101 Ina the one hundred and sixtieth year Alexander bEpiphanes, the son of Antiochusb, went up and took possession of Ptolemais, and theyc received him, and he reigned thered. 2 And (when) king Demetrius heard (thereof), he gathered together exceeding great forces, and went forth to meet him in battle. 3 And Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with words of peace, so as to magnify him. 4 For he said: ‘Let us be beforehand to make peace with them, ere he make peace with Alexander against us. 5 For he will remember all the evils which we have done eunto hime, and unto his brethren and unto his nationf.’ 6 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. 7 And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters gin the ears of allh the people, and of them that were in the citadelg; 8 and they were sore afraid when they heard that the king had given himi authority to gather together forces. 9 And they kof the citadelk delivered up the hostages unto Jonathan, and hel restored them to their parents. 10 And Jonathan dweltm in Jerusalem, and began to build nand renewn the city. 11 And ohep commanded them that did the work to buildo the walls and the mount Sion round about with squareq stones for defence; and theyr did so. 12 And the strangers, 13 that were in the strongholds that Bacchides had built, fled away; sand each man left his places, and departed into his own land. 14 Only in Bethsura were there left certain of those that had forsaken the Law, sand the commandments; for it was a place of refuge unto thems.

15 And king Alexander heard all the promises which Demetrius had sent unto Jonathan; and they told him of the battles and the valiant deeds twhich he and his brethren had done, uand of the toils which they had enduredt u; and he said: 16 ‘Shall we find another such man? And now vlet us makev him our Friend wand confederatew.’ 17 And he wrote letters, x yand sent (them) unto himy, according to these words, sayingx: 18 ‘King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greetingz! 19 We have heard concerning thee, that thou art a mightya man of valour, band meet to be our Friendb. 20 And now we have appointed thee cthis dayc (to be) high-priest of thy nation, and (it is our will) that thou shouldest be called the king’s Friend’—and hed sent unto him a purple robe and a crowne of goldf—‘and that thou shouldest take our part, and keep friendshipg with us.’ 21 And Jonathan put on the holy garment hin the seventh month of the one hundred and sixtieth yearh, at the feast of Tabernacles, and he gathered together forces, and provided arms in abundance.

22 And (when) Demetrius heard ithese thingsi, he was grieved, and said: 23 ‘Why have we permitted this to be done, that Alexander hath been beforehand kwith us in establishing friendship with the Jewsk, to strengthen himself? 24 I also will write unto them words of encouragement, land of honour, and gifts, that they may be with me for (my) aid.’ 25 And he sent unto them according to these wordsl: ‘King Demetrius unto the nation of the Jews, greeting! 26 Forasmuch as ye have kept covenant with us, and have continued in our friendship, mand have not joined yourselves to our enemies, we, (who) have heard (hereof), rejoice. 27 And now continue ye stillm to keep faith with us, and we will recompense unto you ngood thingsn oin return for what ye do in our behalfo; 28 and we will grant you many immunities, and will give you gifts. 29 pAnd now I (herewith) free you, and release all the Jews from the tributesp, 30 and from the custom on salt, and from (the presenting of)q the crowns; and instead of the third part of the seed, and instead of rthe half ofr 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, sfrom this day forth and for all times. 31 And tlet Jerusalem bet holy and free, utogether with the outlying districts, (regarding)v the tenths and the tolls. 32 wI yield upw also my authority overu the citadel which is at Jerusalem, and give (it) to the high-priestx, that he may appoint in it (such) men as he shall choose, to keep it. 33 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 ywithout pricey; and let all remit the tributes of their cattle also. 34 And all the feasts, and the Sabbaths, and new moons, and appointed days, and three days before a feast, zand three days after a feastz, alet them all be days of immunity and release for all the Jews bthat are in my kingdoma b; 35 and no man shall have authority to exact (anything) from any of them, or to trouble them concerning any matter. 36 And let there be enrolled among the king’s forces about thirtyc thousand men of the Jews, and pay shall be given unto them, as belongeth to alld the king’s forces. 37 e fAnd of them some shall be placed in the king’se great strongholds, and some of them shall be placed over the affairs of the kingdomg, 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. 38 And the three governments that have been added to Judaea from the country of Samariah ilet them be added to Judaea, kthat they may be reckonedik to be under one (man), that they obey not any other authority than that of the high-priestf. 39 As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I have given (it las) a giftl to mthe sanctuary that is atm Jerusalem, for the expenses nthat befitn the sanctuary. 40 And I (undertake to) give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver ofrom the king’s revenueso, pfrom the places which are (most) convenientp. 41 q rAnd all the overplusq which the officials paid not in—as (has been done) in former yearss—they shall from henceforth give towards the works of thet houser. 42 And ubeside thisu, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they used to take from the dues of the sanctuaryv wout of the incomew year by year, x ythis also is released, because it appertainethx to the priests that ministery. 43 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. 44 And for the building and renewing of the works of the sanctuary the expense shall be given also out of the king’s revenue. 45 zAnd for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, ashall the expense be given also out of the king’s revenue bz, and for the building of the walls (of other cities) in Judaea a.’

46 Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credence unto them c, nor received they (them), because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel d, and that he had afflicted them very sore. 47 And (moreover) they were well pleased with Alexander, because he was the first that spake ewords of peace e unto them, and they remained confederate with him always.

