Open English Translation 1 MAC Chapter 10

10 In the one hundred sixtieth year,[fn] Alexandros (Alexander) Epifanes (Epiphanes), the son of Antiokos (Antiochus), went up and took possession of Ptolemais. They received him, and he reigned there. 2 King Demetrios heard about this, and he gathered together very great forces, and went out to meet him in battle.

3 Demetrios sent a letter to Yonatan with words of peace, so as to honour him. 4 Because he said, “Let’s go beforehand to make peace with them, before he makes peace with Alexandros against us; 5 for he’ll remember all the evils that we’ve done against him, and to his kindred and to his nation.” 6 So he gave him authority to gather together forces, and to provide weapons, and that he should be his ally. He also commanded that they should release the hostages that were in the citadel to him.

7 Yonatan came to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), and read the letter in the hearing of all the people, and of those who were in the citadel. 8 They were very afraid when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army. 9 Those in the citadel released the hostages to Yonatan, and he restored them to their parents.

10 Yonatan lived in Yerushalem and began to build and renew the city. 11 He commanded those who did the work to build the walls and encircle Mt. Tsiyon (Zion) with[fn] square stones for defence; and they did so. 12 The foreigners who were in the strongholds which Bakides had built fled away. 13 Each man left his place and departed into his own land. 14 Only at Beyt-Tsur, there were left some of those who’d forsaken the law and the commandments, for it was a place of refuge to them.

15 King Alexandros (Alexander) heard all the promises which Demetrios had sent to Yonatan. They told him of the battles and the valiant actions which he and his kindred had done, and of the troubles which they’d endured. 16 So he said, “Could we find another man like him? Now we’ll make him our[fn] friend and ally.” 17 He wrote a letter and sent it to him, in these words, saying, 18 “King Alexandros to his brother Yonatan, greetings. 19 We’ve heard of you, that you’re a mighty man of valour, and worthy to be our[fn] friend. 20 Now we’ve appointed you this day to be high priest of your nation, and to be called the king’s[fn] friend, and to take our side, and to keep friendship with us.” He also sent to him a purple robe and a golden crown.

21 And Yonatan put on the holy clothes in the seventh month of the one hundred sixtieth year,[fn] at the feast of tabernacles; and he gathered together forces and provided weapons in abundance.

22 When Demetrios heard these things, he was grieved and said, 23 “What’s this that we’ve done, that Alexandros has gotten ahead of us in establishing friendship with the Yehudim to strengthen himself? 24 I also will write to them words of encouragement and of honour and of gifts, that they may be with me to aid me.” 25 So he sent to them this message:

“King Demetrios to the nation of the Yehudim (Jews), greetings. 26 Since as you’ve kept your covenants with us, and continued in our friendship, and haven’t joined yourselves to our enemies, we’ve heard of this, and are glad. 27 Now continue still to keep faith with us, and we’ll repay you with good in return for your dealings with us. 28 We’ll grant you many immunities and give you gifts.

29 “Now I free you and release all the Yehudim from the tributes, from the salt tax, and from the crown levies. 30 Instead of the third part of the seed, and instead of half of the fruit of the trees, which falls to me to receive, I release it from this day and from now on, so that I won’t take it from the land of Yehudah (Judah), and from the three districts which are added to it from the country of Shomron (Samaria) and Galil, from this day forth and for all time. 31 Let Yerushalem (Jerusalem) be holy and free, with her borders, tithes, and taxes. 32 I yield up also my authority over the citadel which is at Yerushalem, and give it to the high priest, that he may appoint in it men whom he chooses to keep it. 33 Every soul of the Yehudim who’s been carried captive from the land of Yehudah into any part of my kingdom, I set at liberty without payment. Let all officials also cancel the taxes on their livestock.

34 “All the feasts, the Sabbaths, new moons, appointed days, three days before a feast, and three days after a feast, let them all be days of immunity and release for all the Yehudim who are in my kingdom. 35 No one has authority to exact anything from any of them, or to trouble them about any matter.

36 “Let there be enrolled among the king’s forces about thirty thousand men of the Yehudim, and pay will be given to them, as is due to all the king’s forces. 37 Of them, some will be placed in the king’s great strongholds, and some of them will be placed over the affairs of the kingdom, which are positions of trust. Let those who are over them and their rulers be of themselves, and let them walk after their own laws, even as the king has commanded in the land of Yehudah.

38 “The three districts that have been added to Yehudah from the country of Shomron (Samaria), let them be annexed to Yehudah, that they may be reckoned to be under one ruler, that they may not obey any other authority than the high priest’s. 39 As for Ptolemais and its land, I’ve given it as a gift to the sanctuary that’s at Yerushalem (Jerusalem), for the expenses of the sanctuary. 40 I also give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver from the king’s revenues from the places that are appropriate. 41 And all the additional funds which those who manage the king’s affairs didn’t pay as in the first years, they’ll give from now on towards the works of the temple. 42 Besides this, the five thousand shekels of silver which they received from the uses of the sanctuary from the revenue year by year is also released, because it belongs to the priests who minister there. 43 Anyone who flees to the temple that’s at Yerushalem, and within all of its borders, whether one owe money to the king, or any other matter, let them go free, along with all that they have in my kingdom. 44 Because the building and renewing of the structures of the sanctuary, the expense will also be given out of the king’s revenue. 45 Because the building of the walls of Yerushalem and fortifying it all around, the expense will also be given out of the king’s revenue, also for the building of the walls in Yehudah.”

