Judab di ǁōb
1 Demetriub ge Nikanori tsî ǁîb di toroǂnubis ge ǃgamhe ǃkhaisab ge ǁnâu, o Baxideb tsî Alkimub hâkha nē ǃnāsa Siriaǁî toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha ǁkhawa Judeab ǃoa ge sî. 2 ǁÎgu ge Gilgals ǃoa garu daob ǀkha ǃgû tsî Mesalots, hîa Arbelab ǃnâ ǂnôasa ǃnamiǂgā, ǁîsa ūbasen tsî ǂgui khoena ge ǃgam. 3 ǀGuikaidisi tsî korodisiǀgamǀaǁî kurib, ǂguro ǁkhâb dib ǃnâb ge hâǃkhaiba Jerusalems ǃoagu ge dībasen. 4 ǁNāpa xu gu ge ǀgamdisiǀoadisi ǀnūtoroǃkhamaogu tsî ǀgamǀoadisi hātoroǃkhamaogu ǀkha Bereas ǃoa ge ǃgû.
5 Judab ge ǃnonaǀoadisi, ǂansa ūhâ toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha Elasas tawa hâǃkhaiba ge ǂnaumâibasen. 6 Xawe gu ge kai ǃgôab di toroǂnubis khākhoen disa gu ge mû, o kaise ge ǃao. ǂGui toroǃkhamaogu ge ge ūbēsen tsî gu ge ǁkhaisakaidisi Jodeǁî toroǃkhamaogu ǀguiga ge ǃgau. 7 Tsî Judab ge ǁîb di toroǂnubis ra garu ǀoro tsîb toroba tsoatsoas ai hâ ǃkhaisa a mû, ob ge ǂâu hâ ǁae-i, ǁîb di toroǂnubisa ǀhaoǀhaos ǃaroma ǀkhai ǃkhais xa gere ǂâiǂhansen. 8 ǁÎb ge ge ǂkhabuǂâi, xaweb ge ǁnāpa ge ǁîb ǀkha hâ i gu ǃoa ge mî: “A ge ǁnāǂams ǃaroma ǂhomisen, ǁîga ge hîkākā ǁkhā ǃkhais di īǁkhāsib noxopa hâ xuige.”
9 ǁÎb khoegu ge ǁîba ǂkhātsâ tsî “Sage ge ǂâu hâ ǀgaiba ūhâ tama hâ. A ge sage ûiba sâu, î ge oa tsî ǀgaisa ǃgâsagu ǀkha ǀkhī tsî khākhoegu ǃoagu hā ǃkham. Sage ge kaise a ǀoro” ti ge mî.
10 Ob ge Judaba ge ǃeream: “Tātsēs tsîna i ge tita ge toro-e xu ǃkhoeni, ti mîhe tide. Sage ǁaeb ga hā, o age ǃgari-aose, sage di ǃgâsan ǃaroma ǁō, î-i tā ǃaroma-i, sage di ǃgôasib xa nî dîhe ǃkhais di-e hâ.”
11 Baxideb di toroǂnubis ge toroǃkhamaogu di tentomde xu ǂoaxa tsî Judab di toroǃkhamaogu ǃoagu ǃkhammi ǃoa ǂhomisase hā ge mā. Hātoroǃkhamaogu ge ǀgam ǃnanra ǃnâ ge ǀgoraǂgāhe tsî slengerdi tsî khāde ūhâ toroǃkhamaogu ge danatoro-aoga ge aimâba. 12 Baxideb ge amǀkhāb di toroǁnâub ǃnâ ge hâ i. ǀNūtoroǃkhamaogu ge hoa ǀkhāgu ai hātoroǃkhamaogu xa ge ǁkhaubahe hâ i tsî di ge xâiǁnâde gere xâihe. Judab di toroǃkhamaogu tsîn ge ǁkhāti ǁîgu xâiǁnâde gere xâi. 13 Nē ǀgam toroǂnubira ge ǀhao, ob ge ǃhūba ǂkhupib xa gere ǂgūbi, tsî gu ge ǁgoasa xu ǃoes kōse ge ǃkham.
