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 exceedingly 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 am 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 is no stone or pebble, or place to flee.”

74 Now when Yonatan heard the words of Apolonios, 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 had 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 It came to pass, 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.