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.
40
As Judas and his army came closer to the water, Timothy said to his officers, "If he keeps on coming and crosses the river, we won't be able to turn back his attack, and he will defeat us.
41
But if he is afraid and stops on the other side of the river, we will cross over to attack and defeat him."
42
When Judas reached the bank of the river, he gave orders to his officers to let no one stop but to push everyone forward into battle.
43
Judas was the first to cross the river against the enemy, and all his men followed him. The Gentiles broke ranks before them, threw away their arms, and fled to the pagan temple at Karnaim.