World English Bible

1 And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wingof his armywith them:

2 and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and got possession of it, and destroyed much people.

3 And the first month ofthe hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against Jerusalem:

4 and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse.

5 And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:

6 and they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men.

7 And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint.

8 And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.

9 And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again,weand our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few.

10 And Judas said, let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brethren’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our glory.

11 And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle.

12 But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the phalanx drew near on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets.

13 And the men of Judas’ side, even they sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.

14 And Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and there went with him all that were brave in heart,

15 and the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus.

16 And they that were on the left wing saw that the right wing was discomfited, and they turned and followed upon the footsteps of Judas and of those that were with him:

17 and the battle waxed sore, and many on both parts fell wounded to death.

18 And Judas fell, and the rest fled.

19 And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers at Modin.

20 And they bewailed him, and all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said,

21 How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!

22 And the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were exceeding many.

23 And it came to pass after the death of Judas, that the lawless put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and all they that wrought iniquity rose up

24 (in those days there was an exceeding great famine), and the country went over with them.

25 And Bacchides chose out the ungodly men, and made them lords of the country.

26 And they sought out and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance on them, and used them despitefully.

27 And there was great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the time that no prophet appeared to them.

28 And all the friends of Judas were gathered together, and they said to Jonathan,

29 Since your brother Judas has died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies and Bacchides, and among them of our nation that hate us.

30 Now therefore we have chosen you this day to be our prince and leader in his stead, that you may fight our battles.

31 And Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up in the stead of his brother Judas.

32 And Bacchides knew it, and he sought to kill him.

33 And Jonathan, and Simon his brother, and all that were with him, knew it; and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoah, and encamped by the water of the pool Asphar.

34 And Bacchides knew it on the Sabbath day, and came, he and all his army, over Jordan.

35 AndJonathansent his brother, a leader of the multitude, and implored his friends the Nabathaeans, that they might leave with them their baggage, which was much.

36 And the children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and took John, and all that he had, and went their way with it.

37 But after these things they brought word to Jonathan and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri were making a great marriage, and were bringing the bride from Nadabath with a great train, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan.

38 And they remembered John their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain:

39 and they lifted up their eyes, and saw, and, behold, a great ado and much baggage: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and his brethren, to meet them with timbrels, and minstrels, and many weapons.

40 And they rose up against them from their ambush, and killed them, and many fell wounded to death, and the remnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils.

41 And the marriage was turned into mourning, and the voice of their minstrels into lamentation.

42 And they avenged fully the blood of their brother, and turned back to the marsh of Jordan

43 And Bacchides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath day to the banks of Jordan with a great host.

44 And Jonathan said to his company, Let us stand up now and fight for our lives, for it is notwith ustoday, as yesterday and the day before.

45 For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us; moreover the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that side, and marsh and wood; and there is no place to turn aside.

46 Now therefore cry to heaven, that you⌃ may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies.

47 And the battle was joined, and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchides, and he turned away back from him.

48 And Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into the Jordan, and swam over to the other side: and they did not pass over Jordan against them.

49 And there fell of Bacchides’ company that day about a thousand men;

50 and he returned to Jerusalem. And they builded strong cities in Judaea, the stronghold that was in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Bethhoron, and Bethel, and Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.

51 And in them he set a garrison, to vex Israel.

52 And he fortified the city Bethsura, and Gazara, and the citadel, and put forces in them, and store of food.

53 And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in ward in the citadel at Jerusalem.

54 And inthe hundred and fifty and third year, in the second month, Alcimus commanded to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary; he pulled down also the works of the prophets;

55 and he began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give order concerning his house.

56 And Alcimus died at that time with great torment.

57 And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king: and the land of Judah had rest two years.

58 And all the lawless men took counsel, saying, Behold, Jonathan and they of his part are dwelling at ease, and in security: now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he shall lay hands on them all in one night.

59 And they went and consulted with him.

60 And he removed, and came with a great host, and sent letters privily to all his confederates that were in Judaea, that they should lay hands on Jonathan and those that were with him: and they could not, because their counsel was known to them.

61 Andthey that were of Jonathan’s partlaid hands on about fifty of the men of the country, that were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them.

62 And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, got them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down thereof, and they made it strong.

63 And Bacchides knew it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent word to them that were of Judaea.

64 And he went and encamped against Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

65 And Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went forth into the country, and he went with a few men.

66 And he struck Odomera and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their tent.

67 And they began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. And Simon and they that were with him went out of the city, and set on fire the engines of war,

68 and fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore; for his counsel was in vain, and his inroad.

69 And they were very angry with the lawless men that gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. And he took counsel to depart into his own land.

70 And Jonathan had knowledge thereof, and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives.

71 And he accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and sware to him that he would not seek his hurt all the days of his life.

72 And he restored to him the captives which he had taken aforetime out of the land of Judah, and he returned and departed into his own land, and came not any more into their borders.

73 And the sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan lived at Michmash; and Jonathan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.

1 And inthe hundred and sixties year Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, went up and took possession of Ptolemais: and they received him, and he reigned there.

2 And king Demetrius heard thereof, and he gathered together exceeding great forces, and went forth to meet him in battle.

3 And Demetrius sent letters to Jonathan with words of peace, so as to magnify him.

4 For he said, let us be beforehand to make peace with them, ere he make peace with Alexander against us:

5 for he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and to his brethren and to his nation.

6 And he gave him authority to gather together forces, and to provide arms, and that he should be his confederate: and he commanded that they should deliver up to him the hostages that were in the citadel.

7 And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the audience of all the people, and of them that were in the citadel:

8 and they were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together a host.

9 And they of the citadel delivered up the hostages to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.

10 And Jonathan lived in Jerusalem, and began to build and renew the city.

11 And he commanded them that did the work to build the walls and the mount Sion round about withsquare stones for defence; and they did so.

12 And the strangers, that were in the strongholds which Bacchides had built, fled away;

13 and each man left his place, and departed into his own land.

14 Only at Bethsura were there left certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments; for it was a place of refuge to them.

15 And king Alexander heard all the promises which Demetrius had sent to Jonathan: and they told him of the battles and the valiant deeds which he and his brethren had done, and of the toils which they had endured;

16 And he said, Shall we find such another man? and now we will make him ourFriend and confederate.

17 And he wrote letters, and sent them to him, according to these words, saying,

18 King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting:

19 We have heard of you, that you are a mighty man of valour, and meet to be ourFriend.

20 And now we have appointed you this day to be high priest of your nation, and to be called the king’sFriend (and he sent to him a purple robe and a crown of gold), and to take our part, and to keep friendship with us.

