8. He was discouraged, but he said to those who were still with him, “Let us prepare for the attack; maybe we can still defeat them.”
9. His men tried to talk him out of it. “We are not strong enough,” they said. “Let's retreat now and save our lives. Then we can return with reinforcements and fight the enemy. We haven't enough men now.”
10. Judas replied, “Never let it be said that I ran from a battle. If our time has come, let's die bravely for our fellow-Jews and not leave any stain on our honour.”
11. The Syrian army came out of the camp and took up battle positions against the Jews. The cavalry was divided into two parts. The shock troops were in the front lines, but the archers and those who used slings went ahead of the main formation.
12. Bacchides took his position on the right. The infantry advanced, protected on both sides by the cavalry, and the war trumpets were blown. The soldiers of Judas also sounded their trumpets.
13. The ground shook from the noise when the two armies met, and they fought from morning until evening.
14. When Judas saw that Bacchides and the main force of the Syrian army was on the right, all his bravest men joined him,
15. and they crushed the Syrians' right wing. They pursued them as far as the foothills.
16. But when the Syrians on the left wing saw that their right wing had been crushed, they turned to attack Judas and his men from the rear.
17. The fighting became very fierce, and many on both sides were killed.
18. Finally Judas himself was killed. Then all his family fled.
19. Jonathan and Simon took their brother's body and buried it in the family tomb at Modein,
20. and there at the tomb they wept for him. All Israel mourned for him in great sorrow for many days. They said,
21. “It can't be true! The mighty hero and saviour of Israel has been killed!”
22. The other deeds of Judas, his battles, his courageous acts, and his great achievements, were too many to write down.
23. After the death of Judas, the lawless traitors began to reappear everywhere in Judea, and all the wicked people returned.
24. Also at that time, there was a severe famine, and the whole country went over to the side of the renegades.
25. Bacchides deliberately appointed some renegade Jews as rulers over the country.