6
Therefore he came at them unawares, and burned up towns and cities and got into his hands the most commodious places, and overcame and put to flight no small number of his enemies.
7
But especially took he advantage of the night for such secret attempts, insomuch that the report of his manliness was spread everywhere.
8
So when Philip saw that this man increased little by little, and that things prospered with him still more and more, he wrote unto Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, to yield more aid to the king's affairs.
9
Then forthwith, choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, he sent him with no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations under him to root out the whole generation of the Jews; and with him he joined also Gorgias, a captain who in matters of war had great experience.
10
So Nicanor undertook to make so much money from the captive Jews, that it should defray the tribute of two thousand talents, which the king was to pay to the Romans.
11
Therefore immediately he sent to the cities upon the seacoast, proclaiming a sale of the captive Jews and promising that they would have fourscore and ten bodies for one talent, not expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from the Almighty God.
12
Now when word was brought unto Judas of Nicanor's coming, and he had imparted unto those who were with him that the army was at hand,
13
those who were fearful and distrusted the justice of God fled, and conveyed themselves away.
14
Others sold all that they had left, and thereupon besought the Lord to deliver them, being sold by the wicked Nicanor before they met together,
15
and if not for their own sakes, yet for the covenants He had made with their fathers and for His holy and glorious name's sake by which they were called.
16
So Maccabeus called his men together unto the number of six thousand, and exhorted them not to be stricken with terror by the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen who came wrongly against them, but to fight manfully,