38 Nicanor, Gorgias, and Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes were three important and trusted friends of Antiochus. So Lysias chose them as army commanders.
39 He told them what the king had commanded and gave them 40,000 soldiers and 7,000 cavalry troops to invade and destroy the land of Judea.
40 Nicanor, Gorgias, and Ptolemy then led the whole army to Judea and set up camp in the valley near the town of Emmaus.
41 Local slave traders heard about these three commanders and went to their camp, taking with them chains and plenty of silver and gold to buy Israelite prisoners as slaves. Armies from Syria and the land of the Philistines also came.
42 Judas and his brothers realized things were worse now than ever, because their enemies had invaded Judea with orders from the king to wipe out the Jewish people.
43 But Judas and his brothers were determined to make their nation strong again and to defend their people and temple.
44 So Judas organized an army, and when his troops were ready, they prayed for God's mercy and kindness.