1. Makkabeler 11

¹Mısır kralı, deniz kıyısındaki kum taneleri kadar çok asker ve pek çok gemi topladı; hileyle İskender'in krallığını zorla ele geçirmeyi ve onu kendi krallığına katmayı amaçlıyordu.

²Barışçıl sözlerle Suriye'ye gitti; kent halkı kapılarını ona açtı ve onu karşıladı, çünkü Kral İskender, kayınpederi olduğu için onun bu şekilde karşılanmasını buyurmuştu.

³Ancak Ptolemaios kentlere girdikçe, her kente koruyucu bir garnizon birliği yerleştirdi.

⁴Aşdot'a yaklaştığında, ona yakılmış olan Dagon tapınağını, yıkılmış olan Aşdot'u ve çevresindeki köyleri, etrafa saçılmış cesetleri ve savaşta yakılanların bedenlerini gösterdiler; çünkü geçeceği yolun üzerine onlardan yığınlar yapmışlardı.

⁵Yonatan'ı kötülemek amacıyla krala onun yaptıklarını anlattılar; ama kral sessiz kaldı.

⁶Yonatan, Yafa'da kralı büyük bir onurla karşıladı; birbirlerini selamladılar ve geceyi orada geçirdiler.

⁷Yonatan, Eleutheros denilen nehre kadar kralla birlikte gitti, sonra Yeruşalim'e geri döndü.

⁸Kral Ptolemaios ise kıyıdaki kentlerin egemenliğini deniz kenarındaki Selefkiye'ye kadar ele geçirdi ve İskender'e karşı kötü tasarılar kurmaya başladı.

⁹Kral Demetrios'a elçiler göndererek şöyle dedi: "Gel, aramızda bir antlaşma yapalım; İskender'de olan kızımı sana vereyim, sen de babanın krallığında saltanat sür.

¹⁰Çünkü kızımı ona verdiğime pişman oldum; beni öldürmeye kalkıştı."

¹¹Onun krallığına göz diktiği gerekçesiyle İskender'i suçladı.

¹²Kızını ondan geri alıp Demetrios'a verdi; böylece İskender'den uzaklaştı ve aralarındaki düşmanlık açığa çıktı.

¹³Ptolemaios Antakya'ya girdi ve Asya tacını giydi; böylece başına hem Asya hem de Mısır tacı olmak üzere iki taç taktı.

¹⁴O sırada Kral İskender Kilikya'daydı, çünkü o bölgenin halkı ayaklanmıştı.

¹⁵İskender bunu duyunca onunla savaşmak üzere yola çıktı. Ptolemaios da ordusunu harekete geçirip güçlü bir kuvvetle onu karşıladı ve bozguna uğrattı.

¹⁶İskender sığınmak için Arabistan'a kaçtı; Kral Ptolemaios ise zafer kazanıp yüceldi.

¹⁷Arap Zabdiel, İskender'in başını kesip Ptolemaios'a gönderdi.

¹⁸Kral Ptolemaios da üç gün sonra öldü; kalelerdeki askerleri ise kalelerin yerli halkı tarafından öldürüldü.

¹⁹Böylece Demetrios yüz altmış yedinci yılda krallık tahtına oturdu.

²⁰O günlerde Yonatan, Yeruşalim'deki kaleye saldırmak için Yahudiye halkını topladı ve kaleye karşı birçok kuşatma makinesi yaptı.

²¹Kendi uluslarından nefret eden bazı yasa tanımaz adamlar krala gidip Yonatan'ın kaleyi kuşattığını bildirdiler.

²²Kral bunu duyunca öfkelendi; haberi alır almaz hemen yola çıkıp Ptolemais'e geldi. Yonatan'a mektup yazarak kuşatmayı durdurmaya ve kendisiyle görüşmek üzere en kısa sürede Ptolemais'e gelmeye çağırdı.

²³Yonatan bunu duyunca kuşatmanın sürdürülmesini buyurdu; İsrail'in ileri gelenlerinden ve kâhinlerden bazılarını seçerek kendini tehlikeye attı.

²⁴Yanına gümüş, altın, giysiler ve daha pek çok konukseverlik armağanı alarak Ptolemais'e, kralın huzuruna çıktı ve onun beğenisini kazandı.

²⁵Ulusundan bazı yasa tanımaz kişiler onun aleyhinde şikayette bulundular.

²⁶Ancak kral, kendisinden önceki kralların yaptığı gibi ona iyi davrandı ve tüm dostlarının önünde onu onurlandırdı.

²⁷Başkâhinlik makamını ve daha önce sahip olduğu tüm ayrıcalıkları onaylayarak onu en yakın dostlarının arasında baş sıraya koydu.

²⁸Yonatan kraldan Yahudiye'yi, üç bölgeyi ve Samiriye topraklarını vergiden muaf tutmasını diledi ve buna karşılık ona üç yüz talant vaat etti.

