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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,
2 Now when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together an exceeding great host, and went forth against
him to fight.
5 Else he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his people.
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.
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:
8 Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an host.
9 Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto Jonathan, and he delivered them unto their
parents.
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.
14 Only at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments remained still: for
it was their 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,
16 He said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we will make him our friend and confederate.
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.
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.
23 What have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in making amity with the Jews to strengthen himself?
24 I also will write unto them words of encouragement, and promise them dignities and gifts, that I may
have their aid.
25 He sent unto them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius unto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting:
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.
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,
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
40 Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the king’s accounts from the places
appertaining.
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.
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.
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.
44 For the building also and repairing of the works of the sanctuary expences shall be given of the king’s
accounts.
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.
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.
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.
49 And after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius’ host fled: but Alexander followed after him, and
prevailed against them.
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;
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:
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.
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.
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.
57 So Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and they came unto Ptolemais in the hundred
threescore and second year:
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.
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.
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.
62 Yea more than that, the king commanded to take off his garments, and clothe him in purple: and they did
so.
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.
64 Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they
fled all away.
65 So the king honoured him, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of
his dominion.
67 Furthermore in the; hundred threescore and fifth year came Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into
the land of his fathers:
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,
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
75 And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because 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.
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.
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.
81 But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so the enemies’ horses were tired.
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.
83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol’s
temple, for safety.
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.