1 Maccabees, 10

1. In the year one hundred and sixty, Alexander, who was called Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, came up and took Ptolemais. He was accepted and began to reign there.

1. In the year 160, Alexander, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, raised an army and occupied Ptolemais. He was well received, and there inaugurated his reign.

2. When King Demetrius heard of it, he mustered a very large army and marched out to engage him in combat.

2. On hearing this, King Demetrius assembled a very large army and marched off to do battle with him.

3. Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan written in peaceful terms, to pay him honor;

3. Demetrius furthermore sent Jonathan a most conciliatory letter, promising to promote him in rank,

4. for he said: "Let us be the first to make peace with him, before he makes peace with Alexander against us,

4. for, as he said, 'We had better move first to come to terms with these people before he makes common cause with Alexander against us;

5. since he will remember all the wrongs we have done to him, his brothers, and his nation."

5. he will not have forgotten all the wrongs we inflicted on him and his brothers, and on his nation.'

6. So Demetrius authorized him to gather an army and procure arms as his ally; and he ordered that the hostages in the citadel be released to him.

6. He even authorised him to raise an army, to manufacture arms, and to describe himself as his ally, and ordered the hostages in the Citadel to be surrendered to him.

7. Accordingly Jonathan went up to Jerusalem and read the letter to all the people. The men in the citadel

7. Jonathan went straight to Jerusalem and read the letter in the hearing of the whole people and of the men in the Citadel.

8. were struck with fear when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather an army.

8. They were terrified when they heard that the king had given him authority to raise an army.

9. They released the hostages to Jonathan, and he gave them back to their parents.

9. The men in the Citadel surrendered the hostages to Jonathan, who handed them back to their parents.

10. Thereafter Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem, and began to build and restore the city.

10. Jonathan then took up residence in Jerusalem and began the rebuilding and restoration of the city.

11. He ordered the workmen to build the walls and encircle Mount Zion with square stones for its fortification, which they did.

11. He ordered those responsible for the work to build the walls and the defences round Mount Zion of squared stone blocks to make them stronger, and this was done.

12. The foreigners in the strongholds that Bacchides had built, took flight;

12. The foreigners in the fortresses built by Bacchides abandoned them,

13. each one of them left his place and returned to his own country.

13. one after another leaving his post to go back to his own country.

14. Only in Beth-zur did some remain of those who had abandoned the law and the commandments, for they used it as a place of refuge.

14. Only at Beth-Zur were a few left of those who had forsaken the Law and the precepts, since this was their refuge.

15. King Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made to Jonathan; he was also told of the battles and valiant deeds of Jonathan and his brothers and the troubles that they had endured.

15. King Alexander heard of all the promises Demetrius had sent to Jonathan, and he was also given an account of the battles and exploits of this man and his brothers and of the hardships they had endured.

16. He said, "Shall we ever find another man like him? Let us now make him our friend and ally."

16. 'Shall we ever find another man like him?' he exclaimed. 'We must make him our friend and ally!'

17. So he sent Jonathan a letter written in these terms:

17. He therefore wrote him a letter, addressing him in these terms:

18. "King Alexander sends greetings to his brother Jonathan.

18. 'King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greetings.

19. We have heard of you, that you are a mighty warrior and worthy to be our friend.

19. 'You have been brought to our notice as a strong man of action and as someone who deserves to be our friend.

20. We have therefore appointed you today to be high priest of your nation; you are to be called the King's Friend, and you are to look after our interests and preserve amity with us." He also sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold.

20. Accordingly, we have today appointed you high priest of your nation, with the title of "Friend of the King" ' -- he also sent him a purple robe and a golden crown-'and you are to study our interests and maintain friendly relations with us.'

21. Jonathan put on the sacred vestments in the seventh month of the year one hundred and sixty at the feast of Booths, and he gathered an army and procured many arms.

21. Jonathan put on the sacred vestments in the seventh month of the year 160, on the feast of Shelters; he then set about raising troops and manufacturing arms in quantity.

