21
When word of what had happened came to Maccabeus, he gathered the leaders of the people, and accused these men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.
22
Then he killed these men who had turned traitor, and immediately captured the two towers.
23
Having success at arms in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.
24
Now Timothy, who had been defeated by the Jews before, gathered a tremendous force of mercenaries and collected the cavalry from Asia in no small number. He came on, intending to take Judea by storm.
25
As he drew near, Maccabeus and his men sprinkled dust on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God.