IX. Furthermore awhen Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his host were slain in battle, * he sent aaBacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judea bthe second time, and with them * the chief strength of his host: 2 who went forth by the way that leadeth to * Galgala, and pitched their tents before Masaloth, which is in cArbela, and after they had won it, they slew much dpeople. 3 Also the first month of * the hundred fifty and second year they encamped before Jerusalem: 4 from whence they removed, and went to * Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen.

5 Now Judas had pitched his tents at eEleasa, and three thousand chosen men with him: 6 who seeing the multitude of the other army to be so great were sore afraid; whereupon many conveyed themselves out of the host, insomuch as there abode of them no moe but eight hundred men. 7 When Judas therefore saw that his host slipt away, and that the battle pressed upon him, he was sore troubled in mind, and much distressed, for that he had no time to gather them together. 8 Nevertheless unto them that remained he said, Let us arise and go up against our enemies, if peradventure we may be able to fight with them. 9 But they dehorted him, saying, We shall never be able: * let us now rather save our lives, and hereafter we will return with our brethren, and fight against them: for we are but few. 10 Then Judas said, fGod forbid that I should do this thing, and flee away from them: if our time be come, let us die manfully for our brethren, and * let us not stain our honour. 11 With that the host of Bacchides removed out of their tents, and stood over against * them, their horsemen being divided into two gtroops, and their slingers and archers going before the host, and they that marched in the foreward were all mighty men. 12 As for Bacchides, he was in hthe right wing: so the host drew near on the two gparts, and sounded their trumpets. 13 They also of Judas’ side, even they sounded their trumpets also, so that the earth shook at the noise of the armies, and the battle continued from morning till night. 14 Now when Judas perceived that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on hthe right side, he took with him all the hardy men, 15 who discomfited hthe right wing, and pursued them unto the mount iAzotus. 16 But when they of the left wing saw that they of the right wing were discomfited, they followed upon Judas and those that were with him hard at the heels from behind: 17 whereupon there was a sore battle, insomuch as jmany were slain on both parts. 18 Judas also was killed, and the remnant fled. 19 Then kJonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers in lModin. 20 Moreover they bewailed him, and mall Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying, 21 How is the valiant man fallen, that delivered Israel! 22 mmAs for the other things concerning Judas and his wars, and the noble acts which he did, and his greatness, nthey are not written: for they were very many.

23 Now after the death of Judas othe wicked began to put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and there rose up all psuch as wrought iniquity. 24 In those days also was there a very great famine, by reason whereof the country revolted, and went with * them. 25 Then Bacchides chose othe wicked men, and made them lords of the country. 26 And they made inquiry and search for Judas’ friends, and brought them unto Bacchides, who took vengeance of them, and * used them despitefully. 27 So was there a great affliction in Israel, the like whereof was not since the time that qa prophet was not seen amongst them. 28 For this cause rall Judas’ friends came together, and said unto kJonathan, 29 Since thy brother Judas died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies, and Bacchides, and against them sof our nation that are adversaries to us. 30 Now therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince and captain in his stead, that thou mayest fight our battles. 31 Upon this Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up instead of his brother Judas.

32 But when Bacchides gat knowledge thereof, he sought for to slay him 33 Then kJonathan, and Simon his brother, and all that were with him, perceiving that, fled into tthe wilderness of uThecoe, and pitched their tents by the water of the pool Asphar. 34 * Which when Bacchides understood, he came wnear to Jordan with all his host upon the sabbath day. 35 (Now Jonathan had sent his brother * xJohn, a captain of the people, to pray his friends the yNabathites, * that they might leave with them their zcarriage, which was much. 36 But the children of * Jambri came out of bMedaba, and took cJohn, and all that he had, and went their way with it. 37 After this came word to Jonathan and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri made a great marriage, and were bringing the bride from * Nadabatha with a great train, as being the daughter of one of the great princes of dCanaan. 38 Therefore they remembered John their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain: 39 where they lift up their eyes, and looked, and behold, there was much ado and great ecarriage: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and brethren, to meet them with * drums, and * finstruments of musick, and many weapons. 40 Then gJonathan and they that were with him rose up against them from hthe place where they lay in ambush, and made a slaughter of them in such sort, as imany fell down dead, and the remnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils. 41 Thus was the marriage turned into mourning, and the noise of their fmelody into lamentation. 42 So when they had avenged fully the blood of their brother, they turned again to kthe marish of Jordan).

