Aleksander Epifaneb ge Jonatanna ǀgapipristerse ra mâi
1 ǀGuikaidisiǃnanidisiǁî kurib ǃnâb ge Antioxub Hakaǁîb di ôab Aleksander Epifaneba ǂgaus ǀkha hā tsî Ptolemais ǃnâ ge ǁan hā. Khoen ge ǁîba ǁîn di gao-aose ge ǁkhoreǁhare. 2 Gao-aob Demetriub ge nē ǃkhaisab ge ǁnâu, o kai toroǂnubisa ǀhaoǀhao tsî Aleksander Epifaneb ǃoagu nî torodīse ge ǂoa. 3 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnâb ge Demetriuba, Jonatanna ǃgâise nî tsâ kai bi mîde ūhâ sîǂkhanisa ge sîba. 4 ǁÎb ge Jonatannab nî ǁîb ǀkhāb ai hō tsî Jodeǁîn ǀkha, Aleksanderi nî ǁîn ǀkha ǃgaeǀhaosa ǁîb ǃoagu dīs aiǃâ ǂkhîba kuru ga nēsa ge dī. 5 Demetriub ge hoa tsūxūn hîab ge Jonatanni, ǁîb ǃgâsagu tsî Jodeǁîn ǃoagu dīnab nî Jonatanna ǂâihō ti ge ǂâi hâ i. 6 ǁÎb ge Jonatanna toroǂnubisa ǀhaoǀhao tsî ǁâtanina māsa ge mā-am. ǁKhātib ge ǃkhōsaben, hîa ge Jerusalems di ǁkhui-ommi ǃnâ ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ūhe hâ inab nî Jonatanna māǁnâhe ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. 7 Tsîb ge Jonatanna Jerusalems ǃoa ǃgû tsî nē sîǂkhanisa hoaraga khoen tsî ǁkhui-ommi ǃnâ ge hâ i khoegu tsîna ge khomaiba. 8 Nē khoegu ge Jonatanni ge gao-aob xa toroǂnubisa ǀhaoǀhaosa mā-amhe ǃkhaisa gu ge ǁnâu, o kaise ge ǃhuri. 9 ǁÎgu ge ǃkhōsabena Jonatanna ge māǁnâ tsîb ge ǁîna, ǁîn di îna ge mā-oa.
10 Jonatanni ge Jerusalems ǃnâ hâǃkhaiga dībasen, ǃāsa ǁkhawa ǂnubikhâi tsî ge ǀasaǀasatsoatsoa. 11 ǁÎb ge ǂnubi-aoga ǃās di omǂnamib tsî Sionǃhomma nî ǁkhaeba ǂnubiǂgoaba gu nî hakaǀkhāxa ǀuidi ǀkha ǂnubi ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. Tsî gu ge ǁnāti ge dī. 12 Baxideb ge kuru hâ i ǀgaisa hâǃkhaigu ǃnâ ge hâ i ǃhaokhoegu ge ge ǃkhoeni. 13 Mâb hoab ge hâb ge i ǃkhaiba ǁnāxū tsî ǁîb di ǂhunuma ǃhūb ǃoa ge oa. 14 Xawen ge ǀnî Jodeǁîn hîa ge Moseb di ǂhanub tsî mîmāde ǁnāxūna, Betsurs hîa ǃhūsaben di hâǃkhaib ase gere sîsenūhes ǃnâ ge hâ-oa.
15 Gao-aob Aleksanderi ge Demetriub ge Jonatanni ǀkha dī mîmâidi xa ge ǁnâu. ǁKhātib ge Jonatanni ǂûb, ǁîb ge ǃkham torogu, ǁîb di ǁkhoaǂgaoxa sîsengu tsî ǃgomsigu ǁîb tsî ǁîb ǃgâsagu ge tsâgu xas tsîna ge ǁnâu. 16 ǁÎb ge tātsēs tsînab ǀnî khoeb, Jonatanni khami ība hō tide ǃkhaisa ge ǂan i tsî ǁnā-amaga ǁîbab nî ǀhōsase ū tsî ǁîb ǀkha ǃgaeǀhaosa dī ti ge mîǁgui. 17 ǁÎb ge Jonatanna sîǂkhanisa ge xoaba:
18 “Gao-aob Aleksandera xu ǁîb di ǃgâsab Jonatanni ǃoa; tawedes. 19 Tita ge sats a ǃgari-ao tsî gao-aob di ǀhōsasisa a anu ǃkhaisa ge ǁnâu. 20 Nētsē ta ge sa ǁaes di ǀgapipristerse go ǁgaumâi tsi tsî Gao-aob di ǀHōsab ti hâ ǂgaiǂamsa ra mā tsi. Sats ge sida ǀkha ǃgaeǀhaosa dī tsî nî ǂkhâǃnâda.”
