4
He took no account whatever of the power of God, but was elated with his ten thousands of infantry, and his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants.
5
Invading Judea, he approached Beth-zur, which was a fortified place about five stadia from Jerusalem, and pressed it hard.
6
When Maccabeus and his men got word that Lysias was besieging the strongholds, they and all the people, with lamentations and tears, prayed the Lord to send a good angel to save Israel.
7
Maccabeus himself was the first to take up arms, and he urged the others to risk their lives with him to aid their kindred. Then they eagerly rushed off together.
8
And there, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white and brandishing weapons of gold.
9
And together they all praised the merciful God, and were strengthened in heart, ready to assail not only humans but the wildest animals or walls of iron.
10
They advanced in battle order, having their heavenly ally, for the Lord had mercy on them.
11
They hurled themselves like lions against the enemy, and laid low eleven thousand of them and sixteen hundred cavalry, and forced all the rest to flee.
12
Most of them got away stripped and wounded, and Lysias himself escaped by disgraceful flight.
13
As he was not without intelligence, he pondered over the defeat that had befallen him, and realized that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God fought on their side. So he sent to them
14
and persuaded them to settle everything on just terms, promising that he would persuade the king, constraining him to be their friend.