21 And Jonathan put on the holy garments in the seventh month ofthe hundred and sixties year, at the feast of tabernacles, and he gathered together forces, and provided arms in abundance.

22 And Demetrius heard these things, and he was grieved, and said,

23 What is this that we have done, that Alexander has been beforehand with us in establishing friendship with the Jews, to strengthen himself?

24 I also will write to them words of encouragement and of honor and of gifts, that they may be with me to aid me.

25 And he sent to them according to these words:

King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greeting:

26 Forasmuch as you⌃ have kept your covenants with us, and continued in our friendship, and have not joined yourselves to our enemies, we have heard hereof, and are glad.

27 And now continue you⌃ still to keep faith with us, and we will recompense to you good things in return for your dealings with us,

28 and will grant you many immunities, and give you gifts.

29 And now do I free you, and release all the Jews, from the tributes, and from the customs of salt, and from the crowns.

30 And instead of the third part of the seed, and instead of the half of the fruit of the trees, which falls to me to receive, I release it from this day and henceforth, so that I will not take it from the land of Judah, and from the three governments which are added thereto from the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth and for all time.

31 And let Jerusalem be holy and free, and her borders; the tenths and the tollsalso.

32 I yield up also my authority over the citadel which is at Jerusalem, and give it to the high priest, that he may appoint in it such men as he shall choose to keep it.

33 And every soul of the Jews, that has been carried captive from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom, I set at liberty without price; and let all remit the tributes of their cattle also.

34 And all the feasts, and the Sabbaths, and new moons, and appointed days, and three days before a feast, and three days after a feast, let them all be days of immunity and release for all the Jews that are in my kingdom.

35 And no man shall have authority to exact from any of them, or to trouble them concerning any matter.

36 And let there be enrolled among the king’s forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, and pay shall be given to them, as belongs to all the king’s forces.

37 And of them some shall be placed in the king’s great strongholds, and some of them shall be placed over the affairs of the kingdom, which are of trust: and let those that are over them, and their rulers, be of themselves, and let them walk after their own laws, even as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.

38 And the three governments that have been added to Judaea from the country of Samaria, let them be added to Judaea, that they may be reckoned to be under one, that they may not obey other authority than the high priest’s.

39 As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I have given it as a gift to the sanctuary that is at Jerusalem, for the expenses that befit the sanctuary.

40 And I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver from the king’s revenues from the places that are convenient.

41 And all the overplus, which they that manage the king’s affairs paid not in as in the first years, they shall give from henceforth toward the works of the house.

42 And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they received from the uses of the sanctuary from the revenue year by year, this also is released, because it appertains to the priests that minister.

43 And whoever shall flee to the temple that is at Jerusalem, andbe foundwithin all the borders thereof, whether one owe moneys to the king, or any other matter, let them go free, and all that they have in my kingdom.

44 And for the building and renewing of the works of the sanctuary the expense shall be given also out of the king’s revenue.

45 And for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, shall the expense be given also out of the king’s revenue, and for the building of the walls in Judaea.

46 Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credence to them, nor received them, because they remembered the great evil which he had done in Israel, and that he had afflicted them very sore.

47 And they were well pleased with Alexander, because he was the first that spoke words of peace to them, and they were confederate with him always.

48 And king Alexander gathered together great forces, and encamped over against Demetrius.

49 And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Alexander fled; and Demetrius followed after him, and prevailed against them.

50 And he strengthened the battle exceedingly until the sun went down: and Demetrius fell that day.

51 And Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy king of Egypt according to these words, saying,

52 Forasmuch as I am returned to my kingdom, and am set on the throne of my fathers, and have gotten the dominion, and have overthrown Demetrius, and have gotten possession of our country;

53 yes, I joined the battle with him, and he and his army were discomfited by us, and we sat upon the throne of his kingdom:

54 now also let us establish amity one with the other, and give me now your daughter to wife: and I will make affinity with you, and will give both you and her gifts worthy of you.

55 And Ptolemy the king answered, saying, Happy is the day wherein you did return into the land of your fathers, and did sit on the throne of their kingdom.

56 And now will I do to you, as you have written: but meet me at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; and I will make affinity with you, even as you have said.

57 And Ptolemy went out of Egypt, himself and Cleopatra his daughter, and came to Ptolemais inthe hundred and threescore and second year:

58 and king Alexander met him, and he bestowed on him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great pomp, as the manner of kings is.

59 And king Alexander wrote to Jonathan, that he should come to meet him.

60 And he went with pomp to Ptolemais, and met the two kings, and gave them and theirFriends silver and gold, and many gifts, and found favor in their sight.

61 And there were gathered together against him certain pestilent fellows out of Israel, men that were transgressors of the law, to complain against him: and the king gave no heed to them.

62 And the king commanded, and they took off Jonathan’s garments, and clothed him in purple: and thus they did.

63 And the king made him sit with him, and said to his princes, Go forth with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that no man complain against him of any matter, and let no man trouble him for any manner of cause.

64 And it came to pass, when they that complained against him saw his glory according asthe heraldmade proclamation, andsawhim clothed in purple, they all fled away.

65 And the king gave him honor, and wrote him among hisChief Friends, and made him a captain, and governor of a province.

66 And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.

67 And inthe hundred and threescore and fifth year came Demetrius, son of Demetrius, out of Crete into the land of his fathers:

68 and king Alexander heard thereof, and he grieved exceedingly, and returned to Antioch.

69 And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, who was over Coelesyria, and he gathered together a great host, and encamped in Jamnia, and sent to Jonathan the high priest, saying,

70 You alone lift up yourself against us, but I am had in derision and in reproach because of you. And why do you vaunt your power against us in the mountains?

71 Now therefore, if you trust in your forces, come down to us into the plain, and there let us try the matter together; for with me is the power of the cities.

72 Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that help us; and they say, Your foot can’t stand before our face; for your fathers have been twice put to flight in their own land.

73 And now you shall not be able to abide the horse and such a host as this in the plain, where is neither stone nor flint, nor place to flee to.

74 Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind, and he chose out ten thousand men, and went forth from Jerusalem, and Simon his brother met him for to help him.

75 And he encamped against Joppa: and they of the city shut him out, because Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa:

76 and they fought against it. And they of the city were afraid, and opened to him: and Jonathan became master of Joppa.

77 And Apollonius heard, and he gathered an army of three thousand horse, and a great host, and went to Azotus as though he were on a journey, and therewithal drew onward into the plain, because he had a multitude of horse, and trusted therein.

78 And he pursued after him to Azotus, and the armies joined battle.

79 And Apollonius had left a thousand horse behind them privily.

80 And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him. And they compassed round his army, and cast their darts at the people, from morning until evening:

81 but the people stood still, as Jonathan commanded them: and their horses were wearied.

