israel.
26
The Gentile troops that escaped went to Lysias and reported all that had happened.
27
When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle, he was shocked and disappointed that Israel had not been defeated as the king had commanded.
28
In the following year Lysias gathered an army of 60,000 well-trained infantry and 5,000 cavalry, intending to conquer the Jews.
29
They marched into Idumea and camped at Bethzur. Judas came to meet them with 10,000 men.