²⁹Kral bunu kabul etti ve Yonatan'a tüm bu konular hakkında şu mektubu yazdı:

³⁰"Kral Demetrios'tan kardeşi Yonatan'a ve Yahudi ulusuna selamlar.

³¹Akrabamız Lastenes'e sizin hakkınızda yazdığımız mektubun bir kopyasını, bilgilenmeniz için size de gönderiyoruz.

³²Kral Demetrios'tan babası Lastenes'e selamlar.

³³Dostumuz olan ve bize karşı yükümlülüklerini yerine getiren Yahudi ulusuna, bize gösterdikleri iyi niyetten ötürü iyilik etmeye karar verdik.

³⁴Bu nedenle, Yahudiye sınırlarını ve Samiriye'den Yahudiye'ye katılan Aferema, Lidda ve Ramatayim adlı üç bölgeyi tüm topraklarıyla birlikte onlara bağışlıyoruz. Yeruşalim'de kurban sunan herkes için, kralın daha önce toprağın ürünlerinden ve ağaçların meyvelerinden her yıl aldığı vergilerin yerine bunları geçerli kılıyoruz.

³⁵Bundan böyle bize ait olan ondalıklar ve vergiler ile tuz göllerinden ve bize sunulan altın çelenklerden doğan tüm haklarımızdan onlar yararına tamamen vazgeçiyoruz.

³⁶Bu kararlardan hiçbiri şimdiden sonra ve sonsuza dek iptal edilmeyecektir.

³⁷Şimdi bu belgenin bir kopyasını hazırlatın; Yonatan'a verilsin ve kutsal dağda, herkesin görebileceği seçkin bir yere konulsun."

³⁸Kral Demetrios ülkenin huzura kavuştuğunu ve kendisine karşı koyan kimse kalmadığını görünce, ulusların adalarından topladığı yabancı paralı askerler dışındaki tüm ordusunu terhis edip herkesi kendi evine gönderdi. Bu yüzden atalarının döneminden kalan tüm ordular ona düşman oldu.

³⁹Daha önce İskender'in safında yer almış olan Trifon, tüm ordunun Demetrios'a karşı söylendiğini görünce, İskender'in küçük oğlu Antiyokus'u büyütmekte olan Arap Yamilku'ya gitti.

⁴⁰Çocuğun babasının yerine kral olması için onu kendisine teslim etmesi için Yamilku'ya baskı yaptı. Demetrios'un yaptıklarını ve ordusunun ona nasıl düşman kesildiğini anlattı ve orada günlerce kaldı.

⁴¹Bu sırada Yonatan, Kral Demetrios'a elçiler göndererek Yeruşalim Kalesi'ndeki ve diğer kalelerdeki askerleri geri çekmesini istedi; çünkü bu askerler İsrail'le sürekli savaşıyordu.

⁴²Demetrios Yonatan'a şu yanıtı gönderdi: "Sadece bunu yapmakla kalmayacağım, fırsat bulur bulmaz seni ve ulusunu büyük onurlara boğacağım.

⁴³Ancak şimdi bana yardım edecek askerler gönderirsen iyi edersin, çünkü tüm ordum benden yüz çevirdi."

⁴⁴Yonatan, Antakya'ya kralın yanına savaşçı güçte üç bin seçkin asker gönderdi. Kral onların gelişine çok sevindi.

⁴⁵Kent halkından yaklaşık yüz yirmi bin kişi kentin ortasında toplandı ve kralı öldürmek istedi.

⁴⁶Kral saraya kaçtı; kent halkı ise kentin ana yollarını tutup savaşa başladı.

⁴⁷Bunun üzerine kral Yahudileri yardıma çağırdı. Yahudiler hep birlikte kralın çevresinde toplandılar, sonra kente dağılarak o gün yaklaşık yüz bin kişiyi öldürdüler.

⁴⁸Kenti ateşe verdiler, o gün pek çok yağma malı ele geçirdiler ve kralı kurtardılar.

⁴⁹Kent halkı Yahudilerin kenti diledikleri gibi ele geçirdiğini görünce cesaretlerini yitirdiler ve kralı yalvararak feryat ettiler:

⁵⁰"Bize barış elini uzat, Yahudiler bize ve kente saldırmayı bıraksınlar!"

⁵¹Silahlarını bırakıp barış yaptılar. Yahudiler hem kralın hem de krallıktaki herkesin gözünde büyük onur kazandılar ve bol miktarda yağma malıyla Yeruşalim'e döndüler.

⁵²Kral Demetrios krallığının tahtına kuruldu ve ülke onun önünde huzura kavuştu.

⁵³Ancak verdiği tüm sözlerden döndü, Yonatan'dan uzaklaştı; onun kendisine yaptığı iyiliklerin karşılığını vermediği gibi, ona büyük sıkıntılar da çektirdi.

⁵⁴Bir süre sonra Trifon, yanındaki küçük çocuk Antiyokus ile birlikte geri döndü; çocuk kral ilan edilip taç giydi.

⁵⁵Demetrios'un terhis ettiği tüm askerler Antiyokus'un çevresinde toplandı ve Demetrios'a karşı savaştılar; Demetrios bozguna uğrayıp kaçtı.

