w*'k tne w^°^e congregation of Israel or-
cir.165. dained, that the davs of the dedication
of the altar should be kept in their sea
son from year to year by the space of
eight days, from the five and twentieth
day of the month Cafleu, with mirth
and gladness.
60 At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles ich.t.;i. should come and tread it down, 1 as they had done before.
61 And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it j that the people might have a defence against Idumea.
CHAP. V.
NOW when the nations round about Xl heard that the altar was built, and the sanctuary renewed as before, it dis pleased them very much.
2 Wherefore they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that was among them, and thereupon they began to flay and de stroy the people.
3 Then Judas fought against the child- is t>r> ren of Esau in Idumea at II Arabattine, /wfor, because they besieged Israel : and he gave Arabat- them a great overthrow, and abated their 'Akrabat- courage, and took their spoils. tint.
4 AHb he remembered the || injury of tiasit tne children of II Bean, who had been a I or, ' share and an offence unto the people, in that O*"'* they lay in wait for them in the ways. xt.' i ' 5 He stiut them up therefore in the Nuhjt>.33. towers, and encamped against them, and
- 3 ' destroyed them utterly, and burned the
towers of that place with fire, and all that were therein.
6 Afterward he passed over to the child ren of Ammon, where he found a migh ty power, and much people, with Timo- theus their captain.
7 So he fought many battles with them, till at length they were discomfited before him ; and he smote them.
8 And when he had taken Tazar, with the towns belonging thereto, lie returned, into Judea.
9 Then the heathen that were at Ga laad assembled themselves together against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to destroy them ; but they fled to the for tress of Dathema,
10 And sent letters unto Judas and his brethren, The heathen that are round about us are assembled together against us to destroy us :
11 And they are preparing to come and take the fortress whereunto we are fled, Timotheus being captain of their host.
12 Come now therefore, and deliver us from their hands, for many of us are slain :
13 Yea, all our brethren that were in the places of II Tobie are put to death : their II o>, wives and their children also they have r"*'"' carried away captives, and borne away their stuff ; and they have destroyed there about a thousand men.
14 While these letters were yet reading, behold, there came other messengers from Galilee with their clothes rent, who re ported on this wife,
15 And said, They of Ptolemais, and of Tyrus, and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles, are assembled together against us to consume us.
16 Now when Judas and the people heard these words, there astembled a great congregation together, to consult what they mould do for their brethren, that were in trouble, and assaulted of them.
17 Then said Judas unto Simon his bro ther, Choose thee out men, and go and deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee, for I and Jonathan my brother will go into the country of Galaad.
18 So he left Joseph theson of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of the people, with the remnant of the host in Judea to keep it.
19 Unto whom he gave commandment, saying, Take ye the charge of this people, and see that ye make not war against the heathen until the time that we come again.
20 Now unto Simon were given three thousand men to go into Galilee, and unto Judas eight thousand men for the country of Galaad.
21 Then went Simon into Galilee, where he fought many battles widv the heathen, so that the heathen were dis comfited by him.
22 And he pursued them unto the gate of Ptolemais j and there were slain of the heathen about three thousand men, whose spoils he took.
23. And those that were in Galilee r-Pr'e^ and in Arbattis, with their wives and w"?'w* their children, and all that they had,
