In the hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the son of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais; for they received him, and he reigned there. And he commanded the artificers to build the walls about Mount Zion with squared stones for fortification; and they did it. Nevertheless, there remained in Beth-zur certain of those who had forsaken the law and ordinances, for it was a refuge for them. And he wrote letters and sent them to him concerning this matter, saying, From King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting.

When Demetrius the king heard this, he gathered a very great army and went forth to meet him in war. For we appoint thee this day to be high priest of thy nation, and to be called the King’s friend; and thou shalt take our part and remain in our friendship. And he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold. So Jonathan put on the holy vesture in the seventh month, in the hundred and sixtieth year, at the feast of tabernacles. And he gathered forces and provided much weaponry. For I also will write unto them words of favor and honor, and promise them gifts, that they may be my supporters. And he wrote unto them, saying, From King Demetrius unto the nation of the Jews, greeting. We have heard that ye are steadfast in your covenants with us, and constant in our friendship, and have not joined yourselves to our adversaries; for which cause we are pleased. And we release you from many duties that ye owe, and we grant you gifts. Now therefore I release and exempt all the Jews from all tribute and from the salt tax and the crown taxes, and from the third part of the harvest.

And Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with words of peace, drawing near unto him with flattery. And all the feasts and Sabbaths and new moons, and the appointed days, and the three days before the feast, and the three days after the feast, shall be days of release and pardon for all the Jews who are in my kingdom.

For he said, Let us be beforehand in making peace with him, before Alexander make peace with us. And I have added thereto fifteen thousand shekels of silver yearly from the king’s revenue from the places that belong to him. And whatsoever remaineth of that which the collectors of the money have not paid for the former years, they shall pay from henceforth for the works of the House. And whosoever fleeth to the sanctuary at Jerusalem, within all its borders, and oweth money or any whatsoever right to the king, he shall be pardoned, and all that he hath in my kingdom shall remain to him. When Jonathan and the people heard these words, they believed him not, neither received they them; for they remembered the great evil and heavy oppression that Demetrius had brought upon Israel. So the battle was joined between the two kings; and the army of Demetrius was put to flight, and Alexander pursued them and assailed them.

For he will remember all the evils that we brought upon him, and upon his brethren, and upon his nation. And the battle was very sore until the sun went down, and Demetrius fell in that day. And King Alexander wrote to Jonathan, that he should come to meet him.

And he permitted him to gather forces and to provide himself with weaponry, and to be his supporter. And he commanded that the hostages who were in the fortress should be restored to him, and said to his nobles, Bring him forth with you into the midst of the city, and proclaim that no man shall molest him in any matter, neither do him any harm.

So Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people and those of the fortress. For thou art not able to resist the horsemen and an army so great as mine in a plain where is neither stone nor pebble, nor place to which ye may flee. And Apollonius had left behind him a thousand horsemen secretly.

When he heard that the king had given him leave to gather forces, they were greatly dismayed.

And the people of the fortress delivered the hostages to Jonathan, and he restored them to their kindred.

And Jonathan dwelt at Jerusalem, and began to build and renew the city.

So the foreigners who were in the strong holds which Bacchides had built, fled.

And every man left his place and went to his own land.

And King Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made to Jonathan, and what wars he and his brethren had waged, and their valiant deeds, and the toil they had endured.

And he said, We shall not find such another man, therefore let us make him our friend and supporter.

We have heard concerning thee, that thou art a mighty man of valour, and worthy to be our friend.

And Demetrius was told of this, and he was grieved, and said,

How have we suffered Alexander to be before us in conciliating the Jews and making them his glory?

So remain ye steadfast in keeping your faithfulness, and your reward shall be good for us, even your faithfulness in what ye do for us.

And a half of the fruit of the trees which is due to me, I release you from these things from henceforth in the land of Judea, and in the three cities that are added thereto from the land of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth, for all time.

And Jerusalem shall be holy and free, it and its borders; and I release it from tithes and taxes.

And I give up the fortress that is in Jerusalem, and I give it to the high priest, that he may place in it such men as he shall choose to keep it.

And all the souls that have been carried captive from the Jews out of the land of Judah into my kingdom, I set them free without ransom, and let all be exempt from the cattle tribute.

So no man shall have power to prosecute any of them, or to burden him in any matter whatsoever.

And let there be enrolled of the Jews in the king’s armies up to thirty thousand men, and they shall be given appointments like the rest of the king’s soldiers.

And some of them shall be placed in the king’s great strongholds, and to some of them shall be entrusted the oversight of such matters of the kingdom as require trustworthiness; and their chiefs and governors shall be from among themselves, and they shall walk according to the ordinances as the king has commanded for the land of Judah.