ǁÎb ge ǁkhāti Jonatanna gaosarab tsî ǃhuniǀuri krons tsîra ge sîba. 21 Jonatanni ge ǀgapipristersis di ǃanu saraba ǀguikaidisiǃnanidisiǁî kurib di hûǁî ǁkhâb ǃnâ ǁHaodi ǁÂudīb tawa ge ana. ǁÎb ge toroǂnubisa ǂnubikhâi tsî ǁîga ǂgui ǁâtanina ge mā.
Jonatanni ge Aleksander Epifaneba ra mâxōǀkhā
22 Demetriub ge nēsab ge ǁnâu, o nē ǃkhais xa ǀhū tsî ge mî: 23 “Tare-e da ge dī, ob Aleksandera sada aiǃâ, ǁî-aitsamab nî ǁîb di mâǃhūsa ǀgaiǀgai ga Jodeǁîn ǀkha khoexaǃnâsib ǃgaeǀhaosa ge dī? 24 Tita tsîn ge ǁîn ǃoa khoexaǃnâsib sîǂkhanis, ǁîs ǃnâ ta ǁîna ǃgôasib tsî ǀkhaexūna ra mîmâiba tsî mâxōǀkhā tesa ra ǂganǃnâsa nî xoa. 25 Tsîb ge nēti ge xoa:
“Gao-aob Demetriuba xu Jodeǁîn ǃoa; tawedes. 26 Sida ǀkhats ge dī ǃgaeǀhaosa ǃkhōǀgaipe, sa khoexaǃnâsib sida ǀkhats ūhâba aiǃgû-ū tsîts sida khākhoen ǀkha ǁaeǁaesen tama ǃkhaisa da ge ǁnâu, o da ge kaise ge ǃgâiaǂgao. 27 Tsîts ga nēsi sida ǃoagu îǂhôase hâhâ, o da ge ǃgâi mādawa-amsa nî mā tsi. 28 Sida ge satsa ǂgui ǁgui-aimarina matare kai tide tsî ǀnî aiǂhanuga nî mā-am tsi. 29 Nēs ǀkha ta ge hoaraga Jodeǁîna ǁnaetisa ǁgui-aimarin, ǂō-i di ǁgui-aimarin tsî ǀnî ǀō-aisa ǁgui-aimarin tsîna xu ra ǃnoraǃnora. 30 ǃAruǀî ta ge nētsēsa xu ǃnonaǁîǃâs ǃhorob dis tsî ǃkhare ǃâb ǃhanaǂûn dib hîats nî matarese ina xus tsîna nî ǃnoraǃnora tsi. Tita ge ǁîna Judeab tamas ka io ǃnona ǀkharigu hîa Samariab tsî Galileab tsîkha xu Judeab tawa ǀarohe hâgu tsîna mataresa ǁgui-ai tide. 31 Jerusalems tsî ǁîs ǂnamipeb ge ǃanu ǃās ase nî ǃgapaǀîhe tsî hoa ǁgui-aimarina xu nî ǃnoraǃnorahe. 32 Tita ge ǁkhāti Jerusalems ǃnâ mâ ǁkhui-ommi di gaoǂamsisa māǁnâ tsî ǀgapipristeri hîa ǁîb ra ǂgao khoe-e ǁnāpa mûǂams ǃaroma nî mâib ai nî ǁkhaeǁnâ. 33 Tsî ta ge hoaraga Jodeǁîn hîa ti gaosib ǃnâ ǃkhōsis ǃnâ hâna nî ǃnora kai. ǁÎn hoan ge ǁîn di ûitsama xūn ai hâ ǁgui-aimarina xus tsîna nî ǃnora kaihe. 34 ǁGui-aimari-i xare-i tsîn ge Jodeǁî-e xu Sabbattsēdi, ǀAsa ǁkhâb di ǁÂudīgu tsî ǀnî ǃanu tsēdi ai ǀhaoǀhaohe tide. ǃAruǀî, i ge ǁgui-aimari-e ǃnona tsēde ǁâudīb aiǃâ tamas ka io ǁnās khaoǃgâ ǀhaoǀhaohe tide. 35 ǀGui khoe-i tsîn ge nē tsēdi di ǀguis ai khoe-e mataresa ǂgaoǀkhās tamas ka io ǀnî ǀgaub ai xū-e ǂgaoǀkhās di ǂhanu-e ūhâ tama.
