Alexander Epiphanes Makes Jonathan High Priest
1 In the year 160, Alexander Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the Fourth, landed at Ptolemais and captured it. The people welcomed him as their king. 2 When King Demetrius heard of it, he gathered a large army and went out to meet him in battle. 3 At that time Demetrius sent Jonathan a friendly letter full of flattery, 4 in the hope of winning Jonathan over to his side and making peace with the Jews before Alexander made a treaty with them against him. 5 Demetrius thought that Jonathan would certainly remember all the wrongs he had done to him, his brothers, and the entire Jewish nation. 6 And so Demetrius made Jonathan his ally and gave him authority to raise an army and equip it. He also ordered that the hostages held in the fort at Jerusalem should be handed over to Jonathan. 7 So Jonathan went to Jerusalem and read the letter to all the people and to the men in the fort. 8 These men were terrified when they learned that the king had given Jonathan authority to raise an army. 9 They handed the hostages over to him, and he returned them to their parents.
10 Jonathan set up headquarters in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city. 11 He ordered the builders to use squared stones for the city walls and for the protecting wall around Mount Zion. This was done. 12 The foreigners deserted the fortresses that Bacchides had built; 13 each man left his post and returned to his own country. 14 But some of the Jews who had abandoned the Law of Moses and its commands were still left in Bethzur, which served as their last place of refuge.
15 King Alexander learned of the promises Demetrius had made to Jonathan and he also learned about Jonathan himself, about the battles he had fought, his courageous deeds, and the troubles he and his brothers had endured. 16 He was certain that he would never find another man like Jonathan and so decided to make him his friend and ally. 17 He wrote Jonathan a letter:
18 “King Alexander to his friend Jonathan, greetings.
19 I have heard that you are a brave man who has earned the right to be a friend of the king. 20 I have this day appointed you as High Priest of your nation and conferred upon you the title of ‘Friend of the King.’ You are to be our ally and give us your support.”
He also sent him a royal robe and a gold crown. 21 Jonathan put on the robes of the High Priest in the seventh month of the year 160 at the Festival of Shelters. He raised an army and stored up a large supply of weapons.
Jonathan Supports Alexander Epiphanes
22 When Demetrius heard this, he was distressed and said, 23 “How did we manage to let Alexander get ahead of us? He has strengthened his position by making an alliance with the Jews. 24 I also will write them a friendly letter offering high positions and gifts, so that they will support me.”
25 He wrote:
“King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greetings. 26 We are delighted to learn that you have kept your obligations under our treaty, remained loyal to us, and have not gone over to the side of our enemies. 27 Now if you continue to remain loyal to us, we will reward you well. 28 We will grant you exemptions from many taxes and allow you other privileges. 29 I hereby grant all the Jewish people release and exemption from payment of regular taxes, salt taxes, and other special taxes. 30 Furthermore, from this day I release you from your obligation to pay me one third of the grain harvest and one half of the fruit harvest. From now on I will not demand these payments from Judea or from the three districts that have been added to Judea from Samaria and Galilee. 31 Jerusalem and its surrounding territory is to be recognized as a holy city and to be exempt from the payment of all taxes. 32 I also give up my authority over the fort in Jerusalem and place it under the High Priest, who may station there anyone he wishes to guard it. 33 I freely grant release to all Jews who are prisoners of war anywhere in my kingdom. All of them will be exempt from taxes, even on their cattle. 34 No taxes shall be collected from any Jew anywhere in my kingdom on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days. Furthermore, no taxes shall be collected three days before or after the major holy days. 35 No one has the right on any of these days to demand payment or to trouble you in any way.
36 “Jews may be enlisted in the royal army up to a total of 30,000 men, and they will receive the same pay as other royal troops. 37 Some of them may be stationed in the great royal fortresses, and others assigned to responsible positions in the government. They shall have Jews as their leaders and officers, and they shall be allowed to follow their own laws and customs, just as the king has permitted for the people of Judea.