14 Judab ge Baxideb tsî toroǀgaib, Siriaǁî toroǂnubis dib tsîn amǀkhāb ǃnâ hâ ǃkhaisab ge mûo, ǁîb di ǁkhoaǂgaoxa khoegu hoagu ǀkha ǀhao hâse, 15 Siriaǁîgu di amǀkhāb di toroǁnâuba ge hîkākā. Tsî gu ge ǁîga ǃhommi di ǂai-ammi kōse ge ǃgôaǃgon. 16 Xawe gu ge ǁareǀkhāb ai ge hâ i Siriaǁîga, ǁîgu di amǀkhāb ai ge hâ i toroǃkhamaogu ge hîkākāhe ǃkhaisa gu ge mû, o dabasen tsî Judab tsî ǁîb toroǃkhamaogu tsîga ǃgâbǀkhāba xu ge ǁnāǂam. 17 Nē torob ge kaise ge kai i tsî gu ge ǂgui khoega hoa ǀkhākha ai ge ǃgamhe. 18 ǀUnis aib ge Judaba ge ǃgamhe tsî gu ge ǃgau ge khoega ge ǃkhoeni. 19 Jonatanni tsî Simonni hâkha ge ǃgâsab Judab di sorosa ū tsî omaris ǀhobas, Modeins tawa ǂnôas ǃnâ ǁkhō 20 tsî ǁîba ǁnāpa āba. Hoaraga Israelǁaes ge ǁîba gere āba tsî ǂgui tsēde ǃoab ǃnâ ge hâ i. Tsîn ge 21 “Mâtib kha ǀgaisa ǃgari-aob tsî Israelǁaes di ore-aoba go ǃgamhe” ti gere mî.
22 Judab di ǀnî dīgu, ǁîb di torogu, ǁkhoaǂgaoxasib tsî ǁîb di kai sīǃnâdi ge xoamâihes ǃaroma kaise a ǂgui.
Jonatanni ge Judaba ra saoǃgon
23 Judab di ǁōb khaoǃgâgu ge ǂhanuo khoega hoaraga Judeab ǃnâ ge khâi, hoaraga ǂkhabadī-aogu ge ge oahā. 24 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnâb ge ǁkhāti kai ǃâtsūǀkhāba ge hâ i tsîn ge hoaraga ǃhūb di khoena nē ǂhanuoǃnâ khoegu ǀkhāb ǃoa ge ǃgâu. 25 Baxideb ge ǃhūba nî ǂgaeǂguise, ǀnî eloxoresa Jodeǁîga ǂgaeǂgui-aose ge ǁgaumâi. 26 Nē khoegu ge Judab di ǀhōsana ôaǂui tsî hoana Baxideb tawa hā-ū, tsîb ge ǁîba ǁîna tsûtsû tsî gere mîǁgaiǁgai. 27 ǁNāpab ge kai ǂōǂōsiba Israelǁaes ǃnâ ge hâ i, kēbo-aogu nî ǁîn ǃnâ ǂhaiǀû ǁaeb ai ge hâ ib ǃgâ-ai kaiba.
28 On ge Judab di ǀhōsan hoana ǀhao tsî Jonatanni ǃoa ge mî: 29 “Sa ǃgâsab, Judab ge ǁōsa xu i ge ǁîb khami sige sida khākhoen, Baxideb tsî sida ǁaes ǂûs di khoen, hîa sida ra ǁgâiǀān ǃoagu nî ǂgaeǂgui khoe-e a ǀkhai. 30 Nētsē da ge satsa, ǁîbats sida ǂgaeǂgui-ao tsî ǂammâisase nî saoǃgonse ra ǁhûi, îts sida toroga ǃkhamba da.” 31 Jonatanni ge nē ǂgaeǂguisa ǁnātsē ūǃoa tsî ǃgâsab, Judab soasa ge ūǃkhuni.
