28 When the king heard this, he was furious. He brought together all the army commanders, the cavalry officers, and his most trusted advisers. 29 He also hired mercenary soldiers from other countries and from the Greek islands. 30 His forces numbered 100,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, and 32 elephants trained for war. 31 The king and his army passed through Idumea and laid siege to Bethzur, where they fought for a long time. They built battering rams and siege platforms, but the defenders fought bravely and came out of the town and burned down the platforms.

32 Then Judas withdrew his troops from the fort in Jerusalem and set up his camp at Beth Zechariah, blocking the advance of the king's army. 33 Early the next morning, the king rapidly moved his army along the road to Beth Zechariah, where his troops took up battle positions and blew trumpets. 34 They got the elephants ready for battle by showing them grape juice and mulberry juice. 35 The huge animals were distributed among the infantry units. A thousand men, protected by chain armor and bronze helmets, were stationed with each elephant. Each animal was also accompanied by a special force of 500 cavalry, 36 which always remained with the elephant. 37 A strong, protected wooden platform was securely fastened by a special harness to the back of each elephant. Three soldiers rode on each animal, in addition to the elephant driver. 38 Lysias placed the rest of the cavalry on the two flanks of the army where they could be protected by the infantry while harassing the enemy. 39 The sunlight, reflected off the bronze and gold shields, shone on the mountains and flashed like burning torches. 40 Part of the king's army was spread out over the higher ground of the mountain slopes and part over the lower land, but they all moved forward steadily and in good order. 41 All the people were terrified when they heard the noise made by the clashing of weapons and the marching of that great and powerful army.

42 Judas and his army advanced into battle, and immediately killed 600 of the king's army. 43 When Eleazar Avaran saw that one of the elephants was larger than the others and that it was covered with royal armor, he thought that the king was riding on it. 44 Eleazar sacrificed his life to save his people and to gain eternal fame. 45 He ran boldly toward the elephant, which was in the middle of a battalion of infantry. He rushed forward killing men to the right and left, so that the enemy soldiers fell back before him on both sides. 46 He slipped in under the elephant and stabbed it to death, and it fell on him and killed him. 47 But when the Jews realized how strong the royal army was and how determined it was to fight, they retreated.