29
They left there and marched all night to the fortress at Dathema.
30
At dawn Judas and his men saw a vast army attacking the fortress; they were bringing up ladders, siege platforms, and battering rams in an effort to capture it.
31
When Judas heard the noise, the shouts, and the sound of trumpets coming from the city, he realized that the battle had begun,
32
so he said to his men, "Fight today for our fellow Jews!"
33
He ordered his men to march in three columns and attack the enemy from the rear. As they moved forward, they blew trumpets and shouted prayers.
34
When the army under Timothy's command saw that it was Judas Maccabeus, the soldiers turned and fled. Judas crushed them and killed about 8,000 men that day.
35
Then Judas turned aside to attack the town of Alema; he captured it and killed all the men in it. He looted the town and set fire to it.
36
From there he went on and captured Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other towns of Gilead.
37
After this, Timothy gathered another army and camped opposite Raphon, on the other side of a river.
38
Judas sent some men to spy on the camp, and they reported back to him that all the Gentiles in the region had joined Timothy and had formed a large army.
39
Timothy had also hired Arab mercenaries to help him, and these were camped on the other side of the river ready to attack Judas. So Judas went out to meet them in battle.