9 Demetrios heard that Nikanor had fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bakides and Alkimos again into the land of Yehudah (Judah) a second time, and the right wing of his army with them. 2 They went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and took possession of it, and killed many people. 3 The first month of the one hundred and fifty-second year,[fn] they encamped against Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 4 Then they marched away and went to Beroia with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry. 5 Yehudah was encamped at Elasa with three thousand chosen men. 6 They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army. There were not left of them more than eight hundred men.

7 Yehudah saw that his army slipped away and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was very troubled in spirit, because he had no time to gather them together, and he became faint. 8 He said to those who were left, “Let’s arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.”

9 They tried to dissuade him, saying, “There is no way we are able; but let’s rather save our lives now. Let’s return again with our kindred, and fight against them; but we are too few.”

10 Yehudah said, “Let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them. If our time has come, let’s die in a manly way for our kindred’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our honour.”

11 The army marched out from the camp, and stood to encounter them. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the army, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle. 12 Bakides was in the right wing. The phalanx advanced on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets. 13 The men by Yehudah’ side sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.

14 Yehudah saw that Bakides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and all that were brave in heart went with him, 15 and the right wing was defeated by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotos. 16 Those who were on the left wing saw that the right wing was defeated, and they turned and followed in the footsteps of Yehudah and of those who were with him. 17 The battle became desperate, and many on both sides fell wounded to death. 18 Yehudah fell, and the rest fled.

19 Yonatan (Jonathan) and Shim’on (Simon) took Yehudah their brother, and buried him in the tomb of his ancestors at Modi’in. 20 They wept for him. All Yisrael made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said, 21 “How is the mighty fallen, the saviour of Yisrael!” 22 The rest of the acts of Yehudah, and his wars, and the valiant actions which he did, and his greatness, are not written; for they were exceedingly many.