38 “The three districts added to Judea from the territory of Samaria will be completely incorporated into Judea and placed under the authority of the High Priest alone. 39 I give to the Temple in Jerusalem for its operating expenses the revenues from the city of Ptolemais and the lands belonging to it. 40 I also promise to make an annual gift of 15,000 silver coins from appropriate accounts within the royal treasury. 41 The total accumulated state subsidy, which we have failed to pay in recent years, shall be paid, and the payments continued from now on for the work of the Temple. 42 In addition to this, we will no longer require the 5,000 silver coins annually from the Temple income. This money belongs to the priests serving in the Temple. 43 Whoever owes a debt to the king or any other debt and takes refuge in the Temple in Jerusalem or in any area that belongs to it may not be arrested nor may his property anywhere in my kingdom be confiscated. 44 The expenses for rebuilding and renovating the Temple shall be provided from the royal treasury. 45 Likewise, the expenses for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and its surrounding fortifications, as well as the walls of designated towns in Judea, shall be provided from the royal treasury.”
46 When Jonathan and the people heard the proposals made by King Demetrius, they refused to believe them or accept them, because they remembered how harshly he had treated them and what terrible troubles he had caused them. 47 They preferred to give their allegiance to Alexander because he had been the first to open peace negotiations, and they remained his allies as long as he lived.
48 King Alexander raised a large army and took up battle positions facing Demetrius. 49 But when the armies of the two kings met in battle, the army of Alexander turned and ran. Demetrius pursued them and won the battle. 50 Alexander fought bitterly until sundown, but Demetrius was killed that day.
51 Then Alexander sent ambassadors to King Ptolemy the Sixth of Egypt with this message:
52 “I have returned to my kingdom and taken my seat on the throne of my ancestors. I have taken over the government, and I am now in control of the country. 53 I made war on Demetrius, defeated him and his army, and I have taken over his kingdom. 54 Now I am ready to make an alliance. Give me your daughter in marriage, and I will give both of you such gifts as you deserve.”
55 King Ptolemy replied, “It was a great day when you returned to your country and took the throne of your ancestors. 56 I agree to your proposals, but first meet me at Ptolemais. We can get acquainted there, and I will give you my daughter in marriage.”
57 So in the year 162 Ptolemy and his daughter Cleopatra left Egypt and arrived at Ptolemais. 58 King Alexander met them, and Ptolemy gave him his daughter in marriage. The wedding was celebrated there in Ptolemais with royal splendor.
59 King Alexander wrote asking Jonathan to come to meet him. 60 So Jonathan, in a show of splendor, went to Ptolemais and met the two kings. He presented them with gifts of silver and gold, and he also gave many gifts to the high officials who had accompanied them. Everyone was favorably impressed with him. 61 At the same time some traitorous Jews who wanted to make trouble for Jonathan made accusations against him, but King Alexander paid no attention to them. 62 He gave orders that Jonathan should be given royal robes to wear, 63 and he honored him by letting him sit at his side. Alexander told his officers to take Jonathan into the center of the city and to announce that no one was to bring charges against him for any reason and no one was to cause him any kind of trouble. 64 When his accusers saw the honors given to him, heard the announcement, and saw him clothed in royal robes, they all fled. 65 The king further honored Jonathan by enrolling him in the First Order of the “Friends of the King” and by making him general and governor of his province. 66 Jonathan returned to Jerusalem pleased and successful.
Jonathan's Victory over Apollonius
67 In the year 165 Demetrius the Second, the son of Demetrius the First, left Crete and arrived in Syria, the land of his ancestors. 68 When King Alexander heard about this, he was worried and returned to Antioch, the capital of Syria. 69 Demetrius reappointed Apollonius governor of Greater Syria. Apollonius raised a large army, set up camp near Jamnia, and sent the following message to Jonathan the High Priest:
70 “Because of you I am being ridiculed, but why do you, there in your mountains, continue this rebellion when no one supports you? 71 If you really have any confidence in your army, come down here on the plain and fight, where we can test each other's strength. Study the situation, and you will find that I have the support of the forces from the cities. 72 You will learn who I am and who our allies are, and you will discover that you have no chance of standing against us. Your predecessors have already been beaten twice on their own ground; 73 so how do you expect to defeat my cavalry and the kind of army I have here on the plain? Down here there is not so much as a pebble to hide behind and no way to escape.”
