Bacchides Returns to Judea

1King Demetrius found out that Nicanor and all his soldiers had been killed. So he sent Bacchides and Alcimus the high priest back to Judea with half of his army.

2On the way to Gilgal in Judea, Bacchides and Alcimus captured the town of Mesaloth in Arbela, and they killed many of the people. 3They reached Jerusalem early in the year 152 of the Syrian Kingdom and set up camp outside the city. 4Then they stationed 20,000 soldiers and 2,000 cavalry in the town of Berea.

5Three thousand of the Jews' best soldiers were camped at Elasa under the command of Judas. 6But when they saw the size of the enemy army, they were terrified and ran. Only about 800 soldiers stayed in camp.

7When the fighting was about to start, Judas suddenly realized that most of his troops had deserted, and he was terribly discouraged because there was no time to bring them back. 8Judas felt like giving up, but he said to his remaining troops, "Get ready to attack! We've got a good chance to win."

9But they argued with Judas and said, "We will all be killed if we attack with such a small force. Let's wait and come back with a larger army."

10Judas answered, "We will never back down from a fight with the enemy! If it's our time to die for the honor of our nation, then let's die like heroes."

11-12Bacchides led his army out of camp and placed half of his cavalry to the left of his soldiers and half to the right. His best troops led the way, followed by men who were experts with bows and arrows or rocks and slings. Bacchides himself was on the right side of his army.

Both armies gave the signal to attack, and the battle began. 13The fighting lasted from daylight until dark, and the ground trembled because of the noise.

14At one point in the battle, Judas looked over at the right side of the enemy army and saw Bacchides and many of his best soldiers there. So Judas and his bravest troops attacked 15and destroyed most of that part of the enemy army. The few who escaped were chased as far as Mount Azotus.

16When the soldiers on the left side of Bacchides' army learned that the rest of their army had been wiped out, they swung around and attacked from behind. 17The fighting was fierce, and many from both armies were either killed or wounded. 18Judas himself died in the battle, and the rest of the Jews ran away.

19Jonathan and Simon took the body of their brother Judas back to Modein and buried him in the family tomb. 20They cried bitterly, and everyone in Israel mourned for a long time. They said:

21"Judas was a mighty warrior

who saved our nation.

Why did he have to die?"

22Indeed, Judas was a brave warrior and a great hero, and he did many other important things that are not included in this book.

Jonathan Leads the Jews

23After the death of Judas, some troublemakers and their worthless friends showed up again everywhere in Judea. 24The crops had failed that year, and everyone in the whole country joined these troublemakers.

25Bacchides appointed some godless people to rule the country, 26and they searched carefully for any followers of Judas. Then they brought them to Bacchides, who laughed as he punished them.

27The troubles in Israel were worse now than they had been since the time God had stopped sending prophets.

28The followers of Judas got together and said to Jonathan:

29Ever since your brother Judas died, we haven't had anyone like him to lead us into battle against enemies like Bacchides or against our own people who hate us. 30So today we have chosen you to take the place of Judas. Be our ruler and lead us in battle.

31Jonathan agreed.

The Wars of Jonathan

32Bacchides plotted to kill Jonathan as soon as he found out that Jonathan was the new leader. 33But his plan failed, because Jonathan and his brother Simon were warned and escaped with their followers to a camp near the water hole at Asphar in the desert around Tekoa. 34On a Sabbath, Bacchides learned where the camp was, and he led his army across the Jordan River.

35Jonathan's brother John was also one of the Jewish leaders. One day, on orders from Jonathan, he asked some friendly Nabateans to guard their huge stock of supplies. 36But some people of the Jambri tribe from Medeba captured John and the supplies, then rode away.

37Later, Jonathan and his brother Simon were told:

The Jambri tribe is holding a big wedding celebration, and the bride is being brought here from the town of Nadabath. Many soldiers are guarding her because she's the daughter of a very important man from Canaan.

38Meanwhile, Jonathan and Simon had learned that this tribe had murdered their brother John. So they left camp and set an ambush on a hillside overlooking the road. 39Soon they saw a noisy group of travelers with a lot of baggage. It was the bride, with her family and friends. The groom and his friends were coming to meet them, playing drums and musical instruments, and all of them were armed.

40The Jews attacked from their hiding places, killing and wounding many in the wedding party. Then they took everything of value from the dead, and the others ran off into the hills.

41A wedding was turned

into a funeral,

and wedding music

into funeral songs.

42After Jonathan and Simon had punished the tribe of Jambri, they returned to their camp in the marshes along the Jordan River. 43But Bacchides found out where they were camped, and on the Sabbath he led a large army to the edge of the river.

44Jonathan warned his soldiers:

Get ready to fight for your lives! We've never been in this much danger before, 45and there is no way out. The enemy army is both in front of us and behind us, and the river is on one side, and the marshes covered with thornbushes are on the other. 46So pray for God to rescue us.

47As soon as the battle began, Jonathan tried to kill Bacchides; however, he escaped to the rear of his army. 48Jonathan and his soldiers then jumped into the river and started swimming toward the other side, but the enemy troops did not go after them. 49That day Bacchides lost about 1,000 men.

Bacchides Builds Fortresses in Judea

50Bacchides returned to Jerusalem and started building high walls and strong gates for some of the towns of Judea, including Emmaus, Beth-Horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, and the fortress at Jericho. 51He stationed soldiers in these towns, and they caused trouble for the Jews.

52Bacchides also strengthened the fortress in Jerusalem and the towns of Beth-Zur and Gazara. He put soldiers and food supplies in these strongholds. 53Then he took the sons of the Jewish leaders as hostages and locked them up in the Jerusalem fortress.

Alcimus the High Priest Dies

54In the second month of the year 153 of the Syrian Kingdom, Alcimus the high priest ordered his followers to destroy the wall in the temple courtyard that prophets of earlier times had said should be built. 55But no sooner had the work begun, than Alcimus got sick and everything stopped. He couldn't move or even give instructions for making out his will. 56He died a very painful death.

57After Bacchides learned that Alcimus had died, he returned to King Demetrius, and Judea had peace for two years.

Bacchides Attacks Jonathan

58Once again the troublemakers started plotting against Jonathan and his followers by saying, "They feel safe and aren't suspecting a thing, so let's send for Bacchides. He could easily capture them in one night."

59The troublemakers met with Bacchides and planned an attack. 60Then Bacchides set out for Judea with a large army. On the way, he sent secret orders for his followers there to capture Jonathan and his troops.

But they could not do this, because Jonathan and his followers learned of Bacchides' plan, 61and so they arrested about fifty leaders of the plot and put them to death.

62Jonathan and Simon led their forces to the desert town of Beth-Basi. Part of the town had been destroyed, but they repaired it and built high walls with strong gates.

63When Bacchides found out about this, he got together his whole army and sent orders to his followers in Judea. 64Then he led his army to Beth-Basi and surrounded the town. His soldiers set up weapons to break through the walls, and they attacked that town for a long time.

65At one point in the battle, Jonathan put his brother Simon in command of the town. Then he led a small group into the country, 66where he defeated Odomera and his tribe. He also wiped out another tribe called the Phasirites. 67Those who were left joined his army and helped him fight against Bacchides.

Meanwhile, Simon and his soldiers rushed out of Beth-Basi and set fire to the weapons that had been set up for breaking through the walls. 68In fact, they destroyed the entire army of Bacchides and ruined all of his plans for war.

69Bacchides was so furious at the troublemakers who had told him to invade Judea that he put many of them to death. Then he got ready to return to his own country.

70When Jonathan found out Bacchides was about to leave Judea, he sent him some messengers who said, "Let's make peace and set our prisoners free."

71-72Bacchides agreed. He released the Jews he had captured in Judea and promised not to bother Judas again. Then he went back to his own country and never returned to Judea.

73Now there was peace in Israel. Jonathan ruled from the town of Michmash and started destroying godless people everywhere in the nation.