28. “Let there be no fight between me and you. I will come with a few men to meet you face to face in peace.”
29. So he came to Judas, and they greeted one another peaceably. But Judas’ enemies were prepared to seize him.
30. When he became aware that Nicanor had come to him with deceit in mind, Judas was afraid of him and would not meet him again.
31. When Nicanor saw that his plan had been discovered, he went out to fight Judas near Capharsalama.
32. About five hundred men of Nicanor’s army fell; the rest fled to the City of David.
33. After this, Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being sacrificed for the king.
34. But he mocked and ridiculed them, defiled them, and spoke arrogantly.
35. In a rage he swore: “If Judas and his army are not delivered to me at once, when I return victorious I will burn this temple down.” He went away in great anger.
36. The priests, however, went in and stood before the altar and the sanctuary. They wept and said:
37. “You have chosen this house to bear your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people.
38. Take revenge on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and do not let them continue.”
39. Nicanor left Jerusalem and camped at Beth-horon, where the Syrian army joined him.
40. But Judas camped in Adasa with three thousand men. Here Judas uttered this prayer: