THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES 10

1 Maccabees 10

4 Demetrius desires to have peace with Jonathan. 18 Alexander also desires peace with the Jews. 48 Alexander makes war against Demetrius. 50 Demetrius is slain. 51 The friendship of Ptolemeus and Alexander.

IN the hundredth and three score year came Alexander the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and took Ptolemais, and they received him, and there he reigned.

Now when Demetrius the King heard it, he gathered an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight.

Also Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan, with loving words, as though he would prefer him.

For he said, We will first make peace with him, before he join with Alexander against us.

Else he will remember all the evil that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his nation.

And so he gave ohnathan leave to gather an host, and to prepare weapons, and to be confederate with him, and commanded the hostages that were in the castle, to be delivered unto him.

Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and red the letters in the audience of all t he people, and of them that were in the castle.

Therefore they were sore afraid, because they head that the King had given him license to gather an army.

So they that were of the castle, delivered the hostages unto Jonathan, who restored them to their parents.

Jonathan also dwelt at Jerusalem, and began to build, and repair the city.

And he commanded the workman to build the walls, and the mount Sion round about with hewn stone, to fortify it: and so they did.

Then the strangers that were in the castle which Bacchides had made, fled,

So that every man left his place, and went into his own country.

Only at Beth-sura remained certain which had forsaken the Law and the commandments: for it was their refuge.

Now when King Alexander had heard of the promises that Demetrius had made unto Jonathan: and when it was told him of the battles and noble acts, which he and his brethren had done, and of the pains that they had endured,

He said, Might we find such a man? now therefore we will make him our friend and confederate.

Upon this he wrote a letter, and sent it unto him, with these words, saying,

KING ALEXANDER to his brother Jonathan sends salutation.

We have head of thee, that thou art a very valiant man, and worthy to be our friend.

Wherefore this day we ordain thee to be the high Priest of thy nation, and to be called the King’s friend: and he sent him a purple robe, and a crown of gold, that thou may consider what is for our profit, and keep friendship toward us.

So in the seventh month of the hundredth and three score years, upon the feast days of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy garment, and gathered an host, and prepared many weapons.

Which when Demetrius heard, he was marvelous sorry, and said,

What have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in getting the friendship of the Jews for his strength?

Yet will I write and exhort them, and promise them dignities and rewards, that they may help me.

Whereupon he wrote unto them these words, KING DEMETRIUS unto the nations of the Jews sends greeting.

We have heard that ye have kept your covenant toward us, and continued in our friendship, and have not joined with our enemies, whereof we are glad.

Now therefore remain still, and keep fidelity towards us, and we will recompense you for the good things that ye have done for us,

And will release you of many changes, and give you rewards.

And now I discharge for your sake all you Jews from tributes, and free you from the customs of salt, and the crown taxes, and from the third party of the seed.

And from the half of the fruit of your trees which is mine own duty, I so release them that from this day forth, none shall take any thing of the land of Juda, or of the three governments which are added thereunto as of Samaria and of Galilee, from this day forth for evermore.

Jerusalem also with all things belonging thereto, shall be holy and free from the tenthes and tributes.

Also I release the power of the castle which is at Jerusalem, and give it unto the high Priest, that he may set in it such men, as he that choose to keep it.

Moreover I freely deliver every one of the Jews that were taken away prisoners out of the land of Juda throughout all my realm, and every one of them shall be free from tributes, yea, even their cattle,

And all the feasts, and Sabaths, and new moons, and the days appointed and the three days before the feast, and the three days after the feast, shall be days of freedom and liberty for all the Jews in my realm,

So that in them no man shall have power to do any thing, or to vex any of them in any manner of cause.

Also thirty thousand of the Jews shall be written up in the Kings host, and have their wages payed them as appertains to all them that are of the King’s army: and of them shall be ordained certain to keep the King’s strongholds.

And some of them shall be set over the King’s most secret affairs, and their governors and their princes shall be of themselves, and they shall live after their own laws, as the King hath commanded in the land of Juda.

And the three governments that are added unto Judea from the country of Samaria, shall be joined unto Judea, and they shall be as under one, and obey none other power, but the high Priest.

And I give Ptolemais and the borders thereof unto the Sanctuary at Jerusalem, for the necessary expenses of the holy things.

Moreover, I will give every year fifteen thousand sicles [ancient unit of weight, e.g. shekel]* of silver of the King’s revenues out of the places appertaining unto me.

And all the overplus which they have not payed for the things due, as they did in the former years, from hence forth they shall give it toward the works of the Temple.

And besides this, the five thousand sicles of silver which they received yearly of the account appointed for the interteinement of the Sanctuary, these years passed, even these things shall be released because they appertain to the Priests that minister.

