1. When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had been defeated in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah a second time. The right wing of the army was with them.
2. They went by the road that leads to Gilgal and prepared for battle against Mesaloth in Arbela. They captured it and killed many people.
3. In the first month of the year 152, they camped against Jerusalem.
4. Then they marched off and went to Berea with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry.
5. Now Judas was camped at Elasa with three thousand handpicked soldiers.