2. with men from the fort in Jerusalem as his guides. He had planned to make a surprise attack on the Jewish army,
3. but Judas learnt of the plan and moved out with his men to attack the king's army at Emmaus
4. while Gorgias and his troops were still away from the camp.
5. When Gorgias and his army reached Judas' camp that night, they found no one there. They thought Judas and his men were trying to escape, so they started looking for them in the mountains.
6. At dawn Judas appeared in the plain with 3,000 men, not all of them as well armed as they would have liked.
7. They saw the huge Gentile army of experienced troops wearing armour and protected by cavalry.
8. But Judas said to his men, “Don't worry about the size of their army, and don't be frightened when they attack.
9. Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea when the king of Egypt was pursuing them with his army!
17-18. he said to his men, “Don't be greedy for loot. Gorgias and his army are near by in the mountains, so there is still heavy fighting ahead of us. We must stand firm and fight. After that, you can safely take all the loot you want.”
19. Judas was just finishing his speech when an enemy patrol on a scouting mission looked down from the mountains
20. and saw that their army had been put to flight; they could tell from the smoke that their camp was burning.
21. When they saw all this, they were terrified, and when they also saw that Judas' army was in the plain ready for battle,
22. they all fled to Philistia.
23. Then Judas returned to loot the enemy camp; he took large amounts of gold and silver, blue and purple cloth, and other rich plunder.
24. When the Jews came back to their own camp, they sang a hymn: “The Lord is worthy of praise; his mercy endures for ever.”
25. That day brought a great victory to the people of Israel.
26. The Gentile troops that escaped went to Lysias and reported all that had happened.
27. When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle, he was shocked and disappointed that Israel had not been defeated as the king had commanded.
28. In the following year Lysias gathered an army of 60,000 well-trained infantry and 5,000 cavalry, intending to conquer the Jews.
29. They marched into Idumea and camped at Bethzur. Judas came to meet them with 10,000 men.
30. When Judas saw how strong the enemy's army was, he prayed, “We will praise you, Saviour of Israel. You broke the attack of the giant by the hand of your servant David and you let Saul's son Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons defeat the entire Philistine army.
31. Now in the same way let your people Israel defeat our enemy. Put them to shame, in spite of all their confidence in their infantry and cavalry.
32. Make them afraid; let their bold strength melt away; let them tremble at the prospect of defeat.