1. And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them:
2. and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and got possession of it, and destroyed much people.
3. And the first month of the hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against Jerusalem:
4. and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse.
5. And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:
6. and they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men.
7. And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint.
8. And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.
9. And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again, we and our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few.
10. And Judas said, let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brethren’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our glory.
11. And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle.
12. But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the phalanx drew near on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets.