1:1 Now it came to pass that Alexander the [son] of Philip the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Kittim, overthrew Darius king of the Persians and Medes, and reigned in his place, first over Greece.
1:2 He fought many battles, and took strongholds, and slew the kings of the earth.
1:3 And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations, and the earth was quiet before him.
1:4 And he gathered a very strong army; and his heart was exalted and lifted up; and he ruled over countries of nations, and tyrants: and they became tributaries to him.
1:7 And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.
1:8 And his servants took power, every one in his place.
1:9 And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them, many years; and evils were multiplied in the earth.
1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of King Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
1:11 \p In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let's go, and make a covenant with the nations that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us. 
1:12 And the word seemed good in their eyes. 
1:13 And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the nations. 
1:14 And they built a place for men to prey upon naked boys in Jerusalem, according to the customs of the nations. 
1:15 And they made themselves foreskins, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the nations, and were sold to do evil.
1:16 \p And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms. 
1:17 And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants, and horsemen, and a great number of ships. 
1:18 And he made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt, but Ptolemy was afraid at his presence, and fled, and many were wounded to death. 
1:19 And they took the strong cities in the land of Egypt: and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt.
1:20 \p And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel. 
1:21 And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude. 
1:22 And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the lampstand of light, and all the vessels of it, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple: and he broke them all in pieces. 
1:23 And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels: and he took the hidden treasures which he found: and when he had taken all away he departed into his own country. 
1:24 And he made a slaughter of men, and spoke with great arrogance. 
1:25 \p And there was great mourning in Israel, And in every place where they were:
1:26 And the princes, and the ancients mourned, And the virgins and the young men were made feeble, And the beauty of the women was changed.
1:27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation: And the bride who sat in the marriage bed, mourned:
1:28 And the land was moved for the inhabitants of it, And all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
1:29 \p And after two full years the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. 
1:30 And he spoke to them peaceful words in deceit: and they believed him. And he fell on the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed many people in Israel. 
1:31 And he took the spoils of the city, and burned it with fire, and threw down the houses of it, and the walls of it round about: 
1:32 And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed. 
1:33 And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and made it a fortress for them. 
1:34 And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men, and they fortified themselves in it. And they stored up armor, and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem; 
1:35 And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.
1:36 \p And it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel continually.
1:37 And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, And defiled the holy place.
1:38 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, And the city was made the habitation of strangers, And she became a stranger to her own seed, And her children forsook her.
1:39 Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness, Her festival days were turned into mourning, Her Sabbaths into reproach, Her honor was brought to nothing.
1:40 Her dishonor was increased according to her glory, And her excellency was turned into mourning.
1:41 \p And King Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law. 
1:42 And all nations accepted according to the word of the king. 
1:43 And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the Sabbath. 
1:44 And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to the cities of Judah: that they should follow the foreign customs of the land; 
1:45 and should forbid burnt-offerings and sacrifice, and drink offering from the sanctuary; and should profane the sabbaths, and the festival days. 
1:46 And to defile the sanctuary, and the holy things. 
1:47 And to build altars, and temples, and idols, and to sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts.
1:48 And that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses, and detestable things, 
1:49 to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the ordinances of God. 
1:50 And that whoever would not do according to the word of the king should be put to death. 
1:51 According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed overseers over the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city. 
1:52 Then many of the people were gathered to those who had forsaken the law: and they committed evils in the land: 
1:53 And they put Israel into hiding, into every place of refuge.
1:54 \p On the fifteenth day of the month Kislev, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation on the altar, and they built altars in the cities of Judah round about: 
1:55 And they burned incense at the doors of the houses, and in the streets. 
1:56 And they cut in pieces, and burned with fire the books of the law: 
1:57 And every one with whom a book of the covenant was found, and whoever consented to the law, they put to death, according to the decree of the king. 
1:58 Thus by their power they dealt with the people of Israel, who were found in the cities month after month. 
1:59 And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed on the altar that was upon the altar. 
1:60 Now the women who circumcised their children, were slain according to the commandment. 
1:61 And they hanged the infants about their necks, and put to death their families, and those who had circumcised them. 
1:62 And many in Israel prevailed and were strengthened in themselves, not to eat common things. 
1:63 And they accepted death so as not to be defiled by food, and not to profane the holy covenant: and they died. 
1:64 And there was very great wrath on Israel.
2:1 \p In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the [son] of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and he abode in Modin.
2:2 And he had five sons: John who was surnamed Gaddis: 
2:3 And Simon, who was surnamed Thasi: 
2:4 And Judas, who was called Maccabeus: 
2:5 And Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus. 
2:6 And he saw the blasphemies that were done in Judah, and in Jerusalem. 
2:7 And Mattathias said: \p Woe is me! Why was I born to see the ruin of my people, And the ruin of the holy city, And to live there, When it is given into the hands of the enemies?
2:8 The holy places have come into the hands of strangers: Her temple has become as a man without honor.
2:9 The vessels of her glory are carried away captive: Her infants are murdered in the streets, And her young men have fallen by the sword of the enemies.
2:10 What nation has not inherited her kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?
2:11 All her ornaments are taken away. She who was free is made a slave.
2:12 And look, our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our glory is laid waste, And the nations have defiled them.
2:13 To what end then should we live any longer?
2:14 \p And Mattathias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered themselves with sackcloth, and made great lamentation.
2:15 \p And those from the king who were compelling the apostasy came to the city of Modin, to sacrifice.
2:16 And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them: but Mattathias and his sons gathered together. 
2:17 And those who were sent from Antiochus, answering, said to Mattathias: You are a ruler, and an honorable, and great man in this city, and adorned with sons, and brothers. 
2:18 Therefore you come first, and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those who remain in Jerusalem: and you, and your sons, will be numbered among the Friends of the King, and enriched with gold, and silver, and many presents.
2:19 \p Then Mattathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all the nations in the kingdom of the king obey him, so as to depart every man from the service of his fathers, and have chosen his commandments: 
2:20 I and my sons, and my brothers will obey the covenant of our fathers. 
2:21 Far be it from us to forsake the law and the ordinances:
2:22 We will not listen to the words of the king, to transgress our service, to the right hand or to the left.
2:23 \p Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols on the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment. 
2:24 And Mattathias saw and was zealous, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment, and running on him he slew him on the altar. 
2:25 Moreover the man of the king, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar, 
2:26 And showed zeal for the law, as Phinehas did by Zimri the son of Salu. 
2:27 And Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one who has zeal for the law, and maintains the covenant, let him follow me. 
2:28 So he, and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city.
2:29 \p Then many who sought after righteousness and justice went down into the desert. 
2:30 And they abode there, they and their sons, and their wives, and their cattle: because afflictions increased on them. 
2:31 And it was told to the king's men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem in the city of David, that certain men who had broken the king's commandment, had gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many had gone after them. 
2:32 And forthwith they went out toward them, and made war against them on the Sabbath day, 
2:33 And they said to them: Enough! Come out, and do according to the word of the king, and you⁺ will live. 
2:34 And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we obey the king's edict, to profane the Sabbath day. 
2:35 And they made haste to give them battle. 
2:36 But they did not answer them, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stop up the secret places, 
2:37 saying: Let us all die in our innocency: and heaven and earth will be witnesses for us, that you⁺ put us to death wrongfully. 
2:38 So they gave them battle on the Sabbath: and they were slain with their wives, and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand souls.
2:39 \p And Mattathias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly. 
2:40 And every man said to his fellow man: If we will all do as our brothers have done, and not fight against the nations for our souls, and our ordinances: they will now quickly root us out of the earth. 
2:41 And they determined in that day, saying: Whoever will come up against us to fight on the Sabbath day, we will fight against him: and we will not all die, as our brothers who were slain in the secret places.
2:42 \p Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one who had a good will for the law. 
2:43 And all those who fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.
2:44 \p And they gathered an army, And slew the sinners in their wrath, And the wicked men in their indignation: And the rest fled to the nations for safety.
2:45 \p And Mattathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars: 
2:46 And they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel who were uncircumcised: and they did valiantly. 
2:47 And they pursued after the sons of pride, and the work prospered in their hand: 
2:48 And they recovered the law out of the hand of the nations and of the kings: and they did not yield the horn to the sinner.
2:49 \p Now the days drew near that Mattathias should die, and he said to his sons: Now has pride and chastisement gotten strength, And the time of destruction,  and the wrath of indignation:
2:50 Now therefore, O my sons, be⁺ zealous for the law, And give your⁺ souls for the covenant of your⁺ fathers.
2:51 And call to remembrance the works of the fathers, Which they have done in their generations: And you⁺ will receive great glory, And an everlasting name.
2:52 Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, And it was reckoned to him for righteousness?
2:53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, And he was made lord of Egypt.
2:54 Phinehas our father, by being fervent in zeal, Received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
2:55 Joshua, while he fulfilled the word, Was made judge in Israel.
2:56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the congregation, Received an inheritance.
2:57 David, by his mercy, Obtained the throne of a kingdom forever.
2:58 Elijah, while he was full of zeal for the law, Was taken up into heaven.
2:59 Hananiah and Azariah and Mishael by believing, Were delivered out of the flame.
2:60 Daniel in his innocency Was delivered out of the mouth of the lions.
2:61 And thus consider through all generations: That none who trust in him fail in strength.
2:62 \p And do not fear the words of a sinful man, For his glory is dung, and worms:
2:63 Today he is lifted up, And tomorrow he will not be found, Because he has returned into his earth; And his thought has come to nothing.
2:64 You⁺ therefore, my sons, be manly, be strong in the law: For by it you⁺ will be glorious.
2:65 \p And look, I know that your⁺ brother Simon Is a man of counsel. Give ear to him always, And he will be a father to you⁺.
2:66 And Judas Maccabeus Who is valiant and strong from his youth up, Let him be the leader of your⁺ army, And he will manage the war of the people.
2:67 And you⁺ will take to you⁺ all who observe the law: And take⁺ vengeance for the wrong of your⁺ people.
2:68 Render to the nations their reward, And take heed to the precepts of the law.
2:69 \p And he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. 
2:70 And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year: and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning.
3:1 \p Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his place. 