48 And king Alexander gathered together fgreat forcesf, and encamped over against Demetrius. 49 And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Alexanderg fled, and Demetriush followed after himi, and prevailed against them. 50 And he continued the battle kobstinately until the sun went down; and Demetrius fell that day.

51 And Alexanderl sent ambassadors to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, maccording to these wordsm, saying: 52 ‘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, nand have gotten possession of our countryn—yea, 53 I joined battle with him, and he and his army were discomfited by us, and we o sat upon the throne of his kingdom,—let us now establish amity pone with the otherp; 54 and give me nowq thy daughter to wife; and I will make affinity With thee, and will give both thee and her gifts worthy of thee.’ 55 And Ptolemy the king answered, sayingr: ‘Happy is the day wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and didst sit upon the throne of their kingdom. 56 And now will I do to thee (according to) the things which thou hast written. But meet (me)s at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; and I will make affinity with thee teven as thou hast saidt.’ 57 And Ptolemy went out of Egypt, he and Cleopatra his daughter, uand came unto Ptolemais, in the one hundred and sixty-second yearu; 58 and he bestowed on him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great pomp, as the manner of kings is.

59 And kingv Alexander wrote unto Jonathan, that he should come to meet him. 60 And hew went xwith pomp to Ptolemaisx, and met the two kings, and gave them and their Friends silver and gold, and manyy gifts; and he found favour in their sight. 61 And there were gathered together against him z(certain) pestilent fellows out of Israelz, men that were transgressors of the Law, to complain against him; but the king agave no heed to them. 62 And the kinga commandedb, and they c took off Jonathan’s garments, and clothed him in purple; deven so did they dod. 63 And the kinge 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 fconcerning any matterf, and let no man trouble him for any manner of cause.’ 64 And git came to passg, when they that complained against himh saw his glory iaccording as (the herald) made proclamationi, and (saw) him clothed in purplek, that they all fled away. 65 lAnd the king showed him h honour, and wrotem him among his Chief Friends, and made him a captain, and governor of a provincel. 66 And Jonathan returned nto Jerusalemn with peace oand gladnesso.

10:67–89. Victory of Jonathan over Apollonius, the general of Demetrius II; he is rewarded by Alexander.

67 And in the one hundred and sixty-fifth year came Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, out of Crete into the land of his fathers. 68 And (when) king Alexander heard (thereof) hep was grieved exceedingly, and returnedq unto Antioch. 69 And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, rwho wasr over Coelesyrias, (captain); and he gathered together a great host, and encamped in Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high-priest, saying: 70 ‘Thou alone liftest up thyself against us; but I am had in derision and in reproach because of thee. tAnd why dost thou vaunt thy power against us in the mountains?t71 Now therefore, if thou trustest in thy forces, come down to us in the plain, and there let us try conclusions with one another, for with me is the power of the citiesu. 72 Ask and learn who I am, vand the restw (of those) that help us; and they (will) say, Yourx foot cannot stand before our face; for thy fathers have been twice put to flight in their own land. 73 And now thou wilt not be able to withstand the horse and such an host as this in the plain, where there is neither stone ynor flinty, nor (any) placez to flee untov.’ 74 Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was amoved in his minda; and he chose out ten thousand men, band went forthb from Jerusalem; and Simon his brother met him for to help him. 75 And he encamped against Joppa; and they of the city shut himc out, because Apollonius (had) a garrison din Joppad; and theye fought against it. 76 fAnd they of the city, being afraid, opened (the gates)f, and Jonathan became master of Joppa. 77 And (when) Apollonius heard (of this), he gatheredg an army of three thousand horse, and a great host, and went to Azotus as though (intending) to journey on, but hat the same timeh moved forwardi into the plain, because he had a multitude of horse, and relied on this. 78 And hek pursued after himl to Azotus, and the armies joined battlem. 79 Now Apollonius had left a thousand horse nbehind himn, hiddeno; but Jonathan realized that there was an ambushment pbehind himp. 80 And they surrounded his army, and cast (their)q darts at the people from morning until rlate in the afternoonr; 81 but the people stood still, as Jonathan (had) commanded, while the (enemy’s) horses were wearying (themselves). 82 And Simon drew forth his host, and joined battle with the phalanx—for the horsemen swere spent—and they were discomfited by him, tand fled. 83 And the horsemens were scattered in the plaint; and they fled to Azotus, and entered into Beth-dagon, their idol’s templeu, to save themselves. 84 And Jonathan burned Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; vand the temple of Dagon, wand them that fled into itw, he burned with firev. 85 And they that had fallen xby the swordx, with them that were burned, were about eight thousand men. 86 And from thence Jonathan removed, and encamped against Askalon, and they of the city came forth to meet him with great pomp. 87 And Jonathan, with them that were on his side, returned to Jerusalem, having many spoils. 88 And yit came to passy, when king Alexander heard these things, he honoured Jonathan yet more; 89 and he sent unto him a buckle of gold, as the use is to give to such as are of the kindred of the kings; moreover, he gave him Ekron and all the borders thereof for a possession.

11:1–19. Alliance between Ptolemy VI and Demetrius II, resulting in the downfall of Alexander Balas. Demetrius becomes king of Syria.