74 When Jonathan received this message from Apollonius, he became angry. He took 10,000 elite troops from Jerusalem; his brother Simon also brought troops, and their two forces 75 set up camp outside of Joppa. The men of the city refused to let them in because there was a detachment of Apollonius' troops there, but Jonathan attacked, 76 and the men in the city became so frightened that they opened the gates, allowing Jonathan to capture Joppa. 77 When Apollonius heard what had happened, he took 3,000 cavalry and a large army of infantry and pretended to retreat south toward Azotus. However, relying upon the strength of his cavalry, he marched into the plain with his main force, 78-79 positioning 1,000 cavalry where they could attack Jonathan's forces from the rear. Jonathan continued his pursuit as far as Azotus, where the two armies met in battle. 80 Not until then did Jonathan realize that he was caught in an ambush. His army was surrounded, and enemy arrows rained down on them from morning until evening. 81 But Jonathan's men stood firm, as he had ordered, and the attacking cavalry grew tired. 82 Then, when the cavalry was exhausted, Simon appeared on the scene with his forces and attacked and overwhelmed the enemy infantry, who broke ranks and fled. 83 The cavalry, which by now was scattered all over the battlefield, fled to Azotus, where they took refuge in the temple of Dagon, their god. 84 But Jonathan set fire to the city and to the temple of Dagon, burning to death all those who had taken refuge there. Then he set fire to the surrounding towns and looted them. 85 That day about 8,000 were either killed in the battle or burned to death. 86 Jonathan left and set up camp at Ascalon, where the people of the city came out to welcome him with great honors. 87 Jonathan and his men returned to Jerusalem with large quantities of loot.
88 When King Alexander heard what Jonathan had done, he gave him even greater honors. 89 He sent him a gold shoulder buckle, which is given only to those honored with the title “Relative of the King.” He also gave him the city of Ekron and its surrounding territory.
1 In the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander, the son of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais: for the people had received him, by means whereof he reigned there,
2 Now when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight.
3 Moreover Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with loving words, so as he magnified him.
4 For said he, Let us first make peace with him, before he join with Alexander against us:
5 Else he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his people.
6 Wherefore he gave him authority to gather together an host, and to provide weapons, that he might aid him in battle: he commanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should be delivered him.
7 Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the audience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower:
8 Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an host.
9 Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto Jonathan, and he delivered them unto their parents.
10 This done, Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began to build and repair the city.
11 And he commanded the workmen to build the walls and the mount Sion and about with square stones for fortification; and they did so.
12 Then the strangers, that were in the fortresses which Bacchides had built, fled away;
13 Insomuch as every man left his place, and went into his own country.
14 Only at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments remained still: for it was their place of refuge.
15 Now when king Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had sent unto Jonathan: when also it was told him of the battles and noble acts which he and his brethren had done, and of the pains that they had endured,
16 He said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we will make him our friend and confederate.
17 Upon this he wrote a letter, and sent it unto him, according to these words, saying,
18 King Alexander to his brother Jonathan sendeth greeting:
19 We have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power, and meet to be our friend.
20 Wherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the high priest of thy nation, and to be called the king’s friend; (and therewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold:) and require thee to take our part, and keep friendship with us.
21 So in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year, at the feast of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy robe, and gathered together forces, and provided much armour.
22 Whereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said,
23 What have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in making amity with the Jews to strengthen himself?
24 I also will write unto them words of encouragement, and promise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid.
25 He sent unto them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius unto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting:
26 Whereas ye have kept covenants with us, and continued in our friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have heard hereof, and are glad.
27 Wherefore now continue ye still to be faithful unto us, and we will well recompense you for the things ye do in our behalf,
28 And will grant you many immunities, and give you rewards.
29 And now do I free you, and for your sake I release all the Jews, from tributes, and from the customs of salt, and from crown taxes,
30 And from that which appertaineth unto me to receive for the third part or the seed, and the half of the fruit of the trees, I release it from this day forth, so that they shall not be taken of the land of Judea, nor of the three governments which are added thereunto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth for evermore.
31 Let Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders thereof, both from tenths and tributes.
32 And as for the tower which is at Jerusalem, I yield up authority over it, and give the high priest, that he may set in it such men as he shall choose to keep it.
33 Moreover I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews, that were carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of my kingdom, and I will that all my officers remit the tributes even of their cattle.
