Part 611 (2/2)

4:19. And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared, looking forth from the mountain.

4:20. And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.

4:21. And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.

4:22. So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.

4:23. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

4:24. And returning home, they sung a hymn, and blessed G.o.d in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.

4:25. So Israel had a great deliverance that day.

4:26 And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.

4:27. And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.

4:28. So the year following, Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand hors.e.m.e.n, that he might subdue them.

4:29. And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

4:30. And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armour bearer.

4:31. Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their hors.e.m.e.n. 32 Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.

4:33. Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name praise thee with hymns.

4:34. And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.

4:35. And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.

4:36. Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places, and to repair them.

4:37. And all the army a.s.sembled together, and they went up into Mount Sion.

4:38. And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.

4:39. And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:

4:40. And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.

4:41. Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places,

4:42. And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of G.o.d.

4:43. And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.

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