8 Judas felt like giving up, but he said to his remaining troops, “Get ready to attack! We've got a good chance to win.”
9 But they argued with Judas and said, “We will all be killed if we attack with such a small force. Let's wait and come back with a larger army.”
10 Judas answered, “We will never back down from a fight with the enemy! If it's our time to die for the honor of our nation, then let's die like heroes.”
11-12 Bacchides led his army out of camp and placed half of his cavalry to the left of his soldiers and half to the right. His best troops led the way, followed by men who were experts with bows and arrows or rocks and slings. Bacchides himself was on the right side of his army.Both armies gave the signal to attack, and the battle began.
13 The fighting lasted from daylight until dark, and the ground trembled because of the noise.
14 At one point in the battle, Judas looked over at the right side of the enemy army and saw Bacchides and many of his best soldiers there. So Judas and his bravest troops attacked
15 and destroyed most of that part of the enemy army. The few who escaped were chased as far as Mount Azotus.