The Josippon (Zëna Ayhud, 'History of the Jews') is a medieval historical chronicle composed in southern Italy around 953 CE, anonymously attributed to Joseph ben Gurion (identified with the historian Josephus). Unlike all other books in the Ethiopian canon, the Josippon has no native division into chapters and verses in its manuscript tradition. It was translated from Arabic into Ge'ez around 1300 CE and added to the Scriptures of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In this digital edition, each 'verse' represents one complete paragraph of the continuous text.
Josippon
Chapter 19 — Yehudah's Wars
After the dedication, Yehudah went to the land of Edom, and Gorgias confronted him with a very strong army. Yehudah attacked Gorgias's camp, and they fled before him; Yehudah pursued them with his young men, and they slew on that day twenty thousand men of Edom.
Gorgias fled and went to Timotheus in Arav, for the king had appointed him over all Arabia. Timotheus went forth with 120,000 of the forces of Makedon and Arabia and invaded the land of Gad and Gil'ad, killing many of the people of Judah. They sent a letter to Yehudah, saying: "Come up and save us for the sword of Timotheus is annihilating us." Yet another letter came from the Galilee, saying: "Come up and save us for the sword of Tyre and Sidon, and the Makedonians who live there, is annihilating us."
When Yehudah heard these words, he called unto God with fasting and prayer, and choosing some warriors from among the Hasidim, he hastily crossed the Jordan. Shimon also took three thousand Judaean warriors and raced to the Galilee and fought a major battle. He struck down eight thousand and saved his brethren in the Galilee; he took the spoils of the eight thousand that he had killed and returned to Jerusalem. Yehudah, the anointed warlord, crossed the Jordan and came to Gil'ad to face Timotheus; he found him fighting against the city on Mount Gil'ad and challenged him to battle. A great battle ensued, and they confronted each other, for the army of Timotheus was great and numerous and the people of Yehudah were few in number. Now Yehudah called to God from the heat of battle; he lifted up his eyes, and, behold, there were five young men mounted on horses all dressed in gold, and two of them were standing in front of Yehudah, one on each side, protecting him with their shields, and three were fighting against the camp of Timotheus. When Yehudah saw them, he realized they were sent from heaven to aid the Hasidim, and he encouraged his young men and pressed the army of Timotheus and drove into Sheol 20,500 of his army. Timotheus fled from there along the Jordan, with Yehudah after him, attacking all the while. From there he fled along the seashore and came to Gaza. Timotheus took up a strong position in that place and prepared for battle, for all the force of Philistia had gathered unto him. Yehudah drew near that place and pounced upon him as a lion pounces upon a flock of sheep. Timotheus turned tail to flee, and all his armies scattered, and the Hasmonean army pursued them, smiting and crushing them completely.
Timotheus entered Gaza and closed the city all around and fought from atop the wall. Yehudah with all the Hasmonean youth approached the city to fight, and they fought against it for five days. On the fifth day, Timotheus's men climbed up the great tower and cursed and insulted the anointed warlord, uttering abominations that we cannot relate. Twenty of the Hasmonean youth became zealous due to the insults of their abusers; they took their shields with their left hand and their swords with their right and ran toward the wall. They leaned the ladder on the wall and went up one after another, and, leaping into the city over the wall, they struck the men upon the wall, clearing a space for their comrades, and all went up. These twenty came into the city and descended to the street, and, raising a cry, they killed many, leaving their corpses on the ground. They came to the gate and fought at the gate from within and from without, and the entire Hasmonean army approached the gate. They lit a fire, the gate collapsed, and Gaza was captured. They captured alive those who had cursed the anointed warlord and burned them. They smote Gaza with the sword and killed all her males, slaughter without cease for two days; Timotheus fled and hid in one of the wells and was not found. But they found his brothers Chaereon and Apollophanes and brought them to Yehudah. He ordered that their heads be cut off. They took the spoils of the city and came to Jerusalem singing, praising, and giving thanks, praising God through David, king of Israel: "Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy is forever."