46 Now when Yonatan (Jonathan) and the people heard these words, they gave no credence to them, and didn’t accept them, because they remembered the great evil which he’d done in Yisrael (Israel), and that he’d afflicted them very severely. 47 They were well pleased with Alexandros, because he was the first who spoke words of peace to them, and they were allies with him always.

48 King Alexandros (Alexander) gathered together great forces and encamped near Demetrios. 49 The two kings joined battle, and Alexandros’ army fled; and Demetrios followed after him, and prevailed against them. 50 He strengthened the battle greatly until the sun went down; and Demetrios fell that day.

51 Alexandros sent ambassadors to Mitsrayim’s (Egypt) King Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) with this message: 52 “Since I’ve returned to my kingdom, and am seated on the throne of my fathers, and have established my dominion, and have overthrown Demetrios, and have taken possession of our country—53 yes, I joined the battle with him, and he and his army were defeated by us, and we sat on the throne of his kingdom—54 now also let’s make friends with one another. Give me now your daughter as my wife. I’ll be joined with you, and will give both you and her gifts worthy of you.”

55 King Ptolemaios answered, saying, “Happy is the day you returned to the land of your ancestors and sat on the throne of their kingdom. 56 Now I’ll do to you as you’ve written, but meet me at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; and I’ll join with you, even as you’ve said.” 57 So Ptolemaios went out of Mitsrayim, himself and Kleopatra (Cleopatra) his daughter, and came to Ptolemais in the one hundred and sixty-second year.[fn] 58 King Alexandros met him, and he gave him his daughter Kleopatra, and celebrated her wedding at Ptolemais with great pomp, as kings do.

59 King Alexandros wrote to Yonatan (Jonathan), that he should come to meet him. 60 He went with pomp to Ptolemais, and met the two kings. He gave them and their friends[fn] silver and gold, and many gifts, and found favour in their sight. 61 Some malcontents out of Yisrael (Israel), men who were transgressors of the law, gathered together against him to complain against him, but the king didn’t pay any attention to them. 62 The king commanded that they take off Yonatan’s clothes and clothe him in purple, and they did so. 63 The king made him sit with him, and said to his princes, “Go out with him into the middle of the city, and proclaim that no man may complain against him of any matter, and let no man trouble him for any reason.” 64 When those who complained against him saw his honour according to the proclamation, and saw him clothed in purple, they all fled away. 65 The king gave him honour, and enrolled him among his chief friends,[fn] and made him a captain and governor of a province. 66 Then Yonatan returned to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) with peace and gladness.

67 In the one hundred and sixty-fifth year,[fn] Demetrios, son of Demetrios, came out of Kraitai (Crete) into the land of his ancestors. 68 When King Alexandros (Alexander) heard of it, he grieved greatly and returned to Antiokeia. 69 Demetrios appointed Apolonios, who was over Coele-Syria, and he gathered together a great army, and encamped against Yavneh, and sent to Yonatan the high priest, saying,

70 “You alone lift up yourself against us, but I’m ridiculed and in reproach because of you. Why do you assume authority against us in the mountains? 71 Now therefore, if you trust in your forces, come down to us into the plain, and let’s match strength with each other there; for the power of the cities is with me. 72 Ask and learn who I am, and the rest who help us. They say, ‘Your foot can’t stand before our face; for your ancestors have been put to flight twice in their own land.’ 73 Now you won’t be able to withstand the cavalry and such an army as this in the plain, where is there’s no stone or pebble, or place to flee.”

74 Now when Yonatan heard Apolonios’ words, he was moved in his mind, and he chose ten thousand men, and went out from Yerushalem (Jerusalem); and Shim’on (Simon) his brother met him to help him. 75 Then he encamped against Yafo (Joppa). The people of the city shut him out, because Apolonios had a garrison in Yafo. 76 So they fought against it. The people of the city were afraid, and opened to him; and Yonatan became master of Yafo.

77 Apolonios heard about that, and he gathered an army of three thousand cavalry, and a great army, and went to Azotos as though he were on a journey, and at the same time advanced onward into the plain, because he had a multitude of cavalry which he trusted. 78 He pursued him to Azotos, and the armies joined battle.[fn] 79 Apolonios had secretly left a thousand cavalry behind them. 80 Yonatan learnt that there was an ambush behind him. They surrounded his army, and shot their arrows at the people, from morning until evening; 81 but the people stood fast, as Yonatan commanded them; and the enemy’s horses grew tired.

82 Then Shim’on (Simon) brought forward his army and joined battle with the phalanx (for the cavalry were exhausted), and they were defeated by him and fled. 83 The cavalry were scattered in the plain. They fled to Azotos and entered into Beyt-Dagon, their idol’s temple, to save themselves. 84 Yonatan burnt Azotos and the cities around it and took their spoils. He burnt the temple of Dagon and those who fled into it with fire. 85 Those who’d fallen by the sword plus those who were burnt were about eight thousand men.

86 From there, Yonatan left and encamped against Ashkelon. The people of the city came out to meet him with great pomp. 87 Yonatan, with those who were on his side, returned to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), having many spoils. 88 When King Alexandros heard these things, he honoured Yonatan even more. 89 He sent him a gold buckle, as the custom is to give to the king’s kindred. He gave him Ekron and all its land for a possession.