Jonatanni di ǀapemādi
32 Baxideb ge nēsab ge ǂan, o Jonatanna gere ǃgam ǂgao. 33 Xaweb ge Jonatanna nē ǂhôasab ge ǁnâu, o ǃgâsab, Simonni tsî ǁîkha toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha Tekoaǃgaroǃhūb ǃoa ǃkhoeni tsî hâǃkhai-e Asfars di ǁgamǃgaus tawa sī ge dībasen. 34 Baxideb ge Sabbattsēs ai nēsa ge ǂan tsî ǁîb di hoaraga toroǂnubis ǀkha Jordanǃāba ge ǃgâu. 35 Jonatanni ge ǁîb ǃgâsab, Johaneb hîa ge toroǃkhamaogu di ǀaokhoen ǃereamsa ge ūhâ iba, Nabateaǁîn, ǁîn di horesa ge in ǁga ge sî, îb ǁîn ai ūn ge hâ i ǂgui xūnan ǁnāpa sâu ǁkhā ǃkhaisa ǂgan. 36 Xawen ge Jambriǁîn, Medebab dina Johaneba ǃkhō tsî xūn âba ū tsî ǁîn ǀkha ge bē. 37 Nēn khaoǃgâ kha ge Jonatanni tsî ǁîb ǃgâsab Simonni hâkha, Jambriǁîn ra kai ǃgameba ǁâudī tsîs nî ǃgameǂnāsa Nadabatsa xu dīhe ǃkhaisa ge ǁnâu. ǃGame-aos ge Kanaanni di kai gaoǀgôagu di ǀguib di ôa ge isa. 38 Jonatanni tsî Simonni hâkha ge ǁîkha ǃgâsab, Johaneb di ǁōba gere ǀkhao ǂgao tsî ǁnā-amaga ǁîkha khoegu ǀkha ǃhomgu di ǀguib ai ǃgûǃapa tsî ǁnāpa ge gau. 39 ǁÎgu ge kō tsî ǂgui xūna ǃnao hâ ǂkhupi ra ǂnubis khoena ge mû. ǃGame-aob, ǁîb ǀhōsan tsî ǃgâsan tsîn ge ǃgame-aos ǀkha nî ǀhaose ǁâudīb ǃoa ge garu i. ǁÎn ge ǀgaisase ge ǁâtanisen hâ i tsî ǀkhōxūn tsî ǃkhomǃkharurudi tsîna gere ǀkhō. 40 Jonatanni tsî ǁîb khoegu tsîn ge ǁgoe-am gu ge hâ i ǃkhaiba xu ǁîna ǁnāǂam tsî ǂguin ǁîn dina ge ǃgam. Ûiǃgau gen ge ǃhomgu ǃoa ge ǃkhoeni, tsîn ge Jodeǁîna ǁîn di xūn hoana ūbasen. 41 ǃGameb di ǁaeb ge ǃoab ǃnâ tsî ǁîn di ǀkhōxūn di ǃgâi ǀōba, ǁkhōs ǁnaetsanadi ǃnâ ge ǀkharaǀkharahe. 42 Jonatanni tsî Simonni hâkha ge ǀoasase ǃgâsab di ǁōba ǀkhao tsî Jordanǃāb tawa ǁgoe ǁgamxa ǃhūb ǃoa ge oa.
43 Baxideb ge nēsa ǁnâu tsî Sabbattsēs ai kai toroǂnubis ǀkha Jordanǃāb di ǀnomammi tawa ge hā. 44 Ob ge Jonatanna ǁîb di khoega ge mî; “Nēsi ge ge sage ûiga nî ǃkhamba, noxopa ge ge hâǃnâtsâ tama hâ i, ǃgom mâsib ǃnâ ge hâ xui-ao. 45 Khākhoegu ge sage aiǃâ hâ tsî ǃāba sage ǃgâb ai; ǁgamxa ǃhūb tsî haiǀgommi ge hoa ǀkhākha ǃāb dikha ai hâ tsî i ge sage nî ǂoa-ū dao-i xare-e a ǀkhai. 46 A ge nēsi ǃKhūba ǃoa ǀgore, îb ta khākhoegu ǃomǁae māǁnâ ge.”
