27. And rising from their prayer they took up their arms, and advanced some distance from the city; and when they had come near to their enemies they halted.
28. And when the dawn was now spreading, the two armies joined battle; the one part having this, beside their virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the strife.
29. But when the battle waxed strong, there appeared out of heaven to their adversaries five men on horses with bridles of gold, in splendid array; and two of them, leading on the Jews,
30. and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while on the adversaries they shot forth arrows and thunderbolts; by reason whereof they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment.
31. And there were slain twenty thousand and five hundred, beside six hundred horsemen.
32. But Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of exceeding strength, Chaereas being in command there.
33. But Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress four and twenty days.