Before Book 46 2 Machabees
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
9:59. So they went, and gave him counsel.
9:60. And he arose to come with a great army: and he sent secretly letters to his adherents that were in Judea to seize upon Jonathan, and them that were with him: but they could not, for their design was known to them.
9:61. And he apprehended of the men of the country, that were the principal authors of the mischief, fifty men, and he slew them.
9:62. And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, retired into Bethbessen, which is in the desert: and he repaired the breaches thereof, and they fortified it.
9:63. And when Bacchides knew it, he gathered together all his multitude: and sent word to them that were of Judea.
9:64. And he came, and camped above Bethbessen, and fought against it many days, and made engines.
9:65. But Jonathan left his brother, Simon, in the city and went forth into the country, and came with a number of men,
9:66. And struck Odares, and his brethren, and the children of Phaseron, in their tents, and he began to slay, and to increase in forces.
9:67. But Simon, and they that were with him, sallied out of the city, and burnt the engines,
9:68. And they fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them: and they afflicted him exceedingly, for his counsel, and his enterprise was in vain.
9:69. And he was angry with the wicked men that had given him counsel to come into their country, and he slew many of them: and he purposed to return with the rest into their country.
9:70. And Jonathan had knowledge of it, and he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him, and to restore to him the prisoners.
9:71. And he accepted it willingly, and did according to his words, and swore that he would do him no harm all the days of his life.
9:72. And he restored to him the prisoners which he before had taken out of the land of Juda: and he returned, and went away into his own country, and he came no more into their borders.
9:73. So the sword ceased from Israel: and Jonathan dwelt in Machmas, and Jonathan began there to judge the people, and he destroyed the wicked out of Israel.
1 Machabees Chapter 10
Alexander Bales sets himself up for king: both he and Demetrius seek to make Jonathan their friend. Alexander kills Demetrius in battle, and honours Jonathan. His victory over Apollonius.
10:1. Now 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.
10:2. And king Demetrius heard of it, and gathered together an exceeding great army, and went forth against him to fight.
10:3. And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan, with peaceable words, to magnify him.
10:4. For he said: Let us first make a peace with him, before he make one with Alexander against us.
10:5. For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brother, and against his nation.
10:6. And he gave him authority to gather together a 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.
10:7. And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of them that were in the castle.
10:8. And they were struck with great fear, because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army.
10:9. And the hostages were delivered to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.
10:10. And Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem, and began to build, and to repair the city.
10:11. And he ordered workmen to build the walls, and mount Sion round about with square stones for fortification: and so they did.
10:12. Then the strangers that were in the strong holds, which Bacchides had built, fled away.
10:13. And every man left his place, and departed into his own country:
10:14. Only 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.
10:15. And 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.
10:16. And he said: Shall we find such another man? now, therefore, we will make him our friend and our confederate.
10:17. So he wrote a letter, and sent it to him according to these words, saying:
10:18. King Alexander to his brother, Jonathan, greetings.
10:19. We have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power, and fit to be our friend:
10:20. Now 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.
10:21. Then 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.
10:22. And Demetrius heard these words, and was exceeding sorry, and said:
10:23. What is this that we have done, that Alexander hath prevented us to gain the friendship of the Jews to strengthen himself?