36 “Jodeǁîgu ge ǃnonadisiǀoadisi khoegu kōse gao-aob di toroǂnubis ǃnâ nî xoaǂgāhe tsî gu ge gao-aob di toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha ǀguitikōse nî matarehe. 37 ǀNîgu ǁîgu digu ge ǀgaisa hâǃkhaigu gao-aob digu ǃnâ nî hâ kaihe tsî ǀnîga ǂgomǂgomsa ǃkhaidi ǂhanub didi ǃnâ nî mâihe. ǁÎgu ge Jodeǁîga ǂgaeǂgui-ao tsî danakhoegu ase nî ūhâ tsî ǁîgu di ǂhunuma ǂhanugu tsî ǁnaetiga gu nî sao ǃkhaisa, gao-aob ge Judeab ǃnâ mîmā khami nî mā-amhe.
38 “Samariab di ǀkhariba xu ge Judeab tawa ǀarohe ǃnona ǀkharigu ge ǀoasase Judeab tawa ǃkhōǂgāhe tsî ǀgapipristeri ǀguib di gaoǂams ǃnaka nî hâ. 39 Ptolemais tsî xōǀkhā ǁgoe ǀkhariba ta ge Jerusalems ǃnâ mâ Tempela, māǂuideb nî ǀoroǀoroga ǀkhaeb ase ge mā. 40 Tsî ta ge kurikorobe ta nî ǁkhāti gao-aob di ǁuiǂgaesa disikoroǀaǀoadisi ǀhaiǀuri maride ǀkhaeb ase mā ǃkhaisa ra mîmâi. 41 Tsî hāǀaro ra marin hîa gu ge ǂhanub di ǂammâisaga, ǂguro kurigu ǃnâ gu gere dī khami matare tama hâ in ge nēsisa xu Tempelǃoabadi ǃaroma nî māhe. 42 Tempeli di hōǂgāsa xu gere kurikorobe ǃkhōǃoahe koroǀoadisi ǀhaiǀuri maridi ge ǃaruǀî ǂgaoǀkhāhe tide. Nē mari-i ge a Tempeli ǃnâ ra ǃoaba pristergu di. 43 Hoan hîa Jerusalems di Tempeli tamas ka io ǀnî ǁhaiǁhâǃkhai-i ǃnâ, gao-aoban surude hâ xui-ao ra hân ge nî ǃnora kaihe tsî ǁîn di xūna nî mā-oahe. 44 Tempeli di ǁkhawa ǂnubikhâihes tsî ǀasaǀasahes ai ge hâ mâǂuidi ge gao-aob ǁuiǂgaesa xu nî matarehe. 45 ǁNās ǁkhās xase di ge Jerusalems ǂnubiǂgoagu, ǁîs ǂnamipe ǁgoe ǀgaisa hâǃkhaigu tsî Judeab ǃādi ǂnubiǂgoaga ǁkhawa ǂnubikhâis di māǂuidi tsîna gao-aob ǁuiǂgaesa xu nî matarehe.”
46 Jonatanni tsî khoen tsîn ge Demetriub di mîden ge ǁnâu, o ǁîb ge Israelǁaes ǃnâ dī tsūxūn tsî ǁînab gere ǁgâiǀā ǀgausa ǂâihō tsî ǁîde ǂgom tamas ka io ūǃoa tama ge i. 47 ǁÎn ge Aleksandera, ǁîb ge ǂguro ǂkhîb di mîde ǁîn ǃoa mî xui-ao ge ūǃoa, tsîn ge ǁîb di ûitsēdi hoade ǁîb ǀkhan ge dī ǃgaeǀhaosa ge ǃkhōǀgaipe.
