him on this side and on that. And he crept under the elephant, and
thrust him from beneath, and slew him; and the elephant fell to the
earth upon him, and he died there. And they saw the strength of the
kingdom, and the fierce onset of the hosts, and they retreated.

XIII.

_How Judas Defeated Nicanor and Cut Off His Head_.

And the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man that
hated Israel and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the
people. And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great host; and he sent
unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with words of peace, saying,
"Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few
men, that I may see your faces in peace."

And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. And the
enemies were ready to take away Judas by violence. And the thing was
known to Judas, that he came unto him with deceit, and he was sore
afraid of him, and would see his face no more. And Nicanor knew that
his counsel was discovered; and he went out {444} to meet Judas in
battle, and there fell of Nicanor's side about five hundred men, and
they fled into the city of David.

And after these things Nicanor went up to Mount Sion: and there came
some of the priests out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of
the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burnt
sacrifice that was being offered for the king. And he mocked them, and
laughed at them, and entreated them shamefully, and spoke haughtily,
and swore in a rage, saying, "Unless Judas and his army be now
delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I come again in peace, I
will burn up this house": and he went out in a great rage. And the
priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and
they wept, and said, "Thou didst choose this house to be called by thy
name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people: take
vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword:
remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to live any longer."

And Nicanor went forth from Jerusalem, and encamped in Beth-horon, and
there joined him the host of Syria. And Judas encamped with three
thousand men: and Judas prayed and said, "When they that came from the
king blasphemed, thine angel went out, and smote among them a hundred
and fourscore and five thousand. Even so discomfit thou this army
before us to-day, and let all the rest know that he hath spok