Mattathias soon died and left his leadership to Judas Maccabaeus, by whom the struggle was carried on in the first instance after the old fashion; soon, however, it assumed larger dimensions, when regular armies were sent out against the insurgents.  First Apollonius, the governor of Judaea, took the field; but he was defeated and fell in battle.  Next came Seron, governor of Ccelesyria, who also was routed near Bethhoron (I66).  Upon this Lysias, the regent to whom Antiochus IV., who was busied in the far east, had intrusted the government of Syria and the charge of his son, Antiochus Philopator, a minor, sent a strong force under the command of three generals.  Approaching from the west, it was their design to advance separately upon Jerusalem, but Judas anticipated their plan and compelled them to quit the field (166).  The regent now felt himself called on to interpose in person.  Invading Judaea from the south, he encountered the Jews at Bethsur, who, however, offered an opposition that was not easily overcome; he was prevented from resorting to the last measures by the intelligence which reached him of the death of the king in Elymais (165).

The withdrawal of Lysias secured the fulfilment of the desires of the defenders of the faith in so far as it now enabled them to restore the Jerusalem worship to its previous condition.  They lost no time in setting about the accomplishment of this.  They were not successful indeed in wresting Acra from the possession of the Syrians, but they so occupied the garrison as to prevent it from interfering with the work of restoration.  On 25th Kislev 165, the very day on which, three years before, “the abomination of desolation” had been inaugurated, the first sacrifice was offered on the new altar, and in commemoration of this the feast of the dedication was thenceforth celebrated.

As it was easy to see that danger still impended, the temple was put into a state of defence, as also was the town of Bethsur, where Lysias had been checked.  But the favourable moment presented by the change of sovereign was made use of for still bolder attempts.  Scattered over the whole of Southern Syria there were a number of Jewish localities on which the heathens now proceeded to wreak their vengeance.

For the purpose of rescuing these oppressed co-religionists, and of bringing them in safety to Judaea, the Maccabees made a series of excursions, extending in some cases as far as to Lebanon and Damascus.  Lysias had his hands otherwise fully occupied, and perhaps did not feel much disposed to continue the fight on behalf of the cultus of Jupiter Capitolinus.  Daily gaining in boldness, the Jews now took in hand also to lay regular siege to Acra.  Then at last Lysias yielded to the pressure of Syrian and Jewish deputations and determined to take serious steps (162).  With a large force he entered Judaea, again from the south, and laid siege to Bethsur.  Judas vainly attempted