men were ready for battle, and they feared, and trembled in their hearts, and they kindled fires in their camp then withdrew. 29 But Jonathan and his men didn’t know it until the morning; for they saw the fires burning. 30 Jonathan pursued after them, but didn’t overtake them; for they had gone over the river Eleutherus. 31 Then Jonathan turned towards the Arabians, who are called Zabadaeans, and struck them, and took their spoils. 32 He came out from there, and came to Damascus, and took his journey through all the country.
33 Simon went out, and took his journey as far as Ascalon, and the strongholds that were near it. Then he turned towards Joppa and took possession of it; 34 for he had heard that they were planning to hand over the stronghold to Demetrius’ men. He set a garrison there to guard it.
35 Then Jonathan returned and called the elders of the people together. He planned with them to build strongholds in Judea, 36 and to make the walls of Jerusalem higher, and to raise a great mound between the citadel and the city, to separate it from the city, that so it might be isolated, that its garrison might neither buy nor sell. 37 They were gathered together to build the city. Part of the wall of the brook that is on the east side fell down, and he repaired the section called Chaphenatha. 38 Simon also built Adida in the§ plain country, made it strong, and set up gates and bars.
39 And Tryphon sought to reign over Asia and to crown himself, and to stretch out his hand against Antiochus the king. 40 He was afraid that Jonathan wouldn’t allow him, and that he would fight against him; and he sought a way to seize him, that he might destroy him. So he marched out and came to Bethshan. 41 Jonathan came out to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for battle, and came to Bethshan. 42 Tryphon saw that he came with a great army, and he was afraid to stretch out his hand against him. 43 He received him honourably, and commended him to all his† friends, and gave him gifts, and commanded his forces to be obedient to him, as to himself. 44 He said to Jonathan, “Why have you put all this people to so much trouble, seeing there is no war between us? 45 Now send them away to their homes, but choose for yourself a few men who shall be with you, and come with me to Ptolemais, and I will give it to you, and the rest of the strongholds and the rest of the forces, and all the king’s officers. Then I will turn around and depart; for this is why I came.”
46 He put his trust in him, and did even as he said, and sent away his forces, and they departed into the land of Judah. 47 But he reserved to himself three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee, but one thousand went with him. 48 Now as soon as Jonathan entered into Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais shut the gates and seized him. They killed all those who came in with him with the sword.
49 Tryphon sent troops and cavalry into Galilee, and into the Great Plain, to destroy all Jonathan’s men. 50 They perceived that he had been seized and had perished, along with those who were with him. They encouraged one another and went on their way close together, prepared to fight. 51 Those who followed them saw that they were ready to fight for their lives, and turned back again. 52 They all came in peace into the land of Judah, and they mourned for Jonathan and those who were with him, and they were very afraid. All Israel mourned with a great mourning. 53 And all the Gentiles who were around them sought to destroy them utterly; for they said, “They have no ruler nor anyone to help them. Now therefore let’s fight against them, and take away their memory from amongst men.”
13
1 Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty army to come into the land of Judah and destroy it utterly. 2 He saw that the people were trembling in great fear. So he went up to Jerusalem and gathered the people together. 3 He encouraged them, and said to them, “You yourselves know all the things that I, my kindred, and my father’s house have done for the laws and the sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen. 4 Because of this, all my brothers have perished for Israel’s sake, and I am left alone. 5 Now be it far from me, that I should spare my own life in any time of affliction, for I am not better than my kindred. 6 However, I will take vengeance for my nation, for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children, because all the Gentiles have gathered out of hatred to destroy us.”
7 The spirit of the people revived as soon as they heard these words. 8 They answered with a loud voice, saying, “You are our leader in the place of Judas and Jonathan your brothers. 9 Fight our battles, and we will do all that you tell us to do.”
10 He gathered together all the men of war, and hurried to finish the walls of Jerusalem. He fortified it all around. 11 He sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great army, to Joppa. He threw out those who were in it, and lived there.
12 Tryphon left Ptolemais with a mighty army to enter into the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him under guard. 13 But Simon encamped at Adida, near the plain. 14 Tryphon knew that Simon had risen up in the place of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, so he sent ambassadors to him, saying, 15 “It is for money which Jonathan your brother owed to the king’s treasury, by reason of the offices which he had, that we are detaining him. 16 Now send one hundred talents of silver and two of his sons for hostages, so that when he is released he may not revolt against us, and we will release him.”
17 Simon knew that they spoke to him deceitfully, but he sent to get the money and the children, lest perhaps he would arouse great hostility amongst the people, 18 who might say, “Because I didn’t send him the money and the children, he perished.” 19 So he sent the children and the hundred talents, but Tryphon lied, and didn’t release Jonathan.
20 After this, Tryphon came to invade the land and destroy it, and he went around by the way that leads to Adora. Simon and his army marched near him to every place, wherever he went. 21 Now the people of the citadel sent to Tryphon ambassadors, urging him to come to them through the wilderness, and to send them food. 22 So Tryphon prepared all his cavalry to come, but on that night a very heavy snow fell, and he didn’t come because of the snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead. 23 When he came near to Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there. 24 Then Tryphon turned back, and went away into his own land.
25 Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers. 26 All Israel made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days. 27 Simon built a monument on the tomb of his father and his kindred, and raised it high so that it could be seen, with polished stone on the front and back. 28 He also set up seven pyramids, one near another, for his father, his mother, and his four brothers. 29 For these, he made an elaborate setting, erecting great pillars around them, and upon the pillars he made suits of armour for a perpetual memorial, and beside the suits of armour, he carved ships, so that they could be seen by all who sail on the sea. 30 This is the tomb which he made at Modin. It remains to this day.
31 Now Tryphon deceived the young King Antiochus and killed him, 32 and reigned in his place. He put on himself the crown of Asia and brought a great calamity upon the land. 33 Simon built up the strongholds of Judea, and walled them all around with high towers, great walls, gates, and bars; and he stored food in the strongholds. 34 Simon chose men, and sent to King Demetrius with a request that he grant the country an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to plunder. 35 King Demetrius sent to him according to these words, and answered him, and wrote a letter to him, as follows:
36 “King Demetrius to Simon the high priest and friend† of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greetings. 37 The golden crown and the palm branch, which you sent, we have received. We are ready to make a steadfast peace with you, yes, and to write to our officers to release you from tribute. 38 Whatever things we confirmed to you, they are confirmed. The strongholds, which you have built, let them be your own. 39 As for any oversights and faults committed to this day, we forgive them, and the crown tax which you owed us.