1 Makkabäer 10

1Now in the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander the son of Antiochus, surnamed the Illustrious, came up and took Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there.

2And king Demetrius heard of it, and gathered together an exceeding great army, and went forth against him to fight.

3And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan with peaceable words, to magnify him.

4For he said: Let us first make a peace with him, before he make one with Alexander against us.

5For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brother, and against his nation.

6And he gave him authority to gather together an army, and to make arms, and that he should be his confederate: and the hostages that were in the castle, he commanded to be delivered to him.

7And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of them that were in the castle.

8And they were struck with great fear, because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army.

9And the hostages were delivered to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.

10And Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem, and began to build, and to repair the city.

11And he ordered workmen to build the walls, and mount Sion round about with square stones for fortification: and so they did.

12And the strangers that were in the strong holds, which Bacchides had built, fled away.

13And every man left his place, and departed into his own country:

14Only in Bethsura there remained some of them, that had forsaken the law, and the commandments of God: for this was a place of refuge for them.

15And king Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made Jonathan: and they told him of the battles, and the worthy acts that he, and his brethren had done, and the labours that they had endured.

16And he said: Shall we find such another man? now therefore we will make him our friend and our confederate.

17So he wrote a letter, and sent it to him according to these words, saying:

18King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting.

19We have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power, and fit to be our friend:

20Now therefore we make thee this day high priest of thy nation, and that thou be called the king’s friend, (and he sent him a purple robe, and a crown of gold,) and that thou be of one mind with us in our affairs, and keep friendship with us.

21Then Jonathan put on the holy vestment in the seventh month, in the year one hundred and threescore, at the feast day of the tabernacles: and he gathered together an army, and made a great number of arms.

22And Demetrius heard these words, and was exceeding sorry, and said:

23What is this that we have done, that Alexander hath prevented us to gain the friendship of the Jews to strengthen himself?

24I also will write to them words of request, and offer dignities, and gifts: that they may be with me to aid me.

25And he wrote to them in these words: King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greeting.

26Whereas you have kept covenant with us, and have continued in our friendship, and have not joined with our enemies, we have heard of it, and are glad.

27Wherefore now continue still to keep fidelity towards us, and we will reward you with good things, for what you have done in our behalf.

28And we will remit to you many charges, and will give you gifts.

29And now I free you, and all the Jews from tributes, and I release you from the customs of salt, and remit the crowns, and the thirds of the seed:

30And the half of the fruit of trees, which is my share, I leave to you from this day forward, so that it shall not be taken of the land of Juda, and of the three cities that are added thereto out of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth and for ever:

31And let Jerusalem be holy and free, with the borders thereof: and let the tenths, and tributes be for itself.

32I yield up also the power of the castle that is in Jerusalem, and I give it to the high priest, to place therein such men as he shall choose to keep it.

33And every soul of the Jews that hath been carried captive from the land of Juda in all my kingdom, I set at liberty freely, that all be discharged from tributes even of their cattle.

34And I will that all the feasts, and the sabbaths, and the new moons, and the days appointed, and three days before the solemn day, and three days after the solemn day, be all days of immunity and freedom, for all the Jews that are in my kingdom:

35And no man shall have power to do any thing against them, or to molest any of them, in any cause.

36And let there be enrolled in the king’s army to the number of thirty thousand of the Jews: and allowance shall be made them as is due to all the king’s forces, and certain of them shall be appointed to be in the fortresses of the great king:

37And some of them shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, that are of trust, and let the governors be taken from among themselves, and let them walk in their own laws, as the king hath commanded in the land of Juda.

38And the three cities that are added to Judea, out of the country of Samaria, let them be accounted with Judea: that they may be under one, and obey no other authority but that of the high priest:

39Ptolemais, and the confines thereof, I give as a free gift to the holy places, that are in Jerusalem, for the necessary charges of the holy things.

