10. Now when they had drawn off nine furlongs from thence, as they marched against Timotheus, a host of Arabians attacked him, no fewer than five thousand footmen and five hundred horsemen.
11. And when a sore battle had been fought, and Judas and his company by the help of God had good success, the nomads being overcome implored Judas to grant them friendship, promising to give him cattle, and to help his people in all other ways.
12. So Judas, thinking that they would indeed be profitable in many things, agreed to live in peace with them; and receiving pledges of friendship they departed to their tents.
13. And he also fell upon a certain city Gephyrun, strong and fenced about with walls, and inhabited by a mixed multitude of various nations; and it was named Caspin.
14. But they that were within, trusting to the strength of the walls and to their store of provisions, behaved themselves rudely toward Judas and them that were with him, railing, and furthermore blaspheming and speaking impious words.
15. But Judas and his company, calling upon the great sovereign of the world, who without rams and cunning engines of war hurled down Jericho in the times of Joshua, rushed wildly against the wall;
16. and having taken the city by the will of God, they made unspeakable slaughter, insomuch that the adjoining lake, which was two furlongs broad, appeared to be filled with the deluge of blood.
17. And when they had drawn off seven hundred and fifty furlongs from thence, they made their way to Charax, to the Jews that are called Tubieni.
18. And Timotheus they found not in occupation of that district, for he had then departed from the district without accomplishing anything, but had left behind a garrison, and that a very strong one, in a certain post.
19. But Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabaeus’s captains, sallied forth and destroyed those that had been left by Timotheus in the stronghold, above ten thousand men.
20. And Maccabaeus, ranging his own army by bands, set these two over the bands, and marched in haste against Timotheus, who had with him a hundred and twenty thousand footmen and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.
21. But when Timotheus heard of the inroad of Judas, he at once sent away the women and the children and also the baggage into the fortress called Carnion; for the place was hard to besiege and difficult of access by reason of the narrowness of the approaches on all sides.
22. But when the band of Judas, who led the van, appeared in sight, and when terror came upon the enemy and fear, because the manifestation of him who sees all things came upon them, they fled amain, carried this way and that, so that they were often hurt of their own men, and pierced with the points of their swords.
23. And Judas continued the pursuit the more hotly, putting the wicked wretches to the sword, and he destroyed as many as thirty thousand men.
24. But Timotheus himself, falling in with the company of Dositheus and Sosipater, implored them with much crafty guile to let him go with his life, because he had in his power the parents of many of them and the brethren of some: otherwise, said he, little regard will be shewn to these.
25. So when he had with many words confirmed the agreement to restore them without hurt, they let him go that they might save their brethren.
26. And Judas, marching against Carnion and the temple of Atergatis, killed five and twenty thousand persons.
27. And after he had put these to flight and destroyed them, he marched against Ephron also, a strong city, wherein were multitudes of people of all nations; and stalwart young men placed on the walls made a vigorous defence; and there were great stores of engines and darts there.
28. But calling upon the Sovereign who with might breaks in pieces the strength of the enemy, they got the city into their hands, and killed as many as twenty and five thousand of them that were within.
29. And setting out from thence they marched in haste against Scythopolis, which is distant from Jerusalem six hundred furlongs.
30. But when the Jews that were settled there testified of the good will that the Scythopolitans had shewn toward them, and of their kindly bearing toward them in the times of their misfortune,