33
Early in the morning the king rose and took his army by a forced march along the road to Beth-zechariah, and his troops made ready for battle and sounded their trumpets.
34
They showed the elephants the juice of grapes and mulberries, to arouse them for battle.
35
And they distributed the beasts among the phalanxes; with each elephant they stationed a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and with brass helmets on their heads; and five hundred picked horsemen were assigned to each beast.
36
These took their position beforehand wherever the beast was; wherever it went they went with it, and they never left it.
37
And upon the elephants were wooden towers, strong and covered; they were fastened upon each beast by special harness, and upon each were four armed men who fought from there, and also its Indian driver.
38
The rest of the horsemen were stationed on either side, on the two flanks of the army, to harass the enemy while being themselves protected by the phalanxes.
39
When the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the hills were ablaze with them and gleamed like flaming torches.
40
Now a part of the king's army was spread out on the high hills, and some troops were on the plain, and they advanced steadily and in good order.
41
All who heard the noise made by their multitude, by the marching of the multitude and the clanking of their arms, trembled, for the army was very large and strong.
42
But Judas and his army advanced to the battle, and six hundred men of the king's army fell.
43
And Eleazar, called Avaran, saw that one of the beasts was equipped with royal armor. It was taller than all the others, and he supposed that the king was upon it.