1 Gorgias took 5,000 infantry and 1,000 of his most experienced cavalry and left camp by night, 2 with men from the fort in Jerusalem as his guides. He had planned to make a surprise attack on the Jewish army, 3 but Judas learned of the plan and moved out with his men to attack the king's army at Emmaus 4 while Gorgias and his troops were still away from the camp. 5 When Gorgias and his army reached Judas' camp that night, they found no one there. They thought Judas and his men were trying to escape, so they started looking for them in the mountains.
6 At dawn Judas appeared in the plain with 3,000 men, not all of them as well armed as they would have liked. 7 They saw the huge Gentile army of experienced troops wearing armor and protected by cavalry. 8 But Judas said to his men, “Don't worry about the size of their army, and don't be frightened when they attack. 9 Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea when the king of Egypt was pursuing them with his army! 10 Now let us ask the Lord to have mercy on us. Let us pray that he will honor his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army when we attack today. 11 Then all the Gentiles will know that Israel has a God who rescues and saves them.”
12 When the Gentiles saw Judas and his men preparing for battle, 13 they moved out of their camp to fight. Then Judas and his men sounded their trumpets 14 and attacked. The Gentiles broke ranks and fled to the plain, 15 but all the stragglers were killed. The Israelites pursued the enemy as far as Gezer, the plains of Idumea, and the towns of Azotus and Jamnia. Altogether they killed about 3,000 of the enemy.
16 When Judas and his army came back from the pursuit, 17-18 he said to his men, “Don't be greedy for loot. Gorgias and his army are nearby in the mountains, so there is still heavy fighting ahead of us. We must stand firm and fight. After that, you can safely take all the loot you want.” 19 Judas was just finishing his speech when an enemy patrol on a scouting mission looked down from the mountains 20 and saw that their army had been put to flight; they could tell from the smoke that their camp was burning. 21 When they saw all this, they were terrified, and when they also saw that Judas' army was in the plain ready for battle, 22 they all fled to Philistia. 23 Then Judas returned to loot the enemy camp; he took large amounts of gold and silver, blue and purple cloth, and other rich plunder. 24 When the Jews came back to their own camp, they sang a hymn: “The Lord is worthy of praise; his mercy endures forever.” 25 That day brought a great victory to the people of Israel.
Victory over Lysias
(2 Maccabees 11.1-12)26 The Gentile troops that escaped went to Lysias and reported all that had happened. 27 When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle, he was shocked and disappointed that Israel had not been defeated as the king had commanded.
28 In the following year Lysias gathered an army of 60,000 well-trained infantry and 5,000 cavalry, intending to conquer the Jews. 29 They marched into Idumea and camped at Bethzur. Judas came to meet them with 10,000 men. 30 When Judas saw how strong the enemy's army was, he prayed, “We will praise you, Savior of Israel. You broke the attack of the giant by the hand of your servant David and you let Saul's son Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons defeat the entire Philistine army. 31 Now in the same way let your people Israel defeat our enemy. Put them to shame, in spite of all their confidence in their infantry and cavalry. 32 Make them afraid; let their bold strength melt away; let them tremble at the prospect of defeat. 33 We love and worship you; so let us kill our enemies, that we may then sing your praises.”
34 The battle began, and in the hand-to-hand fighting about 5,000 of Lysias' men were killed. 35 When Lysias saw that his army was being defeated and when he saw the reckless courage of Judas and his men, who showed that they were ready to live or die with honor, he returned to Antioch. There he recruited some mercenaries and planned to return to Judea later with a much larger army.
The Purification of the Temple
(2 Maccabees 10.1-8)36 Judas and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been defeated, let's go to Jerusalem to purify the Temple and rededicate it.” 37 So the whole army was assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38 There they found the Temple abandoned, the altar profaned, the gates burned down, the courtyards grown up in a forest of weeds, and the priests' rooms torn down. 39 In their sorrow, they tore their clothes, cried loudly, threw ashes on their heads, 40 and fell face down on the ground. When the signal was given on the trumpets, everyone cried out to the Lord.