3:2 And all his brothers helped him, and all those who had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3:3 \p And he got his people great honor, And put on a breastplate as a giant, And girt his warlike armor about him in battles, And protected the camp with the sword.
3:4 In his acts he was like a lion, And like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
3:5 And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, And those who troubled his people he burned.
3:6 And the wicked were driven away for fear of him, And all the workers of iniquity were troubled: And salvation prospered in his hand.
3:7 And he grieved many kings, And made Jacob glad with his works, And his memory is blessed forever.
3:8 And he went through the cities of Judah, And destroyed the wicked out of them, And turned away wrath from Israel.
3:9 And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, And he gathered those who were perishing.
3:10 \p And Apollonius gathered together the nations, and a great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel. 
3:11 And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, and the rest fled away. 
3:12 And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.
3:13 \p And Seron captain of the army of Syria heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful, and a congregation with him. 
3:14 And he said: I will get myself a name, and will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those who are with him, who have despised the edict of the king. 
3:15 And he continued further: and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong helpers, to be revenged of the sons of Israel. 
3:16 And he approached even as far as Beth-horon: and Judas went forth to meet him, with a small company. 
3:17 But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas: How shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting today? 
3:18 And Judas said: It is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few: and there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company: 
3:19 For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength comes from heaven. 
3:20 They come against us with a multitude of insult, and of lawlessness, to destroy us, and our wives, and our children, and to take our spoils. 
3:21 But we will fight for our souls and our ordinances: 
3:22 And the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: but as for you⁺, don't fear them. 
3:23 And as soon as he had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly on them: and Seron and his host were overthrown before him: 
3:24 And he pursued him by the descent of Beth-horon even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines. 
3:25 And the fear of Judas and of his brothers, and the dread of them began upon the nations round about them. 
3:26 And his fame came to the king, and the nations told of the battles of Judas.
3:27 \p Now when King Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceedingly strong army. 
3:28 And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready for all things. 
3:29 And he perceived that the silver of his treasures failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of the dissension, and the evil that he had brought on the land, that he might take away the laws of old times. 
3:30 And he feared that he should not have as formerly enough, for charges and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand: for he had abounded more than the kings who had been before him. 
3:31 And he was greatly perplexed in his soul, and purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to gather much silver. 
3:32 And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the royal seed, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt: 
3:33 And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again. 
3:34 And he delivered to him half the army, and the elephants: and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem. 
3:35 And that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place. 
3:36 And that he should settle foreigners to live in all their coasts, and divide their land by lot. 
3:37 So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the higher countries.
3:38 \p Then Lysias chose Ptolemy the [son] of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men among the Friends of the King.
3:39 And he sent with them forces to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it according to the king's orders. 
3:40 So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country. 
3:41 And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into the camp, to buy the sons of Israel for slaves: and there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.
3:42 \p And Judas and his brothers saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolish them. 
3:43 And they said every man to his fellow man: Let's raise up the low condition of our people, and let's fight for our people, and our sanctuary. 
3:44 And the assembly was gathered that they might be ready for battle: and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
3:45 \p Now Jerusalem was not inhabited,  But was like a desert. There was none of her children who went in or out, And the sanctuary was trodden down. And the foreigners were in the castle, There was the habitation of the nations. And joy was taken away from Jacob, And the pipe and harp ceased there.
3:46 \p And they assembled together, and came to Maspha opposite Jerusalem: for in Maspha was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel. 
3:47 And they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads. And they rent their garments. 
3:48 And they laid open the books of the law, in which the nations searched for the likenesses of their idols. 
3:49 And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the firstfruits and tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites who had fulfilled their days. 
3:50 And they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: \p What shall we do with these, And where shall we carry them? 
3:51 For your holies are trodden down, and are profaned, And your priests are in mourning, and are brought low. 
3:52 And look, the nations have come together against us to destroy us: You know what they intend against us. 
3:53 How shall we be able to stand before their face, Unless you help us?
3:54 \p Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice.
3:55 \p And after this Judas appointed captains over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens. 
3:56 And he said to those who were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should return every man to his house, according to the law. 
3:57 So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus. 
3:58 And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be sons of valor, and be ready against the morning, that you⁺ may fight with these nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. 
3:59 For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies. 
3:60 Nevertheless as it shall be the will of God in heaven so be it done.
4:1 \p Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best horsemen: and they removed out of the camp by night. 
4:2 That they might come upon the camp of the Jews, and strike them suddenly: and the men who were of the castle were their guides. 
4:3 And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus. 
4:4 For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp. 
4:5 And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man, and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.
4:6 \p And when it was day, Judas showed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armor nor swords. 
4:7 And they saw the camp of the nations that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war. 
4:8 And Judas said to the men who were with him: Don't fear⁺ their multitude, neither be⁺ afraid of their assault. 
4:9 Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army. 
4:10 And now let us cry to heaven: and he will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day: 
4:11 And all nations will know that there is one who redeems and delivers Israel.
4:12 \p And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them. 
4:13 And they went out of the camp to battle, and those who were with Judas sounded the trumpet. 
4:14 And they joined battle: and the nations were routed, and fled into the plain. 
4:15 But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gazara, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.
4:16 \p And Judas returned again with his army that followed him, 
4:17 And he said to the people: Don't be greedy of the spoils: for there is war before us. 
4:18 And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain; but, stand⁺ now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you⁺ will take the spoils afterward with safety. 
4:19 And as Judas was speaking these words, look, part of them appeared looking forth from the mountain. 
4:20 And he saw that they were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done. 
4:21 And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight. 
4:22 So they all fled away into the land of the strangers. 
4:23 And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
4:24 \p And returning home they sung a hymn, And blessed toward heaven, For he is good, For his mercy endures forever.
4:25 \p So Israel had a great deliverance that day. 
4:26 And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened. 
4:27 And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.
4:28 \p So the year following Lysias gathered together chosen men, that he might subdue them. 
4:29 And they came into Idumaea, and pitched their tents at Beth-zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men. 
4:30 And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed, and said: \p Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, Who broke the violence of the mighty by the hand of your servant David, And delivered up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul and of his armorbearer. 
4:31 Shut up this army in the hands of your people Israel, And let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen. 
4:32 Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, And let them quake at their own destruction. 
4:33 Cast them down with the sword of those who love you: And let all who know your name, praise you with hymns. 
4:34 \p And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men. 
4:35 And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.
4:36 \p Then Judas, and his brothers said: Look our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places and to repair them. 
4:37 And all the army assembled together, and they went up into Mount Zion. 
4:38 And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down. 
4:39 And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads: 
4:40 And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried toward heaven.
4:41 \p Then Judas appointed men to fight against those who were in the castle, until they had cleansed the holy places. 
4:42 And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set on the law of God: 
4:43 And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place. 
4:44 And he considered about the altar of burnt-offerings that had been profaned, what he should do with it. 
4:45 And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: otherwise it should be a reproach to them, because the nations had defiled it; so they threw it down. 
4:46 And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them. 
4:47 Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former: 
4:48 And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the courts. 
4:49 And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the lampstand, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 
4:50 And they put incense on the altar, and lit up the lamps that were on the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple. 
4:51 And they set the loaves on the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.
4:52 \p And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month (which is the month of Kislev) in the hundred and forty-eighth year. 
4:53 And they offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of burnt-offerings which they had made. 
4:54 According to the time, and according to the day in which the nations had defiled it, in the same it was dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals. 
4:55 And all the people fell on their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him who had prospered them. 
4:56 And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered burnt-offerings with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise. 
4:57 And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and settings, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors on them. 
4:58 And there was exceedingly great joy among the people, and the reproach of the nations was turned away. 
4:59 And Judas, and his brothers, and all the congregation of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Kislev, with joy and gladness. 
4:60 They built up also at that time Mount Zion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, otherwise the nations should at any time come, and tread it down as they did before. 
4:61 And he placed a garrison there to keep it, and he fortified it to secure Beth-zur, that the people might have a defense against Idumea.
5:1 \p Now it came to pass, when the nations round about heard that the altar was built up and the sanctuary was dedicated as before, that they were exceedingly angry.
5:2 And they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob who were among them, and they began to kill some of the people, and to persecute them. 
5:3 Then Judas fought against the sons of Esau in Idumea, and those who were in Acrabathane: because they beset the Israelites round about, and he made a great slaughter of them. 
5:4 And he remembered the malice of the sons of Bean: who were a snare and a stumblingblock to the people, by lying in wait for them in the way. 
5:5 And they were shut up by him in towers, and he set on them, and devoted them to utter destruction, and burned their towers with fire, and all who were in them. 
5:6 Then he passed over to the sons of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and many people, and Timotheus was their captain. 
5:7 And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited in their sight, and he struck them. 
5:8 And he took Jazer and her towns, and returned into Judea.
5:9 \p And the nations that were in Gilead, assembled themselves together against the Israelites who were in their quarters to destroy them: and they fled into the fortress of Datheman. 
5:10 And they sent letters to Judas and his brothers, saying: The nations that are round about are gathered together against us, to destroy us. 
5:11 And they are preparing to come, and to take the fortress into which we have fled. And Timotheus is the captain of their host. 
5:12 Now therefore come, and deliver us out of their hands, for many of us have been slain. 
5:13 And all our brothers who were in the places of Tubin, have been killed. And they have carried away their wives, and their children, captives, and taken their spoils, and they have slain there almost a thousand men. 
5:14 And while they were yet reading these letters, look, there came other messengers out of Galilee with their garments rent, who related according to these words, 
5:15 saying that those of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and of Sidon, were assembled against them, and all Galilee of strangers, in order to consume us.
5:16 \p Now when Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly met together to consider what they should do for their brothers who were in trouble, and were assaulted by them. 
5:17 And Judas said to Simon his brother: Choose you men, and go, and deliver your brothers in Galilee: and I, and my brother Jonathan will go into the country of Gilead. 
5:18 And he left Joseph the [son] of Zacharias, and Azarias captains of the people with the remnant of the army in Judea to keep it. 
5:19 And he commanded them, saying: Take⁺ the charge of this people: but make no war against the nations, until we return. 
5:20 Now three thousand men were allotted to Simon, to go into Galilee: and eight thousand to Judas to go into the land of Gilead.
