5 Nicanor replied, "And I am the ruler on earth who commands you to take up arms and to carry out the royal orders." Nevertheless, he didn’t succeed in carrying out his terrible plan.
6 Nicanor, holding his head high with all his boasting, decided to build a public monument marking the defeat of Judas’ forces.
7 But the Maccabee was fully confident in his hope of obtaining the Lord’s help.
8 So he encouraged his troops not to fear the Gentiles’ attack but to remember the aid they had previously received from heaven and to look for victory from the almighty now.
9 Reassuring them with words from the Law and the Prophets, and reminding them of the struggles they had overcome, he made them even more eager.
10 Stirring up their spirits, he gave them orders and pointed out at the same time the treachery of the Gentiles and their violation of solemn pledges.
11 He armed each of them not so much with the security of shields and spears as with the encouragement of good words. He also told them about a trustworthy dream—a kind of waking vision—which raised everyone’s morale.