1 Maccabees 5

5And it came to pass, when the Gentiles round about heard that the altar had been built and the sanctuary dedicated, as aforetime, that they were exceeding wroth. And they determined to destroy ⁽those of⁽ the race of Jacob that were in the midst of them, and they began to slay and to destroy among the people. And Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, because they annoyed Israel by their attacks; and he smote them with a great slaughter, and humbled them, and took spoils from them. And he remembered the malice of the children of Baean, who were unto the people a snare and a stumbling-block, lying in wait for them in the ways. And they were shut up by him in the towers; and he encamped against them, and utterly destroyed them, and burnedwith firethe towers of the place, with all that were therein. Then he passed over to the children of Ammon, and found ⁽there⁽ a mighty band, and much people, and Timotheus ⁽who was⁽ their leader. And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited before him, and he smote them; and he gat possession of Jazer and the villages thereof, and returned again into Judaea.

And the Gentiles that were in Gilead gathered themselves together against the Israelites that were on their borders, to destroy them; and they fled unto the stronghold of Dathema. And they sent letters unto Judas and his brethren, saying: ‘The Gentiles that are round about us are gathered together against usto destroy us; and they are preparing to come and get possession of the stronghold whereunto we have fled for refuge; and Timotheus is leading their host. Now, therefore, come and deliver us from their hand, for a number of us are fallen, and all our brethren that were in the ⁽parts⁽ of Tubias have been put to death, and they have carried into captivity their wives and their children and their belongings, and have destroyed there about a thousand men.’ While the letters were yet being read, behold, there came other messengers from Galilee with their garments rent, bringing a report to the following effect, saying: ‘There be gathered together against them ⁽men⁽ from Ptolemais, and Tyre and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles, to consume us.’ Now when Judas and the people heard these words, there assembled together a great gathering to consult what they should do for their brethren who were in tribulation and being attacked by the enemy. And Judas said unto Simon his brother: ‘Choose out men for thyself, and go and deliver thy brethren in Galilee, while I and Jonathan my brother will go into Gilead.’ And he left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, as leaders of the people, with the rest of the army, in. Judaea, to guard it. And he commanded them, saying: ‘Take ye the charge of this people, and engage not in battle with the Gentiles until we return.’ And three thousand men were allotted unto Simon to go into Galilee, and eight thousand men unto Judas ⁽to go⁽ into Gilead.

And Simon went into Galilee, and engaged in many battles with the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were discomfited before him. And he pursued them unto the gate of Ptolemais; and there fell of the Gentiles about three thousand men, and he took their spoils. And he took those ⁽that were⁽ in Galilee and Arbatta with ⁽their⁽ wives and children, and brought them into Judaea with great gladness.

And Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan passed over Jordan, and went three days’journey in the wilderness; and they fell in with the Nabataeans, and these met them in a peaceable manner, and recounted to them all things that had befallen their brethren in Gilead; and how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and Alema, Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim,—all these cities ⁽being⁽ strong and great; and how that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of Gilead, and that on the morrow ⁽the enemies⁽ had planned to encamp against the stronghold, and to take ⁽it⁽, and to destroy all those ⁽who were in it⁽ in one day. And Judas and his army turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness unto Bosora; and he took the city, and slew all the maleswith the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned it ⁽i.e. the city⁽ with fire. And he removed thence by night, and went on until ⁽he reached⁽ the stronghold. And when it was morning they lifted up their eyes, and behold ⁽there was⁽ a great multitude which could not be numbered, bearing ladders and engines ⁽of war⁽, to take the stronghold; and they were fighting against them ⁽that were in the stronghold⁽. And when Judas saw that the battle had begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets and a great sound, he said unto the men of his host: ‘Fight this day for your brethren.’ And he went forth behind them in three companies, and they sounded with trumpets, and cried out in prayer. And the army of Timotheus perceived that it was Maccabaeus, and they fled from before him; and he smote them with a greatslaughter; and there fell of them on that day about eight thousand men. And he turned aside to Mizpeh and fought against it, and took it, and slew all the males thereof, and took the spoils thereof, and burned it with fire. From thence he removed, and took Casphor, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.

Now after these things Timotheus gathered another army, and encamped over against Raphon, beyond the brook. And Judas sent ⁽men⁽ to espy the army; and they reported to him, saying: ‘All the Gentiles that are round about us are gathered together unto them, an exceeding great host; and they have hired Arabians to help them, and are encamping beyond the brook, ready to come against thee to battle.’ And Judas went to meet them. And Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, when Judas and his army drew nigh unto the brook of water: ‘If he pass over unto us first , we shall not be able to withstand him, forhe will mightily prevail against us; but if he be afraid, and encamp beyond the river, we will cross over unto him, and prevail against him.’ Now when Judas came nigh unto the brook of water, he placed the officers of the people by the brook, and commanded them, saying: ‘Suffer no man to encamp, but let all come to the battle.’ And he crossed over first against them, and all his people after him; and all the Gentiles were discomfited before his face, and cast away their arms, and fled unto the temple of Carnaim. And they took the city, and burned the temple with fire, together with all that were therein. And Carnaim was subdued; neither could they stand any longer before the face of Judas.

And Judas gathered together all Israel, them that were in Gilead, from the least unto the greatest, and their wives, and their children, and their belongings, an exceeding great army, that they might come into the land of Judah. And they came as far as Ephron; and this was a large city at ⁽the entrance of⁽ the pass, exceeding strong; it was not ⁽possible⁽ to turn aside from it either to the right or the left, but ⁽one had⁽ to go through the midst of it. And they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with stones. And Judas sent unto them with words of peace, saying: ‘We would pass through thy land to go into our own land; and none shall harm you, we will only pass by on our feet.’ But they would not open unto him. And Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the army, that each man should encamp in the place where he was. And the men of the host encamped; and they fought against the city all that day and all that night; and the city was delivered into his hands; and he destroyed all the males with the edge of the sword, and rased the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through the city over them that were slain. And they went over Jordan into the great plain over against Bethshan. And Judas gathered together those that lagged behind, and encouraged the people all the way through until he came into the land of Judah. And they went up to mount Sion with gladness and joy, and offered whole burnt offerings, because not so much as one of them was slain until they returned in peace.

And in the days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais, Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, leaders of the armies ⁽in Judaea⁽, heard of their exploits and of the war,—what things they had done; and they said: ‘Let us also make a name for ourselves, and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us.’ And they gave charge unto the ⁽men⁽ of the host that was with them, and went toward Jamnia. And Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle. And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued unto the borders of Judaea; and there fell on that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men. And there was a great overthrow among the people, because they hearkened not unto Judas and his brethren, thinking to do some exploit. But they were not of the seed of those men, by whose hand deliverance was given unto Israel. But the man Judas and his brethren were glorified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the Gentiles, wheresoever their name was heard of; and ⁽men⁽ gathered unto them, acclaiming ⁽them⁽.

And Judas and his brethren went forth, and fought against the children of Esau in the land toward the south; and he smote Hebron and the villages thereof, and pulled down the strongholds thereof, and burned the towers thereof round about. And he removed to go into the land of the Philistines, and he went through Marisa. In that day ⁽certain⁽ priests fell in battle, desiring themselves to do exploits, in that they went out to the war unadvisedly. And Judas turned aside to Azotus, to the land of the Philistines, and pulled down their altars, and burned the carved images of their gods, and took the spoil of their cities, and returned into the land of Judah.