48 Gao-aob Aleksanderi ge kai toroǂnubisa ǂnubikhâi tsî Demetriub ǃoagu nî ǃkhamse ge ǂhomisen. 49 Xawe nē gao-aokha di toroǂnubira ge ǃkhams ǃnâ ǀhao, o gu ge Aleksanderi toroǃkhamaoga dabasen tsî ge ǃkhoeni. Demetriub ge ǁîga ǃgôaǃgon tsî toroba ge dan. 50 Aleksanderi ge ǁnātsē sores ǂgâb kōse ǀgaisase ǃkham tsî Demetriuba ge ǃgam.
51 Aleksanderi ge ǂhanuǂnûǁkhaeba-aoga Ptolemib ǃNaniǁîb, Egipteb di gao-aob ǃoa nē haisi-ams ǀkha ge sî:
52 “Tita ge ti gaosib ǃoa oahā tsî ti aboxagu di trons ai go ǂnû hā. Tsî ta ge ǂhanuba ūǃkhuni tsî nēsi ǃhūba ra ǂgaeǂgui. 53 Tsî ta ge Demetriub ǃoagu torodī, ǁîb tsî ǁîb toroǂnubisa dan tsî ǁîb gaosiba go ūǃkhuni. 54 Nēsi ta ge ǃgaeǀhaosa dīs ǃaroma a ǂhomisa. Sa ôasa mā te, î ta ǁîs ǀkha ǃgame, î ta saro hoaro ǂhâba ro hâs kōse ǀkhaexūna mā.”
55 Ob ge gao-aob Ptolemiba ge ǃeream: “Kais ge ǁnā tsēs, sa aboxan ǃhūb ǃoa oahā tsîts go trons ai ǂnû hāsa. 56 Tita ge sa aoǁguiba ra ūǃoa, xawe aibe Ptolemais tawa hā re, î khom ǀhao, o ta ge ti ôasa ǃgame-ūts nîse nî mā tsi.”
57 ǀGuikaidisiǃnanidisiǀgamǀaǁî kurib ǃnâ ra ge Ptolemib tsî ǁîb ôas Kleopatras hâra Egipteba xu ǃgû tsî Ptolemais ǃnâ ge sī. 58 Gao-aob Aleksanderi ge ǁîra ǀkha ge ǀhao, tsîb ge Ptolemiba ǁîb ôas Kleopatrasa ǃgame-ūb nîga Aleksandera ge mā, tsîb ge ǃgameǁâudība gao-aosi ǂkhaisib ǀkha Ptolemais ǃnâ ge tsēdīhe.
59 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge gao-aob Aleksandera, Jonatanni ǃoa ǁîb ǀkhab nî ǀhaoga sîǂkhani-e ge xoa. 60 Jonatanni ge ǂkhaisib ǃnâ Ptolemais ǃoa ǃgû tsî ǁnāpa ǀgam gao-aokha ǀkha sī ge ǀhao. ǁÎb ge ǁîkha ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib tsîna ǀkhae tsî ǁîkha ge ǃgûǀkha hâ i danakhoega ǁkhāti ǂgui ǀkhaexūna ge mā. ǁÎgu ge khoexaǃnâsiba ǁîb ǃnâ ge hō. 61 ǁKhā ǁaeb ǃnâ gu ge eloxoresa Jodeǁîgu hîa Jonatanna tsūtsūba tsî gere ǀanaǃgâ ǂgaoga ge ǀhao, xaweb ge gao-aob Aleksandera ǁîgu ǀkha ǁaeǁaesen tama ge i. 62 ǁÎb ge Jonatanni gaosaraba anab nîse nî māhe ǃkhaisa mîmā 63 tsî ǃgôasib ase ǁîb xōǀkhā ge ǂnû kai bi. Aleksanderi ge ǁîb di danakhoega, Jonatanna gu nî ǃās di ǁaegub kōse ǃgû-ū ǃkhaisa ge mîba. Tsî ǀgui-i tsîn ǀgui xū-i ǃaromas tsîna ǀhapiǂgā-am-e ǁîb ǃoagu hā-ū tsî ǁîba ǂōǂōsi-e hā-ūba tide ǃkhaisa nî ǂanǂan. 64 Tsî ǂgā-amaon ge ǁîb ra māhe ǃgôasiba mû, ǂanǂansa ǁnâu tsîn ge gaosarabab ana hâ ǃkhaisa a mû, o hoatsama ge ǃkhoeni. 65 Gao-aob ge ǃaruǀî ǃgôasiba ǁîba mā tsî ge ǁîba ǃgôaǃgôasa ǀhōsagu ǁîb digu ǃnâ xoaǂgā tsî ǀkharib di ǂammâisa tsî ǂgaeǂgui-aose ge ǁgaumâi. 66 Jonatanni ge ǂkhîb tsî ǃgâiaǂgaob ǀkha Jerusalems ǃoa ge oa.
