The famous city on the coast which held, with its great rival, Tyre, the commercial supremacy of the East. It was the scene of innumerable battles and sieges.
And Judas and his army drew near for battle, and there fell of the king's army six hundred men. And Eleazar, who was called Avaran, saw one of the elephants armed with royal breastplates, and he was higher than all the elephants, and the king seemed to be upon him; and he determined to deliver his people, and to get him an everlasting name; and he ran upon him courageously into the midst of the phalanx, and slew on the right hand and on the left, and they parted asunder from 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 spoken wickedly against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness."
And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar the armies [{445}] joined battle: and Nicanor's army was discomfited, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. Now when his army saw that Nicanor was fallen, they cast away their arms, and fled. And the Jews pursued after them a day's journey, and they sounded an alarm after them with the solemn trumpets. And they came forth out of all the villages of Judaea round about, and hemmed them in on every side, so that they all fell by the sword, and there was not one of them left. And they took the spoils, and the booty, and they smote off Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so haughtily, and brought them, and hanged them up beside Jerusalem. And the people were exceeding glad, and they kept that day as a day of great gladness. And they ordained to keep this day year by year, the thirteenth day of Adar. And the land of Judah had rest a little while.