I Maccabees 11

¹And the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like the sand that lieth upon the sea shore, and many ships, and went about through deceit to get Alexander’s kingdom, and join it to his own.

²Whereupon he took his journey into Spain in peaceable manner, so as they of the cities opened unto him, and met him: for king Alexander had commanded them so to do, because he was his brother in law.

³Now as Ptolemee entered into the cities, he set in every one of them a garrison of soldiers to keep it.

⁴And when he came near to Azotus, they shewed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad and them that he had burnt in the battle; for they had made heaps of them by the way where he should pass.

⁵Also they told the king whatsoever Jonathan had done, to the intent he might blame him: but the king held his peace.

⁶Then Jonathan met the king with great pomp at Joppa, where they saluted one another, and lodged.

⁷Afterward Jonathan, when he had gone with the king to the river called Eleutherus, returned again to Jerusalem.

⁸King Ptolemee therefore, having gotten the dominion of the cities by the sea unto Seleucia upon the sea coast, imagined wicked counsels against Alexander.

⁹Whereupon he sent ambassadors unto king Demetrius, saying, Come, let us make a league betwixt us, and I will give thee my daughter whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt reign in thy father’s kingdom:

¹⁰For I repent that I gave my daughter unto him, for he sought to slay me.

¹¹Thus did he slander him, because he was desirous of his kingdom.

¹²Wherefore he took his daughter from him, and gave her to Demetrius, and forsook Alexander, so that their hatred was openly known.

¹³Then Ptolemee entered into Antioch, where he set two crowns upon his head, the crown of Asia, and of Egypt.

¹⁴In the mean season was king Alexander in Cilicia, because those that dwelt in those parts had revolted from him.

¹⁵But when Alexander heard of this, he came to war against him: whereupon king Ptolemee brought forth his host, and met him with a mighty power, and put him to flight.

¹⁶So Alexander fled into Arabia there to be defended; but king Ptolemee was exalted:

¹⁷For Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander’s head, and sent it unto Ptolemee.

¹⁸King Ptolemee also died the third day after, and they that were in the strong holds were slain one of another.

¹⁹By this means Demetrius reigned in the hundred threescore and seventh year.

²⁰At the same time Jonathan gathered together them that were in Judea to take the tower that was in Jerusalem: and he made many engines of war against it.

²¹Then came ungodly persons, who hated their own people, went unto the king, and told him that Jonathan besieged the tower,

²²Whereof when he heard, he was angry, and immediately removing, he came to Ptolemais, and wrote unto Jonathan, that he should not lay siege to the tower, but come and speak with him at Ptolemais in great haste.

²³Nevertheless Jonathan, when he heard this, commanded to besiege it still: and he chose certain of the elders of Israel and the priests, and put himself in peril;

²⁴And took silver and gold, and raiment, and divers presents besides, and went to Ptolemais unto the king, where he found favour in his sight.

²⁵And though certain ungodly men of the people had made complaints against him,

²⁶Yet the king entreated him as his predecessors had done before, and promoted him in the sight of all his friends,

²⁷And confirmed him in the high priesthood, and in all the honours that he had before, and gave him preeminence among his chief friends.

²⁸Then Jonathan desired the king, that he would make Judea free from tribute, as also the three governments, with the country of Samaria; and he promised him three hundred talents.

²⁹So the king consented, and wrote letters unto Jonathan of all these things after this manner:

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

³¹We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write unto our cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that ye might see it.

³²King Demetrius unto his father Lasthenes sendeth greeting:

³³We are determined to do good to the people of the Jews, who are our friends, and keep covenants with us, because of their good will toward us.

³⁴Wherefore we have ratified unto them the borders of Judea, with the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathem, that are added unto Judea from the country of Samaria, and all things appertaining unto them, for all such as do sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of them yearly aforetime out of the fruits of the earth and of trees.

³⁵And as for other things that belong unto us, of the tithes and customs pertaining unto us, as also the saltpits, and the crown taxes, which are due unto us, we discharge them of them all for their relief.

³⁶And nothing hereof shall be revoked from this time forth for ever.

³⁷Now therefore see that thou make a copy of these things, and let it be delivered unto Jonathan, and set upon the holy mount in a conspicuous place.