47 Torob ge ge tsoatsoa tsî nēsi gu Jonatanni tsî ǁîb di khoega Baxideba ra ǃgam ǁga, hîab ge ǁîba ǃgâbǀkhāb toroǂnubis dib ǃoa ge ǁhaiǃnora. 48 Jonatanni tsî ǁîb khoegu tsîgu ge ǁhaiǃnora nîse Jordanni ǃnâ uriǂgâ tsî nauǃanib ǃoa ge tsâǃgâu, xawes ge Siriaǁî toroǂnubisa ǁîga gu nî ǃgôaǃgonse ǃāba ǃgâu tama ge i. 49 ǁNā tsēb ge Baxideba ǁaubexa ǀguiǀoadisi khoega ge ǂoaǃnâ.
50 Baxideb ge Jerusalems ǃoa oahās khaoǃgân ge Siriaǁîna ǀgaisa hâǃkhaiga, ǀgapi ǂnubiǂgoagu tsî ǀgaisa ǀuridao-amdi ǀkha Judeab di ǃādi, Emmaus, Bet-Horons, Betels, Timnats, Faratons, Tefons tsî Jerixos tsîdi ǃnâ ge ǂnubi. 51 Nē ǃādi hoadi ǃnâb ge Baxideba toroǃkhamaoga ǀûs ose gu Jodeǁîna nî ǁgarise ge hâ kai. 52 ǁKhātib ge ǀgaisa hâǃkhaigu, Betsurs tsî Gesers digu tsî ǁkhui-ommi Jerusalems dib tsîna ge ǀgaiǀgai. Tsîb ge ǁnāpab toroǃkhamaoga hâ kai tsî ǂûn tsîna ge sâu. 53 Tsîb ge ǃhūb di danaǂgaeǂgui-aogu di ôaga ǃkhōsabese ū tsî Jerusalems tawa ǁkhui-ommi ǃnâ ge ǂganamǂgā.
54 ǀGuikaidisi tsî korodisiǃnonaǀaǁî kurib di ǀgamǁî ǁkhâb ǃnâb ge ǀgapipristeri Alkimuba ǂganagab ǃnā-ommi Tempeli dib di ǂnubiǂgoab nî khôaǁnâhe ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. ǁÎb ge kēbo-aogu di sîsenna ge khôaǁnâ. 55 Xaweb ge khôaǁnâs ra tsoatsoa, hîa ge ǀaesen tsîb ge sîsenna ge ǀûhe. ǃHom tsîb ge ge ǃhoa ǁoa i, tsî ǁnā-amaga omaris di ǀumis tsîna ge ǀgora ǁoa i. 56 Tsîb ge Alkimuba ǁnā ǁaeb ǃnâ kai tsûb ǃnâ ge ǁō. 57 Baxideb ge Alkimub ge ǁō ǃkhaisab ge ǁnâu, o gao-aob Demetriub ǃoa ge oa tsîb ge Judeaba ǀgam kurikha ǀgaiba ǂkhîba ge ūhâ i.
58 O gu ge hoaraga ǁgauoǃnâ khoega ǀhao tsî ge mî: “Kō, Jonatanni tsî ǁîb di khoegu hoagu ge ǂkhîb tsî ǃnorasasib ǃnâ ǁan hâ. Baxideba ge ga nēsi nēba hā-ū, ob ge ǀgui tsuxub ǃnâ hoaga ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ū ǁkhā.” 59 Tsî gu ge nē ǃkhaisa nî sī Baxideb ǀkha ǃhoaǁarese ge ǃgû. 60 ǁÎb ge kai toroǂnubis ǀkha ge ǃgûǂoa. Tsîb ge ǁîb ǀkha ge Judeab ǃnâ ǃgaeǀhaosa dī hâ i khoena ǂganǃgâsa sîǂkhanide ge sîba, în Jonatanni tsî ǁîb khoega ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ū. Xawe gu ge nēsa ge dī ǁoa, ǀapes âgu ge ǂanǃnâhe xui-ao. 61 Jonatanni tsî ǁîb khoegu tsîn ge korodisigu, nē ǂhanuoǃnâ ǂgaeǂgui-aogu di ǀapes ǃnâ ge dīxūxa īga ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ū tsî ge ǃgam. 62 O kha ge Jonatanni tsî Simonni hâkha ǁîkha khoegu ǀkha Betbasis, ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǂnôas kōse ge ǂgae-oasen. ǁNāpa kha ge khôaǁnâhe ge hâ i ǀgaisa hâǃkhaiga ǁkhawa ǂnubikhâi tsî ǃāsa nî ǁkhaubase ge ǀgaiǀgai. 63 Baxideb ge nēsab ge ǁnâu, o hoaraga toroǂnubisa ǀhaoǀhao tsî ǁîb di ǂkhâǃnâ-aon Judeab ǃnâ hâna ǂkhaikarin nî hâ ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. 64 ǁÎb ge hoa ǀkhāga xu Betbasisa ge ǁnāǂam tsî ǁîsa ge xāǂgā. Torob ra ǂgui tsēde aiǃgû, 65 ob ge Jonatanna ǁîb ǃgâsab Simonna ǃās ǃnâ hâ kai tsî ǁîba ǀoro khoegu ǀkha ǃāsa xu ge ǂoa. 66 Jonatanni ge Odomerab tsî ǁîb ǃgâsaga dan tsî Fasironǁîn di hâǃkhaiba ǁnāǂam tsî ge hîkākā. On ge danhen geo, Jonatanna sao tsî ǁîb ǀkha Baxideb ǃoagu ge hâ i ǁnāǂams ǃnâ ge aiǃgû. 67 ǁNā ǁaeb ǀguib ǃnâb ge Simonna ǁîb khoegu ǀkha ǃāsa xu ǃhaese ǂoa tsî torob di ǂnoa-ūxūna ge ǃkhāǂhubi. 68 Nē torob ge ǁnātikō kai ǁgâiba Baxideb ai ge ūhâ tsî di ge ǁîb ǀapede ge ī ǁoa i, tsîb ge ge danhe. 69 Kaiseb ge ǁgauoǃnâ Jodeǁîn hîa ge ǁîba Judeab ǁgab nî hāga ǃhoaǁare-ūn ǀkha ǁaixa tsî ǂguina ge ǃgam.
ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Baxideba ǁîb di ǂhunuma ǃhūb ǁgab nî oa ǃkhaisa ge mîǁgui. 70 Xaweb ge Jonatanna nēsab ge ǁnâu, o ǂhanuǂnûǁkhaeba-aoga Baxideb ǃoa, ǂkhîba kha nî dī tsîb nî Baxideba Jodeǁî ǃkhōsabena ǃnora kaiga ge sî. 71 Baxideb ge Jonatanni di ǂgansa ǁnâu-am tsî ûib hâs kōseb ǁîba ǂkhîb ǃnâb nî ǁnāxū ǃkhaisa ge nū. 72 Baxideb ge ǃkhōsabena mā-oa tsî ǁîb di ǂhunuma ǃhūb ǃoa ge oa. Tātsēb ge ǁkhawa Jodeǁîn di ǁanǀkharib ǃnâ ge hā tama i. 73 Israeli ǃnâb ge toroba ǀams ai ge hā. Jonatanni ge Mixmas ǃnâ sī ǁan, ǂgaeǂguitsoatsoa tsî eloxoresan Israelǁaes ǃnâ ge hâ ina ge hîkākā.