82 And Simon drew forth his host, and joined battle with the phalanx (for the horsemen were spent), and they were discomfited by him, and fled.

83 And the horsemen were scattered in the plain, and they fled to Azotus, and entered into Beth-dagon, their idol’s temple, to save themselves.

84 And Jonathan burned Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, and them that fled into it, he burned with fire.

85 And they that had fallen by the sword, with them that were burned, were about eight thousand men.

86 And from thence Jonathan removed, and encamped against Ascalon, and they of the city came forth to meet him with great pomp.

87 And Jonathan, with them that were on his side, returned to Jerusalem, having many spoils.

88 And it came to pass, when king Alexander heard these things, he honored Jonathan yet more;

89 and he sent to him a buckle of gold, as the use is to give to such as are of the kindred of the kings: and he gave him Ekron and all the coasts thereof for a possession.

1 And the king of Egypt gathered together great forces, as the sand which is by the sea shore, and many ships, and sought to make himself master of Alexander’s kingdom by deceit, and to add it to his own kingdom.

2 And he went forth into Syria with words of peace, and they of the cities opened to him, and met him; For king Alexander’s commandment was that they should meet him, because he was his father in law.

3 Now as he entered into the cities of Ptolemais, he set his forces for a garrison in each city.

4 But when he came near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon burned with fire, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof pulled down, and the bodies cast abroad, and them that had been burned, whom he burned in the war, for they had made heaps of them in his way.

5 And they told the king what things Jonathan had done, that they might cast blame on him: and the king held his peace.

6 And Jonathan met the king with pomp at Joppa, and they saluted one another, and they slept there.

7 And Jonathan went with the king as far as the river that is called Eleutherus, and returned to Jerusalem.

8 But king Ptolemy became master of the cities upon the sea coast, to Selucia which is by the sea, and he devised evil devices concerning Alexander.

9 And he sent ambassadors to king Demetrius, saying, Come, let us make a covenant with one another, and I will give you my daughter whom Alexander has, and you shall reign over your father’s kingdom;

10 for I have repented that I gave my daughter to him, for he sought to kill me.

11 And he cast blame on him, because he coveted his kingdom.

12 And taking his daughter from him, he gave her to Demetrius, and was estranged from Alexander, and their enmity was openly seen.

13 And Ptolemy entered into Antioch, and put on himself the diadem of Asia; and he put two diadems upon his head, the diadem of Egypt and that of Asia.

14 But king Alexander was in Cilicia at that season, because they of those parts were in revolt.

15 And Alexander heard of it, and he came against him in war: and Ptolemy led forthhis host,and met him with a strong force, and put him to flight.

16 And Alexander fled into Arabia, that he might be sheltered there; but king Ptolemy was exalted.

17 And Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander’s head, and sent it to Ptolemy.

18 And king Ptolemy died the third day after, and they that were in his strongholds were slain by them that were in the strongholds.

19 And Demetrius reigned inthe hundred and threescore and seventh year.

20 In those days Jonathan gathered together them of Judaea, to take the citadel that was at Jerusalem: and he made many engines of war against it.

21 And certain that hated their own nation, men that transgressed the law, went to the king, and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel.

22 And he heard, and was angered; but when he heard it, he set forth immediately, and came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan, that he should not besiege it, and that he should meet him and speak with him at Ptolemais with all speed.

23 But when Jonathan heard this, he commanded to besiege itstill:and he chose certain of the elders of Israel and of the priests, and put himself in peril,

24 and taking silver and gold and raiment and various presents besides, went to Ptolemais to the king. And he found favor in his sight.

25 And certain lawless men of them that were of the nation made complaints against him,

26 and the king did to him even as his predecessors had done to him, and exalted him in the sight of all hisFriends,

27 and confirmed to him the high priesthood, and all the other honors that he had before, and gave him preeminence among hisChief Friends.

28 And Jonathan requested of the king, that he would make Judaea free from tribute, and the threeprovinces, and the country of Samaria; and promised him three hundred talents.

29 And the king consented, and wrote letters to Jonathan concerning all these things after this manner:

30 King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting:

31 The copy of the letter which we wrote to Lasthenes our kinsman concerning you, we have written also to you, that you⌃ may see it.

32 King Demetrius to Lasthenes his father, greeting:

33 We have determined to do good to the nation of the Jews, who are our friends, and observe what is just toward us, because of their good will toward us.

34 We have confirmed therefore to them the borders of Judaea, and also the three governments of Aphaerema and Lydda and Ramathaim (thesewere added to Judaea from the country of Samaria), and all things appertaining to them, for all such as do sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the king’s dues which the king received of them yearly aforetime from the produce of the earth and the fruits of trees.

35 And as for the other things that pertain to us from henceforth, of the tenths and the tolls that pertain to us, and the saltpits, and the crowns that pertain to us, all these we will bestow upon them.

36 And not one of these things shall be annulled from this time forth and for ever.

37 Now therefore be careful to make a copy of these things, and let it be given to Jonathan, and let it be set up on the holy mount in a meet and conspicuous place.

38 And king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him, and that no resistance was made to him, and he sent away all his forces, each man to his own place, except the foreign forces, which he had raised from the isles of the Gentiles: and all the forces of his fathers hated him.

39 Now Tryphon was of those who aforetime had been of Alexander’s part, and he saw that all the forces murmured against Demetrius, and he went to Imalcue the Arabian, who was nourishing up Antiochus the young child of Alexander,

40 and pressed sore upon him that he should deliver him to him, that he might reign in his father’s stead: and he told him all that Demetrius had done, and the hatred wherewith his forces hated him; and he abode there many days.

41 And Jonathan sent to king Demetrius, that he should cast out of Jerusalem them of the citadel, and them that were in the strongholds; for they fought against Israel continually.

42 And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, saying, I will not only do this for you and your nation, but I will greatly honor you and your nation, if I find fair occasion.

43 Now therefore you shall do well, if you send me men who shall fight for me; for all my forces are revolted.

44 And Jonathan sent him three thousand valiant men to Antioch: and they came to the king, and the king was glad at their coming.

45 And they of the city gathered themselves together into the midst of the city, to the number of a hundred and twenty thousand men, and they were minded to kill the king.

46 And the king fled into the court of the palace, and they of the city seized the passages of the city, and began to fight.

47 And the king called the Jews to help him, and they were gathered together to him all at once, and they dispersed themselves in the city, and killed that day to the number of a hundred thousand.