⁵⁶Trifon filleri ele geçirdi ve Antakya'yı zapt etti.

⁵⁷Genç Antiyokus Yonatan'a şöyle yazdı: "Başkâhinliğini onaylıyor, seni dört bölgenin yöneticisi atıyor ve kralın dostları arasına kabul ediyorum."

⁵⁸Ona altın kaplar ve sofra takımları gönderdi; altın kaplardan içme, erguvani giysiler giyme ve altın toka takma yetkisi verdi.

⁵⁹Kardeşi Şimon'u da Sur Geçidi'nden Mısır sınırına kadar olan bölgenin komutanı atadı.

⁶⁰Yonatan yola çıkıp Şeria nehrinin ötesindeki bölgeleri ve kentleri dolaştı; tüm Suriye ordusu ona destek olmak için toplandı. Aşkelon'a vardığında, kent halkı onu büyük bir onurla karşıladı.

⁶¹Oradan Gazze'ye geçti, ama Gazze halkı kapılarını ona kapattı. Bunun üzerine Yonatan kenti kuşattı, çevresindeki köyleri ateşe verip yağmaladı.

⁶²Gazze halkı Yonatan'a yalvarınca, onlarla barış yaptı; önderlerinin oğullarını rehin alıp Yeruşalim'e gönderdi. Sonra Şam'a kadar tüm bölgeyi boydan boya geçti.

⁶³Yonatan, Demetrios'un komutanlarının büyük bir orduyla Celile'deki Kedeş'e geldiklerini ve kendisini görevinden uzaklaştırmak istediklerini duydu.

⁶⁴Onları karşılamak üzere yola çıktı, kardeşi Şimon'u ise ülkede geride bıraktı.

⁶⁵Şimon, Beytsur önünde ordugah kurdu, günlerce oraya saldırıp kenti kuşatma altında tuttu.

⁶⁶Sonunda barış dilediler, Şimon da bunu kabul etti; ancak onları oradan çıkarıp kenti ele geçirdi ve oraya bir koruyucu birlik yerleştirdi.

⁶⁷Yonatan ve ordusu ise Genezaret suları kıyısında ordugah kurdular; sabah erkenden kalkıp Nasor Ovası'na doğru ilerlediler.

⁶⁸Bir de baktılar ki, yabancıların ordusu ovada onları karşılamaya geliyor; dağlarda Yonatan'a karşı bir pusu kurmuşlardı, kendileri ise cepheden yaklaşıyorlardı.

⁶⁹Pusudakiler yerlerinden fırlayıp savaşa katıldılar. Yonatan'ın yanındaki askerlerin hepsi kaçtı.

⁷⁰Ordu komutanlarından Avşalom oğlu Mattatiyas ile Halfi oğlu Yahuda dışında yanlarında tek bir kişi bile kalmadı.

⁷¹Yonatan giysilerini yırttı, başına toprak saçtı ve dua etti.

⁷²Sonra düşmana karşı geri dönüp savaştı ve onları bozguna uğrattı; düşmanlar kaçmaya başladı.

⁷³Kaçan askerleri bunu görünce Yonatan'ın yanına döndüler ve onunla birlikte düşmanı Kedeş'teki ordugahlarına kadar kovalayıp orada konakladılar.

⁷⁴O gün yabancılardan yaklaşık üç bin kişi öldü. Yonatan ise Yeruşalim'e geri döndü.

¹ΚΑΙ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου ἤθροισε δυνάμεις πολλὰς ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τὴν περὶ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ πλοῖα πολλὰ καὶ ἐζήτησε κατακρατῆσαι τῆς βασιλείας ᾿Αλεξάνδρου δόλῳ καὶ προσθεῖναι αὐτὴν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ.

²καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς Συρίαν λόγοις εἰρηνικοῖς, καὶ ἤνοιγον αὐτῷ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων καὶ συνήντων αὐτῷ, ὅτι ἐντολὴ ἦν ᾿Αλεξάνδρου τοῦ βασιλέως συναντᾶν αὐτῷ διὰ τὸ πενθερὸν αὐτοῦ εἶναι.

³ὡς δὲ εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς τὰς πόλεις ὁ Πτολεμαῖος, ἀπέτασσε τὰς δυνάμεις φρουρὰν ἐν ἑκάστῃ πόλει.

⁴ὡς δὲ ἤγγισεν ᾿Αζώτου, ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὸ ἱερὸν Δαγὼν ἐμπεπυρισμένον καὶ ῎Αζωτον καὶ τὰ περιπόλια αὐτῆς καθῃρημένα καὶ τὰ σώματα ἐρριμμένα καὶ τοὺς ἐμπεπυρισμένους, οὓς ἐνεπύρισεν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ· ἐποίησαν γὰρ θημωνίας αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ.

⁵καὶ διηγήσαντο τῷ βασιλεῖ ἃ ἐποίησεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν εἰς τὸ ψογίσαι αὐτόν· καὶ ἐσίγησεν ὁ βασιλεύς.

