48 The king's army went up to Jerusalem against them. The king camped in Judea and at Mount Zion.
49
He made peace with the people of Beth-zur. They evacuated the town because they lacked sufficient resources there to withstand a siege (it was a sabbatical year for the land).
50
So the king took Beth-zur and positioned a guard unit there to hold it.
51
Then he camped in front of the sanctuary for many days. He set up siege towers, war engines that threw fire and rocks, machines to shoot darts, and catapults.
52
The Jews made war engines to match theirs, and they battled for many days.
53
But they had no food in storage since it was the seventh year. Those people who had found safe haven in Judea from the Gentiles had eaten the last of the food.
54
Only a few people remained in the sanctuary. The famine was so intense that the others had scattered to their own homes.