Apoloniub ge Jonatanni xa ra danhe
67 ǀGuikaidisiǃnanidisikoroǀaǁî kurib ǃnâb ge Demetriub ǂGurob di ôab Demetriub ǀGamǁîba, Kretasa xu ǃgû tsî ǁîb di aboxan ǃhūb, Siriab ǃnâ ge sī. 68 Gao-aob Aleksanderi ge nēsab ge ǁnâu, o kaise ge ǂâiǂhansen tsî Antioxs, Siriab di danaǃās ǃoa ge oa. 69 Demetriub ge Apoloniuba ǁkhawa Kai Siriab di gowoniase ge ǁgaumâi. Apoloniub ge kai toroǂnubisa ge ǂnubikhâi tsî hâǃkhaiga Jamnias ǀgūse dībasen tsî sao ra haisi-amsa Jonatanni hîa ge ǀgapiprister iba ge sîba.
70 “Sats ǃaroma ta ge ǃhōhe tsî ra taotaohe. Tare-i ǃaromats ǀgaibats sida ǃoagu ǃhomgu ǃnâ ūhâ ti ra ǂama. 71 Amasets ga ǂgomǃgâsa sa toroǂnubis ǃnâ ūhâ, o ǂgāb ai ǁgôaxa, î hā ǃkham, î khom sakhom ǀgaiba ǁnāpa ǃâi, tita ge ǃāde xu hâ ǀgaiba ūhâ xuige. 72 Tita a tari tsî sida ra huin a tari ǃkhaisa dî, î ǁkhāǁkhāsen. Sa aiǃgû-aogu ge ǀnai ǀgam ǃnāra ǁîgu ǂhunuma ǃhūba xu ge ǃkhoeni hâ i, xui-aon ge khoena sigets mâǃoa ǁoa ǃkhaisa nî mîba tsi. 73 O mâtits nî ǁnâi ti hātoroǃkhamaogu tsî toroǂnubis tsîna ǂgāb ai dan? Nēpan ge ǁîn ǃgâb ai nî gauhe ǀuiro-i tamas ka io ǃkhoeniǂoahe nî ǃkhai-i tsîna a ǀkhai.”
74 Tsî Jonatanni ge nē haisi-amsab ge Apoloniuba xu hō, o ge ǁaixa. ǁÎb ge disiǀoadisi toroǃkhamaoga ǁhûi tsî Jerusalemsa xu ge ǃgû, tsîb ge ǁîb di ǃgâsab Simonna ǁîba nî huise ǁîb ǀkha ge ǀhao. 75 ǁÎb ge hâǃkhaiga Jopas ǃauga ge ǂnaumâi. Apoloniub di toroǃkhamaogu ge ǁnāpa hâ i xui-aon ge ǃās di khoena ǁîga ǃās ǃnâ gu nî ǂgâ ǃkhaisa mā-am tama ge i. 76 Jonatanni ge nē ǃkhais ǃoagu ge ǃkham, tsîn ge ǁanǂgāsabenna ǃao tsî dao-amde ge ǁkhowa-am tsîb ge Jonatanna Jopasa ge ūbasen. 77 Apoloniub ge nēsab ge ǁnâu, o ǃnonaǀoadisi hātoroǃkhamaogu tsî kai toroǂnubis tsîna ū tsî ǀnî ǀkhāb ǃoa garu khami Asotus ǃoa ge ǃgû. ǁÎb di hātoroǃkhamaogu di ǀgaib ai ǂgomaiǂnûi tsî toroǂnubis ǀkha ǂgāb ǃnâ ge ǂgâ. 78 Jonatanni ge Asotus kōse ge ǃgôaǃgon bi tsî ra ge toroǂnubira ǁnāpa ge ǃkham. 79 Apoloniub ge ǂganǃgâsib ǃnâ ǀguiǀoadisi hātoro-aoga khaosǀkhāb ai ge ǁnāxū. 80 Jonatanni ge ǃgâbǀkhāb aib ǁgoe-amhe ǃkhaisa ge ǂan. ǁÎb di toroǃkhamaogu ge ge ǁgoeǂnamihe hâ i, tsî gu ge khākhoega ǁgoasa xu ǃoes ǁga, ǁîga ǂāgu ǀkha gere ǁkhâu. 81 Xawe gu ge Jonatanni di toroǃkhamaoga ǁîb ge mîmā khami ge mâǀgai tsî gu ge khākhoegu di hāga sī ge tsau. 82 Tsî hātoroǃkhamaogu ge ǂkhabu, ob ge Simonna ǁîb di toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha ge ǂkherexa tsî khākhoega ge ǁnāǂam. Khākhoegu ge ǀgaru tsî ge ǃkhoeni. 