43 Now when Bacchides heard hereof, lhe came on the sabbath day unto the banks of Jordan with a great power. 44 Then Jonathan said to his company, llLet us go up now and fight for our lives, for it standeth not with us to day, as min time past: 45 for behold, the battle is before us and behind us, and the water of Jordan on this side and that side, kthe marish likewise and wood, neither is there place for us to turn aside. 46 Wherefore ncry ye now unto heaven, that ye may be delivered from the hand of your enemies. 47 With that they joined battle, and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to smite Bacchides, but he turned back from him. 48 Then Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into Jordan, and swam over unto the farther bank: howbeit the other passed not over Jordan unto them. 49 So there were slain of Bacchides’ side that day about * a thousand men.

50 Afterward returned Bacchides to Jerusalem, and * repaired the strong cities in Judea; the fort in oJericho, and pEmmaus, and qBethoron, and rBethel, and sThamnatha, tPharathoni, and * uTaphon, these did he strengthen vwith high walls, with gates, and with bars. 51 And in them he set a garrison, that they might work malice upon Israel. 52 He fortified also * the city wBethsura, and xGazara, and ythe tower, and put forces in them, and zprovision of victuals. 53 Besides, he took the chief men’s sons in the country for ahostages, and put them into ythe tower at Jerusalem to be kept. 54 Moreover in * the hundred fifty and third year, in the second month, bAlcimus commanded that cthe wall of the inner court of the sanctuary should be pulled down; he pulled down also dthe works of the prophets 55 And as he began to pull down, even at that time was Alcimus plagued, and his enterprises hindered: for his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak any thing, nor egive order concerning his house. 56 So Alcimus died at that time with great torment. 57 Now when fBacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king: whereupon gthe land of Judea was in rest two year.

58 * Then all hthe ungodly men held a council, saying, Behold, Jonathan and his company are at ease, and dwell without care: now therefore we will bring Bacchides hither, who shall take them all in one night. 59 So they went and consulted with him. 60 Then removed he, and came with a great host, and sent letters privily to his adherents in Judea, that they should take Jonathan and those that were with him: howbeit they could not, because their counsel was known unto them. 61 Wherefore they took of the men of the country, that were authors of that mischief, about fifty persons, and slew them. 62 Afterward iJonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, got them away to lBethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and they krepaired the decays thereof, and made it strong. 63 Which thing when Bacchides knew, he gathered together all his host, and sent word * to them that were of Judea. 64 Then went he and laid siege against Bethbasi; and they fought against it a long season, and made engines of war. 65 But Jonathan left his brother Simon in lthe city, and went forth himself into the country, and with a certain number went he forth. 66 And he smote * Odonarkes and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their tent. 67 And when he began to smite them, and came up with his forces, Simon and his company went out of lthe city, and burnt up mthe engines of war; 68 and fought against Bacchides, who was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore: for his counsel and travel was in vain. 69 Wherefore he was very wroth at hthe wicked men that gave him counsel nto come into the country, insomuch as he slew many of them, and purposed to return into his own country. 70 Whereof when Jonathan had knowledge, he sent ambassadors unto him, oto the end he should make peace with him, and deliver them the prisoners. 71 Which thing he accepted, and did according to his demands, and sware unto him that he would never do him harm all the days of his life. 72 When therefore he had restored unto him pthe prisoners that he had taken aforetime out of the land of Judea, he returned and went his way into his own land, neither * came he any more into their borders. 73 Thus the sword ceased from Israel: but Jonathan dwelt at qMachmas, and began to * govern the people; and he destroyed hthe ungodly men out of Israel.