An account of the death of Judas
1 But when nearly the same season of the year came round, Bacchides went forth with thirty thousand of the bravest of the Macedonians;
2 and came upon Judas without any tidings thereof coming to him, when he was in a certain city called Lalis, with three thousand men:
3 wherefore most of those who were with him fled; and there remained with him eight hundred men, and his brothers Simeon and Jonathan.
4 But those who remained with Judas were the strongest and bravest, and who had already endured much in the several battles which he had fought.
5 And Judas and his company went out to meet Bacchides and his army.
6 And Bacchides divided his army, placing fifteen thousand on the right hand of Judas and his company, and fifteen thousand on their left.
7 Then each part shouted against Judas and his company. Who attentively regarding each, perceived that the enemy’s strongest and bravest troops were on the right, and found out that Bacchides himself was there among them.
8 Judas likewise divided his company, and took the bravest of them with him, and gave the rest to his brothers. Then he made a charge upon those on the right, and he with his company slew about two thousand men.
9 Then perceiving Bacchides, he directed his eyes and steps towards him, and slew all the bravest men who were about him.
10 And he in person with his company sustained the multitudes which pressed upon him, felling to the ground the greater part of them, and he came near to Bacchides.
11 Whom when Bacchides saw coming towards him like a lion, brandishing in his hand a large sword stained with blood, he was excessively afraid of him, and trembled, and fled out of his sight.
12 And Judas with his company pursued him, and they slew his people with the sword, so that they put to death the greater part of those fifteen thousand: and Bacchides fled even to Ashdod.
13 And the fifteen thousand which were on Judas’ left, followed him, and attacked Judas, to whom by this time were come his brothers and those who were with them, greatly fatigued.
14 And those fifteen thousand rushed upon them, and a very great battle took place between them and Judas; and there fell on both sides a certain number of slain, in which number was Judas.
15 Whom his brothers carried and buried beside the sepulchre of Mattathias his father, [God be merciful to them]; and the children of Israel bewailed him many years.
16 Now the time of his governing was seven years, and Jonathan his brother succeeded him in the government.