1. As King Antiochus the Fourth was passing through Mesopotamia, he heard of a city in Persia, named Elymais, which was famous for its riches in silver and gold.
2. The temple was very rich, containing gold shields, armour, and weapons left there by Alexander, son of King Philip of Macedonia, who was the first to rule over the Greek Empire.
3. Antiochus came and tried to take the city and loot it, but he didn't succeed, because the citizens had learnt what he was planning to do,
4. and they drew up their troops to resist him. In great frustration he withdrew to return to Babylonia.
5. In Persia a messenger reached him with the news that the armies he had sent into Judea had been defeated.
6. Lysias and his strong army had been forced to flee from the Jews, who were now reinforced by the additional weapons, supplies, and loot they had taken from the defeated armies.