34
Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning those who dwelt in Judah and Jerusalem,
35
to wit, that he should send an army against them to destroy and root out the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memory from that place;
36
and that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
37
So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed over the River Euphrates, he went through the high countries.
38
Then Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends;
39
and with them he sent forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horsemen to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
40
So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched camp by Emmaus in the plain country.
41
And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took very much silver and gold, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves. A power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.
42
Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces were encamped in their borders (for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people and utterly abolish them),
43
they said one to another, "Let us restore the decayed estate of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary."
44
Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray and ask mercy and compassion.