18. Meanwhile, the enemies at the fort in Jerusalem had been blockading the people of Israel in the area round the Temple, constantly causing them trouble and giving support to the Gentiles.
19. So Judas decided to get rid of them and called all the people together to besiege the fort.
20. The people assembled and laid siege to the fort in the year 150. They built siege-platforms and battering-rams.
21. But some of the men under siege escaped, and together with some of the renegade Jews, they went to the king and said,
22. “How long are you going to wait before you take revenge for what was done to our countrymen?
23. We were willing to serve your father, follow his orders, and obey his decrees.
24. But what good did it do us? Now our own countrymen have become our enemies. In fact, they have killed as many of us as they could find and have stolen our possessions.
25. But we are not the only ones they have harmed; they have attacked all their neighbours.
26. And now they have laid siege to the fort in Jerusalem and are planning to take it. They have also fortified the Temple and Bethzur.
27. Unless you act immediately, they will do even more, and you will not be able to stop them.”
28. When the king heard this, he was furious. He brought together all the army commanders, the cavalry officers, and his most trusted advisers.
29. He also hired mercenary soldiers from other countries and from the Greek islands.