34. When the army under Timothy's command saw that it was Judas Maccabaeus, the soldiers turned and fled. Judas crushed them and killed about 8,000 men that day.
35. Then Judas turned aside to attack the town of Alema; he captured it and killed all the men in it. He looted the town and set fire to it.
36. From there he went on and captured Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other towns of Gilead.
37. After this, Timothy gathered another army and camped opposite Raphon, on the other side of a river.
38. Judas sent some men to spy out the camp, and they reported back to him that all the Gentiles in the region had joined Timothy and had formed a large army.
39. Timothy had also hired Arab mercenaries to help him, and these were camped on the other side of the river ready to attack Judas. So Judas went out to meet them in battle.
40. As Judas and his army came closer to the water, Timothy said to his officers, “If he keeps on coming and crosses the river, we won't be able to turn back his attack, and he will defeat us.