The Death of Judas
1 When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had been annihilated, he again sent Bacchides and Alcimus to the land of Judea, this time with the Syrian wing of the army. 2 They moved along Gilgal Road, laid siege to Mesaloth in Arbela, captured it, and killed many people. 3 In the first month of the year 152, they set up camp opposite Jerusalem. 4 From there they marched to Berea with 20,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry.
5 Judas had camped at Elasa, with 3,000 experienced soldiers. 6 But when they saw the enormous size of the enemy army, they were terrified. So many men deserted that only 800 Jewish soldiers were left. 7 When Judas saw that his army was dwindling away and that the battle was about to begin, he was worried because there was not enough time to bring his army together. 8 He was discouraged, but he said to those who were still with him, “Let's prepare for the attack; maybe we can still defeat them.”
9 His men tried to talk him out of it. “We are not strong enough,” they said. “Let's retreat now and save our lives. Then we can return with reinforcements and fight the enemy. We don't have enough men now.”
10 Judas replied, “Never let it be said that I ran from a battle. If our time has come, let's die bravely for our fellow Jews and not leave any stain on our honor.”
11 The Syrian army came out of the camp and took up battle positions against the Jews. The cavalry was divided into two parts. The shock troops were in the front lines, but the archers and those who used slings went ahead of the main formation. 12 Bacchides took his position on the right. The infantry advanced, protected on both sides by the cavalry, and the war trumpets were blown. The soldiers of Judas also sounded their trumpets. 13 The ground shook from the noise when the two armies met, and they fought from morning until evening.
14 When Judas saw that Bacchides and the main force of the Syrian army was on the right, all his bravest men joined him, 15 and they crushed the Syrians' right wing. They pursued them as far as the foothills. 16 But when the Syrians on the left wing saw that their right wing had been crushed, they turned to attack Judas and his men from the rear. 17 The fighting became very fierce, and many on both sides were killed. 18 Finally Judas himself was killed. Then all his men fled. 19 Jonathan and Simon took their brother's body and buried it in the family tomb at Modein, 20 and there at the tomb they wept for him. All Israel mourned for him in great sorrow for many days. They said, 21 “It can't be! The mighty hero and savior of Israel has been killed!”
22 The other deeds of Judas, his battles, his courageous deeds, and his great accomplishments, were too many to write down.
Jonathan Succeeds Judas
23 After the death of Judas, the lawless traitors began to reappear everywhere in Judea, and all the wicked people returned. 24 Also at that time there was a severe famine, and the whole country went over to the side of the renegades. 25 Bacchides deliberately appointed some renegade Jews as rulers over the country. 26 These men hunted down the friends of Judas and brought them all before Bacchides, and he subjected them to torture and humiliation. 27 It was a time of great trouble for Israel, worse than anything that had happened to them since the time prophets ceased to appear among them.
28 Then all the friends of Judas came together and said to Jonathan, 29 “Since your brother Judas died, there has been no one like him to lead us against our enemies, against Bacchides and those of our own nation who oppose us. 30 So today we choose you to succeed him as our ruler and commander to carry on our war.” 31 Jonathan accepted the leadership that day and took the place of his brother Judas.
The Campaigns of Jonathan
32 When Bacchides learned of this, he made up his mind to kill Jonathan. 33 But when this news reached Jonathan, he fled, with his brother Simon and their men, to the wilderness of Tekoa and set up camp at the pool of Asphar. ( 34 Bacchides learned about this on the Sabbath and crossed the Jordan with his whole army. ) 35 Jonathan sent his brother John, who was responsible for the soldiers' families, to ask the Nabateans, with whom he was on friendly terms, for permission to store with them the large amount of baggage they had. 36 But the Jambrites of Medeba attacked John, took him captive, and carried off all the baggage. 37 Some time later Jonathan and his brother Simon learned that the Jambrites were about to celebrate an important wedding and that there would be a bridal procession from the town of Nadabath. The bride was the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan. 38 Jonathan and Simon had wanted revenge for the death of their brother John, so they and their men went up on one of the mountains and hid. 39 They kept watch and saw a noisy crowd loaded down with baggage. The bridegroom, his friends, and his relatives were on their way to meet the bride's party. They were heavily armed and were playing musical instruments and drums. 40 The Jews attacked from their ambush and killed many of them; the rest escaped into the mountains, while the Jews carried off all their possessions. 41 So the wedding was turned into a time of mourning and their joyful music into funeral songs. 42 Jonathan and Simon had taken full revenge for the death of their brother, and they returned to the marshes along the Jordan.
