1 Maccabees 12

1And when Jonathan saw that the time was favorable to him, he chose men and sent them to Rome to establish and renew the friendship with them.

2And he sent letters to the Spartans and to other places in the same terms.

3And they went to Rome, and they entered the council chamber, and said, “Jonathan the high priest and the nation of the Jews have sent us to renew with them the alliance as before.”

4And they gave them letters to the people in each place, so that they might send them on to the land of Judah in peace.

5And this is a copy of the letters that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:

6Jonathan the high priest of the nation, and the council of elders, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, to their Spartan brothers, greetings.

7Even earlier, letters were sent to Onias the high priest from Areus, who was ruling among you, saying, ‘You are our brothers,’ as the copy laid out here shows.

8And Onias received the man who had been sent with honor, and he received the letters, in which an alliance and friendship were explained.

9And so we also, though having no need of these things, have the holy books that are in our hands as encouragement,

10We have tried to renew the brotherhood and friendship with you by sending word, so that we might not become estranged from you; for many times have passed since you sent to us.

11Therefore, at all times we continually remember you at the festivals and on the other appointed days, when we offer sacrifices and in our prayers, as it is right and fitting to remember brothers.

12But we rejoice in your glory;

13But we, though having no need of these things, have as encouragement the holy books that are in our hands,

14We have tried to send to you and renew the brotherhood and friendship, so that we might not become estranged from you; for many years have passed since you sent to us.

15Therefore we continually remember you at all times, at the festivals and on the other appointed days, when we offer sacrifices and in our prayers, as it is right and fitting to remember brothers.

16But we rejoice in your glory.

17But many afflictions and many wars have surrounded us,

18And the kings around us fought against us.

19Therefore we did not wish to trouble you and the rest of our allies and friends in these wars.

20Arius, king of the Spartans, to Onias the high priest, greetings.

21It was found in a writing concerning both the Spartans and the Jews that they are brothers and that they are of the family line of Abraham.

22And now, since we have learned these things, you will do well to write to us concerning your peace.

23And we also write back to you: Your livestock and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours. Therefore we are giving orders that they report this to you accordingly.

24And Jonathan heard that Demetrius’s commanders had returned with a much larger force than before to make war against him.

25And he set out from Jerusalem and met them in the land of Hamath, for he gave them no respite to enter his land.

26And he sent scouts into their camp, and they returned and reported to him, “Thus they are arraying themselves to fall upon them by night.”

27When the sun had set, Jonathan commanded those with him to stay awake and remain at their weapons, to be ready for battle through the whole night; and he posted sentries around the camp.

28And when the adversaries heard that Jonathan and those with him were prepared for war, they were afraid and lost heart, and they lit fires in their camp.

29But Jonathan and those with him did not know until morning, for they saw the fires burning.

30And he pursued after them, but did not overtake them, for they had crossed the Eleutherus River.

31And Jonathan turned aside against the Arabs called the Zabadeans, and struck them, and took their spoils.

32And after breaking camp, he came to Damascus and traveled through the whole region.

33And Simon went out and passed through as far as Ashkelon and the nearby strongholds, and he turned aside to Joppa and took it beforehand.

34For he heard that they intended to hand over the stronghold to those on Demetrius's side, and he stationed a garrison there so that they might guard it.

35And Jonathan returned and assembled the elders of the people, and he took counsel with them to build fortresses in Judea,

36and to fortify the walls of Jerusalem, and to raise a great barrier between the citadel and the city so as to separate it from the city, so that it might stand by itself, in order that they might neither buy nor sell.

37And they gathered to build, and the wall of the wadi on the east side fell, and he repaired what is called Chaphenatha.

38And Simon rebuilt Adida in the Shephelah, and fortified it with gates and bars.

39And Tryphon sought to rule over Asia, to put on the crown, and to lay hands on Antiochus the king.

40And he became afraid that Jonathan might not permit him and might make war against him, and he was seeking a way to seize him and kill him; and he set out and came to Beth-shan.

41And Jonathan went out to meet him with forty thousand chosen men for battle, and he came to Beth-shan.

42And Tryphon saw that he had come with a large force, and he was afraid to stretch out his hands against him.

43And he received him honorably, introduced him to all his friends, gave him gifts, and commanded his friends and his forces likewise to obey him.

44And he said to Jonathan, “Why have you cut down all this people, when no war is pressing upon us?”

45And now send them away to their homes, but choose for yourself a few men who will be with you; and come with me to Ptolemais, and I will hand it over to you, along with the rest of the strongholds and the large forces and all those in charge of affairs, and then I will depart after turning back; for this is why I have come.

46And trusting him, he did as he said, and sent out the forces, and they went away into the land of Judah.

47But he left three thousand men with himself; about two thousand he left in Galilee, and a thousand went with him.

48But when Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the men of Ptolemais shut the gates and seized him, and they killed with the sword all who had come with him.

49And Tryphon sent forces and cavalry into Galilee, into the great plain, to destroy all those who were with Jonathan.

50And they learned that he had been captured and had perished, and those with him; and they encouraged one another and went on in close formation, ready for battle.

51And when the pursuers saw that it was a matter of life and death for them, they turned back.

52And they all came in peace into the land of Judah, and they mourned for Jonathan and those with him, and they were greatly afraid; and Israel mourned with great mourning.

53And all the nations around them sought to wipe them out, for they said, “They have no man to rule and help them. Now then, let us make war against them and remove their memory from among men.”