Item, whosoever they be that flee unto the Temple at Jerusalem, or withing the liberties thereof, and are indebted to the King for any manner of thing, they shall be pardoned, and all that they have in my realm.

For the building also and repairing of the works of the Sanctuary, expenses shall be given of the King’s revenues.

And for the making of the walls of Jerusalem, and fortifying it round about that the holds in Judea may be built up, shall also the costs be given out of the King’s revenues.

But when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credit unto them, neither received them: for they remembered the great wickedness that he had done in Israel, and how sore he had vexed them.

Wherefore they agreed unto Alexander: for he was the first that had entreated of true peace with them, and so were confederate with him always.

Then gathered King Alexander a great host, and camped over against Demetrius.

So the two Kings joined battle, but Demetrius host fled, and Alexander pursued him, and prevailed against them.

So that sore battle continued til the sun went down, and Demetrius was slain the same day.

Then Alexander sent ambassadors unto Ptolemeus the King of Egypt with these words, saying,

For so much as I am come again to my realm, and am set in the throne of my fathers, and have gotten the dominion, and have destroyed Demetrius, and enjoy my country.

Seeing that I have even given him the battle, and he and his army is discomfited by me, and I sit in the throne of his kingdom,

Let us now make friendship together, and give me now thy daughter to wife: so shall I be thy son in law, and give thee rewards, and unto her things according to thy dignity.

Then Ptolemus the King gave answer, saying, Happy be the day, wherein thou art come again unto the land of thy fathers, and sit in the throne of their kingdom.

Now therefore will I fulfill thy writing: but meet me at Ptolemais that we may see one another, and that I may make thee my son in law, according to thy desire.

So Ptolemeus went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and came unto Ptolemais in the hundredth threescore and two year,

Where King Alexander met him, and he gave unto him his daughter Cleopatra, and married them at Ptolemais with great glory, as the manner of Kings is.

Then wrote King Alexander unto Jonathan, that he should come and meet him.

So he went honorably unto Ptolemais, and there he met the two Kings, and gave them great presents of silver and gold, and to their friends, and found favor in their sight.

And there assembled certain pestilence fellows of Israel, and wicked men to accuse him: but the King would not hear them.

And the King commanded that they should take off the garments of Jonathan, and clothe him in purple: and so they did: and the King appointed him to sit by him,

And said unto his princes, Go with him into the midst of the city, and make a proclamation, that no man complain against him of any matters, and that no man trouble him for any manner of cause.

So when his accusers saw his honor according as it was proclaimed, and that he was clothed in purple, they fled all away.

And the King preferred him to honor, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partakers of his dominion.

Thus Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.

In the hundredth, three score and five years came Demetrius the son of Demetrius from Creta into his father’s land.

Whereof when King Alexander heard, he was very sorry, and returned unto Antiochia.

Then Demetrius appointed Apollonius the governor of Celosyria, who gathered a great host, and camped in Iamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high Priest, saying,

Darest thou, being but alone, lift up thyself against us? and I am laughed at, and reproached, because of thee: now therefore why do thou vaunt thyself against us in the mountains?

Now then if thou trust in thine own strength, come down to us into the plain field and there let us try the matter together: for I have the strength of cities.

Ask and learn who I am, and they shall take my part: and thy shall tell thee that your foot is not able to stand before our face: for thy fathers have been twice chased in their own land.

And now how wilt thou be able to abide so great an host of horsemen and footmen in the plain, where is neither stone, nor rock, nor place to flee unto?

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

And he pitched his tents at Ioppe: but they shut him out of the city: for Apollonius garrison was in Ioppe.

Then they fought against it, and they that were in the city, for very fear let him in: so Jonathan won Ioppe.

Apollonius hearing of this, took three thousand horsemen with a great host of footmen and went toward Azotus, as thou he would go forward, and came immediately into the plain field, because he had so many horsemen, and put his trust in them.

So Jonathan followed upon him to Azotus, and the army skirmished with his arriere [rear guard]* band.

For Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen behind them in ambush.

And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him, and though they had compassed in his host, and shot darts at the people from the morning to the evening,

Yet the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them, til their horses were weary.

Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them agaisnt the band: but the horses were weary, and he discomfited them, and they fled: so the horsemen were scattered in the field,

And they fled to Azotus, and came into the temple of Dagon their idol, that they might there save themselves.

But Jonathan set fire upon Azotus and all the cities round about it, and took their spoils, and burnt with fire the temple of Dagon with all them that were fled into it.

Thus were slain and burnt about eight thousand men.

So Jonathan removed the host from thence, and camped by Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great honor.

And this went Jonathan and his host again to Jerusalem with great spoils.

And when King Alexander heard these things, he began to do Jonathan more honor,

And sent him a collar of gold, and the use is to be given unto such as are of the King’s blood: he gave him also Accaron, with the borders thereof in possession.