39. Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains shone therewith, and blazed like torches of fire.
40. And a part of the king’s army was spread upon the high mountains, and some on the low ground, and they went on firmly and in order.
41. And all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the multitude, and the rattling of the arms, did quake: for the army was exceeding great and strong.
42. And Judas and his army drew near for battle, and there fell of the king’s army six hundred men.
43. And Eleazar, who was called Avaran, saw one of the beasts armed with royal breastplates, and he was higher than all the beasts, and the king seemed to be upon him;
44. and he gave himself to deliver his people, and to get him an everlasting name;
45. and he ran upon him courageously into the midst of the phalanx, and killed on the right hand and on the left, and they parted asunder from him on this side and on that.
46. And he crept under the elephant, and thrust him from beneath, and killed him; and the elephant fell to the earth upon him, and he died there.
47. And they saw the strength of the kingdom, and the fierce onset of the hosts, and turned away from them.
48. But they of the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king encamped toward Judaea, and toward mount Sion.
49. And he made peace with them of Bethsura; and he came out of the city, because they had no food there to endure the siege, because it was a Sabbath to the land.
50. And the king took Bethsura, and appointed a garrison there to keep it.
51. And he encamped against the sanctuary many days; and set there mounds to shoot from, and engines of war, and instruments for casting fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts, and slings.
52. And they also made engines against their engines, and fought for many days.
53. But there were no food in the sanctuary, because it was the seventh year, and they that fled for safety into Judaea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;