Judas Wins at Emmaus

1 Maccabees 3

²⁷ But when King Antiochus heard these words, he was full of indignation; and he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, an exceedingly strong army.

²⁸ He opened his treasury and gave his forces pay for a year, and commanded them to be ready for every need.

²⁹ He saw that the money was gone from his treasures, and that the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension and disaster which he had brought upon the land, to the end that he might take away the laws which had been from the first days.

³⁰ He was afraid that he wouldn’t have enough as at other times for the charges and the gifts which he used to give with a liberal hand, more abundantly than the kings who were before him.

³¹ And he was exceedingly perplexed in his mind, and he determined to go into Persia, and to take the tributes of those countries, and to gather much money.

³² He left Lysias, an honorable man, and one of royal lineage, to be over the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt,

³³ and to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.

³⁴ He delivered to Lysias half of his forces and the elephants, and gave him charge of all the things that he would have done, and concerning those who lived in Judea and in Jerusalem,

³⁵ that he should send an army against them to root out and destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memory from the place,

³⁶ and that he should make foreigners live in all their territory, and should divide their land to them by lot.

³⁷ The king took the half that remained of the forces, and left Antioch, his royal city, in the one hundred forty seventh year; and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the upper countries.

³⁸ Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends;

³⁹ and with them, he sent forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it, according to the word of the king.

⁴⁰ They set out with all their army, and came and encamped near Emmaus in the plain country.

⁴¹ The merchants of the country heard of their fame, and took silver and gold in large quantities, and fetters, and came into the camp to take the children of Israel for slaves. Forces of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined with them.

⁴² Judas and his kindred saw that evils were multiplied, and that the forces were encamping in their borders. They learned about the king’s words which he had commanded, to destroy the people and make an end of them.

⁴³ Then they each said to his neighbor, “Let’s repair the ruins of our people. Let’s fight for our people and the holy place.”

⁴⁴ The congregation was gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray and ask for mercy and compassion.

⁴⁵ Jerusalem was without inhabitant like a wilderness. There was none of her offspring who went in or went out. The sanctuary was trampled down. Children of foreigners were in the citadel. The Gentiles lived there. Joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and the harp ceased.

⁴⁶ They gathered themselves together, and came to Mizpeh, near Jerusalem; for in Mizpeh there used to be a place of prayer for Israel.

⁴⁷ They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, put ashes on their heads, tore their clothes,

⁴⁸ and opened the book of the law, to learn about the things for which the Gentiles consulted the images of their idols.

⁴⁹ They brought the priests’ garments, the first fruits, and the tithes. They stirred up the Nazarites, who had accomplished their days.

⁵⁰ They cried aloud toward heaven, saying, “What should we do with these men? Where should we carry them away?

⁵¹ Your holy place is trampled down and profaned. Your priests mourn in humiliation.

⁵² Behold, the Gentiles are assembled together against us to destroy us. You know what things they imagine against us.

⁵³ How will we be able to stand against them, unless you help us?”

⁵⁴ They sounded with the trumpets, and gave a loud shout.

⁵⁵ And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people: captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, and captains of tens.

⁵⁶ He said to those who were building houses, were betrothing wives, were planting vineyards, and were fearful, that they should return, each man to his own house, according to the law.

⁵⁷ The army marched out and encamped upon the south side of Emmaus.

⁵⁸ Judas said, “Arm yourselves and be valiant men! Be ready in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who are assembled together against us to destroy us and our holy place.

⁵⁹ For it is better for us to die in battle than to see the calamities of our nation and the holy place.

⁶⁰ Nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do.

1 Maccabees 4

¹ Gorgias took five thousand infantry, a thousand chosen cavalry, and the army moved out at night,

² that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and strike them suddenly. The men of the citadel were his guides.

³ Judas heard of this, and he and the valiant men moved, that he might strike the king’s army which was at Emmaus

⁴ while the forces were still dispersed from the camp.

⁵ Gorgias came into the camp of Judas at night and found no man. He sought them in the mountains; for he said, “These men are running away from us.”

⁶ As soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men. However they didn’t have the armor and swords they desired.

⁷ They saw the camp of the Gentiles strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these were expert in war.

⁸ Judas said to the men who were with him, “Don’t be afraid of their numbers, or when they charge.

⁹ Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.

¹⁰ Now let’s cry to heaven, if he will have us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this army before our face today.

¹¹ Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.

¹² The foreigners lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming near them.

¹³ They went out of the camp to battle. Those who were with Judas sounded their trumpets

¹⁴ and joined battle. The Gentiles were defeated, and fled into the plain.

¹⁵ But all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumaea, Azotus, and Jamnia. About three thousand of those men fell.

¹⁶ Then Judas and his army returned from pursuing them;

¹⁷ and he said to the people, “Don’t be greedy for the spoils, because there is a battle before us.

¹⁸ Gorgias and his army are near us on the mountain. But stand now against our enemies and fight against them, and afterwards take the spoils with boldness.”

¹⁹ While Judas was finishing this speech, a part of them appeared looking out from the mountain.

²⁰ They saw that their army had been put to flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.

²¹ But when they perceived these things, they were very afraid. Perceiving also the army of Judas in the plain ready for battle,

²² they all fled into the land of the Philistines.

²³ Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they took much gold, silver, blue, sea purple, and great riches.

²⁴ Then they returned home, and sang a song of thanksgiving, and gave praise to heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.

²⁵ Israel had a great deliverance that day.