19. Bacchides retreated from Jerusalem and camped in Beth-zaith. He captured many of the soldiers and some of the people who had deserted to his side. He killed them and threw them into a great pit.
20. He put Alcimus in charge of the country and left a force to assist him. Then Bacchides went back to the king.
21. Alcimus struggled to maintain the high priesthood.
22. All the troublemakers joined him. They gained control of Judah and did great damage in Israel.
23. Judas saw all the wrongs that Alcimus and those with him had done among the Israelites, exceeding what the Gentiles had done.
24. So Judas went into the surrounding Judean highlands and took vengeance on those who had deserted. He prevented them from going out into the country.
25. When Alcimus saw that Judas and his companions had grown strong, he knew he couldn’t resist them. So he returned to the king and brought spiteful charges against them.
26. Then the king sent for Nicanor, one of his honored princes who hated and despised Israel, and the king commanded him to destroy the people.
27. So Nicanor went to Jerusalem with a large force. He deceitfully sent a peaceful message to Judas and his brothers:
28. "Let there be no fighting between you and me. I’ll come with a few men to see you personally in peace."
29. So he came to Judas, and they greeted each other peaceably. But the enemy was preparing to kidnap Judas.
30. Judas found out that Nicanor had come to him with treacherous intentions. He was afraid of him and wouldn’t meet with Nicanor again.
31. When Nicanor learned that his plan had been discovered, he went out to meet Judas in battle near Caphar-salama.
32. About five hundred of Nicanor’s soldiers died. The rest fled into David’s City.