1 Maccabees, 10

1. In the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander, the son of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais: for the people had received him, by means whereof he reigned there,

1. In the year one hundred and sixty (152 B.C.), Alexander Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, sailed for Ptolemais and occupied it. He was well received and he began to reign.

2. Now when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight.

2. When Demetrius heard this, he assembled a very large army and marched out to fight him.

3. Moreover Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with loving words, so as he magnified him.

3. At the same time, he sent a letter of friendship to Jonathan and offered him vast power,

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

4. for Demetrius thought: "Let us make the first move in making peace with him before he makes peace with Alexander against us,

5. Else he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his people.

5. remembering all the wrongs we have done to him, his brothers and his nation."

6. Wherefore he gave him authority to gather together an host, and to provide weapons, that he might aid him in battle: he commanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should be delivered him.

6. So Demetrius authorized Jonathan to organize an army and manufacture arms; he named him his ally and ordered the release of the hostages who were in the Citadel of Jerusalem.

7. Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the audience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower:

7. Jonathan went at once to Jerusalem and read the letter before all the people and those in the Citadel.

8. Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an host.

8. They were afraid when they heard that the king had authorized Jonathan to organize a great army,

9. Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto Jonathan, and he delivered them unto their parents.

9. and they released the hostages to Jonathan who handed them back to their families.

10. This done, Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began to build and repair the city.

10. Jonathan resided in Jerusalem and began rebuilding and restoring the city.

11. And he commanded the workmen to build the walls and the mount Sion and about with square stones for fortification; and they did so.

11. He commanded the builders to build the walls and the defenses of Mount Zion with hewn stones. And they did so.

12. Then the strangers, that were in the fortresses which Bacchides had built, fled away;

12. Then all the foreigners who stayed in the fortresses built by Bacchides began to flee,

13. Insomuch as every man left his place, and went into his own country.

13. each of them abandoning his post and returning to his own land.

14. Only at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments remained still: for it was their place of refuge.

14. Only at Beth-zur did some who had abandoned the Law and the precepts remain, since this was like a place of refuge.

15. Now when king Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had sent unto Jonathan: when also 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,

15. King Alexander was informed of the promises Demetrius had made to Jonathan; he was also given an account of the battles and exploits of Jonathan and his brothers and the trials they had endured.

16. He said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we will make him our friend and confederate.

16. So Alexander declared: "Shall we ever find another man like him? Let us make him our ally and friend."

17. Upon this he wrote a letter, and sent it unto him, according to these words, saying,

17. And he wrote him a letter:

18. King Alexander to his brother Jonathan sendeth greeting:

18. "King Alexander to our brother Jonathan, peace.

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

19. We have heard of you, that you are a valiant man and most worthy of our friendship.

20. Wherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the high priest of thy nation, and to be called the king's friend; (and therewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold:) and require thee to take our part, and keep friendship with us.

20. Therefore, we now appoint you High Priest of your nation and bestow on you the title Friend of the King (he also sent him a purple robe and a golden crown). So we invite you to watch over our interests and maintain friendly relations with us."

21. So in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year, at the feast of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy robe, and gathered together forces, and provided much armour.

21. This is why in the seventh month of the year one hundred and sixty (152 B.C.), on the occasion of the feast of Tabernacles, Jonathan put on the sacred vestments. He also recruited troops and manufactured a great quantity of arms.

22. Whereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said,

22. When Demetrius heard what had happened, he was greatly displeased and said,

23. What have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in making amity with the Jews to strengthen himself?

23. "What have we done that Alexander is ahead of us in gaining the friendship of the Jews?

24. I also will write unto them words of encouragement, and promise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid.

24. I will also write them kind words and promise them honor and gifts to win them to my side."

25. He sent unto them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius unto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting:

25. So he wrote to the Jews: "King Demetrius greets the Jewish nation.

26. Whereas ye have kept covenants with us, and continued in our friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have heard hereof, and are glad.

26. You have kept your agreement with us and have remained our friends, and have not joined our enemies. We have heard of it and so we rejoice.