⁶καὶ συνήντησεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν τῷ βασιλεῖ εἰς ᾿Ιόππην μετὰ δόξης, καὶ ἠσπάσαντο ἀλλήλους καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν ἐκεῖ.

⁷καὶ ἐπορεύθη ᾿Ιωνάθαν μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ καλουμένου ᾿Ελευθέρου καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

⁸ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος ἐκυρίευσε τῶν πόλεων τῆς παραλίας ἕως Σελευκείας τῆς παραθαλασσίας καὶ διελογίζετο περὶ ᾿Αλεξάνδρου λογισμοὺς πονηρούς.

⁹καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρέσβεις πρὸς Δημήτριον τὸν βασιλέα λέγων· δεῦρο συνθώμεθα πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς διαθήκην, καὶ δώσω σοι τὴν θυγατέρα μου, ἣν ἔχει ᾿Αλέξανδρος, καὶ βασιλεύσεις τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ πατρός σου·

¹⁰μεταμεμέλημαι γὰρ δοὺς αὐτῷ τὴν θυγατέρα μου, ἐζήτησε γὰρ ἀποκτεῖναί με.

¹¹καὶ ἐψόγισεν αὐτὸν χάριν τοῦ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὸν τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ·

¹²καὶ ἀφελόμενος αὐτοῦ τὴν θυγατέρα ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν τῷ Δημητρίῳ καὶ ἠλλοτριώθη τῷ ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ καὶ ἐφάνη ἡ ἔχθρα αὐτῶν.

¹³καὶ εἰσῆλθε Πτολεμαῖος εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν καὶ περιέθετο τὸ διάδημα τῆς ᾿Ασίας· καὶ περιέθετο δύο διαδήματα περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, τὸ τῆς ᾿Ασίας καὶ Αἰγύπτου.

¹⁴᾿Αλέξανδρος δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἦν ἐν Κιλικίᾳ κατὰ τοὺς καιροὺς ἐκείνους, ὅτι ἀπεστάτουν οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν τόπων ἐκείνων.

¹⁵καὶ ἤκουσεν ᾿Αλέξανδρος καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πολέμῳ. καὶ ἐξήγαγε Πτολεμαῖος τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ἀπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐν χειρὶ ἰσχυρᾷ καὶ ἐτροπώσατο αὐτόν.

¹⁶καὶ ἔφυγεν ᾿Αλέξανδρος εἰς τὴν ᾿Αραβίαν τοῦ σκεπασθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος ὑψώθη.

¹⁷καὶ ἀφεῖλε Ζαβδιὴλ ὁ ῎Αραψ τὴν κεφαλὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρου καὶ ἀπέστειλε τῷ Πτολεμαίῳ.

¹⁸καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ, καὶ οἱ ὄντες ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασιν ἀπώλοντο ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασι.

¹⁹καὶ ἐβασίλευσε Δημήτριος ἔτους ἑβδόμου καὶ ἑξηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ.

²⁰᾿Εν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις συνήγαγεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας τοῦ ἐκπολεμῆσαι τὴν ἄκραν τὴν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν μηχανὰς πολλάς.

²¹καὶ ἐπορεύθησάν τινες μισοῦντες τὸ ἔθνος αὐτῶν ἄνδρες παράνομοι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ ὅτι ᾿Ιωνάθαν περικάθηται τὴν ἄκραν.

²²καὶ ἀκούσας ὠργίσθη· ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν, εὐθέως ἀναζεύξας ἦλθεν εἰς Πτολεμαΐδα καὶ ἔγραψεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν τοῦ μὴ περικαθῆσθαι τῇ ἄκρᾳ καὶ τοῦ ἀπαντῆσαι αὐτὸν αὐτῷ συμμίσγειν εἰς Πτολεμαΐδα τὴν ταχίστην.

²³ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν, ἐκέλευσε περικαθῆσθαι καὶ ἐπέλεξε τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ κινδύνῳ·

²⁴καὶ λαβὼν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἱματισμὸν καὶ ἕτερα ξένια πλείονα ἐπορεύθη πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς Πτολεμαΐδα καὶ εὗρε χάριν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.

²⁵καὶ ἐνετύγχανον κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ τινες ἄνομοι τῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους.

²⁶καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς καθὼς ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ οἱ πρὸ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὕψωσεν αὐτὸν ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ,

²⁷καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα εἶχε τίμια τὸ πρότερον καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν τῶν πρώτων φίλων ἡγεῖσθαι.

²⁸καὶ ἠξίωσεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν τὸν βασιλέα ποιῆσαι τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν ἀφορολόγητον καὶ τὰς τρεῖς τοπαρχίας καὶ τὴν Σαμαρεῖτιν καὶ ἐπηγγείλατο αὐτῷ τάλαντα τριακόσια.