48 And they set the city on fire, and got many spoils that day, and saved the king.

49 And they of the city saw that the Jews had made themselves masters of the city as they would, and they waxed faint in their hearts, and they cried out to the king with supplication, saying,

50 Give us your right hand, and let the Jews cease from fighting against us and the city.

51 And they cast away their arms, and made peace; and the Jews were glorified in the sight of the king, and before all that were in his kingdom; and they returned to Jerusalem, having many spoils.

52 And king Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom, and the land was quiet before him.

53 And he lied in all that he spoke, and estranged himself from Jonathan, and recompensed him not according to the benefits with which he had recompensed him, and afflicted him exceedingly.

54 Now after this Tryphon returned, and with him the young child Antiochus; and he reigned, and put on a diadem.

55 And there were gathered to him all the forces which Demetrius had sent away with disgrace, and they fought against him, and he fled and was put to the rout.

56 And Tryphon took the elephants, and became master of Antioch.

57 And the young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying, I confirm to you the high priesthood, and appoint you over the four governments, and to be one of the king’sFriends.

58 And he sent to him golden vessels and furniture for the table, and gave him leave to drink in golden vessels, and to be clothed in purple, and to have a golden buckle.

59 And his brother Simon he made captain from the Ladder of Tyre to the borders of Egypt.

60 And Jonathan went forth, and took his journey beyond the river and through the cities; and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves to him for to be his confederates. And he came to Ascalon, and they of the city met him honorably.

61 And he departed thence to Gaza, and they of Gaza shut him out; and he laid siege to it, and burned the suburbs thereof with fire, and spoiled them.

62 And they of Gaza made request to Jonathan, and he gave them his right hand, and took the sons of their princes for hostages, and sent them away to Jerusalem; and he passed through the country as far as Damascus.

63 And Jonathan heard that Demetrius’ princes were come to Kedesh, which is in Galilee, with a great host, purposing to remove him from his office;

64 and he went to meet them, but Simon his brother he left in the country.

65 And Simon encamped against Bethsura, and fought against it many days, and shut it up:

66 and they made request to him that he would give them his right hand, and he gave it to them; and he put them out from thence, and took possession of the city, and set a garrison over it.

67 And Jonathan and his army encamped at the water of Gennesareth, and early in the morning they got them to the plain of Hazor.

68 And, behold, an army of strangers met him in the plain, and they laid an ambush for him in the mountains, but themselves met him face to face.

69 But they that lay in ambush rose out of their places, and joined battle; and all they that were of Jonathan’s side fled:

70 not one of them was left, except Mattathias the son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Chalphi, captains of the forces.

71 And Jonathan tore his clothes, and put earth upon his head, and prayed.

72 And he turned again to them in battle, and put them to the rout, and they fled.

73 And they of his side that fled saw it, and returned to him, and pursued with him to Kedesh to their camp, and they encamped there.

74 And there fell of the strangers on that day about three thousand men: and Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.

1 And Jonathan saw that the time served him, and he chose men, and sent them to Rome, to confirm and renew the friendship that they had with them.

2 And to the Spartans, and to other places, he sent letters after the same manner.

3 And they went to Rome, and entered into the senate house, and said, Jonathan the high priest, and the nation of the Jews, have sent us, to renew for them the friendship and the confederacy, as in former time.

4 And they gave them letters to the men in every place, that they should bring them on their way to the land of Judah in peace.

5 And this is the copy of the letters which Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:

6 Jonathan the high priest, and the senate of the nation, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, to their brethren the Spartans, greeting:

7 Even before this time were letters sent to Onias the high priest fromArius, who was reigning among you, to signify that you⌃ are our brethren, as the copy here underwritten shows.

8 And Onias entreated honorably the man that was sent, and received the letters, wherein declaration was made of confederacy and friendship.

9 Therefore we also, albeit we need none of these things, having for our encouragement the holy books which are in our hands,

10 have assayed to send that we might renew our brotherhood and friendship with you, to the end that we should not become estranged from you altogether: for long time is passed since you⌃ sent to us.

11 We therefore at all times without ceasing, both in our feasts, and on the other convenient days, do remember you in the sacrifices which we offer, and in our prayers, as it is right and meet to be mindful of brethren:

12 and moreover are glad for your glory.

13 But as for ourselves, many afflictions and many wars have encompassed us, and the kings that are round about us have fought against us.

14 We were not minded therefore to be troublesome to you, and to the rest of our confederates and friends, in these wars;

15 for we have the help which is from heaven to help us, and we have been delivered from our enemies, and our enemies have been brought low.

16 We chose therefore Numenius the son of Antiochus, and Antipater the son of Jason, and have sent them to the Romans, to renew the friendship that we had with them, and the former confederacy.

17 We commanded them therefore to go also to you, and to salute you, and to deliver you our letters concerning the renewingof friendshipand our brotherhood.

18 And now you⌃ shall do well if you⌃ give us an answer thereto.

19 And this is the copy of the letters which they sent to Onias:

20 Arius king of the Spartans to Onias the chief priest, greeting:

21 It has been found in writing, concerning the Spartans and the Jews, that they are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham:

22 and now, since this is come to our knowledge, you⌃ shall do well to write to us of yourprosperity.

23 And we moreover do write on our part to you, that your cattle and goods are ours, and ours are yours. We do command therefore that they make report to you on this wise.

24 And Jonathan heard that Demetrius’ princes were returned to fight against him with a greater host than before,

25 and he removed from Jerusalem, and met them in the country of Hamath; for he gave them no respite to set foot in his country.

26 And he sent spies into his camp, and they came again, and reported to him that they were appointed in such and such a way to fall upon them in the night season.

27 But as soon as the sun was down, Jonathan commanded his men to watch, and to be in arms, that all the night long they might be ready for battle: and he put forth sentinels round about the camp.

28 And the adversaries heard that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, and they feared, and trembled in their hearts, and they kindled fires in their camp

29 But Jonathan and his men knew it not till the morning; for they saw the lights burning.

30 And Jonathan pursued after them, and overtook them not; for they were gone over the river Eleutherus.

31 And Jonathan turned aside to the Arabians, who are called Zabadaeans, and struck them, and took their spoils.

32 And he came out from thence, and came to Damascus, and took his journey through all the country.

33 And Simon went forth, and took his journey as far as Ascalon, and the strongholds that were near to it. And he turned aside to Joppa, and took possession of it;

34 for he had heard that they were minded to deliver the stronghold to the men of Demetrius; and he set a garrison there to keep it.

35 And Jonathan returned, and called the elders of the people together; and he took counsel with them to build strongholds in Judaea,

36 and to make the walls of Jerusalem higher, and to raise a great mound between the citadel and the city, for to separate it from the city, that so it might be all alone, that men might neither buy nor sell.