5:21 \p And Simon went into Galilee, and fought many battles with the nations: and the nations were discomfited before his face, and he pursued them even to the gate of Ptolemais. 
5:22 And there fell of the nations almost three thousand men, and he took the spoils of them. 
5:23 And he took with him those who were in Galilee and in Arbatis with their wives, and children, and all that they had, and he brought them into Judea with great joy.
5:24 \p And Judas Maccabeus, and Jonathan his brother passed over the Jordan, and went three days' journey through the desert. 
5:25 And the Nabutheans met them, and received them in a peaceful manner, and told them all that happened to their brothers in the land of Gilead, 
5:26 And that many of them were shut up in Barasa, and in Bosor, and in Alima, and in Casphor, and in Mageth, and in Carnaim: all these strong and great cities. 
5:27 Yes, and that they were kept shut up in the rest of the cities of Gilead, and that they had appointed to bring their army on the next day near to these fortresses, and to take them and to destroy them all in one day.
5:28 Then Judas and his army suddenly turned their march into the desert, to Bosor, and took the city: and he slew every male by the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned it with fire. 
5:29 And they removed from there by night, and went until they came to the fortress.
5:30 \p And it came to pass that early in the morning, when they lifted up their eyes, look, there were people without number, carrying ladders and engines to take the fortress, and assault them. 
5:31 And Judas saw that the fight had begun, and the cry of the battle went up to heaven like a trumpet, and a great cry out of the city: 
5:32 And he said to the men of the army: Fight⁺ today for our brothers.
5:33 And he came with three companies behind them, and they sounded their trumpets, and cried out in prayer. 
5:34 And the host of Timotheus understood that it was Maccabeus, and they fled away before his face: and they made a great slaughter of them: and there fell of them in that day almost eight thousand men. 
5:35 And Judas turned aside to Maspha, and assaulted, and took it, and he slew every male of it, and took the spoils of it, and burned it with fire. 
5:36 From there he marched, and took Chasphon, and Maked, and Bosor, and the rest of the cities of Gilead.
5:37 \p But after this Timotheus gathered another army, and camped opposite Raphon beyond the torrent. 
5:38 And Judas sent men to view the army: and they brought him word, saying: All the nations, that are round about us, have assembled to him an army exceedingly great: 
5:39 And they have hired the Arabians to help them, and they have pitched their tents beyond the torrent, ready to come to fight against you. And Judas went to meet them. 
5:40 And Timotheus said to the captains of his army: When Judas and his army come near the torrent of water, if he passes over to us first, we will not be able to withstand him: for he will certainly prevail over us. 
5:41 But if he is afraid to pass over, and camps on the other side of the river, we will pass over to them and will prevail against him. 
5:42 Now when Judas came near the torrent of water, he set the scribes of the people by the torrent, and commanded them, saying: Allow no man to stay behind: but let all come to the battle. 
5:43 And he passed over to them first, and all the people after him, and all the nations were discomfited before them, and they threw away their weapons, and fled to the temple that was in Carnaim. 
5:44 And he took that city, and the temple he burned with fire, with all things that were in it: and Carnaim was subdued, and could not stand against the face of Judas.
5:45 \p And Judas gathered together all the Israelites who were in the land of Gilead, from the least even to the greatest, and their wives, and children, and an army exceedingly great, to come into the land of Judah. 
5:46 And they came as far as Ephron: now this was a great city situate in the way, strongly fortified, and there was no means to turn from it to the right hand or to the left, but the way was through the midst of it. 
5:47 And those who were in the city, shut themselves in, and stopped up the gates with stones: and Judas sent to them with peaceful words, 
5:48 saying: Let us pass through your⁺ land, to go into our country: and no man will hurt you⁺: we will only pass through on foot. But they would not open to them. 
5:49 Then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the camp, that they should make an assault every man in the place where he was. 
5:50 And the men of the army drew near, and he assaulted that city all the day, and all the night, and the city was delivered into his hands. 
5:51 And they slew every male with the edge of the sword, and he razed the city, and took the spoils of it, and passed through all the city over those who were slain. 
5:52 Then they passed over the Jordan to the great plain that is over against Beth-shan. 
5:53 And Judas gathered together the hindmost, and he exhorted the people all the way through, until they came into the land of Judah. 
5:54 And they went up to Mount Zion with joy and gladness, and offered burnt-offerings, because not one of them was slain, until they had returned in peace.
5:55 \p Now in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais, 
5:56 Joseph the [son] of Zacharias, and Azarias captain of the soldiers, heard of the good success, and the battles that were fought. 
5:57 And they said: Let's also get ourselves a name, and let's go fight against the nations that are round about us.
5:58 And he gave charge to those of their army, and they went toward Jamnia.
5:59 And Gorgias and his men went out of the city, to give them battle. 
5:60 And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued to the borders of Judea: and there fell, on that day, of the people of Israel about two thousand men, and there was a great overthrow of the people: 
5:61 Because they did not listen to Judas, and his brothers, thinking that they should do manfully. 
5:62 But they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel.
5:63 \p And the man Judas, and his brothers, were magnified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the nations where their name was heard. 
5:64 And people assembled to them with joyful acclamations. 
5:65 Then Judas and his brothers went forth and attacked the sons of Esau, in the land toward the south, and he took Hebron, and her towns. And he pulled down its fortifications, and burned its towers all round it. 
5:66 And he removed his camp to go into the land of the aliens, and he went through Marisa. 
5:67 In that day some priests fell in battle, while desiring to do manfully they went out unadvisedly to fight. 
5:68 And Judas turned to Azotus into the land of the strangers, and he threw down their altars, and he burned the statues of their gods with fire: and he took the spoils of the cities, and returned into the land of Judah.
6:1 \p Now King Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold. 
6:2 And that there was in it a temple, exceedingly rich: and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields which King Alexander, the [son] of Philip the Macedonian who reigned first in Greece, had left there. 
6:3 And he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it: but he was not able, because the design was known to those who were in the city. 
6:4 And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from there, and departed with great sadness, and returned toward Babylonia. 
6:5 And while he was in Persia, there came one who told him, how the armies that were in the land of Judah were put to flight: 
6:6 And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that they had grown strong by the armor, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed: 
6:7 And that they had thrown down the detestable thing which he had set up on the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Beth-zur also his city.
6:8 \p And it came to pass when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down on his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined. 
6:9 And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more on him, and he made account that he should die. 
6:10 And he called for all his Friends, and said to them: Sleep has gone from my eyes, and I have fallen away in my heart for anxiety.
6:11 And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation I came, and into what floods of sorrow I now am. I who was pleasant and beloved in my power! 
6:12 But now I remember the evils that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without cause. 
6:13 I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me. And look, I perish with great grief in a strange land. 
6:14 Then he called Philip, one of his Friends, and he made him regent over all his kingdom.
6:15 And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he should go to Antiochus his son, and should bring him up for the kingdom. 
6:16 So King Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine. 
6:17 And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he set up Antiochus his son to reign, whom he brought up young: and he called his name Eupator.
6:18 \p Now those who were in the castle, had shut up the Israelites round about the holy places: and they were continually seeking their hurt, and to strengthen the nations. 
6:19 And Judas purposed to destroy them: and he called together all the people, to besiege them. 
6:20 And they came together, and besieged them in the year one hundred and fifty, and they made battering slings and engines.
6:21 \p And some of the besieged got out: and some wicked men of Israel joined themselves to them. 
6:22 And they went to the king, and said: How long do you delay to execute the judgment, and to revenge our brothers? 
6:23 We determined to serve your father and to do according to his orders, and obey his edicts: 
6:24 And for this, the sons of our people are alienated from us, and have slain as many of us as they could find, and have spoiled our inheritances. 
6:25 Neither have they put forth their hand against us only, but also against all your borders. 
6:26 And look, they have approached this day to the castle of Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified the stronghold of Beth-zur. 
6:27 And unless you speedily prevent them, they will do greater things than these, and you will not be able to subdue them.
6:28 \p Now when the king heard this, he was angry: and he called together all his Friends, and the captains of his army, and those who were over the chariots.
6:29 There came also to him from other realms, and from the islands of the sea hired troops. 
6:30 And his forces included elephants trained for battle. 
6:31 And they went through Idumea, and approached to Beth-zur, and fought many days, and they made engines: but they went forth and burned them with fire, and fought manfully.
6:32 \p And Judas departed from the castle, and removed the camp to Bethzacharam, opposite the king's camp. 
6:33 And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march on fiercely toward the way of Bethzacharam. And the armies made themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets. 
6:34 And they showed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries to provoke them to fight. 
6:35 And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast. 
6:36 These were ahead of wherever the beast would be: and wherever it went, they went, and they did not depart from it. 
6:37 And on the beast, there were strong wooden towers, which covered every one of them: and engines on them: and on every one, thirty valiant men who fought from above; and an Indian to rule the beast. 
6:38 And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side at the two wings, to stir up the army, and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the phalanxes thereof. 
6:39 Now when the sun shone on the shields of gold, and of brass, the mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire. 
6:40 And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on warily and orderly. 
6:41 And all the inhabitants were moved at the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the armor, for the army was exceedingly great and strong. 
6:42 And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men.
6:43 \p And Eleazar the Auran saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts: and it seemed to him that the king was on it: 
6:44 And he exposed himself to deliver his people and to get himself an everlasting name. 
6:45 And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and that side. 
6:46 And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground on him, and he died there. 
6:47 Then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of his army, turned away from them.
6:48 \p But the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem: and the king's army pitched their tents against Judea and Mount Zion. 
6:49 And he made peace with those who were in Beth-zur: and they came forth out of the city, because they had no victuals, being shut up there, for it was the year of rest to the land. 
6:50 And the king took Beth-zur: and he placed there a garrison to keep it. 
6:51 And he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days: and he set up there battering slings, and engines and instruments to cast fire, and engines to cast stones and javelins, and pieces to shoot arrows, and slings. 
6:52 And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought for many days. 
6:53 But there were no victuals in the holy places, because it was the seventh year: and such as had stayed in Judea of those who came from among the nations, had eaten the remainder of all that which had been stored up. 
6:54 And there remained in the holy places but a few, for the famine had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man to his own place.
6:55 \p Now Lysias heard that Philip, whom King Antiochus while he lived had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, and to reign, 
6:56 had returned from Persia, and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take on him the affairs of the kingdom. 
6:57 And he made haste to go, and said to the king and to the captains of the army: We decay daily, and our provision of victuals is small, and the place that we lay siege to is strong, and it lies on us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom. 
6:58 Now therefore let's come to an agreement with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation. 
6:59 And let's covenant with them, that they may live according to their own laws as before. For because of our despising their laws, they have been provoked, and have done all these things.
6:60 \p And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of the princes: and he sent to them to make peace: and they accepted of it. 
6:61 And the king and the princes swore to them: and they came out of the stronghold. 
6:62 Then the king entered into Mount Zion, and saw the strength of the place: and he broke the oath that he had taken, and gave commandment to throw down the wall round about. 
6:63 And he departed in haste, and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip master of the city: and he fought against him, and took the city.
7:1 \p In the hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the [son] of Seleucus departed from Rome, and came up with a few men into a city of the seacoast, and reigned there. 
7:2 And it came to pass, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized on Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them to him. 
7:3 And when he knew it, he said: Don't let me see their face. 
7:4 So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom.
7:5 \p And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: and Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest. 
7:6 And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your friends, and he has driven us out of our land. 
7:7 Now therefore send some man whom you trust, and let him go, and see all the havoc he has made among us, and in the king's lands: and let him punish all his friends and their helpers.
7:8 \p Then the king chose Bacchides, one of the Friends of the King, who ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him,
7:9 to see the havoc that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge on the sons of Israel. 
7:10 And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Judah: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brothers with peaceful words deceitfully. 
7:11 But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they had come with a great army.
7:12 \p Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes to require things that are just. 
7:13 And first [were] the Assideans who were among the sons of Israel, and they sought peace of them. 
7:14 For they said: One who is a priest of the seed of Aaron has come, he will not deceive us. 
7:15 And he spoke to them peacefully: and he swore to them, saying: We will do you⁺ no harm nor your⁺ friends. 
7:16 And they believed him. And he took sixty of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word that is written:
7:17 \p The flesh of your saints, And their blood they have shed round about Jerusalem, And there was none to bury them.
7:18 \p Then fear and trembling fell on all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made.
7:19 \p And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of those who had fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit. 
7:20 Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king.
7:21 \p But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood. 
7:22 And those who disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Judah into their power, and did much hurt in Israel. 
7:23 And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and those who were with him, did to the sons of Israel, much more than the nations. 
7:24 And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance on the men who had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country. 
7:25 And Alcimus saw that Judas, and those who were with him prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes.
7:26 \p And the king sent Nicanor one of his principal lords, who hated and was hostile to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people. 
7:27 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brothers deceitfully with friendly words, 
7:28 saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you⁺. I will come with a few men to see your⁺ faces with peace. 
7:29 And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peacefully. And the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force. 
7:30 And the thing was known to Judas: that he came to him with deceit. And he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more. 
7:31 And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas near Capharsalama. 
7:32 And there fell of Nicanor's army almost five hundred men, and they fled into the city of David.
7:33 \p And after this Nicanor went up into Mount Zion: and some of the priests came out from the holy places, and the elders of the people, to salute him peacefully, and to show him the burnt-offerings that were offered for the king. 
7:34 But he mocked and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly, 
7:35 And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage. 
7:36 And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said: 
7:37 You, O Lord, have chosen this house for your name to be called on in it, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. 
7:38 Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and do not give them a dwelling place.
7:39 \p Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Beth-horon: and an army of Syria joined him. 
7:40 But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said: 
7:41 O Lord, when those who were sent by King Sennacherib blasphemed you, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand: 
7:42 Even so destroy this army in our sight today, and let the rest know that he has spoken ill against your sanctuary: and judge him according to his wickedness. 
7:43 And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle. 
7:44 And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain, they threw away their weapons, and fled. 
7:45 And they pursued after them one day's journey from Adasa, even until one comes to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals. 
7:46 And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one. 
7:47 And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and displayed it near Jerusalem. 
7:48 And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy. 
7:49 And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar. 
7:50 And the land of Judah was quiet for a short time.
8:17 [Now Judas had heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were powerful and received all who came to them.] So Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance with them,
8:18 and that they might take off from them the yoke of the Greeks, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.
8:19 And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:
8:20 Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you⁺ to make an alliance and peace with you⁺, and that we may be registered your⁺ confederates and friends.
8:21 And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.
8:22 And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back, engraved in tablets of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.
8:23 GOOD SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews by sea and by land, forever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.
8:24 But if there comes first any war on the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:
8:25 The nation of the Jews will help them according as the time directs, with all their heart.
8:26 Neither will they give them, while they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or silver, or ships, as it has seemed good to the Romans: and they will obey their orders, without taking anything of them.
8:27 In like manner also if war comes first on the nation of the Jews, the Romans will help them with all their heart, according as the time permits them.
8:28 And there will not be given to them who come to their aid, either wheat, or arms, or silver, or ships, as it has seemed good to the Romans: and they will observe their orders without deceit.
8:29 According to these terms the Romans made a covenant with the people of the Jews.
8:30 And, if after this, one party or the other has a mind to add to these terms, or take away anything, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatever they add, or take away, will be ratified.
8:31 Moreover, concerning the evils that Demetrius the king has done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why have you made your yoke heavy on our friends and allies, the Jews?
8:32 If, therefore, they come again to us complaining of you, we will do them justice, and will make war against you by sea and land.
9:1 \p Now when Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent again Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea; and the right wing of his army with them. 
9:2 And they took the road that leads to Galilee, and they camped in Masaloth, which is in Arbela: and they made themselves masters of it, and slew many souls of men. 
9:3 In the first month of the hundred and fifty-second year they came to Jerusalem: 
9:4 And they arose, and went to Berea with twenty thousand men, and two thousand horsemen.
9:5 \p Now Judas had pitched his tents in Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him: 
9:6 And they saw the multitude of the army that they were many, and they were seized with great fear: and many withdrew themselves out of the camp, and there remained of them no more than eight hundred men. 
9:7 And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and the battle pressed on him, and his heart was cast down: because he did not have time to gather them together, and he was discouraged. 
9:8 Then he said to those who remained: Let us arise, and go up against our enemies, if we may be able to fight against them. 
9:9 But they dissuaded him, saying: We will not be able, but let us save our souls now, and return to our brothers, and we will fight against them: for we are but few. 
9:10 Then Judas said: Far be it from us to do this thing, to flee away from them: but if our time has come, let us die manfully for our brothers, and let us not leave a stain on our glory.
9:11 \p And the army removed out of the camp, and they stood over against them: and the horsemen were divided into two troops, and the slingers, and the archers went before the army, and those who were in the front were all men of valor. 
9:12 And Bacchides was in the right wing, and the legion drew near on two sides, and they sounded the trumpets: 
9:13 And they also who were on Judas' side, even they also cried out, and the earth shook at the noise of the armies: and the battle was fought from morning even to the evening. 
9:14 And Judas perceived that the stronger part of the army of Bacchides was on the right side, and all the stout of heart came together with him: 
9:15 And the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued them even to Mount Azotus. 
9:16 And those who were in the left wing saw that the right wing was discomfited, and they followed after Judas, and those who were with him, at their back: 
9:17 And the battle was hard fought, and there fell many wounded of the one side and of the other. 
9:18 And Judas was slain, and the rest fled away.
9:19 \p And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the tomb of their fathers in Modin. 
9:20 And all the people of Israel bewailed him with great lamentation, and they mourned for him many days. 
9:21 And said: \p How has the mighty man fallen, who saved Israel!
9:22 \p But the rest of the words of Judas, and of the wars, and of the noble acts that he did, and of his greatness, are not written: for they were very many. 
9:23 And it came to pass after the death of Judas, that the wicked began to put forth their heads in all the confines of Israel, and all the workers of iniquity rose up.
9:24 \p In those days there was a very great famine, and the country went over with them. 
9:25 And Bacchides chose the wicked men, and made them lords of the country. 
9:26 And they sought out, and made diligent search after the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance of them, and abused them. 
9:27 And there came to pass a great tribulation in Israel, such as had not come to pass since the day that a prophet was last seen in Israel.
9:28 \p And all the friends of Judas came together, and said to Jonathan: 
9:29 Since your brother Judas died, there isn't a man like him to go forth against our enemies, Bacchides, and those who are the enemies of our nation. 
9:30 Now therefore we have chosen you this day to be our prince, and captain in his place to fight our battles. 
9:31 So Jonathan took on him the government at that time, and rose up in the place of Judas his brother.
9:32 \p And Bacchides had knowledge of it, and sought to kill him. 
9:33 And Jonathan and Simon his brother knew it, and all who were with them: and they fled into the desert of Thecua, and they pitched by the water of the pool of Asphar. 
9:35 And he sent his brother, a captain of the crowd, to ask the Nabutheans his friends, so as to entrust to them their baggage, which was much.
9:36 And the sons of Jambri came forth out of Madaba, and took John, and all that he had, and went away with them.
9:37 \p After this it was told Jonathan, and Simon his brother, that the sons of Jambri made a great marriage, and were bringing the bride out of Madaba, the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan, with great pomp. 
9:38 And they remembered the blood of John their brother: and they went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain. 
9:39 And they lifted up their eyes, and saw: and look, a tumult, and great preparation: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends, and his brothers to meet them with timbrels, and musical instruments, and many weapons. 
9:40 And they rose up against them from the place where they lay in ambush, and slew them, and there fell many wounded, and the rest fled into the mountains, and they took all their spoils:
9:41 \p And the marriage was turned into mourning, And the noise of their musical instruments into lamentation.
9:42 \p And they took vengeance for the blood of their brother: and they returned to the bank of the Jordan.
9:43 \p And Bacchides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath day even to the bank of the Jordan with a great power. 
9:44 And Jonathan said to his company: Let us arise, and fight for our souls: for it is not as formerly. 
9:45 For look, the battle is before us, and the water of the Jordan on this side and on that side, and banks, and marshes, and woods: and there is no place for us to turn aside. 
9:46 Now therefore cry⁺ to heaven, that you⁺ may be delivered from the hand of our enemies. And they joined battle. 
9:47 And Jonathan stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchides, but he turned away from him backwards. 
9:48 And Jonathan, and those who were with him leaped into the Jordan, and swam over to the other side: and they did not cross the Jordan after them. 
9:49 And there fell of Bacchides' side that day a thousand men: and they returned to Jerusalem, 
9:50 And they built strong cities in Judea, the fortress that was in Jericho, and in Ammaus, and in Beth-horon, and in Bethel, and Thamnata, and Phara, and Thopo, with high walls, and gates, and bars. 
9:51 And he placed garrisons in them, that they might wage war against Israel. 
9:52 And he fortified the city of Beth-zur, and Gazara, and the castle, and set garrisons in them, and provisions of victuals. 
9:53 And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in the castle in Jerusalem in custody.
9:54 \p Now in the year one hundred and fifty-three, the second month, Alcimus commanded the walls of the inner court of the sanctuary to be thrown down, and the works of the prophets to be destroyed: and he began to destroy. 
9:55 At that time Alcimus was struck: and his works were hindered, and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak a word, nor give order concerning his house. 
9:56 And Alcimus died at that time in great torment. 
9:57 And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead: and he returned to the king, and the land was quiet for two years.
9:58 \p And all the wicked held a council, saying: Look, Jonathan and those who are with him live at ease, and without fear: now therefore let's bring Bacchides here, and he will take them all in one night. 
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 who were in Judea, to seize on Jonathan, and those who 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, who were the principal authors of the mischief, fifty men, and slew them. 
9:62 And Jonathan, and Simon, and those who were with him retired into Bethbessen, which is in the desert: and he repaired the breaches of it, and they fortified it.
9:63 \p And when Bacchides knew it, he gathered together all his multitude: and sent word to those who 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 he struck Odomera, and his brothers, and the sons of Phaseron in their tents, and he began to slay, and went up with his forces. 
9:67 But Simon and those who were with him, came out of the city, and burned 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 who 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 \p 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, 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 Judah. 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.
10:1 \p Now in the hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the [son] of Antiochus, [surnamed] Epiphanes, 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 exceedingly great army, and went forth against him to fight. 
10:3 And Demetrius sent letters to Jonathan with peaceful words, to magnify him. 
10:4 For he said: Let's first make peace with them, before he makes [peace] with Alexander against us. 
10:5 For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brothers, 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 who were in the castle, he commanded to be delivered to him.
10:7 \p And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of those who 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 Zion round about with square stones for fortification: and so they did. 
10:12 And the strangers who were in the strongholds, which Bacchides had built, fled away. 
10:13 And every man left his place, and departed into his own country. 
10:14 Only in Beth-zur there remained some of them, who had forsaken the law and the commandments: for this was a place of refuge for them.
10:15 \p 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 brothers had done, and the labors 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 you, that you are a man of great power, and fit to be made a Friend of the King:
10:20 Now therefore we make you this day high priest of your nation, and that you be called Friend of the King (and he sent him a purple robe, and a crown of gold), and that you be of one mind with us in our affairs, and keep friendship with us.
10:21 \p Then Jonathan put on the holy vestment in the seventh month, in the year one hundred and sixty, at the feast day of the tabernacles: and he gathered together an army, and made a great number of arms.
10:22 \p And Demetrius heard these words, and was sorry, and said: 
10:23 What is this that we have done, that Alexander has 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 sent to them in these words: King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews: Greetings. 
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 And now continue still to keep fidelity toward 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 I give back 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 will not be taken of the land of Judah, and of the three cities that are added thereto out of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth and forever. 
10:31 And let Jerusalem be holy and free, with the borders of it: and let the tenths, and tributes be for itself. 
10:32 I give back also the power of the castle that is in Jerusalem, and I give it to the high priest, to place in it such men as he will choose to keep it. 
10:33 And every soul of the Jews who has been carried captive from the land of Judah in all my kingdom, I set at liberty freely, that all be discharged from tributes even of their cattle.
10:34 \p 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 who are in my kingdom. 
10:35 And no man will have power to do any thing against them, or to trouble 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 will be made them as is due to all the king's forces, and certain of them will be appointed to be in the fortresses of the great king. 
10:37 And some of them will be set over the affairs of the kingdom, who are of trust, and let the governors be taken from among themselves, and let them walk in their own laws, as the king has commanded in the land of Judah. 
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 of it, I give as a free gift to the holy places, that are in Jerusalem, for the necessary charges of the holy things.
10:40 \p And I give every year fifteen thousand sicles of silver out of the king's accounts, of what belongs to me. 
10:41 And all that is above, which those who were over the affairs the years before, had not paid, from this time they will give it to the works of the house. 
10:42 Moreover the five thousand sicles of silver which they received from the account of the holy places, every year, will also belong to the priests who execute the ministry. 
10:43 And whoever will flee into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and in all the borders of it, being indebted to the king for any matter, let them be set at liberty, and all that they have in my kingdom, let them have it free. 
10:44 For the building also, or repairing the works of the holy places, the charges will be given out of the king's revenues. 
10:45 For the building also of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying of it round about, the charges will be given out of the king's account, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.
10:46 \p Now when Jonathan, and the people heard these words, they gave no credit to them nor received them: because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel, for he had afflicted them exceedingly. 
10:47 And their inclinations were toward Alexander, because he had been the chief promoter of peace in their regard, and him they always helped.
10:48 \p And King Alexander gathered together a great army, and moved his camp near to Demetrius. 
10:49 And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Demetrius fled away, and Alexander pursued after him, and pressed them close. 
10:50 And the battle was hard fought until the sun went down: and Demetrius was slain that day.
10:51 \p And Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy king of Egypt, with words to this effect, saying: 
10:52 Forasmuch as I have returned into my kingdom, and have sat on the throne of my fathers, and have gotten the dominion, and have overthrown Demetrius, and possessed our country, 
10:53 And have joined battle with him, and both he and his army have been destroyed by us, and we are placed on the throne of his kingdom: 
10:54 Now therefore let us make friendship one with another: and give me now your daughter as wife, and I will be your son-in-law, and I will give both you and her gifts worthy of you.
10:55 \p And King Ptolemy answered, saying: Happy is the day in which you returned to the land of your fathers, and sat on the throne of their kingdom. 
10:56 And now I will do to you as you have written: but meet me at Ptolemais, that we may see one another, and I will give her to you as you have said.
10:57 \p So Ptolemy went out of Egypt, with Cleopatra his daughter, and he came to Ptolemais in the hundred and sixty-second year. 
10:58 And King Alexander met him, and he gave him his daughter Cleopatra: and he celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais, with great glory, after the manner of kings.
10:59 \p And King Alexander wrote to Jonathan, that he should come and meet him. 
10:60 And he went honorably to Ptolemais, and he met there the two kings, and he gave them and their Friends much silver, and gold, and presents: and he found favor in their sight.
10:61 And some pestilent men of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him to accuse him: and the king gave no heed to them. 
10:62 And he commanded that Jonathan's garments should be taken off, and that he should be clothed with purple: and they did so. And the king had him sit with him. 
10:63 And he said to his princes: Go out 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. 
10:64 So when his accusers saw his glory proclaimed, and him clothed with purple, they all fled away. 
10:65 And the king magnified him, and enrolled him among the Chief Friends of the King, and made him governor and partaker of his dominion.
10:66 And Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with peace and joy.
10:67 \p In the year one hundred and sixty-five Demetrius the son of Demetrius came from Crete into the land of his fathers. 
10:68 And King Alexander heard of it, and was much troubled, and returned to Antioch. 
10:69 And King Demetrius made Apollonius his general, who was governor of Celesyria: and he gathered together a great army, and came to Jamnia. And he sent to Jonathan the high priest, 
10:70 saying: You alone stand against us, and I am laughed at, and reproached, because you show your power against us in the mountains. 
10:71 Now therefore if you trust in your forces, come down to us into the plain, and there let us try one another: for with me is the strength of the cities. 
10:72 Ask, and learn who I am, and the rest who help me, who also say that your⁺ foot can't stand before our face, for your fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land. 
10:73 And now how will you be able to abide the horsemen, and so great an army in the plain, where there is no stone, nor rock, nor place to flee to?
10:74 \p Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind: and he chose ten thousand men, and went out of Jerusalem, and Simon his brother met him to help him. 
10:75 And they pitched their tents near Joppa, but they shut him out of the city: because a garrison of Apollonius was in Joppa, and he laid siege to it. 
10:76 And those who were in the city being frightened, opened the gates to him: so Jonathan took Joppa. 
10:77 And Apollonius heard of it, and he took three thousand horsemen, and a great army. 
10:78 And he went to Azotus as one who was making a journey, and immediately he went forth into the plain: because he had a great number of horsemen, and he trusted in them. And Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, and they joined battle. 
10:79 And Apollonius left privately in the camp a thousand horsemen behind them. 
10:80 And Jonathan knew that there was an ambush behind him, and they surrounded his army, and cast darts at the people from morning until evening. 
10:81 But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so their horses were fatigued. 
10:82 Then Simon drew forth his army, and attacked the legion: for the horsemen were wearied: and they were discomfited by him, and fled. 
10:83 And those who were scattered about the plain, fled into Azotus, and went into Bethdagon their idol's temple, there to save themselves. 
10:84 But Jonathan set fire to Azotus, and the cities that were round about it, and took the spoils of them, and the temple of Dagon: and all those who had fled into it, he burned with fire. 
10:85 So those who were slain by the sword, with those who were burned, were almost eight thousand men.
10:86 \p And Jonathan removed his army from there, and camped against Ascalon: and they went out of the city to meet him with great honor. 
10:87 And Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with his people, having many spoils. 
10:88 And it came to pass: when Alexander the king heard these words, that he honored Jonathan yet more. 
10:89 And he sent him a buckle of gold, as the custom is, to be given to such as are of the royal family. And he gave him Ekron and all the borders of it as an inheritance.
11:1 \p And the king of Egypt gathered together an army, like the sand that lies on the seashore, and many ships: and he sought to get the kingdom of Alexander by deceit, and join it to his own kingdom. 
11:2 And he went out into Syria with peaceful words, and they opened to him the cities, and met him: for King Alexander had ordered them to go forth to meet him, because he was his father-in-law. 
