1 Maccabees 5:24–54

²⁴Judas Maccabeus also and his brother Jonathan went over Jordan, and travelled three days’ journey in the wilderness, ²⁵Where they met with the Nabathites, who came unto them in a peaceable manner, and told them every thing that had happened to their brethren in the land of Galaad: ²⁶And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and Alema, Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great: ²⁷And that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the country of Galaad, and that against to morrow they had appointed to bring their host against the forts, and to take them, and to destroy them all in one day.

²⁸Hereupon Judas and his host turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness unto Bosora; and when he had won the city, he slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned the city with fire, ²⁹From whence he removed by night, and went till he came to the fortress. ³⁰And betimes in the morning they looked up, and, behold, there was an innumerable people bearing ladders and other engines of war, to take the fortress: for they assaulted them. ³¹When Judas therefore saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets, and a great sound, ³²He said unto his host, Fight this day for your brethren. ³³So he went forth behind them in three companies, who sounded their trumpets, and cried with prayer. ³⁴Then the host of Timotheus, knowing that it was Maccabeus, fled from him: wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter; so that there were killed of them that day about eight thousand men.

³⁵This done, Judas turned aside to Maspha; and after he had assaulted it he took and slew all the males therein, and received the spoils thereof and burnt it with fire. ³⁶From thence went he, and took Casphon, Maged, Bosor, and the other cities of the country of Galaad.

³⁷After these things gathered Timotheus another host and encamped against Raphon beyond the brook. ³⁸So Judas sent men to espy the host, who brought him word, saying, All the heathen that be round about us are assembled unto them, even a very great host. ³⁹He hath also hired the Arabians to help them and they have pitched their tents beyond the brook, ready to come and fight against thee. Upon this Judas went to meet them.

⁴⁰Then Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, When Judas and his host come near the brook, if he pass over first unto us, we shall not be able to withstand him; for he will mightily prevail against us: ⁴¹But if he be afraid, and camp beyond the river, we shall go over unto him, and prevail against him. ⁴²Now when Judas came near the brook, he caused the scribes of the people to remain by the brook: unto whom he gave commandment, saying, Suffer no man to remain in the camp, but let all come to the battle. ⁴³So he went first over unto them, and all the people after him: then all the heathen, being discomfited before him, cast away their weapons, and fled unto the temple that was at Carnaim. ⁴⁴But they took the city, and burned the temple with all that were therein. Thus was Carnaim subdued, neither could they stand any longer before Judas.

⁴⁵Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the country of Galaad, from the least unto the greatest, even their wives, and their children, and their stuff, a very great host, to the end they might come into the land of Judea. ⁴⁶Now when they came unto Ephron, (this was a great city in the way as they should go, very well fortified) they could not turn from it, either on the right hand or the left, but must needs pass through the midst of it. ⁴⁷Then they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with stones. ⁴⁸Whereupon Judas sent unto them in peaceable manner, saying, Let us pass through your land to go into our own country, and none shall do you any hurt; we will only pass through on foot: howbeit they would not open unto him. ⁴⁹Wherefore Judas commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the host, that every man should pitch his tent in the place where he was. ⁵⁰So the soldiers pitched, and assaulted the city all that day and all that night, till at the length the city was delivered into his hands: ⁵¹Who then slew 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.

⁵²After this went they over Jordan into the great plain before Bethsan. ⁵³And Judas gathered together those that came behind, and exhorted the people all the way through, till they came into the land of Judea. ⁵⁴So they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, where they offered burnt offerings, because not one of them were slain until they had returned in peace.