1 Maccabees 10

10In the one hundred and sixtieth year Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, went up and took possession of Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there. And ⁽when⁽ king Demetrius heard ⁽thereof⁽, he gathered together exceeding great forces, and went forth to meet him in battle. And Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with words of peace, so as to magnify him. For he said: ‘Let us be beforehand to make peace with them, ere he make peace with Alexander against us. For he will remember all the evils which we have done unto him, and unto his brethren and unto his nation.’ And he gave him authority to gather together forces, and to provide arms, and to be his confederate; and he commanded that they should deliver up to him the hostages that were in the citadel. And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the ears of all the people, and of them that were in the citadel; and they were sore afraid when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together forces. And they of the citadel delivered up the hostages unto Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents. And Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem, and began to build and renew the city. And he commanded them that did the work to build the walls and the mount Sion round about with square stones for defence; and they did so. And the strangers, that were in the strongholds that Bacchides had built, fled away; and each man left his place, and departed into his own land. Only in Bethsura were there left certain of those that had forsaken the Law, and the commandments; for it was a place of refuge unto them.

And king Alexander heard all the promises which Demetrius had sent unto Jonathan; and they told him of the battles and the valiant deeds which he and his brethren had done, and of the toils which they had endured; and he said: ‘Shall we find another such man? And now let us make him our Friend and confederate.’ And he wrote letters, and sent ⁽them⁽ unto him, according to these words, saying: ‘King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting! We have heard concerning thee, that thou art a mighty man of valour, and meet to be our Friend. And now we have appointed thee this day ⁽to be⁽ high-priest of thy nation, and ⁽it is our will⁽ that thou shouldest be called the king’s Friend’—and he sent unto him a purple robe and a crown of gold—‘and that thou shouldest take our part, and keep friendship with us.’ And Jonathan put on the holy garment in the seventh month of the one hundred and sixtieth year, at the feast of Tabernacles, and he gathered together forces, and provided arms in abundance.

And ⁽when⁽ Demetrius heard these things, he was grieved, and said: ‘Why have we permitted this to be done, that Alexander hath been beforehand with us in establishing friendship with the Jews, to strengthen himself? I also will write unto them words of encouragement, and of honour, and gifts, that they may be with me for ⁽my⁽ aid.’ And he sent unto them according to these words: ‘King Demetrius unto the nation of the Jews, greeting! Forasmuch as ye have kept covenant with us, and have continued in our friendship, and have not joined yourselves to our enemies, we, ⁽who⁽ have heard ⁽hereof⁽, rejoice. And now continue ye still to keep faith with us, and we will recompense unto you good thingsin return for what ye do in our behalf; and we will grant you many immunities, and will give you gifts. And now I ⁽herewith⁽ free you, and release all the Jews from the tributes, and from the custom on salt, and from ⁽the presenting of⁽ the crowns; and instead of the third part of the seed, and instead of the half of the fruit of the trees, which falleth to me to receive, I release ⁽them⁽ from this day and henceforth, so that I will not take ⁽them⁽ from the land of Judah, and from the three governments which are added thereunto from the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth and for all time. And let Jerusalem be holy and free, together with the outlying districts, ⁽regarding⁽ the tenths and the tolls. I yield up also my authority over the citadel which is at Jerusalem, and give ⁽it⁽ to the high-priest, that he may appoint in it ⁽such⁽ men as he shall choose, to keep it. And every soul of the Jews that hath been carried away captive from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom, I set at liberty without price; and let all remit the tributes of their cattle also. And all the feasts, and the Sabbaths, and new moons, and appointed days, and three days before a feast, and three days after a feast, let them all be days of immunity and release for all the Jews that are in my kingdom; and no man shall have authority to exact ⁽anything⁽ from any of them, or to trouble them concerning any matter. And let there be enrolled among the king’s forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, and pay shall be given unto them, as belongeth to all the king’s forces. And of them some shall be placed in the king’s great strongholds, and some of them shall be placed over the affairs of the kingdom, which are of trust; and let those that are over them, and their rulers, be from among themselves, and let them walk after their own laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judah. And the three governments that have been added to Judaea from the country of Samarialet them be added to Judaea, that they may be reckoned to be under one ⁽man⁽, that they obey not any other authority than that of the high-priest. As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I have given ⁽it as⁽ a gift to the sanctuary that is at Jerusalem, for the expenses that befit the sanctuary. And I ⁽undertake to⁽ give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver from the king’s revenues, from the places which are ⁽most⁽ convenient. And all the overplus which the officials paid not in—as ⁽has been done⁽ in former years—they shall from henceforth give towards the works of the house. And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they used to take from the dues of the sanctuaryout of the income year by year, this also is released, because it appertaineth to the priests that minister. And whosoever shall flee unto the temple that is in Jerusalem, and in all the precincts thereof, ⁽because⁽ he oweth money to the king, or for any other reason, let ⁽such⁽ go free, together with all, whatsoever they possess, in my kingdom. And for the building and renewing of the works of the sanctuary the expense shall be given also out of the king’s revenue. And for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, shall the expense be given also out of the king’s revenue , and for the building of the walls ⁽of other cities⁽ in Judaea .’

Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credence unto them , nor received they ⁽them⁽, because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel , and that he had afflicted them very sore. And ⁽moreover⁽ they were well pleased with Alexander, because he was the first that spake words of peace unto them, and they remained confederate with him always.

And king Alexander gathered together great forces, and encamped over against Demetrius. And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Alexander fled, and Demetrius followed after him, and prevailed against them. And he continued the battle obstinately until the sun went down; and Demetrius fell that day.

And Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, according to these words, saying: ‘Forasmuch as I am returned to my kingdom, and am set on the throne of my fathers, and have gotten the dominion, and have overthrown Demetrius, and have gotten possession of our countryyea, I joined battle with him, and he and his army were discomfited by us, and we sat upon the throne of his kingdom,—let us now establish amity one with the other; and give me now thy daughter to wife; and I will make affinity With thee, and will give both thee and her gifts worthy of thee.’ And Ptolemy the king answered, saying: ‘Happy is the day wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and didst sit upon the throne of their kingdom. And now will I do to thee ⁽according to⁽ the things which thou hast written. But meet ⁽me⁽ at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; and I will make affinity with thee even as thou hast said.’ And Ptolemy went out of Egypt, he and Cleopatra his daughter, and came unto Ptolemais, in the one hundred and sixty-second year; and he bestowed on him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great pomp, as the manner of kings is.

And king Alexander wrote unto Jonathan, that he should come to meet him. And he went with pomp to Ptolemais, and met the two kings, and gave them and their Friends silver and gold, and many gifts; and he found favour in their sight. And there were gathered together against him ⁽certain⁽ pestilent fellows out of Israel, men that were transgressors of the Law, to complain against him; but the king gave no heed to them. And the king commanded, and they took off Jonathan’s garments, and clothed him in purple; even so did they do. And the king made him sit with him, and said unto his princes: ‘Go forth with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that no man complain against him concerning any matter, and let no man trouble him for any manner of cause.’ And it came to pass, when they that complained against him saw his glory according as ⁽the herald⁽ made proclamation, and ⁽saw⁽ him clothed in purple, that they all fled away. And the king showed him honour, and wrote him among his Chief Friends, and made him a captain, and governor of a province. And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.

And in the one hundred and sixty-fifth year came Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, out of Crete into the land of his fathers. And ⁽when⁽ king Alexander heard ⁽thereof⁽ he was grieved exceedingly, and returned unto Antioch. And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, who was over Coelesyria,…