Part 218 (1/2)

And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over against them: and they went out of the camp to battle. And they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets, and joined battle, and the Gentiles were discomfited, and fled into the plain. But all the hindmost fell by the sword: and they pursued them a long distance, and there fell of them about three thousand men.

And Judas and his host returned from pursuing after them, and he said unto the people, ”Be not greedy of the spoils, inasmuch as there is a battle before us; and Gorgias and his host are nigh unto us in the mountain. But stand ye now against our enemies, and fight against them, and afterwards take the spoils with boldness.”

While Judas was yet speaking, there appeared a part of them looking out from the mountain: and they saw that their host had been put to flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done. But when they perceived these things, they were sore afraid; and perceiving also the army of Judas in the plain ready for battle, they fled all of them into the land of the Philistines.

And Judas returned to spoil the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue, and sea purple, and great riches. And they returned home, and sang a song of thanksgiving, and gave praise unto heaven; because his mercy is good, because his mercy endureth forever. And Israel had a great deliverance that day.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

SIDON, ON THE ROAD FROM TYRE.

From a photograph taken by Dr. W. J. Moulton, and used by his kind permission.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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X.

_How Judas Defeated Another Great Army of the Syrians_.

But the strangers, as many as had escaped, came and told Lysias all the things that had happened: but when he heard thereof, he was confounded and discouraged.

And in the next year he gathered together threescore thousand chosen footmen, and five thousand horse, that he might subdue them. And they came into Idumaea, and encamped at Bethsura; and Judas met them with ten thousand men. And he saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said,--

”Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the onset of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver the army of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer: shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be ashamed for their host and their hors.e.m.e.n: give them faintness of heart, and cause the boldness of their strength to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction: cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.”

And they joined battle; and there fell of the army of Lysias about five thousand men, and they fell down over against them. But when Lysias saw that his array was put to flight, and the boldness that had come upon them that were with Judas, and how they were ready either to live or to die n.o.bly, he removed to Antioch, and gathered together hired soldiers, that he might come again into Judaea with even a greater company.

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XI.

_How the Temple Was Purified_.

But Judas and his brethren said, ”Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse the holy place, and to dedicate it afresh.”

And all the army was gathered together, and they went up unto Mount Sion. And they saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests' chambers pulled down; and they rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and put ashes upon their heads, and fell on their faces to the ground, and blew with the solemn trumpets, and cried toward heaven. Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the citadel, until he should have cleansed the holy place.

And he chose blameless priests, such as had pleasure in the law: and they cleansed the holy place, and bore out the stones of defilement into an unclean place. And they took counsel concerning the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned, what they should do with it: and there came into their mind a good counsel, that they should pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it: and they pulled down the altar, and laid up the stones in a convenient place near the temple, until there should come a prophet to show what should be done with them. And they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar after the {439} fas.h.i.+on of the former; and they built the holy place, and the inner parts of the house; and they hallowed the courts. And they made the holy vessels new, and they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings and of incense, and the table, into the temple. And they burned incense upon the altar, and they lighted the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple. And they set loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they made.

XII.

_How the King Himself, with an Army of 100,000 Men and a Herd of Thirty-two Fighting Elephants Came Against Judas, and How an Indecisive Battle Was Fought. How Eleazar Did a Brave Deed and Died in the Doing of It_.