25. They encountered the Nabateans, who greeted them in peace and related all that had happened to their people in Gilead:
26. "Many of them have been cornered inside Bozrah and Bosor, in Alema and Chaspho, in Maked and Carnaim." These were strong and large towns.
27. "Some have been confined in other towns in Gilead. The enemy is getting ready to attack the fortresses tomorrow. They intend to capture and destroy all these people in a single day."
28. So Judas and his army turned back quickly to Bozrah by the wilderness road. He took the town and killed every male by the sword. He seized all their goods and burned down the town.
29. He left there by night and went all the way to the fortress.
30. At daybreak they looked around and saw a large company, too many to count, carrying ladders and war engines to use to capture the fortress. They were attacking those inside.
31. So Judas saw that the battle had already begun and that the cries of the townspeople went up to heaven. There were trumpet blasts and loud shouts.
32. He said to his forces: "Fight today for your people!"
33. He came up behind them in three companies. They sounded their trumpets and cried out in prayer.
34. When Timothy’s army realized that it was Maccabeus, they ran away. But Judas dealt them a heavy blow. As many as eight thousand of the enemy died that day.
35. Judas turned next to Maapha. He fought against it and took it. He killed every male in it, plundered it, and burned it with fire.
36. After that he marched ahead and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other towns of Gilead.