37 And they were gathered together to build the city, and there fell down part of the wall of the brook that is on the east side, and he repaired that which is called Chaphenatha.

38 And Simon also built Adida in theplain country, and made it strong, and set up gates and bars.

39 And Tryphon sought to reign over Asia and to put on himself the diadem, and to stretch forth his hand against Antiochus the king.

40 And he was afraid lest haply Jonathan should not suffer him, and lest he should fight against him; and he sought a way how to take him, that he might destroy him. And he removed, and came to Bethshan.

41 And Jonathan came forth to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for battle, and came to Bethshan.

42 And Tryphon saw that he came with a great host, and he was afraid to stretch forth his hand against him:

43 and he received him honorably, and commended him to all hisFriends, and gave him gifts, and commanded his forces to be obedient to him, as to himself.

44 And he said to Jonathan, Why have you put all this people to trouble, seeing there is no war between us?

45 And now send them away to their homes, but choose for yourself a few men who shall be with you, and come you with me to Ptolemais, and I will give it up to you, and the rest of the strongholds and the rest of the forces, and all the king’s officers: and I will return and depart; for this is the cause of my coming.

46 And he put his trust in him, and did even as he said, and sent away his forces, and they departed into the land of Judah.

47 But he reserved to himself three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee, but one thousand went with him.

48 Now as soon as Jonathan entered into Ptolemais, they of Ptolemais shut the gates, and laid hands on him; and all them that came in with him they killed with the sword.

49 And Tryphon sent forces and horsemen into Galilee, and into the great plain, to destroy all Jonathan’s men.

50 And they perceived that he was taken and had perished, and they that were with him; and they encouraged one another, and went on their way close together, prepared to fight.

51 And they that followed upon them saw that they were ready to fight for their lives, and turned back again.

52 And they all came in peace into the land of Judah, and they mourned for Jonathan, and them that were with him, and they were sore afraid; and all Israel mourned with a great mourning.

53 And all the Gentiles that were round about them sought to destroy them utterly: for they said, They have no ruler, nor any to help them: now therefore let us fight against them, and take away their memorial from among men.

1 And Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty host to come into the land of Judah, and destroy it utterly.

2 And he saw that the people trembled and was in great fear; and he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together;

3 and he encouraged them, and said to them, You⌃ yourselves know all the things that I, and my brethren, and my father’s house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen:

4 by reason hereof all my brethren have perished for Israel’s sake, and I am left alone.

5 And now be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of affliction; for I am not better than my brethren.

6 Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children; because all the Gentiles are gathered to destroy us of very hatred.

7 And the spirit of the people revived, as soon as they heard these words.

8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, You are our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan your brother.

9 Fight you our battles, and all that you shall say to us, that will we do.

10 And he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.

11 And he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great host, to Joppa: and he cast out them that were therein, and abode there in it

12 And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a mighty host to enter into the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him in ward.

13 But Simon encamped at Adida, over against the plain.

14 And Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, and he sent ambassadors to him, saying,

15 It is for money which Jonathan your brother owed to the king’s treasure, by reason of the offices which he had, that we hold him fast.

16 And now send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will set him at liberty.

17 And Simon knew that they spoke to him deceitfully; and he sends the money and the children, lest perhaps he should procure to himself great hatred of the people,

18 and they should say, Because I sent him not the money and the children, he perished.

19 And he sent the children and the hundred talents. And he dealt falsely, and did not set Jonathan at liberty.

20 And after this Tryphon came to invade the land, and destroy it, and he went round about by the way that leads to Adora: and Simon and his army marched over against him to every place, wherever he went.

21 Now they of the citadel sent to Tryphon ambassadors, hastening him to come to them through the wilderness, and to send them food.

22 And Tryphon made ready all his horse to come: and on that night there fell a very great snow, and he came not by reason of the snow. And he removed, and came into the country of Gilead.

23 But when he came near to Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there.

24 And Tryphon returned, and went away into his own land.

25 And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers.

26 And all Israel made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days.

27 And Simon builta monumentupon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with polished stone behind and before.

28 And he set up seven pyramids, one over against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren.

29 And for these he made cunning devices, setting about them great pillars, and upon the pillars he fashionedall manner of arms for a perpetual memory, and beside thearms ships carved, that they should be seen of all that sail on the sea.

30 This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin,and it is thereto this day.

31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and killed him,

32 and reigned in his stead, and put on himself the diadem of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.

33 And Simon built the strongholds of Judaea, and fenced them about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars; and he laid up food in the strongholds.

34 And Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the country an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to plunder.

35 And king Demetrius sent to him according to these words, and answered him, and wrote a letter to him, after this manner:

36 King Demetrius to Simon the high priest andFriend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greeting:

37 The golden crown, and the palm branch, which you⌃ sent, we have received: and we are ready to make astedfast peace with you, yes, and to write to our officers, to grant immunities to you.

38 And whatever things we confirmed to you, they are confirmed; and the strongholds, which you⌃ have builded, let them be your own.

39 As for any oversights and faults committed to this day, we forgive them, and the crown which you⌃ owed us: and if there were any other toll exacted in Jerusalem, let it be exacted no longer.

40 And if there be any among you meet to be enrolled in our court, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.

41 Inthe hundred and seventies year was the yoke of the heathen taken away from Israel.

42 And the people began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon, the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews.

43 In those days he encamped againstGazara, and compassed it round about with armies; and he made an engine of siege, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and took it.

44 And they that were in the engine leaped forth into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city:

45 and they of the city tore their clothes, and went up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, making request to Simon to give themhis right hand.

46 And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickednesses, but according to your mercy.

47 And Simon was reconciled to them, and did not fight against them: and he put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with singing and giving praise.

48 And he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it such men as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwelling place for himself.

49 But they of the citadel in Jerusalem were hindered from going forth, and from going into the country, and from buying and selling; and they hungered exceedingly, and a great number of them perished through famine.

50 And they cried out to Simon, that he should give them his right hand; and he gave it to them: and he put them out from thence, and he cleansed the citadel from its pollutions.

51 And he entered into it on the three and twentieth day of the second month, inthe hundred and seventy and first year, with praise and palm branches, and with harps, and with cymbals, and with viols, and with hymns, and with songs: because a great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.

52 And he ordained that they should keep that day every year with gladness. And the hill of the temple that was by the citadel he made stronger than before, and there he lived, himself and his men.

53 And Simon saw that John his son was avaliantman, and he made him leader of all his forces: and he lived in Gazara.

1 And inthe hundred and seventy and second year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media, to get him help, that he might fight against Tryphon.

2 And Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was come into his borders, and he sent one of his princes to take him alive:

3 and he went and struck the army of Demetrius, and took him, and brought him to Arsaces; and he put him in ward.

