12. They took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius and fought with it the rest of his life.
13. But Seron, commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had mustered an assembly of faithful men ready for war.
14. So he said, “I will make a name for myself and win honor in the kingdom. I will wage war against Judas and his followers, who have despised the king’s command.”
15. And again a large company of renegades advanced with him to help him take revenge on the Israelites.
16. When he reached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him with a few men.
17. But when they saw the army coming against them, they said to Judas: “How can we, few as we are, fight such a strong host as this? Besides, we are weak since we have not eaten today.”
18. But Judas said: “Many are easily hemmed in by a few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by few;
19. for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven.
20. With great presumption and lawlessness they come against us to destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us;
21. but we are fighting for our lives and our laws.
22. He will crush them before us; so do not fear them.”
23. When he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly upon Seron and his army, who were crushed before him.
24. He pursued Seron down the descent of Beth-horon into the plain. About eight hundred of their men fell, and the rest fled to the land of the Philistines.
25. Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and dread fell upon the Gentiles about them.
26. His fame reached the king, and the Gentiles talked about the battles of Judas.
27. When King Antiochus heard these reports, he was filled with rage; so he ordered that all the forces of his kingdom be gathered, a very strong army.
28. He opened his treasury, gave his soldiers a year’s pay, and commanded them to be prepared for anything.
29. But then he saw that this exhausted the money in his treasury; moreover the tribute from the province was small because of the dissension and distress he had brought upon the land by abolishing the laws which had been in effect from of old.
30. He feared that, as had happened once or twice, he would not have enough for his expenses and for the gifts that he was accustomed to give with a lavish hand—more so than all previous kings.