33 Early the next morning, Antiochus moved his army toward them at Beth-Zechariah. Then he ordered his troops to line up for battle and to blow their war trumpets.
34 Some of the soldiers gave the elephants grape juice and mulberry juice to make them eager to fight.
35 Others then led the elephants to their places among the troops. Five hundred expert cavalry and 1,000 troops with bronze helmets and metal armor worked with each animal.
36 These men were commanded not to leave the elephants until the battle was over.
37 A strong wooden platform with four sides and a top was strapped on the back of each elephant. Then four well-armed soldiers and someone from India to guide the elephant were stationed on the platform.
38 Antiochus placed the rest of his cavalry to the right and to the left of the army, because he wanted the cavalry troops to stay close to his army for protection and to attack the Jewish forces whenever they could.
39-40 His huge army covered the hills and the valleys. And when the columns of soldiers marched forward, their gold and brass shields caught the rays of the sun and made the hillsides blaze with light.