4 And the land had rest all the days of Simon: and he sought the good of his nation; and and his authority and his glory was well-pleasing to them all his days.

5 And amid all his glory he took Joppa for a haven, and made it an entrance for the isles of the sea;

6 and he enlarged the borders of his nation, and got possession of the country;

7 and he gathered together a great number of captives, and got the dominion of Gazara, and Bethsura, and the citadel, and he took away from it its uncleannesses; and there was none that resisted him.

8 And they tilled their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of the plains their fruit.

9 The ancient men sat in the streets, they communed all of them together of good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.

10 He provided food for the cities, and furnished them withall manner of munition, until the name of his glory was named to the end of the earth.

11 He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy:

12 and they sat each man under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid:

13 and there ceased in the land any that fought against them: and the kings were discomfited in those days.

14 And he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out, and every lawless and wicked person he took away.

15 He glorified the sanctuary, and the vessels of the temple he multiplied.

16 And it was heard at Rome that Jonathan was dead, and even to Sparta, and they were exceeding sorry.

17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities therein,

18 they wrote to him on tables of brass, to renew with him the friendship and the confederacy which they had confirmed with Judas and Jonathan his brethren;

19 and they were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.

20 And this is the copy of the letters which the Spartans sent:

The rulers of the Spartans, and the city, to Simon the high priest, and to the elders, and the priests, and the residue of the people of the Jews, our brethren, greeting:

21 The ambassadors that were sent to our people made report to us of your glory and honor: and we were glad for their coming,

22 and we did register the things that were spoken by them in thepublic records after this manner: Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.

23 And it pleased the people to entertain the men honorably, and to put the copy of their words in thepublic records, to the end that the people of the Spartans might have a memorial thereof: moreover they wrote a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.

24 After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight, in order to confirm the confederacy with them.

25 But when the people heard these things, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?

26 for he and his brethren and the house of his father have made themselves strong, and have chased away in fight the enemies of Israel from them, and confirmed liberty toIsrael.

27 And they wrote on tables of brass, and set them upon pillars in mount Sion: and this is the copy of the writing:

On the eighteenth day of Elul, inthe hundred and seventy and second year, and this is the third year of Simon the high priest,

28 in Asaramel, in a great congregation of priests and people and princes of the nation, and of the elders of the country,was it notified to us:

29 Forasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country, but Simon the son of Mattathias, the son of the sons of Joarib, and his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy, and withstood the enemies of their nation, that their sanctuary and the law might be established, and glorified their nation with great glory:

30 and Jonathan assembled their nation together, and became their high priest, and was gathered to his people:

31 and their enemies purposed to invade their country, that they might destroy their country utterly, and stretch forth their hands against their sanctuary:

32 then rose up Simon, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation, and gave them wages:

33 and he fortified the cities of Judaea, and Bethsura that lies upon the borders of Judaea, where the arms of the enemies were aforetime, and set there a garrison of Jews:

34 and he fortified Joppa which is upon the sea, and Gazara which is upon the borders of Azotus, wherein the enemies lived aforetime, and placed Jews there, and set therein all things convenient for the reparation thereof:

35 and the people saw thefaith of Simon, and the glory which he thought to bring to his nation, and they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and the faith which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to exalt his people:

36 and in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles were taken away out of their country, and they also that were in the city of David, they that were in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a citadel, out of which they issued, and polluted all things round about the sanctuary, and did great hurt to its purity;

37 and he placed Jews therein, and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and made high the walls of Jerusalem:

38 and king Demetrius confirmed to him the high priesthood according to these things,

39 and made him one of hisFriends, and honored him with great honor;

40 for he had heard say, that the Jews had been called by the Romans friends and confederates and brethren, and that they had met the ambassadors of Simon honorably;

41 and that the Jews and the priests were well pleased that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until there should arise a faithful prophet;

42 and that he should be captain over them, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to set them over their works, and over the country, and over the arms, and over the strongholds; and that he should take charge of the sanctuary,

43 and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all instruments in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold;

44 and that it should not be lawful for any of the people or of the priests to set at nothing any of these things, or to gainsay the words that he should speak, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold;

45 but whoever should do otherwise, or set at nothing any of these things, he should be liable to punishment.

46 All the people consented to ordain for Simon that he should do according to these words;

47 and Simon accepted hereof, and consented to be high priest, and to be captain andgovernor of the Jews and of the priests, and to be protector of all.

48 And they commanded to put this writing on tables of brass, and to set them up within the precinct of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place;

49 and moreover to put the copies thereof in the treasury, to the end that Simon and his sons might have them.

1 And Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent letters from the isles of the sea to Simon the priest andgovernor of the Jews, and to all the nation;

2 and the contents thereof were after this manner:

King Antiochus to Simon the chief priest andgovernor, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting:

3 Forasmuch as certain pestilent fellows have made themselves masters of the kingdom of our fathers, but my purpose is to claim the kingdom, that I may restore it as it was before; and moreover I have raised a multitude of foreign soldiers, and have prepared ships of war;

4 moreover I am minded to land in the country, that I may punish them that have destroyed our country, and them that have made many cities in the kingdom desolate:

5 Now therefore I confirm to you all the exactions which the kings that were before me remitted to you, and whatever gifts besides they remitted to you:

6 and I give you leave to coin money for your country with your own stamp,

7 but that Jerusalem and the sanctuary should be free: and all the arms that you have prepared, and the strongholds that you have built, which you have in your possession, let them remain to you:

8 and everything owing to the king, and the things that shall be owing to the king from henceforth and for evermore, let them be remitted to you:

9 moreover, when we shall have established our kingdom, we will glorify you and your nation and the temple with great glory, so that your glory shall be made manifest in all the earth.

10 Inthe hundred and seventy and fourth year went Antiochus forth into the land of his fathers; and all the forces came together to him, so that there were few men with Tryphon.

11 And king Antiochus pursued him, andhe came, as he fled, to Dor, which is by the sea:

12 for he knew that troubles were come upon him all at once, and that his forces had forsaken him.

13 And Antiochus encamped against Dor, and with him a hundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand horse.

14 And he compassed the city round about, and the ships joined in the attack from the sea; and he vexed the city by land and sea, and suffered no man to go out or in.

15 And Numenius and his company came from Rome, having letters to the kings and to the countries, wherein were written these things:

16 Lucius, consul of the Romans, to king Ptolemy, greeting:

17 The Jews’ ambassadors came to us as our friends and confederates, to renew the old friendship and confederacy, being sent from Simon the high priest, and from the people of the Jews:

18 moreover they brought a shield of gold of a thousand pound.

