[Sidenote:  I Macc. 4:6b-11] But as soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men; only they had neither armor nor swords as they wished.  When now they saw the camp of the heathen strongly fortified and cavalry about it and experienced warriors there, Judas said to the men who were with him, Fear not their multitude neither be afraid of their attack.  Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a host.  And now let us cry to Heaven, if he will show favor to us and will remember the covenant made with our fathers and destroy this army before our face to-day, that all the heathen may know that there is one who redeemeth and saveth Israel.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 4:12-15] Then when the foreigners lifted up their eyes and saw them coming toward them, they went from their camp to battle.  And those who were with Judas sounded their trumpets and joined battle; and the heathen were defeated and fled into the plain.  But all who were in the rear fell by the sword, and they pursued them to Gazara and to the plains of Idumea and Azotus and Jamnia, and there fell of them about three thousand men.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 4:16-25] When Judas and his army returned from pursuing them, he said to the people, Do not be greedy for the spoils, since there is a battle before us, and Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain.  But stand now against our enemies and fight them, and afterward you may openly take the spoils.  While Judas was still speaking there appeared a part of them, looking out from the mountain; and these saw that their army had been put to flight and that the Jews were burning their camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had been done.  And when they perceived these things, they were thrown into a panic, and seeing the army of Judas also in the plain ready for battle, they all retreated into the land of the Philistines.  And Judas returned to sack the camp, and they took much gold and silver and blue and sea-purple and great riches.  Then they returned home and sang a song of thanksgiving and gave praise to Heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth forever.  Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 4:26, 27] But the foreigners, as many as had escaped, came and told Lysias all the things that had happened.  And when he heard it he was astonished and discouraged, because neither had Israel met with reverses as he wished nor had what the king commanded been realized.

[Footnote:  I Macc. 4:28-34] Now in the next year [Lysias] gathered together sixty thousand picked footmen and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue [the Jews].  When they came to Idumea and encamped at Bethsura, Judas met them with ten thousand men.  As he saw that the army was strong, he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst shatter the attacking power of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver the army of the heathen into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer.