Demetrius Makes Friends with Jonathan

1Alexander Epiphanes was the son of King Antiochus the Fourth. He landed on the Phoenician coast and captured the city of Ptolemais in the year 160 of the Syrian Kingdom. The people welcomed Alexander as their king.

2When King Demetrius found out that Alexander was in Ptolemais, he got together a mighty army and set out to attack him. 3Demetrius sent Jonathan a friendly letter that flattered him. 4-5He was thinking, "Jonathan could not have forgotten the terrible things I did to him and his brothers and his nation. If I don't hurry and make peace with him, he will join forces with Alexander and attack."

6In the letter Demetrius said:

Jonathan, you have my permission to build a strong army and to be my ally. And I have told my soldiers to release to you the hostages that I'm keeping in the fortress at Jerusalem.

7Jonathan took this letter to Jerusalem and read it to everyone, including those in the fortress. 8His enemies were terrified by the letter, because it allowed him to build up an army. 9The soldiers in the fortress immediately released the hostages to Jonathan, and he let them go home to their parents.

10Jonathan moved to Jerusalem and began repairing and rebuilding the city. 11He ordered the workers to cut square blocks of stone and to build strong walls around Jerusalem and Mount Zion. The workers followed his orders.

12-13Bacchides had left foreign soldiers in the fortresses he had built, but they quickly returned home. 14Only a few Jews who were unfaithful to the Law stayed in Beth-Zur for their own safety.

Jonathan Becomes High Priest

15Someone told King Alexander, "Jonathan and his brothers are brave fighters who have fought many wars and who know what it means to suffer. And Demetrius has promised them many things if they will join him."

16Alexander replied, "I'd better make Jonathan my friend and ally. I'll never find anyone else like him."

17Alexander then sent Jonathan a letter, in which he said:

18King Alexander sends greetings to his dear friend Jonathan!

19I've been told that you are a powerful soldier and the kind of man who deserves to be one of my trusted friends. 20So I appoint you high priest for your nation and a friend of the king. This means that you must be a very loyal follower. I'm also sending you a purple robe and a gold crown.

21During the Festival of Shelters, in the seventh month of the year 160 of the Syrian Kingdom, Jonathan became high priest; he also built up a strong army.

King Demetrius Writes to Jonathan Again

22When King Demetrius heard the news about Alexander and Jonathan, he was deeply distressed and said, 23"What have we done? Alexander's agreement with the Jews has made him very powerful. 24Now I must write a friendly letter to the Jews and promise them better gifts and more honors. Then they'll come over to my side."

25And so, Demetrius wrote:

King Demetrius sends greetings to the Jewish nation.

26I was very pleased to learn that you have kept your promises. This means you are still my friends and allies.

27If you remain loyal to me, I will reward you for everything you do. 28I will give you valuable gifts and not make you pay heavy taxes.

29My Jewish friends, you are excused from paying taxes on salt, as well as the other usual taxes, including the special royal tax. 30 And from now on, you no longer have to give me a share of your grain and fruit.

I will never again take anything you grow in Judea or in the three districts added to Judea from Samaria and Galilee. 31And I consider Jerusalem and the land that belongs to it so holy that I won't tax the money you receive from these places.

32The high priest will take over from me the control of the Jerusalem fortress, and his own soldiers can guard it. 33I will free every Jew who has been taken prisoner anywhere in my kingdom. You won't have to pay anything for them, and they won't have to pay taxes, not even on their livestock.

34On special days such as festivals, Sabbaths, or the first day of a month, my officials will not collect taxes or fees from any Jew in the kingdom. And on the three days before and after festivals, my officials will not collect taxes or fees. 35No one will collect taxes from you or bother you for any reason on those special days.

36I will let as many as 30,000 Jewish soldiers join my army, and they will be paid the same as the other soldiers. 37Some of them will help guard my main fortresses, and others will be given important jobs in the kingdom. I'll let them live by their own laws and choose their own leaders and officers. In fact, this is how things already are in Judea.

38The three districts of Judea that belonged to Samaria will become a permanent part of Judea. The high priest will be the only ruler for Judea and these three districts, and everyone must obey him.

39I have given the city of Ptolemais and the land around it as a gift to the temple in Jerusalem, in order to supply money to help pay for running the temple.

40Every year, I'll send you 15,000 pieces of silver from the treasuries in places under my control. 41For the past few years my officials have failed to send you the extra money that they should have sent. Now they will start sending it again to meet the needs of the temple.

42In the past, you had to pay me 5,000 pieces of silver every year as a tax on the money the temple earned. Now this tax money will go to the priests who serve in the temple.

43If anyone is hiding in or around the Jerusalem temple because they owe money to me or someone else, they are free to leave. And any property they own in my kingdom will be returned to them.

44-45I will pay for repairing and rebuilding the temple. I will also pay for fixing the walls and towers in the towns in Judea, including Jerusalem.

The Death of King Demetrius

46Jonathan and the others remembered how cruel King Demetrius had been to them, and they did not believe a word he had written. 47Instead, they sided with King Alexander, because he had come with the best offer of peace, and they remained his allies until he died.

48Alexander built up a mighty army and led it into battle against the army of Demetrius.

49-50The fighting was fierce and lasted until dark. Finally, the soldiers of Demetrius ran away, but Alexander and his army went after them and killed many, including Demetrius himself.

Alexander and Ptolemy Become Allies

51King Alexander sent a message to King Ptolemy the Sixth of Egypt. It said:

52I've returned to rule the kingdom of my ancestors. But before I could take control, I had to do away with Demetrius. 53So I destroyed him and his army, and now I am king.

54Ptolemy, I would like for us to become allies. Let me marry your daughter and be your son-in-law. Then I will give each of you gifts that are worthy of a king and his daughter.

55Ptolemy wrote back:

Alexander, it was a happy day when you came back to rule the kingdom of your ancestors. 56I'll let you marry my daughter, just as you asked in your letter. But first, meet me in the city of Ptolemais, so we can get to know each other.

57In the year 162 of the Syrian Kingdom, Ptolemy and his daughter Cleopatra left Egypt and went to the city of Ptolemais. 58The two kings met each other, and Ptolemy let Alexander marry Cleopatra. They had a very fancy wedding, just as kings always do.

59Meanwhile, Jonathan the high priest received a letter from Alexander, inviting him to come to Ptolemais for a visit with him and Ptolemy. 60Jonathan accepted the invitation and won their friendship by giving both kings and their trusted friends some silver and gold, as well as many other gifts.

61One day, a group of troublemakers and rebels came from Judea and brought charges against Jonathan. But Alexander would not listen to them. 62Instead, he let Jonathan wear the purple robes of royalty 63and sit next to him. The king told his officers, "Take Jonathan to the center of the city and order everyone to stop bothering him with all these charges."

64The troublemakers listened to the officers telling everyone to leave Jonathan alone. And when they saw Jonathan standing there in his purple robes, they realized how important he was. So they all ran away.

65Alexander gave Jonathan even more honors. He included him among his most trusted friends and made him governor of Judea and a general in the Syrian army. 66After this, Jonathan returned to Jerusalem, safe and sound.

Jonathan and Apollonius

67Demetrius the Second was the son of Demetrius, and in the year 165 of the Syrian Kingdom, he sailed from Crete to the land of his ancestors. 68When Alexander heard about this, he became worried and returned to the city of Antioch.

69Demetrius appointed Apollonius ruler of Southwest Syria Province. So Apollonius built up a large army and set up camp near the town of Jamnia. Then he sent the following letter to Jonathan the high priest:

70Jonathan, you are the only one who is still fighting against us, and you are making others laugh and sneer at me. Why do you keep rebelling against us there in the hill country?

71If you're so proud of your army, come down out of the hills and fight. You will find out that the people in the towns are on our side. 72Just ask anyone, and they will tell you who I am and who my followers are. You don't stand a chance against us.

Your own ancestors were defeated twice right here in their own land. 73What makes you think you can win a battle in the valley against my army and cavalry? There are no rocks or stones to crawl behind, and there is no place where you can run away.

74Jonathan was furious when he read this letter. He chose 10,000 soldiers, then left Jerusalem to meet his brother Simon, who was coming to help him.

75The two brothers surrounded the town of Joppa, because Apollonius had soldiers there. No one would let them in at first. 76But they attacked and frightened the people into opening the gates; then they took command of the town.

77When Apollonius found out that they had taken Joppa, he brought 3,000 cavalry and a large force of soldiers to the town of Azotus. He wanted the Jews to think he was only passing through the town. So he led his troops out to the nearby valley, where he was sure his cavalry could protect the soldiers.

78Jonathan followed Apollonius to Azotus, and a battle broke out 79when 1,000 of Apollonius' cavalry suddenly left their hiding places and attacked from behind. 80The cavalry surrounded Jonathan's troops and shot arrows at them from early morning until late afternoon. 81But Jonathan's forces held their ground, and he told them to keep fighting until the enemy cavalry wore themselves out.

82Then Simon led some of his soldiers into the battle and overpowered the enemy army. The enemy foot soldiers ran for their lives, 83and the cavalry scattered over the valleys.

Some of the enemy soldiers ran back to Azotus and hid in the temple of their god Dagon, thinking they would be safe. 84But Jonathan destroyed Azotus and the nearby towns and took everything of value. Then he burned down the temple with everyone inside. 85Eight thousand enemy soldiers died in the battle and the fire.

86Jonathan left Azotus and ordered his army to set up camp near the town of Askalon, where the people came out to honor him. 87Then Jonathan and his soldiers, loaded down with everything they had taken, returned to Jerusalem.

88When Alexander heard about Jonathan's victories, he gave him even more honors. 89He sent a gold buckle that only the most respected members of the king's family were allowed to wear. Alexander also gave Jonathan the town of Ekron and the land around it.