5 ⁴⁵ Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites in Gilead, the small and the great, with their wives and children and goods, a very large company, to go to the land of Judah. 5 ⁴⁶ So they came to Ephron. This was a large and very strong city on the road, and they could not go round it to the right or to the left; they had to go through it. 5 ⁴⁷ But the men of the city shut them out and blocked up the gates with stones. 5 ⁴⁸ And Judas sent them this friendly message, "Let us pass through your land to get to our land. No one will do you harm; we will simply pass by on foot." But they refused to open to him. 5 ⁴⁹ Then Judas ordered proclamation to be made to the army that each should encamp where he was. 5 ⁵⁰ So the men of the forces encamped, and he fought against the city all that day and all the night, and the city was delivered into his hands. 5 ⁵¹ He destroyed every male by the edge of the sword, and razed and plundered the city. Then he passed through the city over the slain.

5 ⁵² And they crossed the Jordan into the large plain before Beth-shan. 5 ⁵³ And Judas kept rallying the laggards and encouraging the people all the way till he came to the land of Judah. 5 ⁵⁴ So they went up to Mount Zion with gladness and joy, and offered burnt offerings, because not one of them had fallen before they returned in safety.