1 Maccabees 9:1–73

¹ Demetrius heard that Nicanor had fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them. (WEB) ² They went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and took possession of it, and killed many people. (WEB) ³ The first month of the one hundred fifty-second year, they encamped against Jerusalem. (WEB) ⁴ Then they marched away and went to Berea with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry. (WEB) ⁵ Judas was encamped at Elasa with three thousand chosen men. (WEB) ⁶ They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army. There were not left of them more than eight hundred men. (WEB) ⁷ Judas saw that his army slipped away and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was very troubled in spirit, because he had no time to gather them together, and he became faint. (WEB) ⁸ He said to those who were left, “Let’s arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.” (WEB) ⁹ They tried to dissuade him, saying, “There is no way we are able; but let’s rather save our lives now. Let’s return again with our kindred, and fight against them; but we are too few.” (WEB) ¹⁰ Judas said, “Let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them. If our time has come, let’s die in a manly way for our kindred’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our honor.” (WEB) ¹¹ The army marched out from the camp, and stood to encounter them. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the army, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle. (WEB) ¹² Bacchides was in the right wing. The phalanx advanced on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets. (WEB) ¹³ The men by Judas’ side sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening. (WEB) ¹⁴ Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and all that were brave in heart went with him, (WEB) ¹⁵ and the right wing was defeated by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus. (WEB) ¹⁶ Those who were on the left wing saw that the right wing was defeated, and they turned and followed in the footsteps of Judas and of those who were with him. (WEB) ¹⁷ The battle became desperate, and many on both sides fell wounded to death. (WEB) ¹⁸ Judas fell, and the rest fled. (WEB) ¹⁹ Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the tomb of his ancestors at Modin. (WEB) ²⁰ They wept for him. All Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and s… (WEB)