62 God had chosen the family of Judas to rescue Israel, and Azariah and Joseph were not from that family.
63 Judas and his brothers became even more famous among both Jews and Gentiles,
64 and people traveled to Jerusalem to honor them.
65 Judas and his brothers left Jerusalem with an army to invade the land south of them where the Idumeans lived. Their army surrounded the town of Hebron and its villages; then they destroyed its fortresses and burned its towers.
66 On their way to invade the land of the Philistines, Judas and his brothers came to the town of Marisa.
67 That same day, some priests foolishly started a battle because they wanted to become heroes. But instead they died in the fighting.
68 Judas and his troops turned aside into the territory of Azotus, where they tore down the altars and burned the wooden idols. Then they attacked and robbed some nearby towns before returning to Judea.