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.
37. Following this, Timothy assembled another army and encamped opposite Raphon, on the other side of the stream.
38. Judas sent spies to observe the camp, and they reported: "All the Gentiles around us have gone over to him—it’s a very large force.
39. They have also hired Arabs to help them. They’re camped across the stream, and they’re ready to come and fight against you." So Judas went out to meet them.
40. As Judas and his army were drawing near to the stream of water, Timothy told the officers of his forces, "If Judas crosses the water first, we won’t be able to resist him, and he’ll surely defeat us.
41. But if he hesitates out of fear and camps on the other side of the river, then we’ll cross over and defeat him."
42. When Judas came to the stream of water, he stationed the scribes of the people there and issued this command: "Don’t let anyone start to make camp. Instead, force them all to enter the battle."