²⁹καὶ εὐδόκησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἔγραψε τῷ ᾿Ιωνάθαν ἐπιστολὰς περὶ πάντων τούτων ἐχούσας τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον·

³⁰«Βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος ᾿Ιωνάθαν τῷ ἀδελφῷ χαίρειν, καὶ ἔθνει ᾿Ιουδαίων.

³¹τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἧς ἐγράψαμεν Λασθένει τῷ συγγενεῖ ἡμῶν περὶ ὑμῶν, γεγράφαμεν καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὅπως εἰδῆτε.

³²βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος Λασθένει τῷ πατρὶ χαίρειν.

³³τῷ ἔθνει τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων φίλοις ἡμῶν καὶ συντηροῦσι τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς δίκαια ἐκρίναμεν ἀγαθοποιῆσαι χάριν τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐνοίας πρὸς ἡμᾶς.

³⁴ἑστάκαμεν οὖν αὐτοῖς τά τε ὅρια τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας καὶ τοὺς τρεῖς νομούς, ᾿Αφαίρεμα καὶ Λύδδαν καὶ Ῥαμαθέμ, οἵτινες προσετέθησαν τῇ ᾿Ιουδαίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος, καὶ πάντα τὰ συγκυροῦντα αὐτοῖς πᾶσι τοῖς θυσιάζουσιν εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα, ἀντὶ τῶν βασιλικῶν, ὧν ἐλάμβανεν ὁ βασιλεὺς παρ᾿ αὐτῶν τὸ πρότερον κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν γεννημάτων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀκροδρύων.

³⁵καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ ἀνήκοντα ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν τῶν δεκατῶν καὶ τῶν τελῶν τῶν ἀνηκόντων ἡμῖν καὶ τὰς τοῦ ἁλὸς λίμνας καὶ τοὺς ἀνήκοντας ἡμῖν στεφάνους, πάντα ἐπαρκῶς παρίεμεν αὐτοῖς.

³⁶καὶ οὐκ ἀθετηθήσεται οὐδὲ ἓν τούτων ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον.

³⁷νῦν οὖν ἐπιμέλεσθε τοῦ ποιῆσαι τούτων ἀντίγραφον καὶ δοθήτω ᾿Ιωνάθαν καὶ τεθήτω ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ ἁγίῳ ἐν τόπῳ ἐπισήμῳ».

³⁸Καὶ εἶδε Δημήτριος ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ ἀνθειστήκει, καὶ ἀπέλυσε πάσας τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ ἕκαστον εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον, πλὴν τῶν ξένων δυνάμεων, ὧν ἐξενολόγησεν ἀπὸ τῶν νήσων τῶν ἐθνῶν· καὶ ἤχθραναν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ.

³⁹Τρύφων δὲ ἦν τῶν παρὰ ᾿Αλέξάνδρου τὸ πρότερον καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις καταγογγύζουσι τοῦ Δημητρίου, καὶ ἐπορεύθη πρὸς Εἰμαλκουαὶ τὸν ῎Αραβα, ὃς ἔτρεφε τὸν ᾿Αντίοχον τὸ παιδάριον τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αλεξάνδρου.

⁴⁰καὶ προσήδρευεν αὐτῷ, ὅπως παραδοῖ αὐτὸν αὐτῷ, ὅπως βασιλεύσῃ ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ ὅσα συνετέλεσε Δημήτριος καὶ τὴν ἔχθραν, ἣν ἐχθραίνουσιν αὐτῷ αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας πολλάς.

⁴¹καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν πρὸς Δημήτριον τὸν βασιλέα, ἵνα ἐκβάλῃ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας ἐξ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασιν· ἦσαν γὰρ πολεμοῦντες τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁴²καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δημήτριος πρὸς ᾿Ιωνάθαν λέγων· οὐ μόνον ταῦτα ποιήσω σοι καὶ τῷ ἔθνει σου, ἀλλὰ δόξῃ δοξάσω σε καὶ τὸ ἔθνος σου, ἐὰν εὐκαιρίας τύχω.

⁴³νῦν οὖν ὀρθῶς ποιήσεις ἀποστείλας μοι ἄνδρας, οἳ συμμαχήσουσιν, ὅτι ἀπέστησαν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις μου.

⁴⁴καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν ἄνδρας τρισχιλίους δυνατοὺς ἰσχύϊ αὐτῷ εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν, καὶ ἤλθοσαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ηὐφράνθη ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῇ ἐφόδῳ αὐτῶν.

⁴⁵καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν οἱ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως εἰς ἀνδρῶν δώδεκα μυριάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἠβούλοντο ἀνελεῖν τὸν βασιλέα.

⁴⁶καὶ ἔφυγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν αὐλήν, καὶ κατελάβοντο οἱ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τὰς διόδους τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἤρξαντο πολεμεῖν.