³⁸After this, when king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him, and that no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his forces, every one to his own place, except certain bands of strangers, whom he had gathered from the isles of the heathen: wherefore all the forces of his fathers hated him.

³⁹Moreover there was one Tryphon, that had been of Alexander’s part afore, who, seeing that all the host murmured against Demetrius, went to Simalcue the Arabian that brought up Antiochus the young son of Alexander,

⁴⁰And lay sore upon him to deliver him this young Antiochus, that he might reign in his father’s stead: he told him therefore all that Demetrius had done, and how his men of war were at enmity with him, and there he remained a long season.

⁴¹In the mean time Jonathan sent unto king Demetrius, that he would cast those of the tower out of Jerusalem, and those also in the fortresses: for they fought against Israel.

⁴²So Demetrius sent unto Jonathan, saying, I will not only do this for thee and thy people, but I will greatly honour thee and thy nation, if opportunity serve.

⁴³Now therefore thou shalt do well, if thou send me men to help me; for all my forces are gone from me.

⁴⁴Upon this Jonathan sent him three thousand strong men unto Antioch: and when they came to the king, the king was very glad of their coming.

⁴⁵Howbeit they that were of the city gathered themselves together into the midst of the city, to the number of an hundred and twenty thousand men, and would have slain the king.

⁴⁶Wherefore the king fled into the court, but they of the city kept the passages of the city, and began to fight.

⁴⁷Then the king called to the Jews for help, who came unto him all at once, and dispersing themselves through the city slew that day in the city to the number of an hundred thousand.

⁴⁸Also they set fire on the city, and gat many spoils that day, and delivered the king.

⁴⁹So when they of the city saw that the Jews had got the city as they would, their courage was abated: wherefore they made supplication to the king, and cried, saying,

⁵⁰Grant us peace, and let the Jews cease from assaulting us and the city.

⁵¹With that they cast away their weapons, and made peace; and the Jews were honoured in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all that were in his realm; and they returned to Jerusalem, having great spoils.

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

⁵³Nevertheless he dissembled in all that ever he spake, and estranged himself from Jonathan, neither rewarded he him according to the benefits which he had received of him, but troubled him very sore.

⁵⁴After this returned Tryphon, and with him the young child Antiochus, who reigned, and was crowned.

⁵⁵Then there gathered unto him all the men of war, whom Demetrius had put away, and they fought against Demetrius, who turned his back and fled.

⁵⁶Moreover Tryphon took the elephants, and won Antioch.

⁵⁷At that time young Antiochus wrote unto Jonathan, saying, I confirm thee in the high priesthood, and appoint thee ruler over the four governments, and to be one of the king’s friends.

⁵⁸Upon this he sent him golden vessels to be served in, and gave him leave to drink in gold, and to be clothed in purple, and to wear a golden buckle.

⁵⁹His brother Simon also he made captain from the place called The ladder of Tyrus unto the borders of Egypt.

⁶⁰Then Jonathan went forth, and passed through the cities beyond the water, and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves unto him for to help him: and when he came to Ascalon, they of the city met him honourably.

⁶¹From whence he went to Gaza, but they of Gaza shut him out; wherefore he laid siege unto it, and burned the suburbs thereof with fire, and spoiled them.

⁶²Afterward, when they of Gaza made supplication unto Jonathan, he made peace with them, and took the sons of their chief men for hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem, and passed through the country unto Damascus.

⁶³Now when Jonathan heard that Demetrius’ princes were come to Cades, which is in Galilee, with a great power, purposing to remove him out of the country,

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

⁶⁵Then Simon encamped against Bethsura and fought against it a long season, and shut it up:

⁶⁶But they desired to have peace with him, which he granted them, and then put them out from thence, and took the city, and set a garrison in it.

⁶⁷As for Jonathan and his host, they pitched at the water of Gennesar, from whence betimes in the morning they gat them to the plain of Nasor.

⁶⁸And, behold, the host of strangers met them in the plain, who, having laid men in ambush for him in the mountains, came themselves over against him.

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

⁷⁰Insomuch as there was not one of them left, except Mattathias the son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Calphi, the captains of the host.

⁷¹Then Jonathan rent his clothes, and cast earth upon his head, and prayed.

⁷²Afterwards turning again to battle, he put them to flight, and so they ran away.

