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.
42. Nevertheless, Judas and his army went forth to do battle. Six hundred of the king’s soldiers died.
43. Eleazar, called Avaran, saw that one of the animals was taller than all the others and was equipped with royal armor. He figured that the king must be on it.
44. So he gave his life to save his people and to secure an everlasting name for himself.
45. He ran courageously into the midst of a group of soldiers to reach it, killing men right and left so that they had to give way to him on both sides.
46. He got under the elephant and stabbed it from underneath. He killed it, but it fell to the ground on top of him, and he died there.
47. As the Jews experienced the might and the fierce attack of the king’s forces, they turned away and fled.
48. The king’s army went up to Jerusalem against them. The king camped in Judea and at Mount Zion.
49. He made peace with the people of Beth-zur. They evacuated the town because they lacked sufficient resources there to withstand a siege (it was a sabbatical year for the land).
50. So the king took Beth-zur and positioned a guard unit there to hold it.
51. Then he camped in front of the sanctuary for many days. He set up siege towers, war engines that threw fire and rocks, machines to shoot darts, and catapults.
52. The Jews made war engines to match theirs, and they battled for many days.
53. But they had no food in storage since it was the seventh year. Those people who had found safe haven in Judea from the Gentiles had eaten the last of the food.