9 Some of the Israelites in Gilead took shelter in the fortress at Dathema, because an army of Gentiles in that region planned to attack.
10 Then they sent a letter to Judas and his brothers. It said:An army of Gentiles is about to surround us at Dathema,
11 and their leader is Timothy.
12 Please send help at once. These Gentiles have not only killed many of us,
13 but they've robbed and murdered just about every Jew in Tob and captured their families. Almost 1,000 have already died.
14 Before Judas finished reading this letter, messengers arrived from Galilee. They had torn their clothes to show their sorrow,
15 and they said, “An army is ready to destroy us. It is made up of Gentiles from all over Galilee and of troops from the cities of Ptolemais, Tyre, and Sidon.”