22. When Demetrius heard of these things, he was distressed and said:

22. Demetrius was displeased when he heard what had happened.

23. "Why have we allowed Alexander to get ahead of us by gaining the friendship of the Jews and thus strengthening himself?

23. 'What have we been doing,' he said, 'for Alexander to forestall us in winning the friendship of the Jews and so improving his own position?

24. I too will write them conciliatory words and offer dignities and gifts, so that they may be an aid to me."

24. I too shall address an appeal to them, offering them advancement and riches as an inducement to support me.'

25. So he sent them this message: "King Demetrius sends greetings to the Jewish nation.

25. And he wrote to them as follows: 'King Demetrius to the Jewish nation, greetings.

26. We have heard how you have kept the treaty with us and continued in our friendship and not gone over to our enemies, and we are glad.

26. 'We have heard how you have kept your agreement with us and have maintained friendly relations with us and have not gone over to our enemies, and it has given us great satisfaction.

27. Continue, therefore, to keep faith with us, and we will reward you with favors in return for what you do in our behalf.

27. If you now continue to keep faith with us, we shall make you a handsome return for what you do on our behalf.

28. We will grant you many exemptions and will bestow gifts on you.

28. We shall accord you many exemptions and grant you privileges.

29. "I now free you, as I also exempt all the Jews, from the tribute, the salt tax, and the crown levies.

29. 'Henceforth I release you and exempt all the Jews from the tribute, the salt dues and the crown levies,

30. Instead of collecting the third of the grain and the half of the fruit of the trees that should be my share, I renounce the right from this day forward: Neither now nor in the future will I collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts annexed from Samaria.

30. and whereas I am entitled to one-third of the grain and one-half of the fruit of the trees, I release from this levy, from today and for the future, Judaea and the three districts annexed to it from Samaria-Galilee, from this day henceforth in perpetuity.

31. Let Jerusalem and her territory, her tithes and her tolls, be sacred and free from tax.

31. Jerusalem will be sacred and exempt, with its territory, from tithes and dues.

32. I also yield my authority over the citadel in Jerusalem, and I transfer it to the high priest, that he may put in it such men as he shall choose to guard it.

32. I relinquish control of the Citadel in Jerusalem and make it over to the high priest, so that he may man it with a garrison of his own choosing.

33. Every one of the Jews who has been carried into captivity from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom I set at liberty without ransom; and let all their taxes, even those on their cattle, be canceled.

33. Every Jewish person taken from Judaea into captivity in any part of my kingdom I set free without ransom, and decree that all will be exempt from taxes, even on their livestock.

34. Let all feast days, sabbaths, new moon festivals, appointed days, and the three days that precede each feast day, and the three days that follow, be days of immunity and exemption for every Jew in my kingdom.

34. All festivals, Sabbaths, New Moons and days of special observance, and the three days before and three days after a festival, will be days of exemption and quittance for all the Jews in my kingdom,

35. Let no man have authority to exact payment from them or to molest any of them in any matter.

35. and no one will have the right to exact payment from, or to molest, any of them for any matter whatsoever.

36. "Let thirty thousand Jews be enrolled in the king's army and allowances be given them, as is due to all the king's soldiers.

36. 'Jews will be enrolled in the king's forces to the number of thirty thousand men and receive maintenance on the same scale as the rest of the king's forces.

37. Let some of them be stationed in the king's principal strongholds, and of these let some be given positions of trust in the affairs of the kingdom. Let their superiors and their rulers be taken from among them, and let them follow their own laws, as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.

37. Some of them will be stationed in the king's major fortresses, and from among others appointments will be made to positions of trust in the kingdom. Their officers and commanders will be appointed from their own number and will live under their own laws, as the king has prescribed for Judaea.

38. "Let the three districts that have been added to Judea from the province of Samaria be incorporated with Judea so that they may be under one man and obey no other authority than the high priest.

