1 Machabees Chapter 10
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
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 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.
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. And 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?
10:24. I also will write to them words of request, and offer dignities, and gifts: that they may be with me to aid me.
10:25. And he wrote to them in these words: King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greeting.
10:26. Whereas 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.
10:27. Wherefore now continue still to keep fidelity towards us, and we will reward you with good things, for what you have done in our behalf.
10:28. And we will remit to you many charges, and will give you gifts.
10:29. And 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:
10:30. And 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:
10:31. And let Jerusalem be holy and free, with the borders thereof: and let the tenths, and tributes be for itself.
10:32. I 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.
10:33. And 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.
10:34. And 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:
10:35. And no man shall have power to do any thing against them, or to molest any of them, in any cause.
10:36. And 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:
10:37. And 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.
10:38. And 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:
10:39. Ptolemais 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.