11 When he had armed each of them, not so much with the security of shield and spear as with the encouragement of noble words, he cheered them all by relating a dream, a kind of waking vision, worthy of belief.
12 What he saw was this: Onias, the former high priest, a noble and good man, modest in bearing, gentle in manner, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched arms for the whole Jewish community.
13 Then in the same way another man appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an air of wondrous and majestic authority.
14 Onias then said of him, “This is a man who loves his fellow Jews and fervently prays for the people and the holy city—the prophet of God, Jeremiah.”
15 Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said,
16 “Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall shatter your adversaries.”
17 Encouraged by Judas’ words, so noble and capable of instilling valor and stirring young hearts to courage, they determined not merely to march, but to charge gallantly and decide the issue by hand-to-hand combat with the utmost courage, since city, sanctuary and temple were in danger.