83 Nē ǀgaru ge hātoroǃkhamaogu ge Asotus ǃoa ǃkhoeni tsî ǁîgu di ǁgôa-elob, Dagonni di tempeli ǃnâ, ǃnorasasib ǃaroma sī ge ǂgâ. 84 Xaweb ge Jonatanna Asotus tsî Dagonni di tempeli tsîna ge ǃkhāǂhubi tsîn ge ǁnāǀî ge ǁhaiǁhân hoana ge ǂhubiǁō. ǁÎb ge ǁkhāti ǂnamipeb ǃnâ ǁgoe ǃāde ǁkhâuǁnâǃnâ tsî ge ǃkhāǂhubi. 85 ǁNā tsēs ain ge ǁaubexa ǁkhaisaǀoadisina torob ǃnâ ge ǃgamhe tamas ka io ge ǂhubiǁō. 86 Jonatanni ge Asotusa xu ǃgû tsî hâǃkhaiba Askelons tawa sī ge ǂnaumâi, tsîn ge khoena ǃāsa xu ǂoaxa tsî kai ǃgôasib ǀkha ge ǁkhoreǁhare bi. 87 Jonatanni tsî ǁîb di toroǃkhamaogu ge ǂgui xūn, ǁkhâuǁnâ gu gen ǀkha Jerusalems ǃoa ge oa.
88 Gao-aob Aleksanderi ge Jonatanni ge dī xūnab ge ǁnâu, o ǃnāsa ǃgôasiba ge mā bi. 89 Tsî ǁîba ǃhōs ai ra ǂnûihe ǃhuniǀuri ǃgaesenni hîa gu ǁnāgu “Gao-aob di ǀGūkhoeb” ti hâ ǃgôasib di ǂgaiǂamsa ūhâgu ǀguiga ra māheba ge sîba bi. ǁKhātib ge Jonatanna Ekrons tsî ǁîs ǂnamipe ǁgoe ǀkharib tsîna ge mā.
Alexander Epiphanes Makes Jonathan High Priest
1 In the year 160, Alexander Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the Fourth, landed at Ptolemais and captured it. The people welcomed him as their king. 2 When King Demetrius heard of it, he gathered a large army and went out to meet him in battle. 3 At that time Demetrius sent Jonathan a friendly letter full of flattery, 4 in the hope of winning Jonathan over to his side and making peace with the Jews before Alexander made a treaty with them against him. 5 Demetrius thought that Jonathan would certainly remember all the wrongs he had done to him, his brothers, and the entire Jewish nation. 6 And so Demetrius made Jonathan his ally and gave him authority to raise an army and equip it. He also ordered that the hostages held in the fort at Jerusalem should be handed over to Jonathan. 7 So Jonathan went to Jerusalem and read the letter to all the people and to the men in the fort. 8 These men were terrified when they learned that the king had given Jonathan authority to raise an army. 9 They handed the hostages over to him, and he returned them to their parents.
10 Jonathan set up headquarters in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city. 11 He ordered the builders to use squared stones for the city walls and for the protecting wall around Mount Zion. This was done. 12 The foreigners deserted the fortresses that Bacchides had built; 13 each man left his post and returned to his own country. 14 But some of the Jews who had abandoned the Law of Moses and its commands were still left in Bethzur, which served as their last place of refuge.
