when they sounded the trumpet-signal for the return. Then they came out
from all the villages of Judea on every hand and outflanked them; and the
one turned them back on the other army, and they all fell by the sword, so
that none of them was left.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 7:47-50]
And they took the spoils and the booty, and they struck off Nicanor's head
and his right hand, which he had stretched out so haughtily, and brought
them and hung them up in the citadel of Jerusalem. And the people were
very glad. They also enacted an ordinance for the celebration of this day
year by year, the thirteenth day of Adar. So the land of Judah had rest
for a brief period.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 9:1-6]
When Demetrius heard that Nicanor had fallen with his forces in battle, he
sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and
the southern wing of his army with them. And they went by that way that
leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Masaloth, which is in Arbela, and
gained possession of it and destroyed many people. And the first month of
the hundred and fifty-second year they encamped against Jerusalem. Then
they set out and went to Berea with twenty thousand footmen and two
thousand horsemen. And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand
chosen men with him. And when they saw the multitude of the forces, that
they were many, they were greatly frightened, and many slipped away from
the army, so that there were left of them not more than eight hundred men.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 9:7-10]
And when Judas saw that his army had dispersed, he was deeply troubled,
because he had no time to gather them together, and he grew discouraged.
And he said to those who were left, Let us arise and go up against our