40And I give every year fifteen thousand sicles of silver out of the king’s accounts, of what belongs to me:

41And all that is above, which they that were over the affairs the years before, had not paid, from this time they shall give it to the works of the house.

42Moreover the five thousand sicles of silver which they received from the account of the holy places, every year, shall also belong to the priests that execute the ministry.

43And whosoever shall flee into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and in all the borders thereof, being indebted to the king for any matter, let them be set at liberty, and all that they have in my kingdom, let them have it free.

44For the building also, or repairing the works of the holy places, the charges shall be given out of the king’s revenues:

45For the building also of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, the charges shall be given out of the king’s account, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.

46Now when Jonathan, and the people heard these words, they gave no credit to them nor received them: because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel, for he had afflicted them exceedingly.

47And their inclinations were towards Alexander, because he had been the chief promoter of peace in their regard, and him they always helped.

48And king Alexander gathered together a great army, and moved his camp near to Demetrius.

49And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Demetrius fled away, and Alexander pursued after him, and pressed them close.

50And the battle was hard fought till the sun went down: and Demetrius was slain that day.

51And Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of Egypt, with words to this effect, saying:

52Forasmuch as I am returned into my kingdom, and am set in the throne of my ancestors and have gotten the dominion, and have overthrown Demetrius, and possessed our country,

53And have joined battle with him, and both he and his army have been destroyed by us, and we are placed in the throne of his kingdom:

54Now therefore let us make friendship one with another: and give me now thy daughter to wife, and I will be thy son in law, and I will give both thee and her gifts worthy of thee.

55And king Ptolemee answered, saying: Happy is the day wherein thou didst return to the land of thy fathers, and sattest in the throne of their kingdom.

56And now I will do to thee as thou hast written: but meet me at Ptolemais, that we may see one another, and I may give her to thee as thou hast said.

57So Ptolemee went out of Egypt, with Cleopatra his daughter, and he came to Ptolemais in the hundred and sixty-second year.

58And king Alexander met him, and he gave him his daughter Cleopatra: and he celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais, with great glory, after the manner of kings.

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

60And he went honourably to Ptolemais, and he met there the two kings, and he gave them much silver, and gold, and presents: and he found favour in their sight.

61And some pestilent men of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him to accuse him: and the king gave no heed to them.

62And he commanded that Jonathan’s garments should be taken off, and that he should be clothed with purple: and they did so. And the king made him sit by himself.

63And he said to his princes: Go out with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that no man complain against him of any matter, and that no man trouble him for any manner of cause.

64So when his accusers saw his glory proclaimed, and him clothed with purple, they all fled away.

65And the king magnified him, and enrolled him amongst his chief friends, and made him governor and partaker of his dominion.

66And Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with peace and joy.

67In the year one hundred and sixty-five Demetrius the son of Demetrius came from Crete into the land of his fathers.

68And king Alexander heard of it, and was much troubled, and returned to Antioch.

69And king Demetrius made Apollonius his general, who was governor of Celesyria: and he gathered together a great army, and came to Jamnia: and he sent to Jonathan the high priest,

70Saying: Thou alone standest against us, and I am laughed at, and reproached, because thou shewest thy power against us in the mountains.

71Now therefore if thou trustest in thy forces, come down to us into the plain, and there let us try one another: for with me is the strength of war.

72Ask, and learn who I am, and the rest that help me, who also say that your foot cannot stand before our face, for thy fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land:

73And now how wilt thou be able to abide the horsemen, and so great an army in the plain, where there is no stone, nor rock, nor place to flee to?

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

75And they pitched their tents near Joppe, but they shut him out of the city: because a garrison of Apollonius was in Joppe, and he laid siege to it.

76And they that were in the city being affrighted, opened the gates to him: so Jonathan took Joppe.

77And Apollonius heard of it, and he took three thousand horsemen, and a great army.

78And he went to Azotus as one that was making a journey, and immediately he went forth into the plain: because he had a great number of horsemen, and he trusted in them. And Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, and they joined battle.

79And Apollonius left privately in the camp a thousand horsemen behind them.

80And Jonathan knew that there was an ambush behind him, and they surrounded his army, and cast darts at the people from morning till evening.

81But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so their horses were fatigued.

82Then Simon drew forth his army, and attacked the legion: for the horsemen were wearied: and they were discomfited by him, and fled.

83And they that were scattered about the plain, fled into Azotus, and went into Bethdagon their idol’s temple, there to save themselves.

84But Jonathan set fire to Azotus, and the cities that were around it, and took the spoils of them, and the temple of Dagon: and all them that were fled into it, he burnt with fire.

85So they that were slain by the sword, with them that were burnt, were almost eight thousand men.

86And Jonathan removed his army from thence, and camped against Ascalon: and they went out of the city to meet him with great honour.

87And Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with his people, having many spoils.

88And it came to pass: When Alexander the king heard these words, that he honoured Jonathan yet more.

89And he sent him a buckle of gold, as the custom is, to be given to such as are of the royal blood. And he gave him Accaron and all the borders thereof in possession.

1Et anno centesimo sexagesimo, ascendit Alexander Antiochi filius, qui cognominatus est Nobilis, et occupavit Ptolemaidam: et receperunt eum, et regnavit illic.

2Et audivit Demetrius rex, et congregavit exercitum copiosum valde, et exivit obviam illi in prælium.

3Et misit Demetrius epistolam ad Jonathan verbis pacificis, ut magnificaret eum.

4Dixit enim: Anticipemus facere pacem cum eo, priusquam faciat cum Alexandro adversum nos:

5recordabitur enim omnium malorum, quæ fecimus in eum, et in fratrem ejus, et in gentem ejus.

6Et dedit ei potestatem congregandi exercitum, et fabricare arma, et esse ipsum socium ejus: et obsides, qui erant in arce, jussit tradi ei.

7Et venit Jonathas in Jerusalem, et legit epistolas in auditu omnis populi, et eorum qui in arce erant.

8Et timuerunt timore magno, quoniam audierunt quod dedit ei rex potestatem congregandi exercitum.

9Et traditi sunt Jonathæ obsides, et reddidit eos parentibus suis:

10et habitavit Jonathas in Jerusalem, et cœpit ædificare et innovare civitatem.

11Et dixit facientibus opera ut exstruerent muros, et montem Sion in circuitu lapidibus quadratis ad munitionem: et ita fecerunt.

12Et fugerunt alienigenæ, qui erant in munitionibus quas Bacchides ædificaverat:

13et reliquit unusquisque locum suum, et abiit in terram suam:

14tantum in Bethsura remanserunt aliqui ex his qui reliquerant legem et præcepta Dei: erat enim hæc eis ad refugium.

15Et audivit Alexander rex promissa, quæ promisit Demetrius Jonathæ: et narraverunt ei prælia, et virtutes quas ipse fecit, et fratres ejus, et labores quos laboraverunt:

16et ait: Numquid inveniemus aliquem virum talem? et nunc faciemus eum amicum, et socium nostrum.

17Et scripsit epistolam, et misit ei secundum hæc verba, dicens:

18Rex Alexander fratri Jonathæ salutem.

19Audivimus de te quod vir potens sis viribus, et aptus es ut sis amicus noster:

20et nunc constituimus te hodie summum sacerdotem gentis tuæ, et ut amicus voceris regis (et misit ei purpuram, et coronam auream) et quæ nostra sunt sentias nobiscum, et conserves amicitias ad nos.

21Et induit se Jonathas stola sancta septimo mense, anno centesimo sexagesimo, in die solemni scenopegiæ: et congregavit exercitum, et fecit arma copiosa.

22Et audivit Demetrius verba ista, et contristatus est nimis, et ait:

23Quid hoc fecimus, quod præoccupavit nos Alexander apprehendere amicitiam Judæorum ad munimen sui?

24scribam et ego illis verba deprecatoria, et dignitates, et dona, ut sint mecum in adjutorium.

25Et scripsit eis in hæc verba: Rex Demetrius genti Judæorum salutem.

26Quoniam servastis ad nos pactum, et mansistis in amicitia nostra, et non accessistis ad inimicos nostros, audivimus, et gavisi sumus.

27Et nunc perseverate adhuc conservare ad nos fidem, et retribuemus vobis bona pro his quæ fecistis nobiscum:

28et remittemus vobis præstationes multas, et dabimus vobis donationes.

29Et nunc absolvo vos et omnes Judæos a tributis, et pretia salis indulgeo, et coronas remitto, et tertias seminis:

30et dimidiam partem fructus ligni, quod est portionis meæ, relinquo vobis ex hodierno die, et deinceps, ne accipiatur a terra Juda, et a tribus civitatibus quæ additæ sunt illi ex Samaria et Galilæa; ex hodierna die et in totum tempus:

31et Jerusalem sit sancta, et libera cum finibus suis: et decimæ et tributa ipsius sint.

32Remitto etiam potestatem arcis, quæ est in Jerusalem: et do eam summo sacerdoti, ut constituat in ea viros quoscumque ipse elegerit, qui custodiant eam.

33Et omnem animam Judæorum, quæ captiva est a terra Juda in omni regno meo, relinquo liberam gratis, ut omnes a tributis solvantur, etiam pecorum suorum.

34Et omnes dies solemnes, et sabbata, et neomeniæ, et dies decreti, et tres dies ante diem solemnem, et tres dies post diem solemnem, sint omnes immunitatis et remissionis omnibus Judæis, qui sunt in regno meo:

35et nemo habebit potestatem agere aliquid, et movere negotia adversus aliquem illorum in omni causa.

36Et ascribantur ex Judæis in exercitu regis ad triginta millia virorum: et dabuntur illis copiæ ut oportet omnibus exercitibus regis, et ex eis ordinabuntur qui sint in munitionibus regis magni:

37et ex his constituentur super negotia regni, quæ aguntur ex fide, et principes sint ex eis, et ambulent in legibus suis, sicut præcepit rex in terra Juda.

38Et tres civitates, quæ additæ sunt Judææ ex regione Samariæ, cum Judæa reputentur: ut sint sub uno, et non obediant alii potestati, nisi summi sacerdotis.

39Ptolemaida et confines ejus, quas dedi donum sanctis qui sunt in Jerusalem, ad necessarios sumptus sanctorum.

40Et ego do singulis annis quindecim millia siclorum argenti de rationibus regis, quæ me contingunt:

41et omne quod reliquum fuerit, quod non reddiderant qui super negotia erant annis prioribus, ex hoc dabunt in opera domus.

42Et super hæc quinque millia siclorum argenti, quæ accipiebant de sanctorum ratione per singulos annos: et hæc ad sacerdotes pertineant, qui ministerio funguntur.

43Et quicumque confugerint in templum quod est Jerosolymis, et in omnibus finibus ejus, obnoxii regi in omni negotio dimittantur, et universa quæ sunt eis in regno meo, libera habeant.

44Et ad ædificanda vel restauranda opera sanctorum, sumptus dabuntur de ratione regis:

45et ad exstruendos muros Jerusalem, et communiendos in circuitu, sumptus dabuntur de ratione regis, et ad construendos muros in Judæa.

46Ut audivit autem Jonathas et populus sermones istos, non crediderunt eis, nec receperunt eos: quia recordati sunt malitiæ magnæ, quam fecerat in Israël, et tribulaverat eos valde.

47Et complacuit eis in Alexandrum, quia ipse fuerat eis princeps sermonum pacis, et ipsi auxilium ferebant omnibus diebus.

48Et congregavit rex Alexander exercitum magnum, et admovit castra contra Demetrium.

