15  Unable to reach their horses, they could only put up a mild defense.  Finally, they surrendered.  Muhammed ordered their leaders brought to him.  Twelve stood there, but the leader of the family, himself, had escaped, having ridden to Mecca for instructions.
16  But Muhammed eyed these twelve with rage!  His two brothers and their three sons. His two sons, and their five sons.  "You murdered the boy you captured!"  Muhammed cried.  You treated him with foulness beyond belief!  I will not ransom you or, trade you, I will hang you!  Take them!  Hang them!"
17  One of the men cried out "Noble lord!  Mercy!  My two sons just joined me but in the passing hour.  They had nothing to do with what occured.  They are innocent!  We deserve your anger, and, your hate, but they have done nothing.  They deserve your pity, and I beg that you give it to them!"
18  Muhammed stared at the two young men trembling before him.  Finally he trembled and snapped, "If they will go with me to Medina, denounce all they have, and put themselves in the service of the family whose son you killed and, serve them well, for the rest of their days, I will spare their lives!  If they will not, they shall die here, with you!"
19 The father turned to his sons and said "Go!  Obey!  Do what he says!"  The boys looked fearful but came forward and two of Muhammed's men led them away.  They found a good place, and hung the men.
20  "Now!" Muhammed cried, "But for the two boys, castrate every man in the camp, then seize what of value you can find, and let us depart.  Touch not any of the women, or, the girls!  If any man does, I will cut it off!  Go! Do as I order!"
21  Muhammed looked up at the dangling bodies who the men had stripped of their rings and bracelets.  "It is good!"  he remarked to no one in particular, "It is good....ten for one!  It is good!"
22  For more than an hour the screams of the men in the camp filled the air, as Muhammed's men worked.  But finally there was only the wails of the women as Muhammed's men loaded all they could find.  Five young men approached Muhammed leading young women.
23  "Sir," they cried, "these begged us to take them with us.  They are widows of those that were hanged, and it is the custom, among their people, for them to be buried alive with their husbands, and they do not wish it."
24  "Is this so, woman?"  Muhammed asked.
25  "Yes!"  one of the women answered.  "It is their belief that if they do not have their wives to be buried with them, they will have no pleasure for all eternity!"
26  "Is that so?"  Muhammed muttered.  "Go!" he told the young men.  "If these will have you, they are yours.  But mistreat them not.   But have them show you the wives of all those we hung.  They are to be taken with us.  This foul custom shall not be allowed!  If they think they will lose their joy without their wives, let them be tormented!"
27  The young men hurried off to fulfill Muhammed's wishes.
28  It was dark when they rode out, but the moon was full, and they could see well.  Once the rear guard saw pursuers, but they did not challenge.  Now, the elder of the family was enraged, and planned a great vengeance on Muhammed, but he never got to carry it out.
29  While dismounting his horse the wind blew a branch under his robe, and his bag was scratched.  It got the crust, and the green pus. The physicians tried to save him by removing it, but the pus was already deep in his body, and he died, calling for his brothers, and, his sons to give them his blessings.  But they could not come.
30  When Muhammed returned to his camp he found Daniel and told him that he was no longer welcome, that he was to return to Jerusalem and stay there.  The boy was bewildered and, hurt, but he obeyed Muhammed at once.
31 Muhammed was a man that could not be consoled!  Now, this incident angered the Meccans greatly.  Muhammed had killed nobles for a peasant's son!  He had made the blood of ordinary men worth more than theirs.  He had killed ten for the one!  They swore revenge, and sent out messengers in all directions.  Whatever they had to spend they would spend it.  They hired mercenaries to swell their ranks.  They would not merely raid any more, they would attack Medina, and beseige it.  They would engage Muhammed, and destroy him once and for all! But Muhammed had word of it, well before they were ready, and he too, gathered his strength, but his numbers would only be a fourth of what the enemy had.
32  He sent word to Jerusalem for Abraham to bring his forces, for he had gone back there to quell some disturbance.  The Medinans wanted to stay to their city but Muhammed knew this was suicide.  Their only chance was to go out and meet the enemy boldly, to either destroy him in the field, or, be destroyed by him.
33  There was a great deal of discussion, but finally all forces were put under his command, and they marched out.  Even some of the older women rode with them. They would guard the camp with their provisions, leaving more men for the fight.  The old Roman would lead them.