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.
29. When the battle became fierce, five magnificent men from heaven appeared to the enemy, riding on horses with gold bridles and leading the Jews.
30. Two of them took the Maccabee between them, completely protecting him against harm with their own armor, and they shot arrows and thunderbolts into the ranks of their opponents. Thrown into confusion by blindness, the enemy then ran off in different directions, filled with terror.
31. Twenty thousand five hundred foot soldiers and six hundred cavalry were cut down.
32. But Timothy himself fled into a fortress called Gazara, a secured area commanded by Chaereas.
33. The followers of the Maccabee eagerly attacked the area for four days.
34. Because the place was strongly fortified, those inside verbally insulted the enemy, uttering unlawful words.
35. As the fifth day began, twenty of the young men among the Maccabee’s followers burned with anger because of the verbal insults, and they bravely attacked the wall. In savage fury, they cut down anyone they found.
36. As this destruction occurred, others also went up after them against those inside, set the towers on fire, stoked the flames, and burned the offenders alive. When others tore down the gates, letting in the rest of the army, they took the city.
37. They slaughtered Timothy, who had hidden himself in a cistern, as well as his brother Chaereas and also Apollophanes.
38. With these things accomplished, they praised the Lord with hymns and thanks for showing kindness to Israel and giving victory to them.