41 Then Judas ordered some of his soldiers to attack the men in the fort, while he purified the Temple. 42 He chose some priests who were qualified and who were devoted to the Law. 43 They purified the Temple and took the stones that had been defiled and put them in an unclean place. 44 They discussed what should be done with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been desecrated 45 by the Gentiles, and decided to tear it down, so that it would not stand there as a monument to their shame. So they tore down the altar 46 and put the stones in a suitable place on the Temple hill, where they were to be kept until a prophet should appear and decide what to do with them. 47 Then they took uncut stones, as the Law of Moses required, and built a new altar like the old one. 48 They repaired the Temple, inside and out, and dedicated its courtyards. 49 They made new utensils for worship and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table for the bread into the Temple. 50 They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and there was light in the Temple! 51 They placed the loaves of bread on the table, hung the curtains, and completed all the work.
52-54 The twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev, in the year 148 was the anniversary of the day the Gentiles had desecrated the altar. On that day a sacrifice was offered on the new altar in accordance with the Law of Moses. The new altar was dedicated and hymns were sung to the accompaniment of harps, lutes, and cymbals. 55 All the people bowed down with their faces to the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord for giving them victory.
56 For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. With great joy they brought burnt offerings and offered fellowship offerings and thank offerings. 57 They decorated the front of the Temple with gold crowns and shields, rebuilt the gates and the priests' rooms and put doors on them. 58 Now that the Jews had removed the shame which the Gentiles had brought, they held a great celebration. 59 Then Judas, his brothers, and the entire community of Israel decreed that the rededication of the altar should be celebrated with a festival of joy and gladness at the same time each year, beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev and lasting for eight days.
60 Then they built high walls and strong towers around Mount Zion, so that the Gentiles could not come in and trample and defile it again. 61 Judas placed a detachment of soldiers there to guard the Temple. He also fortified the town of Bethzur, so that the people of Israel would have a fortress facing Idumea.
1 Tad Gorgijs ņēma piecus tūkstošus vīru un tūkstoš izlases jātnieku un ar šo karaspēku naktī cēlās, 2 lai negaidot uzbruktu jūdu nometnei un tos sakautu; un kalna cietokšņa vīri rādīja tiem ceļu. 3 Kad Jūda to izdzirdēja, viņš cēlās pats un viņa stiprie vīri, lai kautu ķēniņa karaspēku, kas bija Emmausā, 4 kamēr ienaidnieka karaspēks bija projām no nometnes. 5 Un Gorgijs naktī nonāca jūdu nometnē, bet nevienu neatrada; tad viņš devās tos meklēt kalnos, jo sacīja: “Tie bēg no mums.” 6 Tanī pašā dienā rīta agrumā Jūda parādījās klajumā ar trīs tūkstošiem vīru, taču tie nebija tā bruņoti ar bruņām un zobeniem, kā tie būtu gribējuši. 