48. Then Judas sent them this peaceful message: “Let us cross your territory in order to reach our own; no one will harm you; we will only march through.” But they would not open to him.
49. So Judas ordered a proclamation to be made in the camp that everyone should take up positions where they were.
50. When the men of the army took up their positions, he assaulted the city all that day and night, and it was delivered into his hand.
51. He put every male to the sword, leveled the city, took spoils and passed through it over the slain.
52. Then they crossed the Jordan to the great plain in front of Beth-shan;
53. and Judas kept gathering the stragglers and encouraging the people the whole way, until he reached the land of Judah.
54. They ascended Mount Zion in joy and gladness and sacrificed burnt offerings, because not one of them had fallen; they had returned in safety.
55. In those days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother was in Galilee opposite Ptolemais,
56. Joseph, son of Zechariah, and Azariah, the leaders of the army, heard about the brave deeds and the fighting that they were doing.
57. They said, “Let us also make a name for ourselves by going out and fighting against the Gentiles around us.”
58. They gave orders to those of their army who were with them, and marched against Jamnia.
59. But Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle.
60. Joseph and Azariah were routed and were pursued to the frontiers of Judea, and about two thousand Israelites fell that day.
61. It was a great setback for the people, because they had not obeyed Judas and his brothers, thinking that they would do brave deeds.