41 But if he is afraid and stops on the other side of the river, we will cross over to attack and defeat him.”
42 When Judas reached the bank of the river, he gave orders to his officers to let no one stop but to push everyone forward into battle.
43 Judas was the first to cross the river against the enemy, and all his men followed him. The Gentiles broke ranks before them, threw away their arms, and fled to the pagan temple at Karnaim.
44 But Judas and his men took the city and burnt down the temple with all who were in it. With Karnaim overthrown, the Gentiles could no longer offer any resistance to Judas.
45 Then Judas gathered together all the Jews in Gilead to take them back to Judea with him. It was a large group of all kinds of people, together with their wives and children and all that they owned.
46 They went as far as Ephron, a large, well-fortified town. It was impossible to go round it on either side, and the road passed directly through the town.
47 But the people there would not let them pass and blocked the town gates with stones.