NOW when the nations round about heard that the altar was built and the sanctuary renewed as before, it displeased them very much.
Wherefore they thought to destroy the generation of Ya`aqov that was among them, and thereupon they began to slay and destroy the people.
Then Yahudah fought against the children of Esau in Edom at Arabattine, because they besieged Ga'el: and he gave them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.
Also he remembered the injury of the children of Be'an, who had been a snare and an offence unto the people, in that they lay in wait for them in the ways.
He shut them up therefore in the towers, and encamped against them, and destroyed them utterly, and burned the towers of that place with fire, and all that were therein.
Afterward he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and much people, with Timotheus their captain.
So he fought many battles with them, till at length they were discomfited before him; and he smote them.
And when he had taken Yazar, with the towns belonging thereto, he returned into Yahudah.
Then the heathen that were at Gil`ad assembled themselves together against Yashar'el that were in their quarters, to destroy them; but they fled to the fortress of Dathema.
And sent cepheriym unto Yahudah and his brethren, The heathen that are round about us are assembled together against us to destroy us:
And they are preparing to come and take the fortress whereunto we are fled, Timotheus being captain of their host.
Come now therefore, and deliver us from their hands, for many of us are slain:
Yea, all our brethren that were in the places of Toviyahu are put to death: their women and their children also they have carried away captives, and borne away their stuff; and they have destroyed there about a thousand men.
While these cepheriym were yet reading, behold, there came other messengers from Galiyl with their clothes rent, who reported on this wise,
And said, They of Akko, and of Tsor, and Tsiydon, and all Galiyl of the other nations, are assembled together against us to consume us.
Now when Yahudah and the people heard these words, there assembled a great assembly together, to consult what they should do for their brethren, that were in trouble, and assaulted of them.
Then said Yahudah unto Shim`on his brother, Choose you out men, and go and deliver your brethren that are in Galiyl, for I and Yonathan my brother will go into the country of Gil'ad.
So he left Yoceph the son of Zakaryahu, and Azaryahu, captains of the people, with the remnant of the host in Yahudah to keep it.
Unto whom he gave commandment, saying, Take ye the charge of this people, and see that ye make not war against the heathen until the time that we come again.
Now unto Shim`on were given three thousand men to go into Galiyl, and unto Yahudah eight thousand men for the country of Gil'ad.
Then went Shim`on into Galiyl, where he fought many battles with the heathen, so that the heathen were discomfited by him.
And he pursued them unto the gate of Akko; and there were slain of the heathen about three thousand men, whose spoils he took.
And those that were in Galiyl, and in Arbattis, with their women and their children, and all that they had, took he away with him, and brought them into Yahudah with great joy.
Yahudah Makkabiy also and his brother Yonathan went over the Yardan, and travelled three days' journey in the wilderness,
Where they met with the Nabathiym, who came unto them in a peaceable manner, and told them everything that had happened to their brethren in the land of Gil'ad:
And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Be'or, and Alema, Kasphor, Maged, and Ashteroth Qarnayim; all these cities are strong and great:
And that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the country of Gil`ad, and that against tomorrow they had appointed to bring their host against the forts, and to take them, and to destroy them all in one day.
Hereupon Yahudah 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,
From whence he removed by night, and went till he came to the fortress.
And early 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.
When Yahudah therefore saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with shofars, and a great sound,
He said unto his host, Fight this day for your brethren.
So he went forth behind them in three companies, who sounded their shofars, and cried with prayer.
Then the host of Timotheus, knowing that it was Yahudah Makkabiy, fled from him: wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter; so that there were killed of them that day about eight thousand men.
This done, Yahudah turned aside to Mitspah; and after he had assaulted it he took and slew all the males therein, and received the spoils thereof and burnt it with fire.
From thence went he, and took Kasphor, Maged, Be'or, and the other cities of the country of Gil`ad.
After these things gathered Timotheus another host and encamped against Raphon beyond the brook.
So Yahudah 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.
He has also hired the Araviym to help them and they have pitched their tents beyond the brook, ready to come and fight against you. Upon this Yahudah went to meet them.
Then Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, When Yahudah 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:
But if he be afraid, and camp beyond the river, we shall go over unto him, and prevail against him.
Now when Yahudah 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.
So 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 Ashteroth Qarnayim.
But they took the city, and burned the temple with all that were therein. Thus was Ashteroth Qarnayim subdued, neither could they stand any longer before Yahudah.
Then Yahudah gathered together all Yashar'el that were in the country of Gil'ad, from the least unto the greatest, even their women, and their children, and their stuff, a very great host, to the end they might come into the land of Yahudah.
Now 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.
Then they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with stones.
Whereupon Yahudah 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.
Wherefore Yahudah commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the host, that every man should pitch his tent in the place where he was.
So 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:
Who 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.
After this went they over the Yardan into the great plain before Beyt San.
And Yahudah gathered together those that came behind, and exhorted the people all the way through, till they came into the land of Yahudah.
So they went up to Mount Tsiyon with joy and gladness, where they offered ascending smoke offerings, because not one of them were slain until they had returned in peace.
Now what time as Yahudah and Yonathan were in the land of Gil'ad, and Shim`on his brother in Galiyl before Akko,
Yoceph the son of Zakaryahu, and Azaryahu, captains of the garrisons, heard of the valiant acts and warlike deeds which they had done.
Wherefore they said, Let us also get us a name, and go fight against the heathen that are round about us.
So when they had given charge unto the garrison that was with them, they went toward Yavne'el.
Then came Gorgias and his men out of the city to fight against them.
And so it was, that Yoceph and Azaryahu were put to flight, and pursued unto the borders of Yahudah: and there were slain that day of the people of Yashar'el about two thousand men.
Thus was there a great overthrow among the children of Yashar'el, because they were not obedient unto Yahudah and his brethren, but thought to do some valiant act.
Moreover these men came not of the seed of those, by whose hand deliverance was given unto Yashar'el.
Howbeit the man Yahudah and his brethren were greatly renowned in the sight of all Yashar'el, and of all the heathen, wheresoever their name was heard of;
So much so as the people assembled unto them with joyful acclamations.
Afterward went Yahudah forth with his brethren, and fought against the children of Esau in the land toward the Negev, where he smote Chevron, and the towns thereof, and pulled down the fortress of it, and burned the towers thereof round about.
From thence he removed to go into the land of the Pelishtiym, and passed through Shomeron.
At that time certain priests, desirous to show their valor, were slain in battle, for that they went out to fight unadvisedly.
So Yahudah turned to Ashdod in the land of the Pelishtiym, and when he had pulled down their altars, and burned their carved images with fire, and spoiled their cities, he returned into the land of Yahudah.