34 Furthermore I will that all the feasts, and sabbaths, and new moons, and solemn days, and the three days before the feast, and the three days after the feast shall be all of immunity and freedom for all the Jews in my realm.
35 Also no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest any of them in any matter.
36 I will further, that there be enrolled among the king’s forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay shall be given, as belongeth to all king’s forces.
37 And of them some shall be placed in the king’s strong holds, of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, which are of trust: and I will that their overseers and governors be of themselves, and that they live after their own laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea.
38 And concerning the three governments that are added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Judea, that they may be reckoned to be under one, nor bound to obey other authority than the high priest’s.
39 As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I give it as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary expences of the sanctuary.
40 Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the king’s accounts from the places appertaining.
41 And all the overplus, which the officers payed not in as in former time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of the temple.
42 And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which they took from the uses of the temple out of the accounts year by year, even those things shall be released, because they appertain to the priests that minister.
43 And whosoever they be that flee unto the temple at Jerusalem, or be within the liberties hereof, being indebted unto the king, or for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that they have in my realm.
44 For the building also and repairing of the works of the sanctuary expences shall be given of the king’s accounts.
45 Yea, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, expences shall be given out of the king’s accounts, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.
46 Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credit unto them, nor received them, because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel; for he had afflicted them very sore.
47 But with Alexander they were well pleased, because he was the first that entreated of true peace with them, and they were confederate with him always.
48 Then gathered king Alexander great forces, and camped over against Demetrius.
49 And after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius’ host fled: but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against them.
50 And he continued the battle very sore until the sun went down: and that day was Demetrius slain.
51 Afterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of Egypt with a message to this effect:
52 Forasmuch as I am come again to my realm, and am set in the throne of my progenitors, and have gotten the dominion, and overthrown Demetrius, and recovered our country;
53 For after I had joined battle with him, both he and his host was discomfited by us, so that we sit in the throne of his kingdom:
54 Now therefore let us make a league of amity together, and give me now thy daughter to wife: and I will be thy son in law, and will give both thee and her as according to thy dignity.
55 Then Ptolemee the king gave answer, saying, Happy be the day wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and satest in the throne of their kingdom.
56 And now will I do to thee, as thou hast written: meet me therefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will marry my daughter to thee according to thy desire.
57 So Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and they came unto Ptolemais in the hundred threescore and second year:
58 Where king Alexander meeting him, he gave unto him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great glory, as the manner of kings is.
59 Now king Alexander had written unto Jonathan, that he should come and meet him.
60 Who thereupon went honourably to Ptolemais, where he met the two kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold, and many presents, and found favour in their sight.
61 At that time certain pestilent fellows of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him: but the king would not hear them.
62 Yea more than that, the king commanded to take off his garments, and clothe him in purple: and they did so.
63 And he made him sit by himself, and said unto his princes, Go 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.
64 Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away.
65 So the king honoured him, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion.
66 Afterward Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.
67 Furthermore in the hundred threescore and fifth year came Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his fathers:
68 Whereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry, and returned into Antioch.
69 Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high priest, saying,
70 Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laughed to scorn for thy sake, and reproached: and why dost thou vaunt thy power against us in the mountains?
71 Now therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter together: for with me is the power of the cities.
72 Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and they shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to stand before our face; for thy fathers have been twice put to flight in their own land.
73 Wherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the horsemen and so great a power in the plain, where is neither stone nor flint, nor place to flee unto.
74 So when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind, and choosing ten thousand men he went out of Jerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him.
75 And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.
76 Then Jonathan laid siege unto it: whereupon they of the city let him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa.
77 Whereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand horsemen, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as one that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the plain. because he had a great number of horsemen, in whom he put his trust.
78 Then Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined battle.
79 Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush.
80 And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him; for they had compassed in his host, and cast darts at the people, from morning till evening.
81 But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so the enemies’ horses were tired.
82 Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the footmen, (for the horsemen were spent) who were discomfited by him, and fled.
83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol’s temple, for safety.
84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.
85 Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh eight thousand men.
86 And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great pomp.
87 After this returned Jonathan and his host unto Jerusalem, having any spoils.
88 Now when king Alexander heard these things, he honoured Jonathan yet more.
89 And sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to such as are of the king’s blood: he gave him also Accaron with the borders thereof in possession.