⁷³Now when his own men that were fled saw this, they turned again unto him, and with him pursued them to Cades, even unto their own tents, and there they camped.

⁷⁴So there were slain of the heathen that day about three thousand men: but Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.

I Maccabees 11

¹And the king of Egypt gathered together an army, like the sand that lieth upon the sea shore, and many ships: and he sought to get the kingdom of Alexander by deceit, and join it to his own kingdom.

²And he went out into Syria with peaceable words and they opened to him the cities, and met him: for king Alexander had ordered them to go forth to meet him, because he was his father in law.

³Now when Ptolemee entered into the cities, he put garrisons of soldiers in every city.

⁴And when he came near to Azotus, they shewed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt with fire, and Azotus, and the suburbs thereof, that were destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad, and the graves of them that were slain in the battle, which they had made near the way.

⁵And they told the king that Jonathan had done these things, to make him odious: but the king held his peace.

⁶And Jonathan came to meet the king at Joppe with glory, and they saluted one another, and they lodged there.

⁷And Jonathan went with the king as far as the river, called Eleutherus: and he returned into Jerusalem.

⁸And king Ptolemee got the dominion of the cities by the sea side, even to Seleucia, and he devised evil designs against Alexander.

⁹And he sent ambassadors to Demetrius, saying: Come, let us make a league between us, and I will give thee my daughter whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt reign in the kingdom of thy father.

¹⁰For I repent that I have given him my daughter: for he hath sought to kill me.

¹¹And he slandered him, because he coveted his kingdom,

¹²And he took away his daughter, and gave her to Demetrius, and alienated himself from Alexander, and his enmities were made manifest.

¹³And Ptolemee entered into Antioch, and set two crowns upon his head, that of Egypt, and that of Asia.

¹⁴Now king Alexander was in Cilicia at that time: because they that were in those places had rebelled.

¹⁵And when Alexander heard of it, he came to give him battle: and king Ptolemee brought forth his army, and met him with a strong power, and put him to flight.

¹⁶And Alexander fled into Arabia, there to be protected: and king Ptolemee was exalted.

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

¹⁸And king Ptolemee died the third day after: and they that were in the strong holds were destroyed by them that were within the camp.

¹⁹And Demetrius reigned in the hundred and sixty-seventh year.

²⁰In those days Jonathan gathered together them that were in Judea, to take the castle that was in Jerusalem: and they made many engines of war against it.

²¹Then some wicked men that hated their own nation, went away to king Demetrius, and told him that Jonathan was besieging the castle.

²²And when he heard it, he was angry: and forthwith he came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan that he should not besiege the castle, but should come to him in haste, and speak to him.

²³But when Jonathan heard this, he bade them besiege it still: and he chose some of the ancients of Israel, and of the priests, and put himself in danger

²⁴And he took gold, and silver, and raiment, and many other presents, and went to the king to Ptolemais and he found favour in his sight.

²⁵And certain wicked men of his nation made complaints against him.

²⁶And the king treated him as his predecessors had done before: and he exalted him in the sight of all his friends.

²⁷And he confirmed him in the high priesthood and all the honours he had before, and he made him the chief of his friends.

²⁸And Jonathan requested of the king that he would make Judea free from tribute, and the three governments, and Samaria, and the confines thereof: and he promised him three hundred talents.

²⁹And the king consented: and he wrote letters to Jonathan of all these things, to this effect.

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

³¹We send you here a copy of the letter which we have written to Lasthenes, our parent, concerning you, that you might know it.

³²King Demetrius to Lasthenes, his parent, greetings.

³³We have determined to do good to the nation of the Jews, who are our friends, and keep the things that are just with us, for their good will which they bear towards us.

³⁴We have ratified, therefore, unto them all the borders of Judea, and the three cities, Apherema, Lydda, and Ramatha, which are added to Judea, out of Samaria, and all their confines, to be set apart to all them that sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of them every year, and for the fruits of the land, and of the trees.

³⁵And as for other things that belonged to us of the tithes, and of the tributes, from this time we discharge them of them: the saltpans also, and the crowns that were presented to us.

³⁶We give all to them, and nothing hereof shall be revoked from this time forth and for ever.

³⁷Now, therefore, see that thou make a copy of these things, and let it be given to Jonathan, and set upon the holy mountain, in a conspicuous place.