38. 'As regards the three districts annexed to Judaea from the province of Samaria, these will be integrated into Judaea and considered as coming under one governor, obeying the high priest's authority and no other.

39. Ptolemais and its confines I give as a present to the sanctuary in Jerusalem for the necessary expenses of the sanctuary.

39. Ptolemais and the land thereto pertaining I present to the sanctuary in Jerusalem, to meet the necessary expenses of public worship.

40. I make a yearly personal grant of fifteen thousand silver shekels out of the royal revenues, from appropriate places.

40. And I make a personal grant of fifteen thousand silver shekels annually chargeable to the royal revenue from appropriate places.

41. All the additional funds that the officials did not hand over as they had done in the first years, shall henceforth be handed over for the services of the temple.

41. And the entire surplus, which has not been paid in by the officials as in previous years, will henceforth be paid over by them for work on the Temple.

42. Moreover, the dues of five thousand silver shekels that used to be taken from the revenue of the sanctuary every year shall be canceled, since these funds belong to the priests who perform the services.

42. In addition, the sum of five thousand silver shekels, levied annually on the profits of the sanctuary, as shown in the annual accounts, is also relinquished as the perquisite of the priests who perform the liturgy.

43. Whoever takes refuge in the temple of Jerusalem or in any of its precincts, because of money he owes the king, or because of any other debt, shall be released, together with all the goods he possesses in my kingdom.

43. Anyone who takes refuge in the Temple in Jerusalem or any of its precincts, when in debt to the royal exchequer or otherwise, will be discharged in full possession of all the goods he owns in my kingdom.

44. The cost of rebuilding and restoring the structures of the sanctuary shall be covered out of the royal revenue.

44. As regards the building and restoration of the sanctuary, the expense of the work will be met from the royal exchequer.

45. Likewise the cost of building the walls of Jerusalem and fortifying it all around, and of building walls in Judea, shall be donated from the royal revenue."

45. The reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem and the fortification of the perimeter will also be a charge on the royal exchequer, as also the reconstruction of other city walls in Judaea.'

46. When Jonathan and the people heard these words, they neither believed nor accepted them, for they remembered the great evil that Demetrius had done in Israel, and how sorely he had afflicted them.

46. When Jonathan and the people heard these proposals, they put no faith in them and refused to accept them, remembering what great wrongs Demetrius had done to Israel and how cruelly he had oppressed them.

47. They therefore decided in favor of Alexander, for he had been the first to address them peaceably, and they remained his allies for the rest of his life.

47. They decided in favour of Alexander, since he seemed to offer the better inducements of the two, and they became his constant allies.

48. King Alexander gathered together a large army and encamped opposite Demetrius.

48. King Alexander now mustered large forces and advanced against Demetrius.

49. The two kings joined battle, and when the army of Demetrius fled, Alexander pursued him, and overpowered his soldiers.

49. The two kings met in battle. Alexander's army was routed, and Demetrius pursued him and defeated his troops.

50. He pressed the battle hard until sunset, and Demetrius fell that day.

50. He continued the battle with vigour until sunset. Demetrius himself, however, was killed the same day.

51. Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, with this message:

51. Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy king of Egypt, with this message:

52. "Now that I have returned to my realm, taken my seat on the throne of my fathers, and established my rule by crushing Demetrius and gaining control of my country--

52. 'Since I have returned to my kingdom, have ascended the throne of my ancestors, have gained control by crushing Demetrius, and so recovered our country-

53. for I engaged him in battle, defeated him and his army, and recovered the royal throne--

53. for I fought him and we crushed both him and his army, and I now occupy his royal throne-

54. let us now establish friendship with each other. Give me your daughter for my wife; and as your son-in-law, I will give to you and to her gifts worthy of you."

54. let us now make a treaty of friendship. Give me your daughter in marriage: as your son-in-law, I shall give you, and her, presents which are worthy of you.'

55. King Ptolemy answered in these words: "Happy the day on which you returned to the land of your fathers and took your seat on their royal throne!

55. King Ptolemy replied as follows: 'Happy the day when you returned to the land of your ancestors and ascended their royal throne!

56. I will do for you what you have written; but meet me in Ptolemais, so that we may see each other, and I will become your father-in-law as you have proposed."

56. I shall at once do for you what your letter proposes; but meet me at Ptolemais, so that we can see one another, and I shall become your father-in-law, as you have asked.'

57. So Ptolemy with his daughter Cleopatra set out from Egypt and came to Ptolemais in the year one hundred and sixty-two.

57. Ptolemy left Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra and reached Ptolemais in the year 162.

58. There King Alexander met him, and Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage. Their wedding was celebrated at Ptolemais with great splendor according to the custom of kings.

58. King Alexander went to meet him, and Ptolemy gave him the hand of his daughter Cleopatra and celebrated her wedding in Ptolemais with great magnificence, as kings do.

59. King Alexander also wrote to Jonathan to come and meet him.

59. King Alexander then wrote to Jonathan to come and meet him.

60. So he went with pomp to Ptolemais, where he met the two kings and gave them and their friends silver and gold and many gifts and thus won their favor.

60. Jonathan made his way in state to Ptolemais and met the two kings; he gave them and their friends silver and gold, and many gifts, and made a favourable impression on them.

61. Some pestilent Israelites, transgressors of the law, united against him to accuse him, but the king paid no heed to them.

61. A number of scoundrels, the pest of Israel, combined to denounce him, but the king paid no attention to them.

62. He ordered Jonathan to be divested of his ordinary garments and to be clothed in royal purple; and so it was done.

62. In fact, the king commanded that Jonathan should be divested of his own garments and clothed in the purple, which was done.

63. The king also had him seated at his side. He said to his magistrates: "Go with him to the center of the city and make a proclamation that no one is to bring charges against him on any grounds or be troublesome to him in any way."

63. The king then seated him by his side and said to his officers, 'Escort him into the centre of the city and proclaim that no one is to bring charges against him on any count; no one is to molest him for any reason.'

64. When his accusers saw the honor paid to him in the proclamation, and the purple with which he was clothed, they all fled.

64. And so, when his accusers saw the honour done him by this proclamation, and Jonathan himself invested in the purple, they all fled.

65. The king also honored him by numbering him among his Chief Friends and made him military commander and governor of the province.

65. The king did him the honour of enrolling him among the First Friends, and appointed him commander-in-chief and governor-general.

66. So Jonathan returned in peace and happiness to Jerusalem.

66. Jonathan then returned to Jerusalem in peace and gladness.

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

67. In the year 165, Demetrius son of Demetrius came from Crete to the land of his ancestors.

68. When King Alexander heard of it he was greatly troubled, and returned to Antioch.

68. When King Alexander heard of it he was plunged into gloom, and retired to Antioch.

69. Demetrius appointed Apollonius governor of Coelesyria. Having gathered a large army, Appollonius pitched his camp at Jamnia. From there he sent this message to Jonathan the high priest:

69. Demetrius confirmed Apollonius as governor of Coele-Syria; the latter assembled a large force, encamped at Jamnia and sent the following message to Jonathan the high priest:

70. "You are the only one who resists us. I am laughed at and put to shame on your account. Why are you displaying power against us in the mountains?

70. 'You are entirely alone in rising against us, and now I find myself ridiculed and reproached on your account. Why do you use your authority to our disadvantage in the mountains?

71. If you have confidence in your forces, come down now to us in the plain, and let us test each other's strength there; the city forces are on my side.

71. If you are so confident in your forces, come down now to meet us on the plain and let us take each other's measure there; on my side I have the strength of the towns.

72. Inquire and learn who I am and who the others are who are helping me. Men say that you cannot make a stand against us because your fathers were twice put to flight in their own land.

