XII. When these covenants were made, aLysias went unto the king, and bthe Jews were about their husbandry. 2 * But of the governors of several places, cTimotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and besides them dNicanor the governor of eCyprus, fwould not suffer them ffto be quiet, and live in peace. 3 The men of gJoppe also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt. 4 Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them. 5 When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to make them ready. 6 And calling upon God hthe righteous Judge, he came against those murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew. 7 And when the town was shut up, he went backward, * as if he would return to root out all them of the city of gJoppe. 8 But when he heard that the iJamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them, 9 he came upon the iJamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven and the jnavy, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off. 10 Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward cTimotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the kArabians set upon him. 11 Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but lJudas’ side llby the help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, besought Judas mfor peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to pleasure him otherwise. 12 Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and so they * departed to their tents.

13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers countries; and the name of it was nCaspis. 14 But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved themselves rudely toward lthem that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken. 15 Wherefore lJudas with his company, calling upon the great oLord of the world, who without any rams or engines of war pdid cast down qJericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls, 16 and took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood. 17 Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to rCharaca unto sthe Jews that are called tTubieni. 18 But as for cTimotheus, they found him not in uthe places: for before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, vhaving left a very strong garrison in a certain uhold. 19 Howbeit wDositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus’ captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.

20 And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set * them over the xbands, and ywent against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen. 21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas’ coming, he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called * Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason of the straitness of all the places. 22 But when Judas his first xband came in sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through zthe appearing of him that seeth all things, fled amain, one running this way, another that way, so as that they were often hurt of atheir own men, and wounded with the points of their own swords. 23 Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those bwicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men. 24 Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of cDositheus and Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Jews’ parents, and the brethren of some of them, who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded. 25 So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let him go for the saving of their brethren.

26 dThen Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and eto the temple of * Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand fpersons. 27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed the host towards gEphron, a strong city, wherein hLysias abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls, and defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and darts. 28 But when Judas and his company had called upon iAlmighty God, who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, kthey won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within. 29 From thence they departed to lScythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem. 30 But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the lScythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity; 31 they gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so mthey came to Jerusalem, nthe feast of the weeks approaching. 32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against oGorgias the governor of * pIdumea, 33 qwho came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen. 34 And it happened that in their fighting together ra few of the Jews were slain. 35 At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still upon oGorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him * smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto sMarisa. 36 Now when cthey that were with * Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle. 37 And with that he began tin his own language, and sung ttpsalms with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon cGorgias’ men, he put them to flight. 38 So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of uOdollam. And when the seventh day came, they purified themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.

39 And upon vthe day following, * as the vvuse had been, cJudas and his company came to take up rthe bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers’ graves. 40 Now under the coats of revery one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of wthe Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews xby the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain. 41 All men therefore praising the Lord, ythe righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid, 42 betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sin of those that were slain. 43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand zdrachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem ato offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, bin that he was mindful of the resurrection: 44 for bif he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and cvain to pray for the dead: 45 band also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that ddied godly, It was a holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.