27. Wherefore now continue ye still to be faithful unto us, and we will well recompense you for the things ye do in our behalf,

27. Therefore, continue to be faithful and we will grant you privileges in return for all you do on our behalf.

28. And will grant you many immunities, and give you rewards.

28. I will free the Jews from many taxes and grant them royal privileges and exemptions.

29. And now do I free you, and for your sake I release all the Jews, from tributes, and from the customs of salt, and from crown taxes,

29. From now on and forever, I now free all Jews from payment of tribute, salt dues and crown levies.

30. And from that which appertaineth unto me to receive for the third part or the seed, and the half of the fruit of the trees, I release it from this day forth, so that they shall not be taken of the land of Judea, nor of the three governments which are added thereunto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth for evermore.

30. I give up from this day and henceforth the third of the harvest and half of the fruit of the trees which I have the right to exact from the region of Judea and the three districts annexed to it from Samaria and Galilee.

31. Let Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders thereof, both from tenths and tributes.

31. From this day on and for all time, Jerusalem shall be a Holy City and be free with all its territory, with the right to collect tithes and tributes.

32. And as for the tower which is at Jerusalem, I yield up authority over it, and give the high priest, that he may set in it such men as he shall choose to keep it.

32. I also give up control of the Citadel of Jerusalem and turn it over to the High Priest that he may choose the men he wants to defend it.

33. Moreover I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews, that were carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of my kingdom, and I will that all my officers remit the tributes even of their cattle.

33. I grant freedom without ransom to all the captives taken from Judea into any part of my kingdom. I free everyone from the taxes they owe me for their livestock.

34. Furthermore I will that all the feasts, and sabbaths, and new moons, and solemn days, and the three days before the feast, and the three days after the feast shall be all of immunity and freedom for all the Jews in my realm.

34. All feasts, sabbaths, new moons, special days and the three holy days before and after a feast shall be days of exemption for all the Jews in my kingdom.

35. Also no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest any of them in any matter.

35. No one shall have the right to pursue or molest them for any motive whatsoever.

36. I will further, that there be enrolled among the king's forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay shall be given, as belongeth to all king's forces.

36. I also decree that they be accepted into the king's army to the number of thirty thousand Jews who shall receive the same salary as the rest of the king's forces.

37. And of them some shall be placed in the king's strong holds, of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, which are of trust: and I will that their overseers and governors be of themselves, and that they live after their own laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea.

37. Some of them shall be stationed at the king's fortresses, and positions of trust shall be given to some of them; their officers shall be chosen from among themselves and they will live according to their laws as the king has prescribed in the land of Judea.

38. And concerning the three governments that are added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Judea, that they may be reckoned to be under one, nor bound to obey other authority than the high priest's.

38. The three districts of Samaria annexed to Judea shall be considered part of Jewish territory; to avoid any conflict of power, these shall be subject to no authority other than that of the High Priest.

39. As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I give it as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary expences of the sanctuary.

39. I give the city of Ptolemais and its territory as a gift to the temple of Jerusalem to cover the expenses of public worship.

40. Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the king's accounts from the places appertaining.

40. Henceforth, I will give fifteen thousand pieces of silver annually for the maintenance of the temple which shall be taken from the royal revenues from appropriate places.

41. And all the overplus, which the officers payed not in as in former time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of the temple.

41. Moreover, I give all that should have been paid to me by the administrators in previous years.

42. And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they took from the uses of the temple out of the accounts year by year, even those things shall be released, because they appertain to the priests that minister.

42. In addition, I also remit the five thousand pieces of silver levied every year from the tributes to the temple, and give them to the priests in charge of public worship.

43. And whosoever they be that flee unto the temple at Jerusalem, or be within the liberties hereof, being indebted unto the king, or for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that they have in my realm.

43. Anyone who takes refuge in the temple of Jerusalem or in any of its enclosures because of his debt on royal taxes or because of any other debt, shall not be disturbed and his possessions anywhere in my kingdom shall be duly protected.

