Meanwhile, Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan and journeyed for three days through the desert. There they encountered some Nabateans who received them peacefully and reported to them everything that had happened to their kindred in Gilead: "Many of them have been surrounded in Bozrah, in Bosor near Alema, in Chaspho, Maked, and Carnaim"--all of these towns were large and fortified--"and some have been shut up in the other towns of Gilead. The enemy plans to attack and capture these strongholds tomorrow and to destroy all the people inside them in a single day."
Judas and his army immediately changed direction, crossing the desert to Bozrah. He captured the city, put the entire male population to the sword, confiscated all their possessions, and set the place on fire. During the night he led his army from that place and journeyed to the stronghold of Dathema. At dawn they caught sight of an innumerable horde who were bringing forth ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold, and already beginning the assault on those besieged. When Judas saw that the attack had begun and heard a war cry rising to heaven from the city, accompanied by trumpet blasts and loud shouts, he said to the men of his army: "Fight this day for your kindred!"
He advanced behind them with three columns, sounding their trumpets and shouting in prayer. When the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabees, they fled before him. He inflicted a crushing defeat on them, and about eight thousand of their men fell that day. Then he moved on toward Alema and attacked and captured it. He slew every male in it, plundered the town, and set it afire. From there he moved on and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.
After these things, Timothy gathered another army and pitched camp opposite Raphon, on the other side of the stream. Judas sent men to reconnoiter their camp, and they returned to him with this report: "All the Gentiles in this area have come to his support, encompassing a very large force. They have also hired Arab mercenaries to assist them. They are encamped across the stream and are prepared to attack you." Judas therefore went forward to engage them in battle.
As Judas and his army were approaching the stream, Timothy said to the officers of his forces, "If he crosses over to us first, we shall not be able to resist him, and he will surely defeat us. However, if he is fearful and camps on the other side of the river, we will cross over to him and defeat him."
When Judas reached the stream, he stationed the scribes of the people alongside it and gave them this command, "Do not allow anyone to encamp, but order them all to enter the battle." He himself was the first one to cross over to the attack, and his entire army followed him. The Gentiles were crushed; at his approach they threw down their arms and fled to the temple at Carnaim. The Jews captured that city and then burned down the temple with all who were inside. Thus Carnaim was captured, and no further resistance was offered to Judas.
Then Judas assembled all the Israelites who dwelt in Gilead, both great and small, with their wives and their children and their possessions, an enormous company of people, to escort them to the land of Judah. When they reached Ephron, a large, strongly fortified town situated along the road, they discovered that it was impossible to bypass it to either the right or the left; they had no other option than to pass through it. However, the inhabitants of the town barricaded the gates with stones and denied them passage. Judas then conveyed to them the following peaceful message: "We wish to pass through your territory in order to reach our own. No one will do you any harm. We will simply pass through on foot." However, they refused to open their gates to him.
Judas then issued an order that all of his forces should remain where they were. After they took up their positions, he led them in an assault on that town the entire day and all through the night, and it was delivered into his hands. After he put every male to the sword, razed the town to the ground, and plundered it, he marched through it over the bodies of the dead.
Then they crossed the Jordan into the extensive plain opposite Beth-shan. Judas continued to rally the stragglers and to encourage the people throughout the journey until they reached the land of Judah. They ascended Mount Zion with joy and gladness and offered burnt offerings because they had returned safely without the loss of a single person.
1ST MACCABEES: CHAPTER 5, VERSES 21 - 54
No comments:
Post a Comment