15. Giving his troops the battle cry “God’s Victory,” he made a night attack on the king’s pavilion with a picked force of the bravest young men and killed about two thousand in the camp. He also stabbed the lead elephant and its rider.
16. Finally they withdrew in triumph, having filled the camp with terror and confusion.
17. Day was just breaking when this was accomplished with the help and protection of the Lord.
18. The king, having had a taste of the Jews’ boldness, tried to take their positions by a stratagem.
19. So he marched against Beth-zur, a strong fortress of the Jews; but he was driven back, checked, and defeated.
20. Judas sent supplies to the men inside,
21. but Rhodocus, of the Jewish army, betrayed military secrets to the enemy. He was found out, arrested, and imprisoned.
22. The king made a second attempt by negotiating with the people of Beth-zur. After giving them his pledge and receiving theirs, he withdrew
23. and attacked Judas’ men. But he was defeated. Next he heard that Philip, who was left in charge of the government in Antioch, had rebelled. Dismayed, he negotiated with the Jews, submitted to their terms, and swore to observe all their rights. Having come to this agreement, he offered a sacrifice, and honored the sanctuary and the place with a generous donation.
24. He received Maccabeus, and left Hegemonides as governor of the territory from Ptolemais to the region of the Gerrhenes.
25. When he came to Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais were angered by the peace treaty; in fact they were so indignant that they wanted to annul its provisions.
26. But Lysias took the platform, defended the treaty as well as he could and won them over by persuasion. After calming them and gaining their goodwill, he returned to Antioch. That is the story of the king’s attack and withdrawal.