44. For the building also and repairing of the works of the sanctuary expences shall be given of the king's accounts.

44. Finally, the cost of rebuilding or restoring the sanctuary shall be passed on to the king's account,

45. Yea, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, expences shall be given out of the king's accounts, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.

45. as well as the expenses of reconstructing the walls of Jerusalem, the fortification of its defenses and the construction of the walls in the cities of Judea."

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

46. When Jonathan and the people heard such proposals, they did not believe or accept them, for they remembered the great wrongs Demetrius had done to Israel and the ill-treatment to which he had subjected them.

47. But with Alexander they were well pleased, because he was the first that entreated of true peace with them, and they were confederate with him always.

47. They decided in favor of Alexander, for he was the first to propose peace, and they became his faithful allies.

48. Then gathered king Alexander great forces, and camped over against Demetrius.

48. King Alexander assembled a great army and encamped opposite Demetrius.

49. And after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius' host fled: but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against them.

49. The two kings met in battle and the army of Demetrius was routed. Alexander pursued him until Demetrius was defeated.

50. And he continued the battle very sore until the sun went down: and that day was Demetrius slain.

50. The battle lasted until sunset, and on that day Demetrius died.

51. Afterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of Egypt with a message to this effect:

51. Then Alexander sent messengers to Ptolemy the king of Egypt with the following message:

52. Forasmuch as I am come again to my realm, and am set in the throne of my progenitors, and have gotten the dominion, and overthrown Demetrius, and recovered our country;

52. "I am now again in my kingdom and have assumed power after defeating Demetrius and all his army.

53. For after I had joined battle with him, both he and his host was discomfited by us, so that we sit in the throne of his kingdom:

53. Now I occupy the throne of my fathers as master of all the land. Let us be friends.

54. Now therefore let us make a league of amity together, and give me now thy daughter to wife: and I will be thy son in law, and will give both thee and her as according to thy dignity.

54. Give me your daughter in marriage, and I will become your son-in-law, and I will give you, and her, gifts worthy of you."

55. Then Ptolemee the king gave answer, saying, Happy be the day wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and satest in the throne of their kingdom.

55. King Ptolemy replied as follows: "Blessed be the day when you returned to the land of your fathers and ascended to their throne!

56. And now will I do to thee, as thou hast written: meet me therefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will marry my daughter to thee according to thy desire.

56. I will without delay do for you as you have proposed. But meet me in Ptolemais. There we shall see one another and I will receive you as my son-in-law as you have requested."

57. So Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and they came unto Ptolemais in the hundred threescore and second year:

57. Ptolemy left Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra in the year one hundred and sixty-two, and arrived at Ptolemais.

58. Where king Alexander meeting him, he gave unto him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great glory, as the manner of kings is.

58. Alexander went to meet him, and Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her wedding with great splendor as kings do.

59. Now king Alexander had written unto Jonathan, that he should come and meet him.

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

60. Who thereupon went honourably to Ptolemais, where he met the two kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold, and many presents, and found favour in their sight.

60. So Jonathan went to Ptolemais with great pomp and met the two kings. Then he gave them and their Friends much silver and gold and many other gifts.

61. At that time certain pestilent fellows of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him: but the king would not hear them.

61. The renegades, the pest of Israel, gathered together to accuse Jonathan, but the king paid no attention to them.

62. Yea more than that, the king commanded to take off his garments, and clothe him in purple: and they did so.

62. The king even gave orders that Jonathan remove his garment and be clothed in purple and it was done.

63. And he made him sit by himself, and said into his princes, Go 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.

63. The king also seated him by his side, and said to his captains: "Go with him into the center of the city and proclaim that no one is to accuse Jonathan under any pretext, and no one is to molest him for any reason."

64. Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away.