15 King Alexander learned of the promises Demetrius had made to Jonathan and he also learned about Jonathan himself, about the battles he had fought, his courageous deeds, and the troubles he and his brothers had endured. 16 He was certain that he would never find another man like Jonathan and so decided to make him his friend and ally. 17 He wrote Jonathan a letter:
18 “King Alexander to his friend Jonathan, greetings.
19 I have heard that you are a brave man who has earned the right to be a friend of the king. 20 I have this day appointed you as High Priest of your nation and conferred upon you the title of ‘Friend of the King.’ You are to be our ally and give us your support.”
He also sent him a royal robe and a gold crown. 21 Jonathan put on the robes of the High Priest in the seventh month of the year 160 at the Festival of Shelters. He raised an army and stored up a large supply of weapons.
Jonathan Supports Alexander Epiphanes
22 When Demetrius heard this, he was distressed and said, 23 “How did we manage to let Alexander get ahead of us? He has strengthened his position by making an alliance with the Jews. 24 I also will write them a friendly letter offering high positions and gifts, so that they will support me.”
25 He wrote:
“King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greetings. 26 We are delighted to learn that you have kept your obligations under our treaty, remained loyal to us, and have not gone over to the side of our enemies. 27 Now if you continue to remain loyal to us, we will reward you well. 28 We will grant you exemptions from many taxes and allow you other privileges. 29 I hereby grant all the Jewish people release and exemption from payment of regular taxes, salt taxes, and other special taxes. 30 Furthermore, from this day I release you from your obligation to pay me one third of the grain harvest and one half of the fruit harvest. From now on I will not demand these payments from Judea or from the three districts that have been added to Judea from Samaria and Galilee. 31 Jerusalem and its surrounding territory is to be recognized as a holy city and to be exempt from the payment of all taxes. 32 I also give up my authority over the fort in Jerusalem and place it under the High Priest, who may station there anyone he wishes to guard it. 33 I freely grant release to all Jews who are prisoners of war anywhere in my kingdom. All of them will be exempt from taxes, even on their cattle. 34 No taxes shall be collected from any Jew anywhere in my kingdom on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days. Furthermore, no taxes shall be collected three days before or after the major holy days. 35 No one has the right on any of these days to demand payment or to trouble you in any way.
36 “Jews may be enlisted in the royal army up to a total of 30,000 men, and they will receive the same pay as other royal troops. 37 Some of them may be stationed in the great royal fortresses, and others assigned to responsible positions in the government. They shall have Jews as their leaders and officers, and they shall be allowed to follow their own laws and customs, just as the king has permitted for the people of Judea.
38 “The three districts added to Judea from the territory of Samaria will be completely incorporated into Judea and placed under the authority of the High Priest alone. 39 I give to the Temple in Jerusalem for its operating expenses the revenues from the city of Ptolemais and the lands belonging to it. 40 I also promise to make an annual gift of 15,000 silver coins from appropriate accounts within the royal treasury. 41 The total accumulated state subsidy, which we have failed to pay in recent years, shall be paid, and the payments continued from now on for the work of the Temple. 42 In addition to this, we will no longer require the 5,000 silver coins annually from the Temple income. This money belongs to the priests serving in the Temple. 43 Whoever owes a debt to the king or any other debt and takes refuge in the Temple in Jerusalem or in any area that belongs to it may not be arrested nor may his property anywhere in my kingdom be confiscated. 44 The expenses for rebuilding and renovating the Temple shall be provided from the royal treasury. 45 Likewise, the expenses for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and its surrounding fortifications, as well as the walls of designated towns in Judea, shall be provided from the royal treasury.”
46 When Jonathan and the people heard the proposals made by King Demetrius, they refused to believe them or accept them, because they remembered how harshly he had treated them and what terrible troubles he had caused them. 47 They preferred to give their allegiance to Alexander because he had been the first to open peace negotiations, and they remained his allies as long as he lived.
48 King Alexander raised a large army and took up battle positions facing Demetrius. 49 But when the armies of the two kings met in battle, the army of Alexander turned and ran. Demetrius pursued them and won the battle. 50 Alexander fought bitterly until sundown, but Demetrius was killed that day.
51 Then Alexander sent ambassadors to King Ptolemy the Sixth of Egypt with this message:
52 “I have returned to my kingdom and taken my seat on the throne of my ancestors. I have taken over the government, and I am now in control of the country. 53 I made war on Demetrius, defeated him and his army, and I have taken over his kingdom. 54 Now I am ready to make an alliance. Give me your daughter in marriage, and I will give both of you such gifts as you deserve.”