7 Tie ieraudzīja stipru un bruņās tērptu citu tautu karaspēku un jātnieku karaspēku tam visapkārt, tie visi bija labi sagatavoti cīņai. 8 Tad Jūda sacīja vīriem, kas bija ar viņu: “Nebaidieties, ka viņu ir daudz, un nebaidieties no viņu uzbrukuma. 9 Atcerieties, kā mūsu tēvi tika izglābti pie Sarkanās jūras, kad tos vajāja faraons ar savu karaspēku. 10 Arī tagad sauksim uz to, kas debesīs, varbūt viņam būs labs prāts uz mums un viņš pieminēs derību ar mūsu tēviem un satrieks šodien šo karaspēku mūsu priekšā, 11 un atzīs visas tautas, ka Israēls ir izpircējs un glābējs.” 12 Tad svešinieki pacēla savas acis un ieraudzīja, ka viņi tiem uzbrūk. 13 Tie izgāja no nometnes, lai cīnītos, bet tie, kas bija ar Jūdu, sāka pūst taures. 14 Karapulki sāka cīņu, un cittautieši tika sakauti un bēga uz līdzenumu. 15 Bet visi pārējie krita no zobena, un israēlieši vajāja tos līdz Gezerai un līdz Idūmejas līdzenumiem, un līdz Azotai, un līdz Jamnijai; un krita viņiem trīs tūkstoši vīru. 16 Kad Jūda un viņa karaspēks atgriezās no ienaidnieka vajāšanas, 17 Jūda sacīja tautai: “Nedzenieties pēc laupījuma, mums priekšā vēl ir cīņa, 18 un arī Gorgijs ar karaspēku ir uz šī kalna netālu no mums, bet stājieties pretī mūsu ienaidniekiem un cīnieties ar tiem, pēc tam varēsiet droši ņemt laupījumu.” 19 Tiklīdz Jūda beidza runāt, parādījās karaspēka nodaļa, kas virzījās lejup pa kalnu; 20 tie ieraudzīja, ka viņu karaspēks ir spiests bēgt un nometne nodedzināta, jo dūmi, kas bija redzami, atklāja, kas noticis. 21 To apjautuši, viņi ļoti izbijās, un, kad vēl redzēja Jūdas karaspēku līdzenumā gatavu cīņai, 22 tie visi aizbēga uz svešinieku zemi. 23 Tad Jūda griezās atpakaļ, lai izlaupītu nometni, un tie ieguva daudz zelta un sudraba, zīda un purpura drēbes un lielu bagātību. 24 Pēc tam tie atgriezās, dziedādami un slavēdami to, kas debesīs, jo viņa žēlastība ir mūžīga. 25 Tā tajā dienā notika liela pestīšana Israēlam.
26 Bet tie, kas no svešiniekiem bija izglābušies, paziņoja Lisijam visu, kas noticis. 27 Kad viņš to dzirdēja, viņš izbijās un noskuma, ka nebija izdevies tas, ko viņš Israēlam bija gribējis nodarīt, un nebija noticis tas, ko ķēniņš bija pavēlējis. 28 Nākamajā gadā Lisijs sapulcināja sešdesmit tūkstošus izlases vīru un piecus tūkstošus jātnieku, lai varētu uzvarēt israēliešus. 29 Lisijs atnāca uz Idūmeju un uzcēla nometni Bēt-Cūrā, un tad tiem pretī iznāca Jūda ar desmit tūkstošiem vīru. 30 Viņš, ieraudzījis spēcīgo karaspēku, piesauca Dievu, sacīdams: “Slavēts esi tu, Israēla Pestītāj, kas satrieci varenā vīra uzbrukumu caur sava kalpa Dāvida roku un nodevi svešinieku nometni Jonatāna, Saula dēla, un viņa ieroču nesēja rokā! 31 Tāpat arī nodod šo nometni Israēla tautas rokā, lai ienaidnieki tiek apkaunoti ar visu savu spēku un saviem jātniekiem. 32 Uzdzen viņiem bailes un liec izkust viņu paļāvībai uz saviem spēkiem, un tie tiks izšaubīti, lai tiktu satriekti. 33 Notriec tos gar zemi ar zobenu, kas rokā tiem, kas tevi mīl, tad slavēs tevi ar dziesmām visi, kas pazīst tavu vārdu!” 34 Tad abi karaspēki metās viens otram virsū, un Lisija karaspēkā krita gandrīz pieci tūkstoši vīru, un krita tie, kas stājās israēliešiem pretī . 35 Kad Lisijs redzēja, ka viņa karaspēka ierinda izjūk un ka tie, kas bija kopā ar Jūdu, ieguvuši drosmi un ir gatavi cīnīties godam uz dzīvību vai nāvi, viņš devās uz Antiohiju un nolīga tur vīrus, lai ar vēl lielāku karaspēku atkal dotos uz Jūdeju.
