14. and attacked. The Gentiles broke ranks and fled to the plain,
15. but all the stragglers were killed. The Israelites pursued the enemy as far as Gezer, the plains of Idumea, and the towns of Azotus and Jamnia. Altogether they killed about 3,000 of the enemy.
16. When Judas and his army came back from the pursuit,
17-18. he said to his men, “Don't be greedy for loot. Gorgias and his army are near by in the mountains, so there is still heavy fighting ahead of us. We must stand firm and fight. After that, you can safely take all the loot you want.”
19. Judas was just finishing his speech when an enemy patrol on a scouting mission looked down from the mountains
20. and saw that their army had been put to flight; they could tell from the smoke that their camp was burning.
21. When they saw all this, they were terrified, and when they also saw that Judas' army was in the plain ready for battle,
22. they all fled to Philistia.
23. Then Judas returned to loot the enemy camp; he took large amounts of gold and silver, blue and purple cloth, and other rich plunder.
24. When the Jews came back to their own camp, they sang a hymn: “The Lord is worthy of praise; his mercy endures for ever.”
25. That day brought a great victory to the people of Israel.
26. The Gentile troops that escaped went to Lysias and reported all that had happened.
27. When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle, he was shocked and disappointed that Israel had not been defeated as the king had commanded.
28. In the following year Lysias gathered an army of 60,000 well-trained infantry and 5,000 cavalry, intending to conquer the Jews.