25. There they met some Nabateans, who received them peaceably and told them all that had happened to their kindred in Gilead:
26. “Many of them are shut up in Bozrah, in Bosor near Alema, in Chaspho, Maked, and Carnaim”—all of these are large, fortified cities—
27. “and some are shut up in other cities of Gilead. Tomorrow their enemies plan to attack the strongholds and to seize and destroy all these people in one day.”
28. Thereupon Judas suddenly changed direction with his army, marched across the wilderness to Bozrah, and captured the city. He put every male to the sword, took all their spoils, and set fire to the city.
29. He led his army from that place by night, and they marched toward the stronghold.
30. When morning came, they looked ahead and saw a countless multitude, with ladders and machines for capturing the stronghold, beginning to attack.
31. When Judas perceived that the struggle had begun and that the noise of the battle was resounding to heaven with trumpet blasts and loud shouting,
32. he said to the men of his army, “Fight for our kindred today.”
33. He came up behind them with three columns blowing their trumpets and crying out in prayer.
34. When the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabeus, they fled before him, and he inflicted on them a great defeat. About eight thousand of their men fell that day.
35. Then he turned toward Alema and attacked and captured it; he killed every male, took spoils, and burned it down.
36. From there he moved on and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of Gilead.
37. After these events Timothy assembled another army and camped opposite Raphon, on the other side of the wadi.
38. Judas sent men to spy on the camp, and they reported to him: “All the Gentiles around us have rallied to him, making a very large force;
39. they have also hired Arabians to help them, and have camped beyond the wadi, ready to attack you.” So Judas went forward to meet them.
40. As Judas and his army were approaching the flowing wadi, Timothy said to the officers of his army: “If he crosses over to us first, we shall not be able to resist him; he will certainly defeat us.
41. But if he is hesitant and camps on the other side of the river, we will cross over to him and defeat him.”
42. But when Judas reached the flowing wadi, he stationed the officers of the people beside it and gave them this order: “Do not allow anyone to encamp; all must go into battle.”
43. He was the first to cross to the attack, with all the people behind him, and all the Gentiles were crushed before them. They threw away their arms and fled to the temple enclosure at Carnaim.