ADARSA. — Thus the Vulgate, 1 Macc. 7:40, which has Adazer in 1 Macc. 7:45 (Adasá in the Greek text and in Flavius Josephus; Dessau [Gr. Δεσάχου] in 1 Macc. 14:16), calls the village north of Jerusalem where Judas Maccabaeus, with 3000 men, routed Nicanor (13th of Adar, 161 B.C.). After killing him, the Jews pursued the Syrians as far as Gezer, annihilating them and bringing their spoils to Jerusalem (1 Macc. 7:39-49).
It is identified with Hirbet 'Adaséh, which corresponds to the topographical indications given by 1 Maccabees (7:45: a day's journey from Gezer) and by Flavius Josephus (Ant. Jud. XII, 10, 5: 30 stades from Bethoron). All reject the opinion of Eusebius, who identified it with a village near Gophna, erroneously placing it in the tribe of Judah (Onomasticon, ed. Klosterman, p. 26, 1).