5. Then he said, “I, the ruler on earth, command you to take up arms and carry out the king’s business.” Nevertheless he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan.
6. In his utter boastfulness and arrogance Nicanor had determined to erect a public victory monument over Judas and his companions.
7. But Maccabeus remained confident, fully convinced that he would receive help from the Lord.
8. He urged his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but mindful of the help they had received in the past from Heaven, to expect now the victory that would be given them by the Almighty.
9. By encouraging them with words from the law and the prophets, and by reminding them of the battles they had already won, he filled them with fresh enthusiasm.
10. Having stirred up their courage, he gave his orders and pointed out at the same time the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.
11. When he had armed each of them, not so much with the security of shield and spear as with the encouragement of noble words, he cheered them all by relating a dream, a kind of waking vision, worthy of belief.
12. What he saw was this: Onias, the former high priest, a noble and good man, modest in bearing, gentle in manner, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched arms for the whole Jewish community.
13. Then in the same way another man appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an air of wondrous and majestic authority.
14. Onias then said of him, “This is a man who loves his fellow Jews and fervently prays for the people and the holy city—the prophet of God, Jeremiah.”
15. Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said,
16. “Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall shatter your adversaries.”