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 upon their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God.
26
Falling upon the steps before the altar, they besought him to be gracious to them and to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares.
27
And rising from their prayer they took up their arms and advanced a considerable distance from the city; and when they came near to the enemy they halted.
28
Just as dawn was breaking, the two armies joined battle, the one having as pledge of success and victory not only their valor but their reliance upon the Lord, while the other made rage their leader in the fight.
29
When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews.
30
Surrounding Maccabeus and protecting him with their own armor and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. And they showered arrows and thunderbolts upon the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces.
31
Twenty thousand five hundred were slaughtered, besides six hundred horsemen.
32
Timothy himself fled to a stronghold called Gazara, especially well garrisoned, where Chaereas was commander.
33
Then Maccabeus and his men were glad, and they besieged the fort for four days.