14. Gorgias, who became governor of the region, maintained a mercenary army and waged constant war against the Jews.
15. In addition to him, the Idumeans who controlled some strategic fortresses harassed the Jews. They gave safe harbor to those who were driven from Jerusalem and tried to keep the war going.
16. The Maccabee and his followers were praying and calling on God to help them. They rushed against the Idumean fortresses.
17. After mounting a vigorous attack, they gained control of all the sites and held off those fighting on the wall. They slaughtered all those they encountered, killing at least twenty thousand.
18. When no fewer than nine thousand fled into two towers well equipped for a siege,
19. the Maccabee departed to other places that needed his urgent attention, leaving Simon, Joseph, and Zacchaeus with a sufficient force for the siege of these towers.
20. Some men in the towers bribed greedy people around Simon. These people in turn, after receiving seventy thousand drachmen, allowed some of the enemy to slip away.
21. When the Maccabee found out what happened, he gathered the leaders of the people and accused them of selling their brothers for silver by setting free the enemy.
22. He executed the traitors and then quickly took the two towers.
23. He was successful in all things relating to war and killed more than twenty thousand men in the two towers.
24. Timothy, who was defeated by the Jews earlier, assembled a large number of foreign troops and brought many horses from Asia. He arrived intending to fight against Judea.
25. As he approached, the Maccabee’s followers prayed to God for help. Sprinkling their heads with dust, wrapping themselves with mourning clothes,
26. and falling down opposite the foundation of the altar, they begged God to be gracious to them, to be hostile to those hostile to them, and to be an opponent of their opponents, just as the Law promises.
27. After praying, they took up arms and moved out some distance from the city. They drew near to their enemies and then halted.
28. At dawn, each side attacked. As an assurance of success and victory, the Jews had their courage and their trust in the Lord, but the Greeks made rage the driving force of their struggles.