20. They’re coming against us with a lot of pride and evil. They want to destroy us, along with our wives and children. They want to ruin us.
21. But we are fighting for our lives and for our laws.
22. The heavenly one himself will crush them before us. Don’t be afraid of them."
23. After Judas said these words, his soldiers rushed suddenly against Seron’s army, and they crushed them.
24. Judas’ soldiers pursued Seron’s army down the hill from Beth-horon to the plain below. Eight hundred of them died. The rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
25. After this, Judas and his brothers were feared. Terror fell on all the Gentiles around them.
26. Even the king heard about his reputation, and the Gentiles talked about the battles waged by Judas.
27. When King Antiochus heard about these matters, he became very angry. So he gathered together all the forces of his empire, a mighty army.