1 King Demetrius found out that Nicanor and all his soldiers had been killed. So he sent Bacchides and Alcimus the high priest back to Judea with half of his army.
2 On the way to Gilgal in Judea, Bacchides and Alcimus captured the town of Mesaloth in Arbela, and they killed many of the people.
3 They reached Jerusalem early in the year 152 of the Syrian Kingdom and set up camp outside the city.
4 Then they stationed 20,000 soldiers and 2,000 cavalry in the town of Berea.
5 Three thousand of the Jews' best soldiers were camped at Elasa under the command of Judas.