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8
So when Philip saw that this man increased by little and little, and that things prospered with
him still more and more, he wrote unto Ptolemeus, the governor of Celosyria and Phenice, to yield
more aid to the king's affairs.
9
Then forthwith choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, he sent him
with no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations under him, to root out the whole generation of
the Jews; and with him he joined also Gorgias a captain, who in matters of war had great experience.
10
So Nicanor undertook to make so much money of the captive Jews, as should defray the
tribute of two thousand talents, which the king was to pay to the Romans.
11
Wherefore immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, proclaiming a sale of the
captive Jews, and promising that they should have fourscore and ten bodies for one talent, not
expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from the Almighty God.
12
Now when word was brought unto Judas of Nicanor's coming, and he had imparted unto those
that were with him that the army was at hand,
13
They that were fearful, and distrusted the justice of God, fled, and conveyed themselves away.
14
Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord to deliver them, sold by the
wicked Nicanor before they met together:
15
And if not for their own sakes, yet for the covenants he had made with their fathers, and for
his holy and glorious name's sake, by which they were called.
16
So Maccabeus called his men together unto the number of six thousand, and exhorted them
not to be stricken with terror of the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen, who came
wrongly against them; but to fight manfully,
17
And to set before their eyes the injury that they had unjustly done to the holy place, and the
cruel handling of the city, whereof they made a mockery, and also the taking away of the government
of their forefathers:
18
For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in the Almighty
who at a beck can cast down both them that come against us, and also all the world.
19
Moreover, he recounted unto them what helps their forefathers had found, and how they were
delivered, when under Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand perished.
20
And he told them of the battle that they had in Babylon with the Galatians, how they came
but eight thousand in all to the business, with four thousand Macedonians, and that the Macedonians
being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed an hundred and twenty thousand because of the help
that they had from heaven, and so received a great booty.
21
Thus when he had made them bold with these words, and ready to die for the law and the
country, he divided his army into four parts;
22
And joined with himself his own brethren, leaders of each band, to wit Simon, and Joseph,
and Jonathan, giving each one fifteen hundred men.
23
Also he appointed Eleazar to read the holy book: and when he had given them this watchword,
The help of God; himself leading the first band,
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