Maccabees 1 10
1In the hundred and sixties 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,
2Now when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight.
3Moreover Demetrius sent letters to Jonathan with loving words, so as he magnified him.
4For said he, Let us first make peace with him, before he join with Alexander against us:
5Else he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his people.
6Therefore 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.
7Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the audience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower:
8Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an host.
9Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages to Jonathan, and he delivered them to their parents.
10This done, Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began to build and repair the city.
11And he commanded the workmen to build the walls and the mount Sion and about with square stones for fortification; and they did so.
12Then the strangers, that were in the fortresses which Bacchides had built, fled away;
13Insomuch as every man left his place, and went into his own country.
14Only at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments remained still: for it was their place of refuge.
15Now when king Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had sent to 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,
16He said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we will make him our friend and confederate.
17Upon this he wrote a letter, and sent it to him, according to these words, saying,
18King Alexander to his brother Jonathan sends greeting:
19We have heard of you, that you are a man of great power, and meet to be our friend.
20Therefore now this day we ordain you to be the high priest of your nation, and to be called the king's friend; (and therewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold:) and require you to take our part, and keep friendship with us.
21So in the seventh month of the hundred and sixties year, at the feast of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy robe, and gathered together forces, and provided much armor.
22Whereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said,
23What have we done, that Alexander has prevented us in making amity with the Jews to strengthen himself?
24I also will write to them words of encouragement, and promise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid.
25He sent to them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius to the people of the Jews sends greeting:
26Whereas you have kept covenants with us, and continued in our friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have heard hereof, and are glad.
27Therefore now continue you still to be faithful to us, and we will well recompense you for the things you do in our behalf,
28And will grant you many immunities, and give you rewards.
29And 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,
30And from that which appertains to 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 thereto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth for evermore.
31Let Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders thereof, both from tenths and tributes.
32And 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.
33Moreover 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.
34Furthermore 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.
35Also no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest any of them in any matter.
36I will further, that there be enrolled among the king's forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, to whom pay shall be given, as belongs to all king's forces.
37And 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 has commanded in the land of Judea.
38And 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.
39As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I give it as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary expenses of the sanctuary.
40Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver out of the king's accounts from the places appertaining.
41And all the overplus, which the officers payed not in as in former time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of the temple.
42And 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.
43And whoever they be that flee to the temple at Jerusalem, or be within the liberties hereof, being indebted to the king, or for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that they have in my realm.
44For the building also and repairing of the works of the sanctuary expenses shall be given of the king's accounts.
45Yes, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof round about, expenses shall be given out of the king's accounts, as also for the building of the walls in Judea.
46Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credit to them, nor received them, because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel; for he had afflicted them very sore.
47But 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.
48Then gathered king Alexander great forces, and camped over against Demetrius.
49And after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius' host fled: but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against them.
50And he continued the battle very sore until the sun went down: and that day was Demetrius slain.
51Afterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of Egypt with a message to this effect:
52Forasmuch 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;
53For 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:
54Now therefore let us make a league of amity together, and give me now your daughter to wife: and I will be your son in law, and will give both you and her as according to your dignity.
55Then Ptolemee the king gave answer, saying, Happy be the day wherein you did return into the land of your fathers, and sat in the throne of their kingdom.
56And now will I do to you, as you have written: meet me therefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will marry my daughter to you according to your desire.
57So Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and they came to Ptolemais in the hundred threescore and second year:
58Where king Alexander meeting him, he gave to him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great glory, as the manner of kings is.
59Now king Alexander had written to Jonathan, that he should come and meet him.
60Who thereupon went honorably to Ptolemais, where he met the two kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold, and many presents, and found favor in their sight.
61At 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.
62Yes more than that, the king commanded to take off his garments, and clothe him in purple: and they did so.
63And he made him sit by himself, and said into 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.
64Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away.
65So the king honored him, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion.
66Afterward Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.
67Furthermore in the; hundred threescore and fifth year came Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his fathers:
68Whereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry, and returned into Antioch.
69Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in Jamnia, and sent to Jonathan the high priest, saying,
70You alone lift up yourself against us, and I am laughed to scorn for your sake, and reproached: and why do you vaunt your power against us in the mountains?
71Now therefore, if you trust in your 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.
72Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and they shall tell you that your foot is not able to stand before our face; for your fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land.
73Therefore now you shall 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 to.
74So 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.
75And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.
76Then Jonathan laid siege to it: whereupon they of the city let him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa.
77Whereof 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.
78Then Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined battle.
79Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush.
80And 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.
81But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so the enemies' horses were tired.
82Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the footmen, (for the horsemen were spent) who were discomfited by him, and fled.
83The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for safety.
84But 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.
85Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well near eight thousand men.
86And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great pomp.
87After this returned Jonathan and his host to Jerusalem, having any spoils.
88Now when king Alexander heard these things, he honored Jonathan yet more.
89And 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.
Commentaries for Maccabees 1 10:0