14. This letter was still being read when other messengers, who had torn their clothes in sorrow, arrived with a report from Galilee.
15. They said, “An army from Ptolemais, Tyre, Sidon, and the whole of Galilee has come together to destroy us.”
16. When Judas and the people heard all this, a great assembly was held to decide what should be done to help their countrymen, who were in such difficulty under enemy attack.
17. Judas said to his brother Simon, “Choose some men and go and rescue our fellow-Jews in Galilee; our brother Jonathan and I will go to Gilead.”
18. Judas left the rest of his army to defend Judea and put the two leaders, Azariah and Joseph son of Zechariah, in charge of the people.
19. He said to them: “I am leaving you in command here, but don't go out and fight the Gentiles until we get back.”
20. Then 3,000 men joined Simon for the march into Galilee, and 8,000 men remained with Judas for the march into Gilead.
21. Simon went into Galilee and fought many battles with the Gentiles. He defeated them
22. and pursued them all the way to the city of Ptolemais, killing about 3,000 of them, and taking the loot.
23. Then he took the Jews who were in Galilee and Arbatta, with their wives, their children, and all they owned, and brought them back to Judea with him. There was great rejoicing.
24. During this time, Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan had crossed the River Jordan and had marched for three days through the desert.
25. They met some friendly Nabateans who told them all that had happened to the Jews in Gilead.
26. They reported that many Jews were imprisoned in the fortified cities of Bozrah, Bosor, Alema, Chaspho, Maked, and Karnaim,