33. Strike them down with the swordof those who love you,and let all who know your namepraise you with hymns.
34. Then both sides attacked each other. Five thousand men from Lysias’ army died in the fighting.
35. Lysias saw his troops being defeated and took note of the boldness that inspired Judas’ troops—how ready they were to live or die bravely. So he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries so that he could invade Judea again with an even bigger army.
36. At that time Judas and his brothers said, "Look, our enemies have been crushed. Let’s go up to cleanse and rededicate the sanctuary."
37. All the army gathered together and went up to Mount Zion.
38. They found the sanctuary deserted, the altar treated with disrespect, and the gates burned. In the courts, bushes had sprung up like in an open field or on one of the mountains. They saw that the priests’ chambers were in ruins as well.
39. So they tore their clothes and mourned with great sorrow. They sprinkled their heads with ashes
40. and fell facedown on the ground. When the trumpets sounded a signal, they cried out to heaven.
41. Then Judas chose some soldiers to fight against those stationed in the elevated fortress until he completed cleansing the sanctuary.
42. He selected priests who were blameless and devoted to the Law.
43. They cleansed the sanctuary and took the polluted stones to a ritually unclean place.
44. They discussed what to do about the altar for entirely burned offerings, since it had been polluted.
45. They decided it was best to tear it down so that it wouldn’t be a lasting shameful reminder to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar.
46. They stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple mount until a prophet should arise who could say what to do with them.
47. They then took unfinished stones, in keeping with the Law, and built a new altar like the former one.
48. They also restored the sanctuary and the temple interior, and dedicated the courtyards.
49. They fashioned new holy equipment and brought the lampstand, the incense altar, and the table into the temple.