⁴⁷καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς ᾿Ιουδαίους ἐπὶ βοήθειαν, καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες ἅμα καὶ διεσπάρησαν ἐν τῇ πόλει πάντες ἅμα καὶ ἀπέκτειναν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς μυριάδας δέκα·

⁴⁸καὶ ἐνεπύρισαν τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἐλάβοσαν σκῦλα πολλὰ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔσωσαν τὸν βασιλέα.

⁴⁹καὶ εἶδον οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ὅτι κατεκράτησαν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι τῆς πόλεως ὡς ἠβούλοντο, καὶ ἠσθένησαν ταῖς διανοίαις αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα μετὰ δεήσεως λέγοντες·

⁵⁰δὸς ἡμῖν δεξιὰς καὶ παυσάσθωσαν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι πολεμοῦντες ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν πόλιν.

⁵¹καὶ ἔρριψαν τὰ ὅπλα καὶ ἐποίησαν εἰρήνην καὶ ἐδοξάσθησαν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ἐναντίον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἔχοντες σκῦλα πολλά.

⁵²καὶ ἐκάθησε Δημήτριος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ θρόνου τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.

⁵³καὶ ἐψεύσατο πάντα, ὅσα εἶπε, καὶ ἠλλοτριώθη τῷ ᾿Ιωνάθαν καὶ οὐκ ἀνταπέδωκε κατὰ τὰς εὐνοίας, ἃς ἀνταπέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔθλιβεν αὐτὸν σφόδρα.

⁵⁴Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀπέστρεψε Τρύφων καὶ ᾿Αντίοχος μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ παιδάριον νεώτερον· καὶ ἐβασίλευσε καὶ ἐπέθετο διάδημα.

⁵⁵καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις, ἃς ἀπεσκόρπισε Δημήτριος, καὶ ἐπολέμησαν πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ἔφυγε καὶ ἐτροπώθη.

⁵⁶καὶ ἔλαβε Τρύφων τὰ θηρία καὶ κατεκράτησεν ᾿Αντιοχείας.

⁵⁷καὶ ἔγραψεν ᾿Αντίοχος ὁ νεώτερος τῷ ᾿Ιωνάθαν λέγων· ἵστημί σοι τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην καὶ καθίστημί σε ἐπὶ τῶν τεσσάρων νομῶν καὶ εἶναί σε τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως.

⁵⁸καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτῷ χρυσώματα καὶ διακονίαν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πίνειν ἐν χρυσώμασι καὶ εἶναι ἐν πορφύρᾳ καὶ ἔχειν πόρπην χρυσῆν·

⁵⁹καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ κατέστησε στρατηγὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κλίμακος Τύρου ἕως τῶν ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου.

⁶⁰καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν καὶ διεπορεύετο πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι, καὶ ἠθροίσθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις Συρίας εἰς συμμαχίαν, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς ᾿Ασκάλωνα, καὶ ἀπήντησαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐνδόξως.

⁶¹καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Γάζαν, καὶ ἀπέκλεισαν οἱ ἀπὸ Γάζης, καὶ περιεκάθισε περὶ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐνεπύρισε τὰ περιπόλια αὐτῆς πυρὶ καὶ ἐσκύλευσεν αὐτά.

⁶²καὶ ἠξίωσαν οἱ ἀπὸ Γάζης τὸν ᾿Ιωνάθαν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς δεξιὰς καὶ ἔλαβε τοὺς υἱοὺς ἀρχόντων αὐτῶν εἰς ὅμηρα καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· καὶ διῆλθε τὴν χώραν ἕως Δαμασκοῦ.

⁶³καὶ ἤκουσεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν ὅτι παρῆσαν οἱ ἄρχοντες Δημητρίου εἰς Κάδης τὴν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ μετὰ δυνάμεως πολλῆς βουλόμενοι μεταστῆσαι αὐτὸν τῆς χρείας.

⁶⁴καὶ συνήντησεν αὐτοῖς, τὸν δὲ ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ Σίμωνα κατέλιπεν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ.

⁶⁵καὶ παρενέβαλε Σίμων ἐπὶ Βαιθσούρᾳ καὶ ἐπολέμει αὐτὴν ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ συνέκλεισεν αὐτήν.

⁶⁶καὶ ἠξίωσαν αὐτὸν τοῦ δεξιὰς λαβεῖν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἐξέβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖθεν καὶ κατελάβετο τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἔθετο ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ φρουράν.

⁶⁷καὶ ᾿Ιωνάθαν καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ τὸ ὕδωρ Γεννησάρ, καὶ ὤρθρισαν τὸ πρωΐ εἰς τὸ πεδίον Νασώρ.

⁶⁸καὶ ἰδοὺ παρεμβολὴ ἀλλοφύλων ἀπήντα αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἐξέβαλον ἔνεδρον ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀπήντησαν ἐξεναντίας.