11:3 Now when Ptolemy entered into the cities, he put garrisons of soldiers in every city. 
11:4 And when he came near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon that was burned with fire, and Azotus, and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad, and the graves of those who were slain in the battle, which they had made near the way. 
11:5 And they told the king that Jonathan had done these things, to make him odious: but the king held his peace. 
11:6 And Jonathan came to meet the king at Joppa with glory, and they saluted one another, and they lodged there. 
11:7 And Jonathan went with the king as far as the river, called Eleutherus: and he returned into Jerusalem.
11:8 \p And King Ptolemy got the dominion of the cities by the seaside, even to Seleucia, and he devised evil designs against Alexander. 
11:9 And he sent ambassadors to Demetrius, saying: Come, let's make a covenant between us, and I will give you my daughter whom Alexander has, and you will reign in the kingdom of your father. 
11:10 For I repent that I have given him my daughter: for he has sought to kill me. 
11:11 And he slandered him, because he coveted his kingdom. 
11:12 And he took away his daughter, and gave her to Demetrius, and alienated himself from Alexander, and his enmities were made manifest.
11:13 \p And Ptolemy entered into Antioch, and set two crowns on his head, that of Egypt, and that of Asia. 
11:14 Now King Alexander was in Cilicia at that time: because those who were in those places had rebelled. 
11:15 And when Alexander heard of it, he came to give him battle, and King Ptolemy brought forth his army, and met him with a strong power, and put him to flight. 
11:16 And Alexander fled into Arabia, there to be protected: and King Ptolemy was exalted. 
11:17 And Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander's head, and sent it to Ptolemy. 
11:18 And King Ptolemy died the third day after: and those who were in the strongholds were destroyed by those who were within the camp. 
11:19 And Demetrius reigned in the hundred and sixty-seventh year.
11:20 \p In those days Jonathan gathered together those who were in Judea, to take the castle that was in Jerusalem: and they made many engines of war against it. 
11:21 Then some wicked men who hated their own nation, went away to King Demetrius, and told him that Jonathan was besieging the castle. 
11:22 And when he heard it, he was angry: and forthwith he came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan, that he should not besiege the castle, but should come to him in haste, and speak to him.
11:23 \p But when Jonathan heard this, he bade them besiege it still: and he chose some of the ancients of Israel, and of the priests, and put himself in danger. 
11:24 And he took gold, and silver, and raiment, and many other presents, and went to the king at Ptolemais, and he found favor in his sight. 
11:25 And certain wicked men of his nation made complaints against him. 
11:26 And the king treated him as his predecessors had done before: and he exalted him in the sight of all his Friends.
11:27 And he confirmed him in the high priesthood, and all the honors he had before, and he made him chief among the Friends of the King.
11:28 \p And Jonathan requested of the king that he would make Judea free from tribute, and the three governments, and Samaria, and the confines thereof: and he promised him three hundred talents. 
11:29 And the king consented: and he wrote letters to Jonathan of all these things to this effect: 
11:30 King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan, and to the nation of the Jews: Greetings. 
11:31 We send you⁺ here a copy of the letter, which we have written to Lasthenes our kinsman concerning you⁺, that you⁺ might know it.
11:32 King Demetrius to Lasthenes his father: Greetings. 
11:33 We have determined to do good to the nation of the Jews who are our friends, and keep the things that are just with us, for their goodwill which they bear toward us. 
11:34 We have ratified therefore to them all the borders of Judea, and the three cities, Apherema, Lydda, and Ramatha, which are added to Judea, out of Samaria, and all their confines, to be set apart to all those who sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of them every year, and for the fruits of the land, and of the trees. 
11:35 And as for other things that belonged to us of the tithes, and of the tributes, from this time we discharge them of them: the saltpans also, and the crowns that were presented to us. 
11:36 We give all to them, and nothing hereof will be revoked from this time forth and forever. 
11:37 Now therefore see that you make a copy of these things, and let it be given to Jonathan, and set on the holy mountain, in a conspicuous place.
11:38 \p And King Demetrius seeing that the land was quiet before him, and nothing resisted him, sent away all his forces, every man to his own place, except the foreign army, which he had drawn together from the islands of the nations: so all the troops of his fathers hated him. 
11:39 Now there was one Tryphon who had been of Alexander's party before: who seeing that all the army murmured against Demetrius, went to Emalchuel the Arabian, who brought up Antiochus the son of Alexander. 
11:40 And he pressed him much to deliver him to him, that he might be king in his father's place: and he told him all that Demetrius had done, and how his soldiers hated him. And he remained there many days.
11:41 \p And Jonathan sent to King Demetrius, desiring that he would cast out those who were in the castle in Jerusalem, and those who were in the strongholds: because they fought against Israel. 
11:42 And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, saying: I will not only do this for you, and for your nation, but I will greatly honor you, and your nation, when opportunity will serve. 
11:43 Now therefore you will do well if you send me men to help me: for all my army has gone from me. 
11:44 And Jonathan sent him three thousand valiant men to Antioch: and they came to the king, and the king was very glad of their coming.
11:45 \p And those who were of the city assembled themselves together and would have killed the king. 
11:46 And the king fled into the palace, and those of the city kept the passages of the city, and began to fight. 
11:47 And the king called the Jews to his assistance: and they came to him all at once, and they all dispersed themselves through the city. 
11:48 And they slew many in that day, and they set fire to the city, and got many spoils that day, and delivered the king. 
11:49 And those who were of the city saw that the Jews had got the city as they would: and they were discouraged in their mind, and cried to the king, making supplication, and saying: 
11:50 Grant us peace, and let the Jews cease from assaulting us, and the city. 
11:51 And they threw down their arms, and made peace, and the Jews were glorified in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all who were in his realm, and were renowned throughout the kingdom, and returned to Jerusalem with many spoils. 
11:52 So King Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom: and the land was quiet before him. 
11:53 And he falsified all whatsoever he had said, and alienated himself from Jonathan, and did not reward him according to the benefits he had received from him, but gave him great trouble.
11:54 \p And after this Tryphon returned, and with him Antiochus the young boy, who was made king, and put on the diadem. 
11:55 And there assembled to him all the hands which Demetrius had sent away, and they fought against Demetrius, who turned his back and fled. 
11:56 And Tryphon took the elephants, and made himself master of Antioch. 
11:57 And young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying: I confirm you in the high priesthood, and I appoint you ruler over the four cities, and to be one of the Friends of the King.
11:58 And he sent him vessels of gold for his service, and he gave him leave to drink in gold, and to be clothed in purple, and to wear a golden buckle: 
11:59 And he made his brother Simon governor from the borders of Tyre even to the confines of Egypt.
11:60 \p Then Jonathan went forth and passed through the cities beyond the river: and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves to him to help him, and he came to Ascalon, and they met him honorably out of the city. 
11:61 And he went from there to Gaza: and those who were in Gaza shut him out: and he besieged it, and burned all the suburbs round about, and took the spoils. 
11:62 And the men of Gaza made supplication to Jonathan, and he gave them the right hand: and he took their sons for hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem: and he went through the country as far as Damascus.
11:63 \p And Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had come treacherously to Kedesh, which is in Galilee, with a great army, purposing to remove him from his affairs:
11:64 And he went against them: but left his brother Simon in the country. 
11:65 And Simon encamped against Beth-zur, and assaulted it many days, and shut them up. 
11:66 And they desired him to make peace, and he granted it them: and he cast them out from there, and took the city, and placed a garrison in it.
11:67 \p And Jonathan, and his army encamped by the water of Genesar, and before it was light they were ready in the plain of Asor. 
11:68 And look, the army of the strangers met him in the plain, and they laid an ambush for him in the mountains: but he went out against them. 
11:69 And those who lay in ambush rose out of their places, and joined battle. 
11:70 And all who were on Jonathan's side fled, and none was left of them, but Mattathias the [son] of Absalom, and Judas the [son] of Calphi, chief captain of the army. 
11:71 And Jonathan rent his garments, and cast earth on his head, and prayed. 
11:72 And Jonathan turned again to them to battle, and he put them to flight, and they fought. 
11:73 And those of his part who fled saw this, and they turned again to him. And those with him pursued the enemies even to Kadesh to their own camp, and they came even there. 
11:74 And there fell of the aliens in that day three thousand men: and Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.
12:1 \p And Jonathan saw that the time served him, and he chose certain men, and sent them to Rome, to confirm and to renew the friendship with them.
12:2 And he sent letters to the Spartans, and to other places, in the same manner.
12:3 And they went to Rome, and entered into the senate house, and said: Jonathan the high priest, and the nation of the Jews, have sent us to renew the friendship and alliance, as it was before.
12:4 And they gave them letters to their governors in every place, to conduct them into the land of Judah with peace. [The messengers also delivered letters to the Spartans to renew their historic friendship, and returned to Jerusalem after completing their diplomatic missions.]
12:24 Now Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had come again with a greater army than before to fight against him. 
12:25 So he went out from Jerusalem, and met them in the land of Amath: for he gave them no time to enter into his country. 
12:26 And he sent spies into their camp, and they came back and brought him word that they designed to come upon them in the night. 
12:27 And when the sun set, Jonathan commanded his men to watch, and to be in arms all night long ready to fight, and he set sentinels round about the camp. 
12:28 And the enemies heard that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, and they were struck with fear, and dread in their heart: and they kindled fires in their camp.
12:29 \p But Jonathan and those who were with him didn't know until the morning: for they saw the lights burning. 
12:30 And Jonathan pursued after them, but did not overtake them: for they had passed the river Eleutherus. 
12:31 And Jonathan turned on the Arabians who are called Zabadeans: and he defeated them, and took the spoils of them. 
12:32 And he went forward, and came to Damascus, and passed through all that country. 
12:33 Simon also went forth, and came as far as Ascalon, and the nearby fortresses, and he turned aside to Joppa, and took possession of it, 
12:34 (For he heard that they designed to deliver the hold to those who took part with Demetrius,) and he put a garrison there to keep it.
12:35 \p And Jonathan came back, and called together the ancients of the people, and he took a resolution with them to build fortresses in Judea, 
12:36 and to build up walls in Jerusalem, and raise a mount between the castle and the city, to separate it from the city, so that it might have no communication, and that they might neither buy nor sell. 
