24 As they returned, they sang hymns and songs of praise to heaven: "God is good, because his mercy endures forever."
25 That day Israel had a great deliverance.
26 The foreigners who escaped went and told Lysias about all that had happened.
27 When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged. Things hadn’t happened to Israel as he had intended, and they hadn’t turned out the way that the king commanded.
28 The next year he gathered together sixty thousand select men and five thousand cavalry, intending to subdue the Israelites.
29 They came to Idumea and camped at Beth-zur. Judas, on the other hand, went out to meet them with ten thousand men.
30 When Judas saw how numerous their army was, he prayed:Blessed are you, Savior of Israel,who crushed the attackof the mighty warriorthrough the powerof your servant David.You handed over the campof the Philistinesto Saul’s son Jonathanandand the man who carried his armor.