49Et commiserunt prælium duo reges, et fugit exercitus Demetrii, et insecutus est eum Alexander, et incubuit super eos.

50Et invaluit prælium nimis, donec occidit sol: et cecidit Demetrius in die illa.

51Et misit Alexander ad Ptolemæum regem Ægypti legatos secundum hæc verba, dicens:

52Quoniam regressus sum in regnum meum, et sedi in sede patrum meorum, et obtinui principatum, et contrivi Demetrium, et possedi regionem nostram,

53et commisi pugnam cum eo, et contritus est ipse et castra ejus a nobis, et sedimus in sede regni ejus:

54et nunc statuamus ad invicem amicitiam: et da mihi filiam tuam uxorem, et ego ero gener tuus, et dabo tibi dona, et ipsi, digna te.

55Et respondit rex Ptolemæus, dicens: Felix dies, in qua reversus es ad terram patrum tuorum, et sedisti in sede regni eorum.

56Et nunc faciam tibi quod scripsisti: sed occurre mihi Ptolemaidam, ut videamus invicem nos, et spondeam tibi sicut dixisti.

57Et exivit Ptolemæus de Ægypto, ipse et Cleopatra filia ejus, et venit Ptolemaidam anno centesimo sexagesimo secundo.

58Et occurrit ei Alexander rex, et dedit ei Cleopatram filiam suam: et fecit nuntias ejus Ptolemaidæ, sicut reges in magna gloria.

59Et scripsit rex Alexander Jonathæ, ut veniret obviam sibi.

60Et abiit cum gloria Ptolemaidam, et occurrit ibi duobus regibus, et dedit illis argentum multum, et aurum, et dona: et invenit gratiam in conspectu eorum.

61Et convenerunt adversus eum viri pestilentes ex Israël, viri iniqui interpellantes adversus eum: et non intendit ad eos rex.

62Et jussit spoliari Jonathan vestibus suis, et indui eum purpura: et ita fecerunt. Et collocavit eum rex sedere secum.

63Dixitque principibus suis: Exite cum eo in medium civitatis, et prædicate, ut nemo adversus eum interpellet de ullo negotio, nec quisquam ei molestus sit de ulla ratione.

64Et factum est, ut viderunt qui interpellabant gloriam ejus, quæ prædicabatur, et opertum eum purpura, fugerunt omnes:

65et magnificavit eum rex, et scripsit eum inter primos amicos, et posuit eum ducem, et participem principatus.

66Et reversus est Jonathas in Jerusalem cum pace et lætitia.

67In anno centesimo sexagesimo quinto, venit Demetrius filius Demetrii a Creta in terram patrum suorum.

68Et audivit Alexander rex, et contristatus est valde, et reversus est Antiochum.

69Et constituit Demetrius rex Apollonium ducem, qui præerat Cœlesyriæ: et congregavit exercitum magnum, et accessit ad Jamniam: et misit ad Jonathan summum sacerdotem,

70dicens: Tu solus resistis nobis: ego autem factus sum in derisum, et in opprobrium, propterea quia tu potestatem adversum nos exerces in montibus.

71Nunc ergo si confidis in virtutibus tuis, descende ad nos in campum, et comparemus illic invicem: quia mecum est virtus bellorum.

72Interroga, et disce quis sum ego, et ceteri qui auxilio sunt mihi, qui et dicunt quia non potest stare pes vester ante faciem nostram, quia bis in fugam conversi sunt patres tui in terra sua:

73et nunc quomodo poteris sustinere equitatum et exercitum tantum in campo, ubi non est lapis, neque saxum, neque locus fugiendi?

74Ut audivit autem Jonathas sermones Apollonii, motus est animo: et elegit decem millia virorum, et exiit ab Jerusalem, et occurrit ei Simon frater ejus in adjutorium:

75et applicuerunt castra in Joppen, et exclusit eum a civitate, quia custodia Apollonii Joppe erat: et oppugnavit eam.