55 King Ptolemy replied, “It was a great day when you returned to your country and took the throne of your ancestors. 56 I agree to your proposals, but first meet me at Ptolemais. We can get acquainted there, and I will give you my daughter in marriage.”
57 So in the year 162 Ptolemy and his daughter Cleopatra left Egypt and arrived at Ptolemais. 58 King Alexander met them, and Ptolemy gave him his daughter in marriage. The wedding was celebrated there in Ptolemais with royal splendor.
59 King Alexander wrote asking Jonathan to come to meet him. 60 So Jonathan, in a show of splendor, went to Ptolemais and met the two kings. He presented them with gifts of silver and gold, and he also gave many gifts to the high officials who had accompanied them. Everyone was favorably impressed with him. 61 At the same time some traitorous Jews who wanted to make trouble for Jonathan made accusations against him, but King Alexander paid no attention to them. 62 He gave orders that Jonathan should be given royal robes to wear, 63 and he honored him by letting him sit at his side. Alexander told his officers to take Jonathan into the center of the city and to announce that no one was to bring charges against him for any reason and no one was to cause him any kind of trouble. 64 When his accusers saw the honors given to him, heard the announcement, and saw him clothed in royal robes, they all fled. 65 The king further honored Jonathan by enrolling him in the First Order of the “Friends of the King” and by making him general and governor of his province. 66 Jonathan returned to Jerusalem pleased and successful.
Jonathan's Victory over Apollonius
67 In the year 165 Demetrius the Second, the son of Demetrius the First, left Crete and arrived in Syria, the land of his ancestors. 68 When King Alexander heard about this, he was worried and returned to Antioch, the capital of Syria. 69 Demetrius reappointed Apollonius governor of Greater Syria. Apollonius raised a large army, set up camp near Jamnia, and sent the following message to Jonathan the High Priest:
70 “Because of you I am being ridiculed, but why do you, there in your mountains, continue this rebellion when no one supports you? 71 If you really have any confidence in your army, come down here on the plain and fight, where we can test each other's strength. Study the situation, and you will find that I have the support of the forces from the cities. 72 You will learn who I am and who our allies are, and you will discover that you have no chance of standing against us. Your predecessors have already been beaten twice on their own ground; 73 so how do you expect to defeat my cavalry and the kind of army I have here on the plain? Down here there is not so much as a pebble to hide behind and no way to escape.”
74 When Jonathan received this message from Apollonius, he became angry. He took 10,000 elite troops from Jerusalem; his brother Simon also brought troops, and their two forces 75 set up camp outside of Joppa. The men of the city refused to let them in because there was a detachment of Apollonius' troops there, but Jonathan attacked, 76 and the men in the city became so frightened that they opened the gates, allowing Jonathan to capture Joppa. 77 When Apollonius heard what had happened, he took 3,000 cavalry and a large army of infantry and pretended to retreat south toward Azotus. However, relying upon the strength of his cavalry, he marched into the plain with his main force, 78-79 positioning 1,000 cavalry where they could attack Jonathan's forces from the rear. Jonathan continued his pursuit as far as Azotus, where the two armies met in battle. 80 Not until then did Jonathan realize that he was caught in an ambush. His army was surrounded, and enemy arrows rained down on them from morning until evening. 81 But Jonathan's men stood firm, as he had ordered, and the attacking cavalry grew tired. 82 Then, when the cavalry was exhausted, Simon appeared on the scene with his forces and attacked and overwhelmed the enemy infantry, who broke ranks and fled. 83 The cavalry, which by now was scattered all over the battlefield, fled to Azotus, where they took refuge in the temple of Dagon, their god. 84 But Jonathan set fire to the city and to the temple of Dagon, burning to death all those who had taken refuge there. Then he set fire to the surrounding towns and looted them. 85 That day about 8,000 were either killed in the battle or burned to death. 86 Jonathan left and set up camp at Ascalon, where the people of the city came out to welcome him with great honors. 87 Jonathan and his men returned to Jerusalem with large quantities of loot.
88 When King Alexander heard what Jonathan had done, he gave him even greater honors. 89 He sent him a gold shoulder buckle, which is given only to those honored with the title “Relative of the King.” He also gave him the city of Ekron and its surrounding territory.
