After the Feast of Pentecost, they marched against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea, who confronted them with three thousand foot soldiers and four hundred horsemen. In the course of the ensuing battle, a small number of Jews lost their lives. However, a man named Dositheus, one of Bacenor's cavalry forces and an individual of great strength, caught hold of Gorgias by his cloak and forcibly dragged him along, intending to take the accursed man alive. But a Thracian horseman bore down on Dositheus and cut off his arm at the shoulder, enabling Gorgias to escape to Marisa. Meanwhile, inasmuch as Esdris and his men were exhausted after engaging in battle for a long time, Judas called upon THE LORD to show HIMSELF their ally and leader in the battle. Then, raising a battle cry in his ancestral tongue, along with hymns, he launched a surprise attack and put the forces of Gorgias to flight. Thereupon Judas rallied his forces and advanced to the town of Adullam. Inasmuch as the seventh day of the week was at hand, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the Sabbath there.
2 MACCABEES: chapter 12, verses 32 - 38
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