50. And the king captured Bethzur, and he stationed a garrison there to keep it.
51. And he turned his camp against the place of sanctification for many days. And he stationed there catapults and other machines: machines to cast fire, and windlasses to cast stones and darts, and small catapults to cast arrows and metal.
52. But they also made machines against their machines, and they fought for many days.
53. But there were no foods in the city, because it was the seventh year. And those who had remained in Judea were from the Gentiles, so they consumed all that they had left from what had been stored up.
54. And there remained in the holy places a few men, for the famine had prevailed over them. And they were scattered, each one to his own place.
55. Then Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus had appointed, when he was still alive, to raise his son, Antiochus, and to reign,
56. had returned from Persia and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon himself the affairs of the kingdom.
57. He hurried to go and to say to the king and the commanders of the army: "We are weakened everyday, and our food is limited, and the place that we besiege is strong, and it is incumbent upon us to put the kingdom in order.
58. And so now, let us bestow a pledge to these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation.
59. And let us establish for them that they may walk according to their own laws, just as before. For, because of their laws, which we despised, they have become angry and have done all these things."