49. That day Bacchides lost about a thousand men.
50. After Bacchides returned to Jerusalem, the Syrians built fortifications with high walls and barred gates for a number of towns in Judea: Emmaus, Beth Horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pirathon, Tephon, and the fortress in Jericho.
51. In all of these Bacchides placed troops to harass the Jews.
52. He also strengthened the fortifications of the towns of Bethzur and Gezer and of the fort in Jerusalem. He placed army units in them and stored up supplies there.
53. Then he took the sons of the leading men of the country as hostages and imprisoned them in the fort.
54. In the second month of the year 153, the High Priest Alcimus ordered that the wall of the inner court of the Temple must be torn down. This would have destroyed what the prophets had accomplished; but just as the work began,