38 Yehudah gathered his army and came to the city of Adulam.[fn] As the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the Sabbath there.

39 On the following day, when[fn] it had become necessary, Yehudah and his company came to take up the bodies of those who had fallen, and[fn] in company with their kinsmen to bring them back to the sepulchres of their ancestors. 40 But under the garments of each one of the dead they found consecrated[fn] tokens of the idols of Yavneh, which the law forbids the Yehudim to have anything to do with. It became clear to all that it was for this cause that they had fallen. 41 All therefore, blessing the ways of the master, the righteous Judge, who makes manifest the things that are hidden, 42 turned themselves to supplication, praying that the sin committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Yehudah exhorted the multitude to keep themselves from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 When he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing very well and honourably in this, in that he took thought for the resurrection. 44 Because if he wasn’t expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would be superfluous and idle to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking forward to an honourable memorial of gratitude laid up for those who die[fn] in[fn] godliness, then the thought was holy and godly. Therefore he made the atoning sacrifice for those who had died, that they might be released from their sin.