76Et exterriti qui erant in civitate, aperuerunt ei, et obtinuit Jonathas Joppen.

77Et audivit Apollonius, et admovit tria millia equitum, et exercitum multum.

78Et abiit Azotum tamquam iter faciens, et statim exiit in campum, eo quod haberet multitudinem equitum, et confideret in eis. Et insecutus est eum Jonathas in Azotum, et commiserunt prælium.

79Et reliquit Apollonius in castris mille equites post eos occulte.

80Et cognovit Jonathas quoniam insidiæ sunt post se, et circuierunt castra ejus, et jecerunt jacula in populum a mane usque ad vesperam.

81Populus autem stabat, sicut præceperat Jonathas: et laboraverunt equi eorum.

82Et ejecit Simon exercitum suum, et commisit contra legionem: equites enim fatigati erant: et contriti sunt ab eo, et fugerunt.

83Et qui dispersi sunt per campum, fugerunt in Azotum, et intraverunt in Bethdagon idolum suum, ut ibi se liberarent.

84Et succendit Jonathas Azotum, et civitates quæ erant in circuitu ejus, et accepit spolia eorum, et templum Dagon: et omnes qui fugerunt in illud, succendit igni.

85Et fuerunt qui ceciderunt gladio, cum his qui succensi sunt, fere octo millia virorum.

86Et movit inde Jonathas castra, et applicuit ea Ascalonem: et exierunt de civitate obviam illi in magna gloria.

87Et reversus est Jonathas in Jerusalem cum suis, habentibus spolia multa.

88Et factum est, ut audivit Alexander rex sermones istos, addidit adhuc glorificare Jonathan.

89Et misit ei fibulam auream, sicut consuetudo est dari cognatis regum. Et dedit ei Accaron, et omnes fines ejus, in possessionem.

1And in the one hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the son of Antiochus, who was surnamed the illustrious, came up and occupied Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there.

2And king Demetrius heard of it, and he gathered together an exceedingly great army, and he went forth to meet him in battle.

3And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan, with peaceful words, to magnify him.

4For he said, “Let us first make a peace with him, before he makes one with Alexander against us.

5For he will remember all the evils that we have done to him, and to his brother, and to his nation.”

6And he gave him the authority to gather together an army, and to fabricate weapons, so that he would be his associate. And the hostages who were in the stronghold, he ordered to be handed over to him.

7And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and he read the letters in the hearing of all the people and of those who were in the stronghold.

8And they were struck with a great fear, because they heard that the king gave him the authority to gather together an army.

9And the hostages were handed over to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.

10And Jonathan lived in Jerusalem, and he began to rebuild and repair the city.

11And he told those doing the work to build up the walls, and mount Zion, all around, with square stones, as a fortification. And they did so.

12Then the foreigners, who were in the fortifications that Bacchides had built, fled away.

13And each one abandoned his place and departed into his own land.

14Only in Bethzur did there remain some others of these, who had forsaken the law and the precepts of God. For this was a refuge for them.

15And king Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius promised to Jonathan. And they described the battles to him, and the virtuous deeds that he and his brothers had done, and the hardships that they had endured.

16And he said: “Would we ever find another such man? And so now, let us make him our friend and our associate.”

17And so, he wrote a letter, and he sent it to him, according to these words, saying:

18“King Alexander to his brother, Jonathan: greetings.

19We have heard of you, that you are a man of power and strength, and that you are fit to be our friend.

20And so now, on this day, we appoint that you be high priest of your people, and that you be called the king’s friend, (and he sent him a purple robe, and a crown of gold,) and that you be of one mind with us in our affairs, and that you keep friendship with us.”

21Then Jonathan clothed himself with the holy vestment, in the seventh month, in the one hundred and sixtieth year, on the solemn day of the Feast of Tabernacles. And he gathered together an army, and he made an abundance of weapons.

