12. And the vision of that dream was this: He saw Onias, him that was high priest, a noble and good man, reverend in bearing, yet gentle in manner and well-spoken, and exercised from a child in all points of virtue, with outstretched hands invoking blessings on the whole body of the Jews:
13. thereupon he saw a man appear, of venerable age and exceeding glory, and wonderful and most majestic was the dignity around him:
14. and Onias answered and said, This is the lover of the brethren, he who prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah the prophet of God:
15. and Jeremiah stretching forth his right hand delivered to Judas a sword of gold, and in giving it addressed him thus,
16. Take the holy sword, a gift from God, wherewith you shall strike down the adversaries.
17. And being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were of a lofty strain, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determined not to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down upon the enemy, and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to an issue, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.
18. For their fear for wives and children, and furthermore for brethren and kinsfolk, was in less account with them; but greatest and first was their fear for the consecrated sanctuary.