1 Not long after Timothy was defeated, Lysias, the king's guardian and relative, and head of the government, heard what had happened. He became angry
2 and led 80,000 infantry and all his cavalry against the Jews with the intention of turning Jerusalem into a Greek city.
3 The Temple would be taxed, as were all Gentile places of worship, and the office of High Priest would be up for sale each year.
4 Lysias was so pleased with his tens of thousands of infantry, his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants that he failed to take into account the power of God.
5 He invaded Judea and attacked the fort of Bethzur, about thirty kilometres south of Jerusalem.
6 When Judas and his men heard that Lysias was laying siege to their forts, they and all the people cried and wept, begging the Lord to send a good angel to save them.