22And Demetrius heard these words, and he was exceedingly sorrowful, and he said:

23“What have we done in this, that Alexander has gone before us to obtain the friendship of the Jews to strengthen himself?

24I also will write to them words of petition, and offer positions of rank and gifts, so that they may act in assistance to me.”

25And he wrote to them in these words: “King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews: greetings.

26Since you have kept the peace with us, and have remained in our friendship, and have not made agreements with our enemies, we have heard of this, and we are glad.

27And so now, persevere still to remain faithful to us, and we will reward you with good things for what you have done for us.

28And we will repay you for your many expenses, and we will give you gifts.

29And now, I release you, and all the Jews, from tributes, and I grant to you the payments of salt, and I send back the crowns and the thirds of the seed.

30And the one half portion of the fruit from the trees, which is my share, I relinquish to you from this day and hereafter, so that it shall not be taken from the land of Judah, nor from the three cities that have been added to it from Samaria and Galilee, from this day and for all time.

31And let Jerusalem be holy and free within its borders, and let the tenths and tributes be for itself.

32And I even return authority over the stronghold, which is in Jerusalem, and I give it to the high priest, in order to appoint in it any such men as he will choose, who will guard it.

33And every soul of the Jews who were taken captive from the land of Judah in all my kingdom, I set at liberty without charge, so that they are all released from tributes, even of their cattle.

34And all the days of solemnities, and the Sabbaths, and the new moons, and the decreed days, and the three days before the solemn day, and three days after the solemn day, shall all be days of immunity and remission for all the Jews who are in my kingdom.

35And no one will have the authority to do anything, or to incite any plots, against any of them, in all cases.

36And let there be enrolled from the Jews, into the army of the king, up to thirty thousand men. And allowances shall be given to them, just as is due to all the king’s army. And some of them shall be appointed to be in the fortresses of the great king.

37And some of them shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, those who act with faith, and let the leaders be from them, and let them walk by their own laws, just as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.

38And the three cities that have been added to Judea from the region of Samaria, let them be counted with Judea, so that they may be united as one, and so that they may obey no other authority, except the high priest.

39Ptolemais and its confines, I give as a free gift to the holy places that are in Jerusalem, for the necessary expenses of the holy things.

40And I give, every year, fifteen thousand shekels of silver from the allotment of the king, from what belongs to me.

41And all that has been left over, which those who were set over the affairs in prior years have not paid: from this time, they will give it to the works of the house.

42And beyond this, they shall receive five thousand shekels of silver from the allotment of the holy places each year, and this will belong to the priests who perform the ministry.

43And whoever will flee into the temple that is in Jerusalem, or in any of its parts, being liable before the king in any matter, let them be released, and all that is theirs in my kingdom, let them have it freely.

44And as to the works of rebuilding and repairing the holy places, the expenses shall be given from the king’s revenues.

45And as to the raising of the walls of Jerusalem and the fortifications all around it, the expenses shall be given from the king’s revenues, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.”

46So when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they did not believe or accept them, because they remembered the great malice that he had done in Israel, for he had troubled them greatly.

47And so they were pleased with Alexander, because he had been to them a leader with words of peace, and they were of assistance to him every day.

48And so king Alexander gathered together a great army, and he moved his camp against Demetrius.

49And the two kings joined together in battle, and the army of Demetrius fled away, and Alexander followed after him, and he closed in on them.

50And the battle was hard fought, until the sun went down. And Demetrius was slain on that day.

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

52“Know that I have returned to my kingdom, and I am seated upon the throne of my fathers, and I have obtained the leadership, and I have crushed Demetrius, and I have taken possession of our country,

53and I have joined battle with him, and both he and his camp have been crushed by us, and we are seated on the throne of his kingdom.

54And now, let us establish a friendship with one with another. And give me your daughter as a wife, and I will be your son-in-law, and I will give gifts that are worthy of you, to both you and her.”