19 It pleased us therefore to write to the kings and to the countries, that they should not seek their hurt, nor fight against them, and their cities, and their country, nor be confederates with such as fight against them.

20 Moreover it seemed good to us to receive the shield of them.

21 If therefore any pestilent fellows have fled from their country to you, deliver them to Simon the high priest, that he may take vengeance on them according to their law.

22 And the same things wrote he to Demetrius the king, and to Attalus, and to Arathes, and to Arsaces,

23 and to all the countries, and toSampsames, and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and to Myndos, and to Sicyon, and to Caria, and to Samos, and to Pamphylia, and to Lycia, and to Halicarnassus, and to Rhodes, and to Phaselis, and to Cos, and to Side, and to Aradus, and Gortyna, and Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene.

24 But the copy hereof they wrote to Simon the high priest.

25 But Antiochus the king encamped against Dor the second day, bringing his forces up to it continually, and making engines of war, and he shut up Tryphon from going in or out.

26 And Simon sent him two thousand chosen men to fight on his side; and silver, and gold, and instruments of war in abundance.

27 And he would not receive them, but set at nothing all the covenants which he had made with him aforetime, and was estranged from him.

28 And he sent to him Athenobius, one of hisFriends, to commune with him, saying,

You⌃ hold possession of Joppa and Gazara, and the citadel that is in Jerusalem, cities of my kingdom.

29 The borders thereof you⌃ have wasted, and done great hurt in the land, and got the dominion of many places in my kingdom.

30 Now therefore deliver up the cities which you⌃ have taken, and the tributes of the places whereof you⌃ have gotten dominion without the borders of Judaea:

31 or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and for the harm that you⌃ have done, and the tributes of the cities, other five hundred talents: or else we will come and subdue you.

32 And Athenobius the king’sFriend came to Jerusalem; and he saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver vessels, and his great attendance, and he was amazed; and he reported to him the king’s words.

33 And Simon answered, and said to him,

We have neither taken other men’s land, nor have we possession of that which appertains to others, but of the inheritance of our fathers; howbeit, it was had in possession of our enemies wrongfully for a certain time.

34 But we, having opportunity, hold fast the inheritance of our fathers.

35 But as touching Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, they did great harm among the people throughout our country, we will give a hundred talents for them.

And he answered him not a word,

36 but returned in a rage to the king, and reported to him these words, and the glory of Simon, and all that he had seen: and the king was exceeding angry.

37 But Tryphon embarked on board a ship, and fled to Orthosia.

38 And the king appointed Cendebaeus chief captain of the sea coast, and gave him forces of foot and horse:

39 and he commanded him to encamp before Judaea, and he commanded him to build up Kidron, and to fortify the gates, and that he should fight against the people: but the king pursued Tryphon.

40 And Cendebaeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to invade Judaea, and to take the people captive, and to kill them.

41 And he built Kidron, and set horsemen there, and forces of foot, to the end that issuing out they might make outroads upon the ways of Judaea, according as the king commanded him.

1 And John went up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebaeus was doing.

2 And Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them, I and my brethren and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even to this day; and things have prospered in our hands, that we should deliver Israel oftentimes.

3 But now I am old, and you⌃ moreover, byhismercy, are of a sufficient age: be you⌃ instead of me and my brother, and go forth and fight for our nation; but let the help which is from heaven be with you.

4 And he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and horsemen, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin.

5 And rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great host came to meet them, of footmen and horsemen: and there was a brook between them.

6 And he encamped over against them, he and his people: and he saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, and he passed over first, and the men saw him, and passed over after him.

7 And he divided the people, andsetthe horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the enemies’ horsemen were exceeding many.

8 And they sounded with the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to the rout, and there fell of them many wounded to death, but they that were left fled to the stronghold:

9 at that time was Judas John’s brother wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came to Kidron, whichCendebaeushad built;

10 and they fled to the towers that are in the fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire; and there fell of them about two thousand men. And he returned into Judaea in peace.

11 And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed captain for the plain of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold;

12 for he was the high priest’s son in law.

13 And his heart was lifted up, and he was minded to make himself master of the country, and he took counsel deceitfully against Simon and his sons, to make away with them.

14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; and he went down to Jericho, himself and Mattathias and Judas his sons, inthe hundred and seventy and seventh year, in the eleventh month, the same is the month Sebat:

15 and the son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men there.

16 And when Simon and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, and took their arms, and came in upon Simon into the banqueting place, and killed him, and his two sons, and certain of his servants.

17 And he committed a great iniquity, and recompensed evil for good.

18 And Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him forces to aid him, and should deliver him their country and the cities.

19 And he sent others to Gazara to make away with John: and to the captains of thousands he sent letters to come to him, that he might give them silver and gold and gifts.

20 And others he sent to take possession of Jerusalem, and the mount of the temple.

21 And one ran before to Gazara, and told John that his father and brethren were perished, and he has sent to kill you also.

22 And when he heard, he was sore amazed; and he laid hands on the men that came to destroy him, and killed them; for he perceived that they were seeking to destroy him.

23 And the rest of the acts of John, and of his wars, and of his valiant deeds which he did, and of the building of the walls which he built, and of his doings,

24 behold, they are written in thechronicles of his high priesthood, from the time that he was made high priest after his father.

1 THE brethren, the Jews that are in Jerusalem and they that are in the country of Judaea, send greeting to the brethren, the Jews that are throughout Egypt,and wish themgood peace:

2 and may God do good to you, and remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants;

3 and give you all a heart to worship him and do hispleasure with a great heart and a willing soul;

4 and open your heart in his law and in his statutes, and make peace,

5 and hearken to your supplications, and be reconciled with you, and not forsake you in an evil time.

6 And now we here are praying for you.

7 In the reign of Demetrius, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we the Jews havealreadywritten to you in the tribulation and in the extremity that has come upon us in these years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom,

8 and set thegate on fire, and shed innocent blood: and we implored the Lord, and were heard; and we offered sacrifice and mealoffering,and we lighted the lamps, and we set forth theshow bread.

9 And nowseethat you⌃ keep the days of the feast of tabernacles of the month Chislev.

10 Writtenin the hundred fourscore and eighth year.

THEY that are in Jerusalem and they that are in Judaea and the senate and Judas, to Aristobulus, king Ptolemy’s teacher, who is also of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Jews that are in Egypt, send greeting and health.

11 Having been saved by God out of great perils, as men arrayed against a king, we thank him greatly.

12 For himself cast forth into Persia them that arrayed themselvesagainst usin the holy city.

13 For when the prince was comethere,and the army with him that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanaea by the treachery of Nanaea’s priests.

