43. And Bacchides heard about this, and he came on the day of the Sabbath all the way to the coast of the Jordan, with a great force.
44. And Jonathan said to his own: "Let us rise up and fight against our enemies. For it is not today, as it was yesterday, or the day before.
45. For behold, the war is before us, and truly, with the water of the Jordan here and there, and the banks, and the marshes, and the woods: there is no place for us to turn aside.
46. Therefore, cry out now to heaven so that you may be freed from the hand of your enemies." And they joined together in warfare.
47. And Jonathan extended his hand to strike Bacchides, but he turned away from him in retreat.
48. And Jonathan, and those who were with him, leaped forward into the Jordan, and they swam across the Jordan to them.
49. And there fell from the side of Bacchides on that day one thousand men. And they returned to Jerusalem.
50. And they built fortified cities in Judea: the fortification that was in Jericho, and in Emmaus, and in Bethhoron, and in Bethel, and Timnath, and Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls, and gates, and bars.
51. And he stationed garrisons in them, so that those in Israel became trained in warfare.
52. And he fortified the city of Bethzur, and of Gazara, and the stronghold, and he stationed auxiliaries in them, with supplies of rations.
53. And he took the sons of the leaders of the region for hostages, and put them in the stronghold in Jerusalem under guard.
54. Now in the second month of the one hundred and fifty-third year, Alcimus instructed that the walls of the inner court of the sanctuary be destroyed, and that the works of the prophets be destroyed. And he began to destroy them.
55. At that time, Alcimus was struck, and his works were hindered, and his mouth was closed shut, and he was weakened with paralysis, so that he was no longer able speak a word, nor to give orders concerning his house.