26. Look, today they’ve camped against the elevated fortress in Jerusalem to capture it. They’ve fortified both the sanctuary and Beth-zur.
27. Unless you do something soon to prevent them, they’ll do even worse things. Then you won’t be able to stop them."
28. The king was enraged when he heard this. He gathered all his chief political advisors, the commanders of his troops, and those with authority.
29. Mercenary forces from other kingdoms and the Mediterranean islands also joined him.
30. The total number of his forces was one hundred thousand army troops and twenty thousand cavalry, with thirty-two elephants trained for war.
31. They came through Idumea and camped against Beth-zur. For many days, they fought and constructed war engines. But the Jews would go out and burn the war engines with fire and continued to fight bravely.
32. Then Judas marched away from the elevated fortress and camped at Beth-zechariah, opposite the king’s camp.
33. Early in the morning the king marched out, taking his army on a forced march along the road to Beth-zechariah. His troops readied themselves for battle, and they sounded their trumpets.
34. They aroused the elephants using grape and mulberry juices, to get them ready for battle.
35. They distributed the animals among groups of soldiers. With each elephant, they stationed one thousand infantry wearing armor and brass helmets. Five hundred select cavalry were also assigned to each animal.
36. The troops positioned themselves wherever the animal was. Wherever it went, they went; and they never left it.
37. Strong covered wooden towers were set on top of the elephants. Special harnesses were fastened on each animal. On each were four armed men who fought from there, and an Indian driver also.
38. The remaining cavalry were stationed on either side of the elephants, to harass the enemy while being protected inside the two flanks of the army.
39. When the sun shone on the gold and brass shields, the hills looked like they were on fire from their reflection and glowed like burning torches.
40. Part of the king’s army was spread out on the high hills, and some troops were on the plain. They held their ranks and steadily moved forward.
41. Everyone who heard the noise of marching feet and clanking arms trembled because the army was very large and powerful.