Part 618 (1/2)

9:58. And all the wicked held a council, saying: Behold Jonathan, and they that are with him, dwell at ease and without fear: now, therefore, let us bring Bacchides. .h.i.ther, and he shall take them all in one night.

9:59. So they went, and gave him counsel.

9:60. And he arose to come with a great army: and he sent secretly letters to his adherents that were in Judea to seize upon Jonathan, and them that were with him: but they could not, for their design was known to them.

9:61. And he apprehended of the men of the country, that were the princ.i.p.al authors of the mischief, fifty men, and he slew them.

9:62. And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, retired into Bethbessen, which is in the desert: and he repaired the breaches thereof, and they fortified it.

9:63. And when Bacchides knew it, he gathered together all his mult.i.tude: and sent word to them that were of Judea.

9:64. And he came, and camped above Bethbessen, and fought against it many days, and made engines.

9:65. But Jonathan left his brother, Simon, in the city and went forth into the country, and came with a number of men,

9:66. And struck Odares, and his brethren, and the children of Phaseron, in their tents, and he began to slay, and to increase in forces.

9:67. But Simon, and they that were with him, sallied out of the city, and burnt the engines,

9:68. And they fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them: and they afflicted him exceedingly, for his counsel, and his enterprise was in vain.

9:69. And he was angry with the wicked men that had given him counsel to come into their country, and he slew many of them: and he purposed to return with the rest into their country.

9:70. And Jonathan had knowledge of it, and he sent amba.s.sadors to him to make peace with him, and to restore to him the prisoners.

9:71. And he accepted it willingly, and did according to his words, and swore that he would do him no harm all the days of his life.

9:72. And he restored to him the prisoners which he before had taken out of the land of Juda: and he returned, and went away into his own country, and he came no more into their borders.

9:73. So the sword ceased from Israel: and Jonathan dwelt in Machmas, and Jonathan began there to judge the people, and he destroyed the wicked out of Israel.

1 Machabees Chapter 10

Alexander Bales sets himself up for king: both he and Demetrius seek to make Jonathan their friend. Alexander kills Demetrius in battle, and honours Jonathan. His victory over Apollonius.

10:1. Now in the hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the son of Antiochus, surnamed the Ill.u.s.trious, came up and took Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there.

10:2. And king Demetrius heard of it, and gathered together an exceeding great army, and went forth against him to fight.

10:3. And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan, with peaceable words, to magnify him.

10:4. For he said: Let us first make a peace with him, before he make one with Alexander against us.

10:5. For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brother, and against his nation.

10:6. And he gave him authority to gather together a army, and to make arms, and that he should be his confederate: and the hostages that were in the castle, he commanded to be delivered to him.

10:7. And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of them that were in the castle.

10:8. And they were struck with great fear, because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army.