⁶⁹τὰ δὲ ἔνεδρα ἐξανέστησαν ἐκ τῶν τόπων αὐτῶν καὶ συνῆψαν πόλεμον. καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ παρὰ ᾿Ιωνάθαν πάντες,

⁷⁰οὐδὲ εἷς κατελείφθη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, πλὴν Ματταθίας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμου καὶ ᾿Ιούδας ὁ τοῦ Χαλφὶ ἄρχοντες τῆς στρατιᾶς τῶν δυνάμεων.

⁷¹καὶ διέρρηξεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέθετο γῆν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ προσηύξατο.

⁷²καὶ ὑπέστρεψε πρὸς αὐτοὺς πολέμῳ καὶ ἐτροπώσατο αὐτούς, καὶ ἔφυγον.

⁷³καὶ εἶδον οἱ φεύγοντες οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἐδίωκον μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἕως Κάδης ἕως τῆς παρεμβολῆς αὐτῶν καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐκεῖ.

⁷⁴καὶ ἔπεσον ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς ἄνδρας τρισχιλίους. καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ᾿Ιωνάθαν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

¹And the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like the sand that lieth upon the sea shore, and many ships, and went about through deceit to get Alexander’s kingdom, and join it to his own.

²Whereupon he took his journey into Syria in peaceable manner, so as they of the cities opened unto him, and met him: for king Alexander had commanded them so to do, because he was his brother in law.

³Now as Ptolemee entered into the cities, he set in every one of them a garrison of soldiers to keep it.

⁴And when he came near to Azotus, they shewed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad and them that he had burnt in the battle; for they had made heaps of them by the way where he should pass.

⁵Also they told the king whatsoever Jonathan had done, to the intent he might blame him: but the king held his peace.

⁶Then Jonathan met the king with great pomp at Joppa, where they saluted one another, and lodged.

⁷Afterward Jonathan, when he had gone with the king to the river called Eleutherus, returned again to Jerusalem.

⁸King Ptolemee therefore, having gotten the dominion of the cities by the sea unto Seleucia upon the sea coast, imagined wicked counsels against Alexander.

⁹Whereupon he sent ambassadors unto king Demetrius, saying, Come, let us make a league betwixt us, and I will give thee my daughter whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt reign in thy father’s kingdom:

¹⁰For I repent that I gave my daughter unto him, for he sought to slay me.

¹¹Thus did he slander him, because he was desirous of his kingdom.

¹²Wherefore he took his daughter from him, and gave her to Demetrius, and forsook Alexander, so that their hatred was openly known.

¹³Then Ptolemee entered into Antioch, where he set two crowns upon his head, the crown of Asia, and of Egypt.

¹⁴In the mean season was king Alexander in Cilicia, because those that dwelt in those parts had revolted from him.

¹⁵But when Alexander heard of this, he came to war against him: whereupon king Ptolemee brought forth his host, and met him with a mighty power, and put him to flight.

¹⁶So Alexander fled into Arabia there to be defended; but king Ptolemee was exalted:

¹⁷For Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander’s head, and sent it unto Ptolemee.

¹⁸King Ptolemee also died the third day after, and they that were in the strong holds were slain one of another.

¹⁹By this means Demetrius reigned in the hundred threescore and seventh year.

²⁰At the same time Jonathan gathered together them that were in Judea to take the tower that was in Jerusalem: and he made many engines of war against it.

²¹Then came ungodly persons, who hated their own people, went unto the king, and told him that Jonathan besieged the tower,

²²Whereof when he heard, he was angry, and immediately removing, he came to Ptolemais, and wrote unto Jonathan, that he should not lay siege to the tower, but come and speak with him at Ptolemais in great haste.

²³Nevertheless Jonathan, when he heard this, commanded to besiege it still: and he chose certain of the elders of Israel and the priests, and put himself in peril;

²⁴And took silver and gold, and raiment, and divers presents besides, and went to Ptolemais unto the king, where he found favour in his sight.

²⁵And though certain ungodly men of the people had made complaints against him,

²⁶Yet the king entreated him as his predecessors had done before, and promoted him in the sight of all his friends,

²⁷And confirmed him in the high priesthood, and in all the honours that he had before, and gave him preeminence among his chief friends.

²⁸Then Jonathan desired the king, that he would make Judea free from tribute, as also the three governments, with the country of Samaria; and he promised him three hundred talents.

²⁹So the king consented, and wrote letters unto Jonathan of all these things after this manner:

³⁰King Demetrius unto his brother Jonathan, and unto the nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:

³¹We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write unto our cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that ye might see it.

³²King Demetrius unto his father Lasthenes sendeth greeting:

³³We are determined to do good to the people of the Jews, who are our friends, and keep covenants with us, because of their good will toward us.

³⁴Wherefore we have ratified unto them the borders of Judea, with the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathem, that are added unto Judea from the country of Samaria, and all things appertaining unto them, for all such as do sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of them yearly aforetime out of the fruits of the earth and of trees.

³⁵And as for other things that belong unto us, of the tithes and customs pertaining unto us, as also the saltpits, and the crown taxes, which are due unto us, we discharge them of them all for their relief.

