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.
19. And they also that were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open ground.
20. And when all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and the elephants brought back to a convenient post, and the horsemen drawn up on the flank,
21. Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of the troops, and the various arms with which they were equipped, and the savageness of the elephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord that works wonders, recognising that success comes not by arms, but that, according as the Lord shall judge, he gaineth the victory for them that are worthy.
22. And calling upon God he said after this manner: You, O Sovereign Lord, did send your angel in the time of Hezekiah king of Judaea, and he killed of the host of Sennacherib as many as a hundred fourscore and five thousand;
23. so now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling:
24. through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay that with blasphemy are come here against your holy people. And as he ended with these words,
25. Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and paeans;
26. but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers.
27. And contending with their hands, and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty and five thousand men, being made exceeding glad by the manifestation of God.
28. And when the engagement was over, and they were returning again with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor;
29. and there arose a shout and tumult, and then they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their fathers.
30. And he that in all things was in body and soul the foremost champion of his fellow-citizens, he that kept through life the good will of his youth toward his countrymen, commanded to cut off Nicanor’s head, and his hand with the shoulder, and bring them to Jerusalem.
31. And when he had arrived there, and had called his countrymen together and set the priests before the altar, he sent for them that were in the citadel;
32. and showing the head of the vile Nicanor, and the hand of that profane man, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty,