chrTst tents bef°re Masaloth, whicftisin Arbela,
dr. 161. and after they had won it, they stew much
people.
1 Also the first month of the hundred fifty and second year they encamped before Jerusalem :
4 From whence they removed, and went II or, to || Berea, with twenty thousand footmen Joseph/' and two thousand horsemen.
5 Now Judas had pitched his tents at Eleasa, and three thousand chosen men with him :
6 Who seeing the multitude of the o- ther army to be so great were sore afraid j whereupon many conveyed themselves out of the host, insomuch as there abode of them no more but eight hundred men.
7 When Judas therefore saw that his host slipt away, and that the battle pressed upon him, he was fore troubled in mind, and much distressed, for that he had no time to gather them together.
8 Nevertheless unto them that remained he said, Let us arise and go up against our enemies, if peradventure we may be able to fight with them.
9 But they dehorted him, saying, We LWhe«" shall never be able : || let us now rather the Ko- save our lives, and hereafter we will return manCopy. w}th our brethren, and fight against them : for we are but few.
10 Then Judas said, God forbid that I mould do this thing, and flee away from them : if our time be come, let us die trtieaw' manfully for our brethren, and f let us not any just stain our honour.
11 With that the host °s Bacchides re- our moved out of their tents, and stood over agamftJ them, their horsemen being divided into two troops, and their stingers <a?7«w ant* arc^ers 8omS before the host, and i.tjtws. tjiey tr)at marched m the foreward were all mighty men.
12 As for Bacchides, he was in the right wing : so the host drew near.on the two parts, and founded their trumpets.
13 They also of Judas' side, even they sounded their trumpets also, so that the earth shook at the noise of the armies, and the battle continued from morning till night.
14 Now when Judas perceived that Bac chides and the strength of his army were on the right side, he took with him all the hardy men,
15 Who discomfited the right wing, and pursued them unto the mount Azotus.
16 But when they of the left wing saw that they of the right wing were discom fited, they followed upon Judas and those that were with him hard at the heels from behind :
17 Whereupon there was a sore battle, insomuch as many were stain on both parts.
18 Judas also was killed, and the rem nant fled.
19 Then Jonathan and Simon took Ju das their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers in Modin.
20 Moreover they bewailed him, and 'all 'ch.ij.is. Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying,
21 How is the valiant man fallen, that delivered Israel !
22 As for the other things concerning Judas and his wars, and the noble acts which he did, and his greatness, they are not written : for they were very many.
23 Now after the death of Judas the wicked began to put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and there arose up all such as wrought iniquity.
24 In those days also was there a very great famine, by reason whereof the coun try revolted, and went with II them.
25 Then Bacchides chose the wicked J^jj men, and made them lords of the country.
26 And they made enquiry and search for Judas' friends, and brought them un to Bacchides, who took vengeance of them, and t used them despitefully.
27 So was there a great affliction in If- rael, the like whereof was not since the time b that a prophet was not seen a- och.4.4.6. mong them.
28 For this cause all Judas' friends came together, and said unto Jonathan,
29 Since thy brotherjudas died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies, and Bacchides, and against them of our nation that are adversaries to us.
30 Now therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince and captain in. his stead, that thou mayest fight our battles.
31 Upon this Jonathan took the govern ance upon him at that time, and rose up instead of his brother Judas.
32 But when Bacchides gat knowledge thereof, he sought for to stay him.
33 Then Jonathan, and Simon his bro- ther, and all that were with him, perceiv- ing that, fled into the wilderness of The- coe, and pitched their tents by the water came near. of the pool Asphar.
34 Which when Bacchides understood, ij.cap.'i. he came near to Jordan with all his host jff^ upon the sabbath day.
35 Now Jonathan had sent his brother Uave-witb II John, a captain of the people, to pray 'flag's, his friends the Nabathites, f that they qt,m>