12:37 And they came together to build up the city: for the wall that was on the brook toward the east was broken down, and he repaired that which is called Caphetetha. 
12:38 And Simon built Adiada in Sephela, and fortified it, and set up gates and bars.
12:39 \p Now when Tryphon had conceived a design to make himself king of Asia, and to take the crown, and to stretch out his hand against King Antiochus: 
12:40 Fearing otherwise Jonathan would not allow him, but would fight against him: he sought to seize on him, and to kill him. So he rose up and came to Beth-shan. 
12:41 And Jonathan went out to meet him with men chosen for battle, and came to Beth-shan.
12:42 \p Now when Tryphon saw that Jonathan came with a great army, he was afraid to stretch forth his hand against him, 
12:43 And he received him with honor, and commended him to all his friends, and gave him presents: and he commanded his friends and his troops to obey him, as himself. 
12:44 And he said to Jonathan: Why have you troubled all the people, whereas we have no war? 
12:45 Now therefore send them back to their own houses: and choose you a few men who may be with you, and come with me to Ptolemais, and I will deliver it to you, and the rest of the strongholds, and the army, and all who have any charge, and I will return and go away: for this is the cause of my coming. 
12:46 And Jonathan believed him, and did as he said: and sent away his army, and they departed into the land of Judah: 
12:47 But he kept with him three thousand men: of whom he sent two thousand into Galilee, and one thousand went with him. 
12:48 Now as soon as Jonathan entered into Ptolemais, those of Ptolemais shut the gates of the city, and took him: and all those who came in with him they slew with the sword.
12:49 \p Then Tryphon sent an army and horsemen into Galilee, and into the great plain to destroy all Jonathan's company. 
12:50 But they, when they understood that Jonathan and all who were with him had been taken and slain, encouraged one another, and went out ready for battle. 
12:51 Then those who had come after them, seeing that they stood for their souls, returned back. 
12:52 Whereupon they all came peacefully into the land of Judah. And they bewailed Jonathan, and those who had been with him, and they feared greatly: and Israel mourned with great lamentation. 
12:53 Then all the nations that were round about them, sought to destroy them. For they said: 
12:54 They have no prince, nor any to help them: now therefore let us make war on them, and take away the memory of them from among men.
13:1 \p Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army, to invade the land of Judah, and to destroy it. 
13:2 And seeing that the people were in dread, and in fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and assembled the people. 
13:3 And he exhorted them, saying: You⁺ know what great battles I and my brothers, and the house of my father, have fought for the laws, and the sanctuary, and the distresses that we have seen. 
13:4 By reason whereof all my brothers have lost their lives for Israel's sake, and I am left alone. 
13:5 And now far be it from me to spare my soul in any time of trouble: for I am not better than my brothers. 
13:6 I will avenge then my nation and the sanctuary, and your⁺ children, and wives: for all the nations are gathered together to destroy us out of mere malice. 
13:7 And the spirit of the people was revived as soon as they heard these words. 
13:8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying: You are our leader in the place of Judas, and Jonathan your brother. 
13:9 Fight our battles, and we will do whatsoever you will say to us. 
13:10 So gathering together all the men of war, he made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about. 
13:11 And he sent Jonathan the [son] of Absalom, and with him a new army into Joppa, and he cast out those who were in it, and himself remained there.
13:12 \p And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great army, to invade the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him in custody. 
13:13 But Simon pitched in Addus, over against the plain. 
13:14 And when Tryphon understood that Simon had risen up in the place of his brother Jonathan, and that he meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers to him, 
13:15 saying: We have detained your brother Jonathan for the silver that he owed in the king's account, by reason of the affairs which he had the management of. 
13:16 But now send a hundred talents of silver, and his two sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will release him. 
13:17 Now Simon knew that he spoke deceitfully to him, nevertheless he ordered the silver, and the children to be sent: otherwise he should bring on himself a great hatred of the people of Israel, who might have said: 
13:18 Because he did not send the silver, and the children, therefore he perished. 
13:19 So he sent the children, and the hundred talents: and he lied, and did not let Jonathan go.
13:20 \p And after this Tryphon entered within the country, to destroy it: and they went about by the way that leads to Ador: and Simon and his army marched to every place wherever they went. 
13:21 And those who were in the castle, sent messengers to Tryphon, that he should make haste to come through the desert, and send them victuals. 
13:22 And Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, and he did not come because of the snow. And he departed and went into the country of Gilead. 
13:23 And when he approached to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, and he was buried there. 
13:24 And Tryphon returned, and went into his own country.
13:25 \p And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, in the city of his fathers. 
13:26 And all Israel bewailed him with great lamentation: and they mourned for him many days. 
13:27 And Simon built over the tomb of his father and of his brothers, a building lofty to the sight, of polished stone behind and before: 
13:28 And he set up seven pyramids one against another for his father and his mother, and his four brothers. 
13:29 And round about these he set great pillars: and on the pillars arms for a perpetual memory: and by the arms ships carved, which might be seen by all who sailed on the sea. 
13:30 This is the tomb that he made in Modin even to this day.
13:31 \p But Tryphon when he was on a journey with the young King Antiochus, treacherously slew him. 
13:32 And he reigned in his place, and put on the crown of Asia: and brought great evils on the land.
13:33 \p And Simon built up the strongholds of Judea, fortifying them with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars: and he stored up victuals in the fortresses. 
13:34 And Simon chose men and sent to King Demetrius, to the end that he should grant liberty to the land: for all that Tryphon did was to spoil. 
13:35 And King Demetrius, in answer to this request, wrote a letter in this manner: 
13:36 King Demetrius to Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, and to the ancients, and to the nation of the Jews: Greetings. 
13:37 The golden crown, and the palm, which you⁺ sent, we have received: and we are ready to make a firm peace with you⁺, and to write to the king's chief officers to release you⁺ the things that we have released. 
13:38 For all that we have decreed in your⁺ favor, will stand in force. The strongholds that you⁺ have built, will be your⁺ own. 
13:39 And as for any oversight or fault committed to this day, we forgive it, and the crown which you⁺ owed: and if any other thing were taxed in Jerusalem, now do not let it be taxed. 
13:40 And if any of you⁺ are fit to be enrolled among ours, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.
13:41 \p In the year one hundred and seventy the yoke of the nations was taken off from Israel. 
13:42 And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments and public records, \p "The First Year under Simon the High Priest, the Great Captain and Prince of the Jews."
13:43 In those days Simon besieged Gazara, and encamped round about it, and he made a siege engine, and set it against the city, and he struck one tower, and took it.
13:44 And those who were within the engine leaped into the city: and there was a great uproar in the city.
13:45 And those who were in the city went up, with their wives and children, on the wall, with their garments torn, and they cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.
13:46 And they said: Deal not with us according to our evil deeds, but according to your mercy.
13:47 And Simon was reconciled with them, and did not fight them: but he cast them out of the city, and cleansed the houses in which there had been idols, and then he entered into it with hymns and blessing.
13:48 And having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men who should observe the law: and he fortified it, and made it his habitation.
13:49 But those who were in the citadel of Jerusalem were hindered from going out and coming into the country, and from buying and selling: and they were greatly hungered, and many of them perished through famine.
13:50 And they cried to Simon for peace, and he granted it to them: and he cast them out from there, and cleansed the citadel from its defilements.
13:51 And they entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and harps, and cymbals, and stringed instruments, and hymns, and songs, because the great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.
13:52 And he ordained that these days should be kept every year with gladness. And he fortified the mountain of the temple that was near the citadel, and he lived there himself, and those who were with him.
13:53 And Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man for war: and he made him captain of all the forces: and he lived in Gazara.
14:1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius gathered his forces, and went into Media to gain help for himself, that he might fight against Tryphon.
14:2 And Arsakes, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had entered his borders, and he sent one of his princes to take him alive.
14:3 And he went and defeated the army of Demetrius: and took him, and brought him to Arsakes, and he put him into custody.
14:4 And the land of Judah was at rest all the days of Simon, and he sought the good of his nation: and his power, and his glory, pleased them well all his days.
14:5 And with all his glory he took Joppa for a harbor, and made an entrance to the islands of the sea.
14:6 And he enlarged the borders of his nation, and made himself master of the country.
14:7 And he gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazara, and of Beth-zur, and of the citadel: and took away all uncleanness out of it, and there was none who resisted him.
14:8 And every man tilled his land with peace: and the land yielded her increase, and the trees of the fields their fruit.
14:9 The old men sat in the streets, and spoke together of the good things, and the young men put on glory, and the robes of war.
14:10 And he provided food for the cities, and appointed that they should be furnished with weapons of defense, so that the fame of his glory was renowned even to the end of the earth.
14:11 He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
14:12 And every man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree: and there was none to make them afraid.
14:13 There was none left in the land to fight against them: kings were defeated in those days.
14:14 And he strengthened all those of his people who were brought low, and he sought the law, and took away every unjust and wicked man.
14:15 He glorified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels of the holy places.
14:16 And it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead: and they were very sorry.
14:17 But when they heard that Simon his brother was made high priest in his place, and was possessed of the country, and the cities therein:
14:18 They wrote to him in tablets of bronze, to renew the friendship and alliance which they had made with Judas and with Jonathan his brothers.
14:19 And they were read before the assembly in Jerusalem. And this is the copy of the letters that the Spartans sent.
14:20 The princes and the cities of the Spartans, to Simon the high priest, and to the elders, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, their brothers: Greetings.
14:21 The ambassadors who were sent to our people have told us of your⁺ glory and honor: and we rejoiced at their coming.
14:22 And we registered what was said by them in the councils of the people, in this manner: Numenius the son of Antiochus, and Antipater the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew the former friendship with us.
14:23 And it pleased the people to receive the men honorably, and to put a copy of their words in the public records, to be a memorial to the people of the Spartans. And they wrote a copy of them to Simon the high priest.
14:24 And after this Simon sent Numenius to Rome, with a great shield of gold, of the weight of a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with them.
14:25 And when the people heard these words, they said: What thanks shall we give to Simon, and his sons?