72. Ask and learn who I am and who the others supporting us are. You will hear that you cannot stand up to us, since your ancestors were twice routed on their own ground,

73. Now you too will be unable to withstand our cavalry and such a force as this in the plain, where there is not a stone or a pebble or a place to flee."

73. nor will you now be able to withstand the cavalry or so great an army on the plain, where there is neither rock, nor stone, nor refuge of any kind.'

74. When Jonathan heard the message of Apollonius, he was roused. Choosing ten thousand men, he set out from Jerusalem, and Simon his brother joined him to help him.

74. On hearing Apollonius' words, Jonathan's spirit was roused; he picked ten thousand men and left Jerusalem, and his brother Simon joined him with reinforcements.

75. He pitched camp near Joppa, but the men in the city shut him out because Apollonius had a garrison there. When the Jews besieged it,

75. He drew up his forces outside Joppa, the citizens having shut him out, since Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa. When they began the attack,

76. the men of the city became afraid and opened the gates, and so Jonathan took possession of Joppa.

76. the citizens took fright and opened the gates, and Jonathan occupied Joppa.

77. When Apollonius heard of it, he drew up three thousand horsemen and an innumerable infantry. He marched on Azotus as though he were going on through the country, but at the same time he advanced into the plain, because he had such a large number of horsemen to rely on.

77. Hearing this, Apollonius marshalled three thousand cavalry and a large army and made his way to Azotus as though intending to march through, while in fact pressing on into the plain, since he had a great number of cavalry on which he was relying.

78. Jonathan followed him to Azotus, and they engaged in battle.

78. Jonathan pursued him as far as Azotus, where the armies joined battle.

79. Apollonius, however, had left a thousand cavalry in hiding behind them.

79. Now, Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in concealment behind them.

80. When Jonathan discovered that there was an ambush behind him, his army was surrounded. From morning until evening they showered his men with arrows.

80. Jonathan knew of this enemy position behind him; the horsemen surrounded his army, firing their arrows into his men from morning till evening.

81. But his men held their ground, as Jonathan had commanded, whereas the enemy's horses became tired out.

81. But the troops stood firm, as Jonathan had ordered. Once the cavalry was exhausted,

82. When the horsemen were exhausted, Simon attacked the phalanx, overwhelmed it and put it to flight.

82. Simon sent his own troops into attack against the phalanx, which he cut to pieces and routed.

83. The horsemen too were scattered over the plain. The enemy fled to Azotus and entered Beth-dagon, the temple of their idol, to save themselves.

83. The cavalry scattered over the plain and fled to Azotus, where they took sanctuary in Beth-Dagon, the temple of their idol.

84. But Jonathan burned and plundered Azotus with its neighboring towns, and destroyed by fire both the temple of Dagon and the men who had taken refuge in it.

84. Jonathan, however, set fire to Azotus and the surrounding towns, plundered them, and burned down the temple of Dagon, with all the fugitives who had crowded into it.

85. Those who fell by the sword, together with those who were burned alive, came to about eight thousand men.

85. The enemy losses, counting those who fell by the sword and those burnt to death, totalled about eight thousand men.

86. Then Jonathan left there and pitched his camp at Ashkalon, and the people of that city came out to meet him with great pomp.

86. Jonathan then left and pitched camp outside Ascalon, where the citizens came out to meet him with great ceremony.

87. He and his men then returned to Jerusalem, laden with much booty.

87. Jonathan then returned to Jerusalem with his followers, laden with booty.

88. When King Alexander heard of these events, he accorded new honors to Jonathan.

88. In the event, when King Alexander heard what had happened, he awarded Jonathan further honours:

89. He sent him a gold buckle, such as is usually given to King's Kinsmen; he also gave him Ekron and all its territory as a possession.

89. he sent him the golden brooch, of the kind customarily presented to the King's Cousins, and gave him proprietary rights over Ekron and the land adjoining it.