³⁶And nothing hereof shall be revoked from this time forth for ever.

³⁷Now therefore see that thou make a copy of these things, and let it be delivered unto Jonathan, and set upon the holy mount in a conspicuous place.

³⁸After this, when king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him, and that no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his forces, every one to his own place, except certain bands of strangers, whom he had gathered from the isles of the heathen: wherefore all the forces of his fathers hated him.

³⁹Moreover there was one Tryphon, that had been of Alexander’s part afore, who, seeing that all the host murmured against Demetrius, went to Simalcue the Arabian that brought up Antiochus the young son of Alexander,

⁴⁰And lay sore upon him to deliver him this young Antiochus, that he might reign in his father’s stead: he told him therefore all that Demetrius had done, and how his men of war were at enmity with him, and there he remained a long season.

⁴¹In the mean time Jonathan sent unto king Demetrius, that he would cast those of the tower out of Jerusalem, and those also in the fortresses: for they fought against Israel.

⁴²So Demetrius sent unto Jonathan, saying, I will not only do this for thee and thy people, but I will greatly honour thee and thy nation, if opportunity serve.

⁴³Now therefore thou shalt do well, if thou send me men to help me; for all my forces are gone from me.

⁴⁴Upon this Jonathan sent him three thousand strong men unto Antioch: and when they came to the king, the king was very glad of their coming.

⁴⁵Howbeit they that were of the city gathered themselves together into the midst of the city, to the number of an hundred and twenty thousand men, and would have slain the king.

⁴⁶Wherefore the king fled into the court, but they of the city kept the passages of the city, and began to fight.

⁴⁷Then the king called to the Jews for help, who came unto him all at once, and dispersing themselves through the city slew that day in the city to the number of an hundred thousand.

⁴⁸Also they set fire on the city, and gat many spoils that day, and delivered the king.

⁴⁹So when they of the city saw that the Jews had got the city as they would, their courage was abated: wherefore they made supplication to the king, and cried, saying,

⁵⁰Grant us peace, and let the Jews cease from assaulting us and the city.

⁵¹With that they cast away their weapons, and made peace; and the Jews were honoured in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all that were in his realm; and they returned to Jerusalem, having great spoils.

⁵²So king Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom, and the land was quiet before him.

⁵³Nevertheless he dissembled in all that ever he spake, and estranged himself from Jonathan, neither rewarded he him according to the benefits which he had received of him, but troubled him very sore.

⁵⁴After this returned Tryphon, and with him the young child Antiochus, who reigned, and was crowned.

⁵⁵Then there gathered unto him all the men of war, whom Demetrius had put away, and they fought against Demetrius, who turned his back and fled.

⁵⁶Moreover Tryphon took the elephants, and won Antioch.

⁵⁷At that time young Antiochus wrote unto Jonathan, saying, I confirm thee in the high priesthood, and appoint thee ruler over the four governments, and to be one of the king’s friends.

⁵⁸Upon this he sent him golden vessels to be served in, and gave him leave to drink in gold, and to be clothed in purple, and to wear a golden buckle.

⁵⁹His brother Simon also he made captain from the place called The ladder of Tyrus unto the borders of Egypt.

⁶⁰Then Jonathan went forth, and passed through the cities beyond the water, and all the forces of Syria gathered themselves unto him for to help him: and when he came to Ascalon, they of the city met him honourably.

⁶¹From whence he went to Gaza, but they of Gaza shut him out; wherefore he laid siege unto it, and burned the suburbs thereof with fire, and spoiled them.

⁶²Afterward, when they of Gaza made supplication unto Jonathan, he made peace with them, and took the sons of their chief men for hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem, and passed through the country unto Damascus.

⁶³Now when Jonathan heard that Demetrius’ princes were come to Cades, which is in Galilee, with a great power, purposing to remove him out of the country,

⁶⁴He went to meet them, and left Simon his brother in the country.

⁶⁵Then Simon encamped against Bethsura and fought against it a long season, and shut it up:

⁶⁶But they desired to have peace with him, which he granted them, and then put them out from thence, and took the city, and set a garrison in it.

⁶⁷As for Jonathan and his host, they pitched at the water of Gennesar, from whence betimes in the morning they gat them to the plain of Nasor.

⁶⁸And, behold, the host of strangers met them in the plain, who, having laid men in ambush for him in the mountains, came themselves over against him.

⁶⁹So when they that lay in ambush rose out of their places and joined battle, all that were of Jonathan’s side fled;

⁷⁰Insomuch as there was not one of them left, except Mattathias the son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Calphi, the captains of the host.

⁷¹Then Jonathan rent his clothes, and cast earth upon his head, and prayed.

⁷²Afterwards turning again to battle, he put them to flight, and so they ran away.

⁷³Now when his own men that were fled saw this, they turned again unto him, and with him pursued them to Cades, even unto their own tents, and there they camped.

⁷⁴So there were slain of the heathen that day about three thousand men: but Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.