14:26 For he and his brothers, and the house of his father, have stood firm, and have driven away in battle the enemies of Israel from them: and they decreed him liberty, and registered it in tablets of bronze, and set it on pillars in Mount Zion.
14:27 And this is a copy of the writing: On the eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, being the third year under Simon the high priest, at Asaramel,
14:28 in a great assembly of the priests, and of the people, and the princes of the nation, and the elders of the country, these things were made known: Since there have often been wars in our country,
14:29 and Simon the son of Mattathias, of the children of Joarib, and his brothers, have put themselves in danger, and resisted the enemies of their nation, for the preservation of their holy places, and the law: and have raised their nation to great glory.
14:30 And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and was made their high priest, and he was laid to his people.
14:31 And their enemies desired to tread down and destroy their country, and to stretch forth their hands against their holy places.
14:32 Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation, and laid out much of his money, and armed the valiant men of his nation, and gave them wages.
14:33 And he fortified the cities of Judea and Beth-zur that lies in the borders of Judea, where the armor of the enemies was before: and he placed there a garrison of Jews.
14:34 And he fortified Joppa, which lies by the sea: and Gazara, which borders on Azotus, where the enemies dwelt before, and he placed Jews there: and furnished them with all things needed for their restoration.
14:35 And the people seeing the faithfulness of Simon, and to what glory he meant to bring his nation, made him their prince and high priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and faith which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to advance his people.
14:36 And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the nations were taken away out of their country, and they also who were in the city of David, in Jerusalem, in the citadel, out of which they issued forth, and defiled all places round about the sanctuary, and did much evil to its purity.
14:37 And he placed there Jews for the defense of the country, and of the city, and he raised up the walls of Jerusalem.
14:38 And King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.
14:39 According to these things he made him one of his Friends, and glorified him with great glory.
14:40 For he had heard that the Romans had called the Jews their friends, and allies, and brothers, and that they had received Simon's ambassadors with honor:
14:41 And that the Jews, and their priests, had consented that he should be their prince and high priest forever, until there should arise a faithful prophet:
14:42 And that he should be captain over them, and that he should have charge of the sanctuary, and that he should appoint rulers over their works, and over the country, and over the armor, and over the strongholds;
14:43 And that he should have care of the holy places; and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all the writings in the country should be made in his name; and that he should be clothed with purple and gold:
14:44 And that it should not be lawful for any of the people, or of the priests, to annul any of these things, or to contradict his words, or to call together an assembly in the country without him: or to be clothed with purple, or to wear a buckle of gold.
14:45 And whoever does otherwise, or makes void any of these things, shall be punished.
14:46 And it pleased all the people to establish Simon, and to do according to these words.
14:47 And Simon accepted it, and was well pleased to serve as high priest, and to be captain, and prince of the nation of the Jews, and of the priests, and to be chief over all.
14:48 And they commanded that this writing should be put in tablets of bronze, and that they should be set up within the precinct of the sanctuary, in a conspicuous place:
14:49 And that a copy thereof should be put in the treasury, that Simon and his sons may have it.
15:1 And Antiochus the son of King Demetrius sent letters from the islands of the sea to Simon the priest and prince of the nation of the Jews, and to all the people:
15:2 And the contents were these: King Antiochus to Simon the high priest and prince of the nation, and to the nation of the Jews: Greetings.
15:3 Since certain treacherous men have usurped the kingdom of our fathers, and my purpose is to claim the kingdom, and to restore it to its former state; and I have chosen a great army, and have built ships of war.
15:4 And I intend to go through the country, that I may take vengeance on those who have destroyed our country, and who have made many cities desolate in my realm.
15:5 Now therefore, I confirm to you all the offerings which the kings before me granted to you, and whatever other gifts they granted to you:
15:6 And I give you leave to coin your own money in your country:
15:7 And let Jerusalem be holy and free, and all the armor that has been made, and the fortresses which you have built, and which you hold in your hands, let them remain to you.
15:8 And all that is due to the king, and what should be the king's hereafter, from this present and forever, is forgiven you.
15:9 And when we shall have recovered our kingdom, we will glorify you, and your nation, and the temple, with great glory, so that your⁺ glory shall be made known in all the earth.
15:10 In the year one hundred and seventy-four, Antiochus entered into the land of his fathers, and all the forces assembled to him, so that few were left with Tryphon.
15:11 And King Antiochus pursued after him, and he fled along by the sea coast and came to Dora.
15:12 For he perceived that evils were gathered together against him, and his troops had forsaken him.
15:13 And Antiochus encamped above Dora with his forces:
15:14 And he surrounded the city, and the ships drew near by sea: and they pressed the city by land and by sea, and allowed none to come in or to go out.
15:15 And Numenius, and those who had been with him, came from the city of Rome, having letters written to the kings and countries, the contents of which were these:
15:16 Lucius, the consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy: Greetings.
15:17 The ambassadors of the Jews, our friends and allies, came to us, to renew the former friendship and alliance, being sent from Simon the high priest, and the people of the Jews.
15:18 And they brought also a shield of gold of a thousand minas.
15:19 It has seemed good therefore to us to write to the kings and countries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against them, their cities, or countries: and that they should give no aid to those who fight against them.
15:20 And it has seemed good to us to receive the shield from them.
15:21 If therefore any treacherous men have fled out of their country to you, deliver them to Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their law.
15:22 These same things were written to King Demetrius, and to Attalus, and to Ariarathes, and to Arsakes,
15:23 and to all the countries: and to Lampsacus, and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and Myndus, and Sicyon, and Caria, and Samos, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Halicarnassus, and Cos, and Side, and Aradus, and Rhodes, and Phaselis, and Gortyna, and Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene.
15:24 And they wrote a copy thereof to Simon the high priest.
15:25 But King Antiochus moved his camp to Dora the second time, assaulting it continually, and making engines: and he shut up Tryphon, that he could not go out.
15:26 And Simon sent to him two thousand chosen men to aid him, silver also, and gold, and much equipment.
15:27 And he would not receive them, but broke all the covenant that he had made with him before, and alienated himself from him.
15:28 And he sent to him Athenobius, one of his Friends, to negotiate with him, saying: You hold Joppa and Gazara, and the citadel that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my kingdom:
15:29 Their borders you have laid waste, and you have made great havoc in the land, and have taken dominion of many places in my kingdom.
15:30 Now therefore, deliver up the cities that you have taken, and the tributes of the places over which you have taken dominion outside the borders of Judea.
15:31 But if not, give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the havoc that you have made, and the tributes of the cities, another five hundred talents: or else we will come and fight against you.
15:32 So Athenobius, the Friend of the King, came to Jerusalem, and saw the glory of Simon, and his magnificence in gold and silver, and his great display, and he was astonished, and told him the king's words.
15:33 And Simon answered him, and said to him: We have neither taken other men's land, nor do we hold that which is other men's: but the inheritance of our fathers, which was for some time unjustly possessed by our enemies.
15:34 But we, having opportunity, claim the inheritance of our fathers.
15:35 And as to your complaints concerning Joppa and Gazara, they did great harm to the people, and to our country: yet for these we will give a hundred talents. And Athenobius answered him not a word.
15:36 But returning in a rage to the king, he made report to him of these words, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he had seen, and the king was exceedingly angry.
15:37 And Tryphon fled away by ship to Orthosia.
15:38 And the king appointed Cendebaeus captain of the sea coast, and gave him an army of footmen and horsemen.
15:39 And he commanded him to march with his army toward Judea: and he commanded him to build up Kedron, and to fortify the gates of the city, and to war against the people. But the king himself pursued after Tryphon.
15:40 And Cendebaeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to ravage Judea, and to take the people captive, and to kill, and to build up Kedron.
15:41 And he placed there horsemen, and an army: that they might go out, and make raids on the roads of Judea, as the king had commanded him.
16:1 Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebaeus had done.
16:2 And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brothers, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel many times.
16:3 And now I am old, but you⁺ are sufficient in years: be you⁺ instead of me and my brother, and go out and fight for our nation: and the help from heaven be with you⁺.
16:4 Then he chose out of the country twenty thousand fighting men and horsemen, and they went out against Cendebaeus: and they rested in Modin.
16:5 And they arose in the morning, and went into the plain: and look, a very great army of footmen and horsemen came against them, and there was a stream between them.
16:6 And he and his people encamped over against them, and he saw that the people were afraid to cross over the stream, so he went over first: then the men seeing him, passed over after him.
16:7 And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the horsemen of the enemies were very numerous.
16:8 And they sounded the trumpets: and Cendebaeus and his army were put to flight: and there fell many of them wounded, and the rest fled into the stronghold.
16:9 At that time Judas, John's brother, was wounded: but John pursued after them, until he came to Kedron, which Cendebaeus had built:
16:10 And they fled even to the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and he burned it with fire. And there fell of them two thousand men, and he returned into Judea in peace.
16:11 Now Ptolemy the son of Abubus was appointed captain in the plain of Jericho, and he had abundance of silver and gold.
16:12 For he was son-in-law of the high priest.
16:13 And his heart was lifted up, and he intended to make himself master of the country, and he plotted treachery against Simon and his sons, to destroy them.
16:14 Now Simon, as he was going through the cities that were in the country of Judea, and taking care for the good ordering of them, went down to Jericho, he and Mattathias and Judas his sons, in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, the eleventh month: this is the month Shebat.
16:15 And the son of Abubus received them deceitfully into a little fortress that is called Dok, which he had built: and he made them a great feast, and hid men there.
16:16 And when Simon and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and entered into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and some of his servants.
16:17 And he committed a great treachery, and rendered evil for good.
16:18 And Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king that he should send him an army to aid him, and he would deliver him the country, and their cities, and tributes.
16:19 And he sent others to Gazara to kill John: and to the captains he sent letters to come to him, and that he would give them silver and gold and gifts.
16:20 And he sent others to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
16:21 Now one running ahead told John in Gazara that his father and his brothers were slain, and that he has sent men to kill you also.
16:22 But when he heard it, he was exceedingly afraid: and he seized the men who came to kill him, and he put them to death: for he knew that they sought to kill him.
16:23 And as for the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and the worthy deeds which he bravely achieved, and the building of the walls which he made, and the things that he did:
16:24 Look, these are written in the book of the days of his priesthood, from the time that he was made high priest after his father.
