18. When at least nine thousand took refuge in two very strong towers, well equipped to sustain a siege,
19. Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, along with Zacchaeus and his forces, in sufficient numbers to besiege them, while he himself went off to places where he was more urgently needed.
20. But some of those in Simon’s force who were lovers of money let themselves be bribed by some of those in the towers; on receiving seventy thousand drachmas, they allowed a number of them to escape.
21. When Maccabeus was told what had happened, he assembled the rulers of the people and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.
22. So he put them to death as traitors, and without delay captured the two towers.
23. As he was successful at arms in all his undertakings, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.
24. Timothy, who had previously been defeated by the Jews, gathered a tremendous force of foreign troops and collected a large number of cavalry from Asia; then he appeared in Judea, ready to conquer it by force.
25. At his approach, Maccabeus and his companions made supplication to God, sprinkling earth upon their heads and girding their loins in sackcloth.
26. Lying prostrate at the foot of the altar, they begged him to be gracious to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and a foe to their foes, as the law declares.
27. After the prayer, they took up their weapons and advanced a considerable distance from the city, halting when they were close to the enemy.