22
Judas said: "Lord, when Hezekiah was king of Judah, you sent your angel, who killed 185,000 of King Sennacherib's men.
1
23
Now once again, Lord of heaven, send your good angel to make our enemies shake and tremble with fear.
24
With your great power, destroy these people who have slandered you and have come out to attack your chosen people." So Judas ended his prayer.
25
Nicanor and his army moved forward to the sound of trumpets and battle songs,
2
26
but Judas and his men went into battle calling on God for help.
27
So by fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, the Jews killed more than 35,000 of the enemy. How grateful they were for the help they had received from God!
28
When the battle was over and they were going home celebrating their victory, they noticed Nicanor in full armor lying dead on the battlefield.
29
Then with loud shouts they praised the Lord in their native language.
30
Judas Maccabeus, who had always fought with all his body and soul for his own people, never losing the patriotism of his youth, ordered his men to cut off Nicanor's head and right arm and to take them to Jerusalem.
31
When they arrived in the city, he called together all the people, stationed the priests before the altar, and sent for the men in the fort.
32
He showed them the head of the evil Nicanor and the arm which that wicked man had arrogantly stretched out against the sacred Temple of the Almighty God.