[Sidenote:  I Macc. 3:38-41] Now Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, influential men among the king’s Friends, and with them sent forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horsemen to go into the land of Judah to destroy it, as the king had ordered.  And they set out with all their army and pitched their camp near Emmaus in the plain.  And the merchants of the country heard the rumors about them, and taking silver and gold in large quantities, and shackles, they came into the camp to get the Israelites for slaves.  There were added to them the forces of Syria and of the Philistines.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 3:42, 43, 46-54] Then Judas and his brothers saw that evils were increasing and that the forces were encamping in their territory, and when they learned of the commands which the king had given to destroy the people and make an end of them, they said to each other,

Let us raise up the ruin of our people
And let us fight for our people and the sanctuary;

So they gathered together and came to Mizpeh, opposite Jerusalem; for in Mizpeh there was a place of prayer for Israel.  And they fasted that day, and put sackcloth and ashes on their heads and tore their clothes, and spread out the book of the law—­one of those in which the heathen had been painting images of their idols.  And they brought the priests’ garments with the first-fruits, and the tithes, and they cut the hair of the Nazirites who had accomplished their days.  And they cried aloud toward Heaven, saying, What shall we do with these and whither shall we carry them away?  For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy priests are in sorrow, and humiliation.  And now the heathen have assembled together against us to destroy us.  Thou knowest what plans they are making against us.  How shall we be able to stand before them, except thou be our help?  And they sounded with the trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 3:55-60] And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people, commanders over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens.  And he told those who were building houses and those who were planting vineyards and those who were afraid, to return, each to his own house, as the law commanded.  Then the army removed and encamped upon the south side of Emmaus.  And Judas said, Gird yourselves and be valiant men; and be ready in the morning to fight with these heathen who are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.  For it is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary.  Nevertheless, let Heaven do whatever be his will.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 4:1-6a] And Gorgias took five thousand footmen, and a thousand chosen horsemen, and the army set out by night, that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and attack them suddenly.  And the men of the citadel were his guides.  But when Judas heard of it, he broke camp with his valiant men, that he might attack the king’s army which was at Emmaus, while as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.  And when Gorgias came to the camp of Judas by night, he found no one.  Then he looked for them in the mountains, thinking that the men were fleeing from him.