made no small
slaughter of the enemies:

8:7. And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and
the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.

8:8. Then Philip seeing that the man gained ground by little and little,
and that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote
to Ptolemee, the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the
king's affairs.

Philip seeing, etc... The governor of Jerusalem found himself unable to
contend with Judas, especially after the victories he had obtained over
Apollonius and Seron. 1 Mac. 3.

8:9. And he with all speed sent Nicanor, the son of Patroclus, one of
his special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men
of different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining
also with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in
matters of war.

Twenty thousand... The whole number of the forces sent at that time into
Judea, was 40,000 footmen, and 7000 horsemen, 1 Mac. 3.30. But only
20,000 are here taken notice of, because there were no more with Nicanor
at the time of the battle.

8:10. And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two
thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much
money of the captive Jews:

8:11. Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to
invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they
should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the
vengeance which was to follow him from the Almighty.

8:12. Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the
Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.

8:13. And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God,
fled away.

8:14. Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord,
that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them
before he came near them:

8:15. And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made
with their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that
was invoked upon them.

8:16. But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him,
exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the
multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight
manfully:

Seven thousand... In the Greek it is six thousand. But then three
thousand of them had no arms. 1 Mac. 4.6.

8:17. Setting before t