10
When Judas learned of this, he told the people to pray to the Lord day and night, because they were in danger of losing their Law, their country, and their holy Temple. As never before, they needed his help and protection
11
to keep their newly restored country from falling into the hands of godless Gentiles.
12
For three days the people did nothing but lie face down on the ground, fasting and crying, begging the merciful Lord for his help. Then Judas spoke words of encouragement to the people, urging them to get ready for action.
13
Afterward, Judas met privately with the Jewish leaders and decided to march out with God's help to battle against the king, rather than to wait for Antiochus to invade Judea and besiege Jerusalem.
14
Then, leaving the outcome of the battle to the Creator of the world, Judas encouraged his men to fight bravely and to be willing to die for their laws, the Temple, Jerusalem, their country, and their whole way of life. They set up camp near the city of Modein.
15
Judas gave his men the battle cry, "Victory comes from God," and that night, with a picked force of his bravest young men, he attacked the area near the king's tent and killed as many as 2,000 men. They also stabbed to death the lead elephant and its keeper.
16
Everyone in camp was terrified and in panic when Judas and his men finally left victoriously
17
just before dawn. The help and protection of the Lord had made all this possible.
18
This taste of Jewish daring was enough to convince King Antiochus that he had to find some better way of capturing the Jewish positions.
19
He attacked the strong Jewish fort of Bethzur, but was repeatedly beaten back and finally defeated.
20
Judas sent supplies to the men who were defending the fort,