17. When they saw Seron’s army that was coming against them, they said to Judas, "How can we, who are so few, fight against so large and strong a multitude? What’s more, we feel faint because we haven’t eaten today."
18. Judas answered, "It’s easy for many to be trapped by a few. In the sight of heaven, it makes no difference to win by many or by few.
19. It’s not the size of the army that brings victory in battle, because strength comes from heaven.
20. They’re coming against us with a lot of pride and evil. They want to destroy us, along with our wives and children. They want to ruin us.
21. But we are fighting for our lives and for our laws.
22. The heavenly one himself will crush them before us. Don’t be afraid of them."
23. After Judas said these words, his soldiers rushed suddenly against Seron’s army, and they crushed them.
24. Judas’ soldiers pursued Seron’s army down the hill from Beth-horon to the plain below. Eight hundred of them died. The rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
25. After this, Judas and his brothers were feared. Terror fell on all the Gentiles around them.
26. Even the king heard about his reputation, and the Gentiles talked about the battles waged by Judas.
27. When King Antiochus heard about these matters, he became very angry. So he gathered together all the forces of his empire, a mighty army.
28. He opened up his treasury and gave his soldiers a year’s pay in advance, and he ordered them to be ready for anything.