Tempļa atjaunošana
36 Bet Jūda un viņa brāļi sacīja: “Redzi, mūsu ienaidnieki ir satriekti, dosimies augšup šķīstīt svētnīcu un to atjaunot.” 37 Tad sanāca kopā viss karaspēks un devās augšup uz Ciānas kalnu. 38 Tie ieraudzīja svētnīcu izpostītu, altāri apgānītu, durvis sadedzinātas, pagalmus aizaugušus kā mežu, apaugušus kā kādu kalnu, un priesteru istabas nopostītas. 39 Un tie pārplēsa savas drēbes un šaustīja sevi, un gauži vaimanāja. 40 Tie krita uz sava vaiga, pūta taures un sauca uz debesīm. 41 Tad Jūda izrīkoja vīrus, lai viņi, kamēr svētnīca tiks šķīstīta, karotu ar tiem, kas kalna cietoksnī. 42 Viņš iecēla arī dievbijīgus priesterus, kas bija dedzīgi bauslības lietās, 43 un tie šķīstīja svētnīcu un aiznesa sagānītos akmeņus uz nešķīstu vietu. 44 Tie apspriedās, ko darīt ar sadedzināmo upuru altāri, kas bija apgānīts, 45 un tiem ienāca prātā laba doma to noārdīt, lai tas nepaliek tiem par apkaunojumu, jo cittautieši bija to padarījuši nešķīstu; tā tie noārdīja šo altāri 46 un noglabāja akmeņus piemērotā vietā, līdz uzrastos pravietis, kurš varētu pateikt, ko ar tiem darīt. 47 Tad pēc bauslības tie ņēma neapstrādātus akmeņus un uzcēla jaunu altāri – tādu pašu, kāds bija iepriekšējais. 48 Tie iekārtoja arī svētnīcu un Dieva nama iekšpusi, iesvētīja tempļa pagalmus 49 un darināja jaunus svētos rīkus, tie ienesa templī gaismekli, kvēpināšanas altāri un galdu. 50 Tad tie kvēpināja uz kvēpināšanas altāra un iededza eļļas lukturīšus gaismeklī, un tie spīdēja templī. 51 Tie nolika uz galda upurmaizes un uzkāra priekškarus. Tā viņi pabeidza visus darbus, ko darīja. 52 Simt četrdesmit astotā gada devītā mēneša (tas bija kislēva mēnesis) divdesmit piektajā dienā tie cēlās agri no rīta 53 un pēc bauslības pienesa upuri uz jaunā sadedzināmo upuru altāra, ko tie bija uzcēluši. 54 Tajā pašā laikā un tajā pašā dienā, kad reiz cittautieši to bija sagānījuši, tie atjaunoja altāri, dziedādami dziesmas, spēlēdami cītaras, arfas un cimboles. 55 Un visa tauta krita uz sava vaiga un pielūdza un slavēja to, kas debesīs, ka viņš bija devis visam labi izdoties. 56 Tie svinēja altāra atjaunošanu astoņas dienas, pienesa dedzināmos upurus ar prieku un upurēja pestīšanas un pateicības upurus. 57 Tie izgreznoja tempļa priekšpusi ar zelta vainagiem un vairogiem, atjaunoja vārtus un priesteru istabas un ierīkoja tām durvis. 58 Tā tautā cēlās lielas gaviles par to, ka tika novērsts apkaunojums, ko cittautieši bija darījuši. 59 Tad Jūda un viņa brāļi, un visa Israēla sapulce nolēma, ka turpmāk šīs altāra atjaunošanas dienas piemiņa gadu no gada būs ar gavilēm un līksmību jāsvin astoņas dienas, sākot ar kislēva mēneša divdesmit piekto dienu. 60 Tolaik tie arī uzbūvēja visapkārt Ciānas kalnam augstus nocietinājuma mūrus un varenus torņus, lai cittautieši, ja tie reiz ierastos, nevarētu tos samīt kā agrāk. 61 Jūda pavēlēja arī tur izvietot karaspēku un nocietināt Bēt-Cūru, lai sargātu Ciānas kalnu un tauta būtu pasargāta pret Idūmeju.
