1 Maccabees 5:21–54

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.