again with his host from pursuing them,
[17] And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch as there is a battle before us,
[18] And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils.
[19] As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain:
[20] Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done:
[21] When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight,
[22] They fled every one into the land of strangers.
[23] Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
[24] After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever.
[25] Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
[26] Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened:
[27] Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.
[28] The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.
[29] So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
[30] And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and his armourbearer;
[31] Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen:
[32] Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their destruction:
[33] Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.
[34] So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they slain.
[35] Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness of Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it was, he purposed to come again into Judea.
[36] Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.
[37] Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion.
[38] And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests' chambers pulled down;
[39] They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,
[40] And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.
[41] Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
[42] So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:
[43] Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.
[44] And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;
[45] They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,
[46] And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.
[47] Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;
[48] And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.
[49] They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table.
[50] And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple.
[51] Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.
[52] Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning,
[53] And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.
[54] Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals.
[55] Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.
[56] And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
[57] They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and