14 For Antiochus, on the pretense that he would marry her, came into the place, he and hisFriends that were with him, that they might take a great part of the treasures in name of a dowry.

15 And when the priests of Nanaea’s temple had setthe treasures forth, and he was come there with a small company within the wall of the precincts, they shut to the temple when Antiochus was come in:

16 and opening the secret door of the panelled cieling, they threw stones andstruck down the prince, and they hewedhim and his companyin pieces, and struck off their heads, and cast them to those that were without.

17 Blessedbeour God in all things, who gavefor a preythem that had committed impiety.

18 Whereas we are now about to keep the purification of the temple in themonthChislev, on the five and twentieth day, we thought it necessary to certify you thereof, thatyou⌃ also may keep a feast of tabernacles, anda memorialof the firewhich was givenwhen Nehemiah offered sacrifices, after that he had builded both the temple and the altar.

19 For indeed when our fathers were about to be led into the land of Persia, the godly priests of that time took of the fire of the altar, and hid it privily in the hollow of a well that was without water, wherein they madeitsure, so that the place was unknown to all men.

20 Now after many years, when it pleased God, Nehemiah, having received a charge from the king of Persia, sent in quest of the fire the descendants of the priests that hid it. When they declared to us that they had found no fire, but thick water,

21 he commanded them to draw out thereof and bringto him:and whenthe sacrifices had been offeredon the altar,Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with the water both the wood and the things laid thereupon.

22 And when it was done, and some time had passed, and the sun shone out, which before was hid with clouds, there was kindled a great blaze, so that all men marveled.

23 And the priests made a prayer while the sacrifice was consuming, both the priests and allothers,Jonathan leading and the rest answering, as Nehemiah did.

24 And the prayer was after this manner:

O Lord, Lord God, the Creator of all things, who are terrible and strong and righteous and merciful, who alone are King and gracious,

25 who alone suppliestevery need,who alone are righteous and almighty and eternal, you that save Israel out of all evil, who made the fathersyourchosen, and did sanctify them:

26 accept the sacrifice for all your people Israel, and guard your own portion, and consecrate it.

27 Gather together our Dispersion, set at liberty them that are in bondage among the heathen, look upon them that are despised and abhorred, and let the heathen know that you are our God.

28 Torment them that oppress us and in arrogancy shamefully entreat us.

29 Plant your people in your holy place, even as Moses said.

30 And thereupon the priests sang the hymns.

31 And as soon as the sacrifice was consumed, then Nehemiah commandedto pourongreat stones the water that was left.

32 And when this was done, a flame was kindled;but when the light from the altarshone over against it,allwas consumed.

33 And when the matter became known, and it was told the king of the Persians, that, in the place where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared the water, wherewith also Nehemiah and they that were with him purified the sacrifice,

34 then the king, inclosingthe place,made it sacred, after he had proved the matter.

35 And when the king would show favor to any, he would takefrom themmany presents and give them some ofthis water.

36 And Nehemiah and they that were with him called this thing Nephthar, which is by interpretation, Cleansing; but most men call it Nephthai.

1 It is also found in the records, that Jeremiah the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as has been signifiedabove:

2 and how that the prophet charged them that were carried away, having given them the law, that they should not forget the statutes of the Lord, neither be led astray in their minds, when they saw images of gold and silver, and the adornment thereof.

3 And with other such words exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their heart.

4 And it wascontainedin the writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded that the tabernacle and the ark should follow with him,when he went forth into the mountain where Moses went up and saw the heritage of God.

5 And Jeremiah came and founda chamber in the rock, and there he brought in the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense; and he made fast the door.

6 And some of those that followed with him came there that they might mark the way, and could not find it.

7 But when Jeremiah perceived it, he blamed them, saying, yes and the place shall be unknown until Godgather the people again together, and mercy come:

8 and then shall the Lord disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen, and thecloud.

As also it was showed with Moses; as also Solomon implored that the place might be consecrated greatly,

9 and it was also declared that he, having wisdom, offered a sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple;so we would have it now.

10 As Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down out of heaven and consumed the sacrifice, even so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came down and consumed the burnt offerings;

11 (and Moses said, Because the sin offering had not been eaten, it was consumed in like mannerwith the rest;)

12 and Solomon kept the eight days.

13 And the same things were relatedboth in the public archives and inthe records that concern Nehemiah; and how he, founding a library, gathered together the books about the kings and prophets, and thebooksof David, and letters of kings about sacred gifts.

14 And in like manner Judas also gathered together for us all thosewritingsthat had been scattered by reason of the war that befell, and they arestillwith us.

15 If therefore you⌃ have need thereof, send some to fetch them to you.

16 Seeing then that we are about to keep the purification, we write to you; you⌃ will therefore do well if you⌃ keep the days.

17 Now God, who saved all his people, and restored the heritage to all, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the hallowing,

18 even as he promised through the law,— in God have we hope, that he will quickly have mercy upon us, and gatherustogether out ofall the earth to the holy place: for he delivered us out of great evils, and purified the place.

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19 Now the things concerning Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren, and the purification of thegreat temple, and the dedication of the altar,

20 and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,

21 and the manifestations that came from heaven to those that vied with one another in manful deeds for the religion of the Jews; so that, being but a few, theyrescued the whole country, and chased the barbarous multitudes,

22 and recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, and freed the city, and restored the laws which were like to be overthrown, seeing the Lord becamegracious to them with all forbearance:

23 these things, I say,which have been declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one work.

24 For having in view the confused mass of the numbers, and thedifficulty which awaits them that would enter into the narratives of the history, by reason of the abundance of the matter,

25 we were careful that they who choose to read may be attracted, and that they who wish wellto our causemay find it easy to recallwhat we have written,and that all readers may have profit.

26 And although to us, who have taken upon us the painful labor of the abridgement, the task is not easy, buta matterof sweat and watching

27 (even as it is no light thing to him that prepares a banquet, and seeks the benefit of others); yet for the sake of the gratitude of the many we will gladly endure the painful labor,

28 leaving to the historian the exact handling of every particular, and againhaving no strength tofill in the outlines of our abridgement.

29 For as the masterbuilder of a new house must care for the wholestructure, and again he that undertakes todecorate and paint it must seek out the things fit for the adorning thereof; even so I think it is also with us.

30 To occupy the ground, and toindulge in long discussions, and to be curious in particulars, becomes the first author of the history:

31 but to strive after brevity of expression, and to avoid a laboured fulness in the treatment, is to be granted to him that would bring a writing into a new form.

32 Here then let us begin the narration, only adding thus much to that which has been alreadysaid; for it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue to the history, and to abridge the historyitself.