stance. They also made a
decree concerning it, and sent a copy of it into Judea. It was also laid
up in the capitol, and engraven in brass. The decree itself was
this: "The decree of the senate concerning a league of assistance and
friendship with the nation of the Jews. It shall not be lawful for any
that are subject to the Romans to make war with the nation of the Jews,
nor to assist those that do so, either by sending them corn, or ships,
or money; and if any attack be made upon the Jews, the Romans shall
assist them, as far as they are able; and again, if any attack be made
upon the Romans, the Jews shall assist them. And if the Jews have a mind
to add to, or to take away any thing from, this league of assistance,
that shall be done with the common consent of the Romans. And whatsoever
addition shall thus be made, it shall be of force." This decree was
written by Eupolemus the son of John, and by Jason the son of Eleazar,
[28] when Judas was high priest of the nation, and Simon his brother was
general of the army. And this was the first league that the Romans made
with the Jews, and was managed after this manner.

CHAPTER 11. That Bacchides Was Again Sent Out Against Judas; And How
Judas Fell As He Was Courageously Fighting.

1. But when Demetrius was informed of the death of Nicanor, and of the
destruction of the army that was with him, he sent Bacchides again with
an army into Judea, who marched out of Antioch, and came into Judea, and
pitched his camp at Arbela, a city of Galilee; and having besieged and
taken those that were there in caves, [for many of the people fled into
such places,] he removed, and made all the haste he could to Jerusalem.
And when he had learned that Judas had pitched his camp at a certain
village whose name was Bethzetho, he led his army against him: they were
twenty thousand foot-men, and two thousand horsemen. Now Judas had no
more soldiers than one thousand. [29] When these saw the multitude of
Bacchides's men, they were afraid, and left their camp, and fled all
away, excepting eight hundred. Now when Judas was deserted by his own
soldiers, and the enemy pressed upon him, and gave him no time to gather
his army together, he was disposed to fight with Bacchides's army,
though he had but eight hundred men with him; so he exhorted these men
to undergo the danger courageously, and encouraged them to attack the
enemy. And when they said they were not a body sufficient to fight
so g