64. When his accusers saw the public honor given to Jonathan and that he was clothed in purple, they all fled.

65. So the king honoured him, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion.

65. The king did him great honor and enrolled him among his first Friends, and appointed him general and governor.

66. Afterward Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.

66. So Jonathan returned to Jerusalem happy and secure.

67. Furthermore in the; hundred threescore and fifth year came Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his fathers:

67. In the year one hundred and sixty-five (147 B.C.), Demetrius the son of Demetrius, returned from Crete to the land of his fathers.

68. Whereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry, and returned into Antioch.

68. When King Alexander heard of it, he was so greatly disturbed that he returned to Antioch.

69. Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high priest, saying,

69. Demetrius took his general Apollonius, the governor of Coele-Syria, who assembled a large force. He encamped at Jamnia and sent the following message to Jonathan, the high priest:

70. Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laughed to scorn for thy sake, and reproached: and why dost thou vaunt thy power against us in the mountains?

70. "Are you the only one who resists our authority? And am I to be ridiculed because of you? Why do you stand against our authority in your mountains?

71. Now therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter together: for with me is the power of the cities.

71. If you have confidence in your forces, come down to the plain and let us measure each other's strength there, for I have with me the army of the cities.

72. Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and they shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to to flight in their own land.

72. Inquire and find out who I am and who are those who support me. Men will tell you that you cannot resist us, for your fathers were twice defeated on their own land.

73. Wherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the horsemen and so great a power in the plain, where is neither stone nor flint, nor place to flee unto.

73. Nor will you be able to withstand the cavalry and so great an army on the plain, where there are no stones or rocks offering a refuge."

74. So when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind, and choosing ten thousand men he went out of Jerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him.

74. When Jonathan heard Apollonius' message, he was greatly aroused. So he left Jerusalem with ten thousand picked men, and his brother Simon came to his help.

75. And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.

75. They encamped near Joppa, but the inhabitants of the city closed the gates to them, as Apollonius had a garrison there.

76. Then Jonathan laid siege unto it: whereupon they of the city let him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa.

76. So Jonathan gave the order to attack. The people in the city were so afraid that they opened the gates to him, and Jonathan occupied Joppa.

77. Whereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand horsemen, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as one that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the plain. because he had a great number of horsemen, in whom he put his trust.

77. When Apollonius learned of it, he mobilized three thousand cavalry and a large army. Then he set out towards Azotus, pretending to march through the land, but in fact his troops were spreading out in the direction of the plain, since he had a great number of cavalry on which he relied.

78. Then Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined battle.

78. Jonathan pursued him towards Azotus and they began to fight.

79. Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush.

79. Apollonius had left a thousand picked horsemen hidden behind Jonathan,

80. And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him; for they had compassed in his host, and cast darts at the people, from morning till evening.

80. but Jonathan was informed of the ambush. The horsemen surrounded Jonathan's men and shot their arrows from morning till evening.

81. But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so the enemies' horses were tired.

81. But the Israelites faced them as Jonathan had commanded until the horses of the enemy tired. Once the cavalry were exhausted,

82. Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the footmen, (for the horsemen were spent) who were discomfited by him, and fled.

82. Simon and his men advanced and attacked the infantry. The enemy was defeated and fled.

83. The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for safety.

83. The cavalry scattered over the plain and those who fled went to Azotus, where they entered the temple of Dagon, their idol, to save their lives.

84. But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.

84. But Jonathan set fire to Azotus and the surrounding towns, and plundered them. He also burned down the temple of Dagon with all who had taken refuge in it.

85. Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh eight thousand men.

85. There were about eight thousand men who either fell by the sword or were burned to death.

86. And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great pomp.

86. Jonathan then left for Askalon where the inhabitants received him with great honor.

87. After this returned Jonathan and his host unto Jerusalem, having any spoils.

87. From there, Jonathan and his men returned to Jerusalem laden with booty.

88. Now when king ALexander heard these things, he honoured Jonathan yet more.

88. When King Alexander heard what had happened, he bestowed new honors on Jonathan.

89. And sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to such as are of the king's blood: he gave him also Accaron with the borders thereof in possession.

89. He sent him a golden brooch which is usually given to the kinsmen of kings. He also gave him Ekron and all its territory as his possession.