43 Bacchides heard about this and arrived on the Sabbath at the banks of the Jordan with a large army. 44 Jonathan said to his men, “Now we must fight for our lives. We are in a worse situation than we have ever been in before. 45 The enemy is in front of us, the river is behind us, and marshes and thickets are on both sides of us; there is no way out. 46 So pray now for the Lord to save us from our enemies.”
47 The battle began and Jonathan and his men were just about to kill Bacchides, when he escaped to the rear of the army. 48 So Jonathan and his men jumped into the Jordan and swam to the other side to escape, and the Syrian army did not cross the river to follow them. 49 That day Bacchides lost about 1,000 men.
50 After Bacchides returned to Jerusalem, the Syrians built fortifications with high walls and barred gates for a number of towns in Judea: Emmaus, Beth Horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pirathon, Tephon, and the fortress in Jericho. 51 In all of these he placed troops to harass the Jews. 52 He also strengthened the fortifications of the towns of Bethzur and Gezer and of the fort in Jerusalem. He placed army units in them and stored up supplies there. 53 Then he took the sons of the leading men of the country as hostages and imprisoned them in the fort.
54 In the second month of the year 153, the High Priest Alcimus ordered that the wall of the inner court of the Temple be torn down. This would have destroyed what the prophets had accomplished; but just as the work began, 55 he had a stroke, and work was stopped. Paralyzed and unable to open his mouth, he could not speak or even make a will for his family. 56 He died in great torment. 57 When Bacchides learned that Alcimus was dead, he returned to King Demetrius, and the land of Judea had peace for two years.
58 Then all the renegades got together and said, “Look, Jonathan and his men are living in peace and security. If we bring Bacchides here now, he can capture them all in a single night.” 59 They went to discuss the matter with Bacchides, 60 and he set out with a large army. He sent secret letters to all his allies in Judea, asking them to seize Jonathan and his men. But they were not able to do so because the plot was discovered. 61 Jonathan and his men captured 50 of the traitorous leaders who had been involved in the plot and put them to death. 62 Then Jonathan, Simon, and their forces withdrew to Bethbasi in the wilderness. They rebuilt the fallen fortifications and strengthened the town's defenses. 63 When Bacchides learned about all this, he got his whole army together and alerted his supporters in Judea. 64 He attacked Bethbasi from all sides and built siege platforms. After the battle had gone on for a long time, 65 Jonathan slipped out into the country with a small body of men and left his brother Simon in charge of the town. 66 Jonathan defeated Odomera and his people, and then attacked and destroyed the Phasirite camp. Once defeated, they joined Jonathan and advanced with him in his attack against Bacchides. 67 At the same time, Simon and his men rushed from the town and burned the siege platforms. 68 In the battle Bacchides was pressed so hard that all his plans came to nothing, and he was defeated. 69 He was so furious with the traitorous Jews who had urged him to come to Judea that he put many of them to death.
Then Bacchides decided to return to his own country, 70 but when Jonathan learned of this, he sent ambassadors to Bacchides to arrange for peace terms and the return of Jewish prisoners. 71 Bacchides agreed to do as Jonathan asked and gave him his solemn promise that he would let him live in peace the rest of his life. 72 Bacchides handed over the prisoners and returned to his own country. Never again did he come into Jewish territory. 73 War came to an end in Israel. Jonathan settled in Michmash and began to govern the people and to eliminate the renegade Jews from Israel.
