1. Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, took his place.
2. All his brothers and all who had joined his father supported him, and they gladly carried on Israel’s war.
3. He spread abroad the glory of his people,and put on his breastplate like a giant.He armed himself with weapons of war;he fought battles and protected the camp with his sword.
4. In his deeds he was like a lion,like a young lion roaring for prey.
5. He pursued the lawless, hunting them out,and those who troubled his people he destroyed by fire.
6. The lawless were cowed by fear of him,and all evildoers were dismayed.By his hand deliverance was happily achieved,
7. and he afflicted many kings.He gave joy to Jacob by his deeds,and his memory is blessed forever.
8. He went about the cities of Judahdestroying the renegades there.He turned away wrath from Israel,
9. was renowned to the ends of the earth;and gathered together those who were perishing.
10. Then Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, along with a large army from Samaria, to fight against Israel.
11. When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him and struck and killed him. Many fell wounded, and the rest fled.
12. They took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius and fought with it the rest of his life.
13. But Seron, commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had mustered an assembly of faithful men ready for war.
14. So he said, “I will make a name for myself and win honor in the kingdom. I will wage war against Judas and his followers, who have despised the king’s command.”