Catholic Public Domain Version

1 Maccabees 4:17-35 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

17. And he said to the people: "Do not desire the spoils; for there is war before us.

18. And Gorgias and his army are near us on the mountain. But stand firm now against our enemies, and fight against them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards, securely."

19. And while Judas was speaking these words, behold, a certain part of them appeared, looking out from the mountain.

20. And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp. For the smoke that he saw declared what had happened.

21. When they had seen this, they became very afraid, seeing at the same time both Judas and his army in the plains prepared to do battle.

22. So they all fled away into the encampment of the foreigners.

23. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they obtained much gold and silver, and hyacinth, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

24. And returning, they sang a canticle, and they blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy is with every generation.

25. And so, a great salvation occurred in Israel in that day.

26. But those among the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened.

27. And when he heard these things, he was discouraged, being alarmed to his very soul. For things had not occurred in Israel according to his wishes, nor as the king had commanded.

28. And, in the following year, Lysias gathered together sixty thousand chosen men and five thousand horsemen, so that he might defeat them in warfare.

29. And they came into Judea, and they positioned their camp in Bethzur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

30. And they saw the strength of the army, and so he prayed, and he said: "Blessed are you, Savior of Israel, who crushed the assault of the powerful by the hand of your servant David, and who delivered up the camp of the foreigners into the hand of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armor bearer.

31. Enclose this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be confounded in their soldiers and their horsemen.

32. Strike them with dread, and melt away the boldness of their strength, and let them shudder in their grief.

33. Cast them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns."

34. And they went forth to battle, and there fell from the army of Lysias five thousand men.

35. But Lysias, seeing their flight and the boldness of the Jews, and that they were prepared either to live or to die with fortitude, went to Antioch and chose soldiers, so that they might come back to Judea with greater numbers.