1. Not long after Timothy was defeated, Lysias, the king's guardian and relative, and head of the government, heard what had happened. He became angry
2. and led 80,000 infantry and all his cavalry against the Jews with the intention of turning Jerusalem into a Greek city.
3. The Temple would be taxed, as were all Gentile places of worship, and the office of High Priest would be up for sale each year.
4. Lysias was so pleased with his tens of thousands of infantry, his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants that he failed to take into account the power of God.
5. He invaded Judea and attacked the fort of Bethzur, about thirty kilometres south of Jerusalem.