161 And John went up from Gazara, and told Simon, his father, what Cendebaeus was doing. 2 And Simon called his two eldestw sons, Judas and John, and said unto them: ‘I and my brethren and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel xfrom our youth, even unto this very dayx; and things have prospered in our hands, x(so that we were able) to deliver Israel oftentimesx. 3 But now I am old, and ye moreover, xby (God’s)y mercy’x, are of sufficient agez; be ye (then) instead of me xand my brother, and go forthx and fight for our nation; xand let the help that is from Heaven be with youx.’ 4 And heaa chose bbout of the countrybb twenty thousand men of war and horsemen; and they went against Cendebaeus, and rested at Modin. 5 And rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great host came to meet them, of footmen and horsemen; and there was a brook betwixt them. 6 And he encamped over against them, xhe and his people; and he saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, so he passed over firstx; and (when) the men saw him (doing this), they passed over after him. 7 And he divided the people, ccand (set) the horsemen in the midst of the footmen, for the enemies horsemen were exceedingly numerouscc. 8 And they sounded with thedd trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to the rout, and there fell of them eemany wounded to death; and they that were left fled to the stronghold. 9 At that time was Judas, John’s brother, wounded; but John pursued after them, till he came to Kedron, ffwhich [Cendebaeus]a had builtff. 10 And they fled unto the towers that are in the fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire; and there fell of them about a thousandb men. And he returned to Judaea in peace.

16:11–24. Murder of Simon and his two sons, Mattathias and Judas, by Ptolemy; John Hyrcanus escapes.

11 And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed captain fffor the plainff of Jericho; and he had much silver and gold, for he was the high c-priest’s son-in-law. 12 ffAnd his heart was lifted upff, 13 and he was minded to make himself master of the country; and he took counsel deceitfully against Simon and his sons, to make away with them. 14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them. And he went down to Jericho, he himself and Mattathias and Judas, dhis sonsd, ein the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, the same is the month Sebate. 15 And the son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, ewhich he had builte; and he made them a great banquet; and he hid men there. 16 And when Simon and his sons had drunk freelyf, Ptolemy and they that were with him rose up, and took their arms, and came upon Simon einto the banqueting halle, and slew him and his two sons, and certain of his servants. 17 eAnd he committed (thus) a great act of treacheryg e, and recompensed evil for good. 18 And Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him forces to aid (him), and that he should deliver to him theirh country and the cities. 19 And he sent others to Gazara to make away with John; eand unto the captains of thousands he sent letters to come unto him that he might give them silver and gold and giftse. 20 And others he sent to take possession of Jerusalem, eand of the mount of the Templee. 21 And onei ran kbefore to Gazara, and toldk John ethat his father and brethren had perished, ‘and’, (said he), ‘he hath sent to slay thee alsoe.’ 22 And when hel heard (it), he was sore amazed; and he laid hands on the men mthat came to destroy nhimm, and slewn them; ofor he perceived that they were seeking to destroy himo.

23 And the rest of the acts of John, and of his wars, and of his valiant deeds owhich he dido, and of the building of the walls which he built, 24 and of his (other) deeds, behold they are written in the chronicles of his high-priesthood, from the time that he was made high-priest after his father.