³⁸And king Demetrius, seeing that the land was quiet before him, and nothing resisted him, sent away all his forces, every man to his own place, except the foreign army, which he had drawn together from the islands of the nations: so all the troops of his fathers hated him.

³⁹Now there was one Tryphon who had been of Alexander's party before: who seeing that all the army murmured against Demetrius, went to Emalchuel, the Arabian, who brought up Antiochus, the son of Alexander:

⁴⁰And he pressed him much to deliver him to him, that he might be king in his father's place: and he told him all that Demetrius had done, and how his soldiers hated him. And he remained there many days.

⁴¹And Jonathan sent to king Demetrius, desiring that he would cast out them that were in the castle in Jerusalem, and those that were in the strong holds: because they fought against Israel.

⁴²And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, saying: I will not only do this for thee, and for thy people, but I will greatly honour thee, and thy nation, when opportunity shall serve.

⁴³Now, therefore, thou shalt do well if thou send me men to help me: for all my army is gone from me.

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

⁴⁵And they that were of the city assembled themselves together, to the number of a hundred and twenty thousand men, and would have killed the king.

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

⁴⁷And the king called the Jews to his assistance: and they came to him all at once, and they all dispersed themselves through the city.

⁴⁸And they slew in that day a hundred thousand men, and they set fire to the city, and got many spoils that day, and delivered the king.

⁴⁹And they that were of the city saw that the Jews had got the city as they would: and they were discouraged in their mind, and cried to the king, making supplication, and saying

⁵⁰Grant us peace, and let the Jews cease from assaulting us, and the city.

⁵¹And they threw down their arms, and made peace, and the Jews were glorified in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all that were in his realm, and were renowned throughout the kingdom, and returned to Jerusalem with many spoils.

⁵²So king Demetrius sat in the throne of his kingdom: and the land was quiet before him.

⁵³And he falsified all whatsoever he had said, and alienated himself from Jonathan, and did not reward him according to the benefits he had received from him, but gave him great trouble.

⁵⁴And after this Tryphon returned, and with him Antiochus, the young boy, who was made king, and put on the diadem.

⁵⁵And there assembled unto him all the hands which Demetrius had sent away, and they fought against Demetrius who turned his back and fled.

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

⁵⁷And young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying: I confirm thee in the high priesthood, and I appoint thee ruler over the four cities, and to be one of the king's friends.

⁵⁸And he sent him vessels of gold for his service, and he gave him leave to drink in gold, and to be clothed in purple, and to wear a golden buckle:

⁵⁹And he made his brother, Simon, governor, from the borders of Tyre even to the confines of Egypt.

⁶⁰Then Jonathan went forth, and passed through the cities beyond the river, and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves to him to help him, and he came to Ascalon, and they met him honourably out of the city.

⁶¹And he went from thence to Gaza: and they that were in Gaza shut him out: and he besieged it, and burnt all the suburbs round about, and took the spoils.

⁶²And the men of Gaza made supplication to Jonathan, and he gave them the right hand: and he took their sons for hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem: and he went through the country, as far as Damascus.

⁶³And Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius were come treacherously to Cades, which is in Galilee, with a great army, purposing to remove him from the affairs of the kingdom.

⁶⁴And he went against them: but left his brother, Simon, in the country.

⁶⁵And Simon encamped against Bethsura, and assaulted it many days, and shut them up.

⁶⁶And they desired him to make peace, and he granted it them: and he cast them out from thence, and took the city, and placed a garrison in it.

⁶⁷And Jonathan and his army encamped by the water of Genesar, and before it was light they were ready in the plain of Asor.

⁶⁸And behold the army of the strangers met him in the plain, and they laid an ambush for him in the mountains: but he went out against them.

⁶⁹And they that lay in ambush rose out of their places, and joined battle.

⁷⁰And all that were on Jonathan's side fled, and none was left of them, but Mathathias, the son of Absalom, and Judas, the son of Calphi, chief captain of the army.

⁷¹And Jonathan rent his garments, and cast earth upon his head, and prayed.

⁷²And Jonathan turned again to them to battle, and he put them to flight, and they fought.

⁷³And they of his part that fled saw this, and they turned again to him, and they all with him pursued the enemies, even to Cades, to their own camp, and they came even thither.

⁷⁴And there fell of the aliens in that day three thousand men: and Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.