Part 625 (2/2)
15:25. But king Antiochus moved his camp to Dora the second time, a.s.saulting it continually, and making engines: and he shut up Tryphon, that he could not go out.
15:26. And Simon sent to him two thousand chosen men to aid him, silver also, and gold, and abundance of furniture.
15:27. And he would not receive them, but broke all the covenant that he had made with him before, and alienated himself from him.
15:28. And he sent to him Athen.o.bius, one of his friends, to treat with him, saying: You hold Joppe and Gazara, and the castle that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my kingdom:
15:29. Their borders you have wasted, and you have made great havoc in the land, and have got the dominion of many places in my kingdom.
15:30. Now, therefore, deliver up the cities that you have taken, and the tributes of the places whereof you have gotten the dominion without the borders of Judea.
15:31. But if not, give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the havoc that you have made, and the tributes of the cities, other five hundred talents: or else we will come and fight against you.
15:32. So Athen.o.bius, the king's friend came to Jerusalem, and saw the glory of Simon and his magnificence in gold, and silver, and his great equipage, and he was astonished, and told him the king's words.
15:33. And Simon answered him, and said to him: We have neither taken other men's land, neither do we hold that which is other men's, but the inheritance of our fathers, which was for some time unjustly possessed by our enemies.
15:34. But we having opportunity, claim the inheritance of our fathers.
15:35. And as to thy complaints concerning Joppe and Gazara, they did great harm to the people, and to our country: yet for these we will give a hundred talents. And Athen.o.bius answered him not a word.
15:36. But returning in a rage to the king, made report to him of these words, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he had seen, and the king was exceeding angry.
15:37. And Tryphon fled away by s.h.i.+p to Orthosias.
15:38. And the king appointed Cendebeus captain of the sea coast, and gave him an army of footmen and hors.e.m.e.n.
15:39. And he commanded him to march with his army towards Judea: and he commanded him to build up Gedor, and to fortify the gates of the city, and to war against the people. But the king himself pursued after Tryphon.
15:40. And Cendebeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to ravage Judea, and to take the people prisoners, and to kill, and to build Gedor.
15:41. And he placed there hors.e.m.e.n, and an army: that they might issue forth, and make incursions upon the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.
1 Machabees Chapter 16
The sons of Simon defeat the troops of Antiochus. Simon with two of his sons are treacherously murdered by Ptolemee his son in law.
16:1. Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon, his father, what Cendebeus had done against their people.
John... He was afterwards surnamed Hirca.n.u.s, and succeeded his father in both his dignities of high priest and prince. He conquered the Edomites, and obliged them to a conformity with the Jews in religion; and destroyed the schismatical temple of the Samaritans.
16:2. And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
16:3. And now I am old, but be you instead of me, and my brethren, and go out, and fight for our nation: and the help from heaven be with you.
16:4. Then he chose out of the country twenty thousand fighting men, and hors.e.m.e.n, and they went forth against Cendebeus: and they rested in Modin.
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