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0 Five heavenly horsemen cast darts and fireballs at the enemy

Five heavenly horsemen cast darts and fireballs at the enemy

When Timotheus and his army threatened to attack, Judas and his companions sprinkled dirt on their heads, girded their loins with haircloth, and begged God to help them kill some more Gentiles.

Timotheus who before had been overcome by the Jews, having called together a multitude of foreign troops, and assembled horsemen out of Asia, came as though he would take Judea by force of arms. 2 Maccabees 10:24

But Machabeus and they that were with him, when he drew near, prayed to the Lord, sprinkling earth upon their heads and girding their loins with haircloth, 10:25

And lying prostrate at the foot of the altar, besought him to be merciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law saith. 10:26

And the dirty heads and hairclothed loins worked like a charm.

God sent five men on horses from heaven, who cast darts and fireballs at the Gentiles, confounding them with blindness, filling them with trouble, and killing 20,500 soldiers and 600 horsemen.

Both sides joined battle: the one part having with their valour the Lord for a surety of victory. 10:28

When they were in the heat of the engagement there appeared to the enemies from heaven five men upon horses, comely with golden bridles, conducting the Jews. 10:29

Two of whom took Machabeus between them, and covered him on every side with their arms, and kept him safe: but cast darts and fireballs against the enemy, so that they fell down, being both confounded with blindness, and filled with trouble. 10:30

And there were slain twenty thousand five hundred, and six hundred horsemen. 10:31

Timotheus fled to a stronghold where he and his companions "blasphemed exceedingly, and cast forth abominable words." Twenty of Judas's young men were especially offended by their bad language, so they burned the blasphemers alive.

Timotheus fled into Gazara a strong hold. 10:32

They that were within ... blasphemed exceedingly, and cast forth abominable words. 10:34

Twenty young men of them that were with Machabeus, inflamed in their minds because of the blasphemy ... went to set fire to the towers and the gates, and to burn the blasphemers alive. 10:35-36

They killed Timotheus ... they slew also his brother Chereas, and Apollophanes. 10:37

Then they blessed the Lord "who had done great things" (like helping them burn blasphemers alive).

When this was done, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, who had done great things in Israel, and given them the victory. 10:38

So there were 21,100 in Timotheus's army, a few towers full of blasphemers (I'll guess 300), along with Timotheus, Chereas, and Apollophanes, for a total of at least 21,103 and an estimated total of 21,400.


The Friendly Atheist - How many people did God kill in the Bible?
Five heavenly horsemen cast darts and fireballs at the enemy

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