55And king Ptolemy responded by saying: “Happy is the day on which you were returned to the land of your fathers, and you sat on the throne of their kingdom.

56And now, I will do for you as you have written. But meet with me at Ptolemais, so that we may see one another, and so that I may espouse her to you, just as you have said.”

57And so Ptolemy departed from Egypt, both he and his daughter Cleopatra, and he arrived at Ptolemais in the one hundred and sixty-second year.

58And king Alexander met him, and he gave him Cleopatra, his daughter. And he celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great glory, just as befits kings.

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

60And he went forth with glory to Ptolemais, and he met the two kings there, and he gave them much silver, and gold, and gifts. And he found favor in their sight.

61And some of the pestilent men of Israel, men of iniquity, came together against him, interrupting with objections against him. And the king did not attend to them.

62And he ordered that Jonathan’s garments be taken away from him, and that he be clothed in purple. And they did so. And the king arranged for him to sit with him.

63And he said to his princes, “Go out with him into the midst of the city, and make a proclamation, so that no one may raise objections against him in any matter, and so that no one may bother him for any reason.”

64And so it happened that, when his accusers saw his glory being proclaimed, and him clothed in purple, they all fled away.

65And the king magnified him, and he enrolled him among his foremost friends, and he gave him a position as governor and as a participant in his dominion.

66And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and joy.

67In the one hundred and sixty-fifth year, Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, came from Crete into the land of his fathers.

68And king Alexander heard of it, and he was very sorrowful, and he returned to Antioch.

69And king Demetrius appointed Apollonius as his general, who was in charge of Coelesyria. And he gathered together a great army, and he drew near to Jamnia. And he sent to Jonathan, the high priest,

70saying: “You alone resist us, and so I have been brought to derision and disgrace, because you exercise your power against us in the mountains.

71Now, therefore, if you trust in your forces, descend to us in the plains, and there let us contest one another. For the power of war is with me.

72Inquire, and learn who I am, and the others, who are auxiliaries to me, who also say that your feet cannot stand before our face, for your fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land.

73And now, how will you be able to withstand the horsemen, and so great an army in the plains, where there is no stone, or rock, or place to flee?”

74But when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was moved in his soul. And he chose ten thousand men, and he departed from Jerusalem, and Simon, his brother, met him to help him.

75And they positioned their tents near Joppa, but they excluded him from the city, because a garrison from Apollonius was in Joppa. And so, he attacked it.

76And those who were in the city, being terrified, opened to him. And so Jonathan obtained Joppa.

77And Apollonius heard of it, and he moved three thousand horsemen, and a great army.

78And he went toward Azotus, like one making a journey, but he suddenly departed into the plains, because he had a great number of horsemen, and he trusted in them. And Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, and they joined together in battle.

79And Apollonius secretly left behind them in the camp a thousand horsemen.

80And Jonathan realized that there was an ambush behind him, and they surrounded his camp, and they cast darts at the people from morning until evening.

81But the people stood firm, just as Jonathan had instructed them, and their horses suffered hardships.

82Then Simon drew forth his army, and he sent them against the legion. For the horsemen were wearied. And they were crushed by him, and they fled.

83And those who were scattered throughout the plains fled to Azotus, and they entered into Bethdagon, so that, by their idol in that place, they might save themselves.

84But Jonathan set fire to Azotus and to the cities that were all around it, and he captured their spoils and the temple of Dagon. And he burned with fire all those who had fled into it.

85And so it was that those who fell by the sword, with those who were burned, were nearly eight thousand men.

86And Jonathan, removed his encampment from there, and he took up a position against Askalon. And they went out of the city to meet him with great glory.

87And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with his own, having many spoils.

88And it happened that, when king Alexander heard these words, he added still more glory to Jonathan.

89And he sent him a clasp of gold, as is customary to be given to those who are of royal lineage. And he gave him Ekron, and all its borders, as a possession.