Gather together our scattered people; set free those who are slaves among the nations; look on those who are rejected and despised; and let the nations know that you are our God.

Andronicus Is Punished

For this reason not only Jews but many also of other nations were grieved and displeased at the unjust murder of the man.

For the temple was filled with debauchery and reveling by the nations, who dallied with prostitutes and had intercourse with women within the sacred precincts and besides brought in things for sacrifice that were unfit.

For in the case of the other nations the Lord waits patiently to punish them until they have reached the full measure of their sins, but he does not deal in this way with us,

As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the nations could not withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy.

Then Ptolemy promptly appointed Nicanor son of Patroclus, one of the king’s First Friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand men of various nations, to wipe out the entire people of Judea. He associated with him Gorgias, a general and a man of experience in military service.

But Maccabeus gathered his forces together, to the number six thousand, and exhorted them not to be frightened by the enemy and not to fear the great multitude of nations who were wickedly coming against them but to fight nobly,

keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage that the nations had committed against the holy place and the torture of the derided city, as well as the overthrow of their ancestral way of life.

When they had done this, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations.

and to levy tribute on the temple as he did on the sacred places of the other nations and to put up the high priesthood for sale every year.

He also attacked a certain town that was strongly fortified with earthworks and walls and inhabited by all sorts of nations. Its name was Caspin.

and not to let the people who had just begun to revive fall into the hands of the blasphemous nations.

And the nations throughout Judea, who had fled before Judas, flocked to join Nicanor, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.

Nicanor Makes Friends with Judas

When the Jews heard of Nicanor’s coming and the gathering of the nations, they sprinkled dust on their heads and prayed to him who established his own people forever and always upholds his own heritage by manifesting himself.

He exhorted his troops not to fear the attack of the nations but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven and so to look for the victory that the Almighty would give them.

When he had aroused their courage, he issued his orders, at the same time pointing out the treachery of the nations and their violation of oaths.