And as for the three cities that are added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them remain joined to Judea, so that they may be under one rule, and obey no other authority than that of the high priest.

And I have given Ptolemais and its dependencies to the sanctuary that is at Jerusalem, for the expenses of the holy things.

And moreover, the five thousand talents of silver which were taken yearly from the revenue of the temple, shall be left as provision for the priests who minister.

And the cost of building and of repairing the sanctuary shall be given from the king’s account.

And the building of the walls of Jerusalem and its fortification all around, and the building of the walls in the rest of Judea, shall be paid for from the king’s account.

So they preferred Alexander, because he first spoke peace to them, and they remained his supporters all their days.

And King Alexander gathered a great army and encamped against Demetrius.

Then Alexander sent messengers to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, with these words, saying,

Now that I have returned to the land of my kingdom, and sit on the throne of my fathers, and power is established to me, and I have defeated Demetrius and taken possession of our country.

For I joined battle with him, and he and his army were broken before us, and I sat upon the throne of his kingdom.

Come now, let us make alliance with each other, and give me thy daughter to wife; and I will be thy son-in-law, and I will send gifts to thee befitting thee.

And King Ptolemy answered, saying, How happy is the day in which thou hast returned to the land of thy fathers and sittest on the throne of their kingdom!

And I will do what thou hast written concerning it. Come thou to Ptolemais, and let us meet face to face, and I will be thy father-in-law, as thou hast said.

And Ptolemy departed from Egypt, he and Cleopatra his daughter, and they came to Ptolemais in the hundred and sixty-second year.

And King Alexander met him, and gave him Cleopatra his daughter, and solemnized her marriage in Ptolemais after the manner of kings, with great pomp.

So he went to Ptolemais with a glorious retinue, and met the two kings, and presented to them and to their friends silver and gold and many gifts, and he found favour with them.

And wicked men of Israel, hypocrites, gathered against him and brought accusations against him, but the king gave no heed to them.

And the king commanded to take off Jonathan’s garments and clothe him in purple; and they did so, and he made him sit beside him.

When those who had accused him saw his glory, and how he was proclaimed and arrayed in purple, they all fled.

And the king honored him, and made him one of his special friends, and appointed him a captain and a partner in the kingdom.

So Jonathan returned to Jerusalem safe and joyful.

And in the hundred and sixty-fifth year, Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, came into the land of his fathers.

And King Alexander heard of it, and was greatly grieved, and returned to Antioch.

And Demetrius committed the command of the army to Apollonius and to the parts of Syria; and he gathered a great army and encamped at Jamnia, and sent word to Jonathan the high priest, saying,

There is none to resist us but thou, and because of thee I have become a laughing-stock and a reproach. Wherefore dost thou contend with us in the mountains?

Now therefore, if thou trustest in thy forces, come down to us into the plain, and let us fight there; for I have with me the power of the cities.

Enquire and know who I am, and who are they that assist me; for it is said that ye cannot stand before us, for your fathers were twice defeated in their own land.

When Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was stirred with wrath, and chose ten thousand men, and went forth from Jerusalem, and his brother Simon joined him to assist him.

And he encamped against Jaffa; and they shut the gates of the city against him, for Apollonius’ guards were in it; so he besieged it.

Then those who were in the city were afraid and opened to him, and Jonathan took Jaffa.

And Apollonius heard of it, and advanced with three thousand horsemen and a great army.

And he marched towards Azotus as if he were passing through; then he suddenly turned aside into the plain, for he had many horsemen upon whom he relied. And Jonathan pursued him to Azotus, and the battle was joined between the parties.

But Jonathan knew that there was an ambush behind him, and it was not long before they surrounded his army, shooting arrows at the people from morning until evening.

But the people remained in their positions as Jonathan had commanded, until the horses of the enemy were weary.

Then Simon came forth with his army and fought against the division, for the horses were exhausted, and he broke them, and they fled.

And the horses were scattered in the plain, and they fled to Azotus, and entered the temple of their idol Dagon to save their lives.

So Jonathan burned Azotus and the cities round about it, and despoiled them of their prey, and burned the temple of Dagon and those who had fled to it with fire.

And those who were slain with the sword, with those who were burned, were eight thousand men.

Then Jonathan departed from thence and encamped against Ascalon; and the people of the city came out to meet him with great honour.

And Jonathan returned with those who were with him to Jerusalem, with much spoil.

And when King Alexander heard of these events, he bestowed more glory upon Jonathan.

And he sent him a golden clasp, such as is given to the kinsmen of kings, and gave him Accaron and its borders as a possession.