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.”
15. And again a large company of renegades advanced with him to help him take revenge on the Israelites.
16. When he reached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him with a few men.
17. But when they saw the army coming against them, they said to Judas: “How can we, few as we are, fight such a strong host as this? Besides, we are weak since we have not eaten today.”
18. But Judas said: “Many are easily hemmed in by a few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by few;
19. for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven.