1    ^noteAnd the king of Egypt gathered a great hoste, like the sande that lieth vpon the sea shore, and many shippes, and went about through deceite to obtaine the kingdome of Alexander, and to ioyne it vnto his owne Realme.

2   Vpon this he went into Syria with friendly wordes, and was let into the cities, and men came foorth to meete him: for king Alexander had commanded them to meete him, because hee was his father in lawe.

3   Now when he entred into the citie of Ptolemais, he left bands and garisons in euery citie.

4   And when he came neere to Azotus, they shewed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus, and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies cast abroad, and them that hee had burnt in the battell: for they had made heapes of them by the way where he should passe.

5   And they tolde the king what Ionathan had done, to the intent they might get him euill will: but the King helde his peace.

6   And Ionathan met the king with great honour at Ioppe, where they saluted one another, and lay there.

7   So when Ionathan had gone with the king vnto the water that was called Eleutherus, hee turned againe to Ierusalem.

8   So King Potolemeus gate the dominion of the cities by the sea vnto Seleucia vpon þe; sea coast, imagining wicked counsels against Alexander,

9   ¶2; And sent Ambassadours vnto King Demetrius, saying, Come, let vs make a league betweene vs, and I wil giue thee my daughter, which Alexander hath, and thou shalt reigne in thy fathers kingdome.

10   For I repent that I gaue Alexander my daughter: for he goeth about to slay me.

11   Thus he slandered Alexander, as one that should desire his Realme.

12   And he tooke his daughter from him, and gaue her vnto Demetrius, and forsooke Alexander, so that their hatred was openly knowen.

13   Then Ptolemeus came to Antiochia, where he set two crownes vpon his owne head, of Asia and of Egypt.

14   In the meane season was King Alexander in Cilicia: for they that dwelt in those places, had rebelled against him:

15   But when Alexander heard it, he came to warre against him, and Ptolemeus brought foorth his hoste, and met him with a mightie power, and put him to flight.

16   Then fled Alexander into Arabia, there to be defended: so Ptolemeus was exalted.

17   And Zabdiel the Arabian smote off Alexanders head, and sent it vnto Ptolemeus.

18   But the third day after, King Ptolemeus dyed: and they that were in the holdes, were slaine one of another.

19   And Demetrius reigned in the hundreth, threescore and seuenth yeere.

20   ¶2; At the same time gathered Ionathan them that were in Iudea, to lay siege vnto þe; castell, which was at Ierusalem, and they made many instruments

of warre against it.

21   Then went there certaine vngodly persons (which hated their owne people) vnto King Demetrius, and tolde him that Ionathan besieged the castell.

22   So when he heard it, he was angry, and immediatly came vnto Ptolemais, and wrote vnto Ionathan, that he should lay no more siege vnto it, but that he should meete him and speake with him at Ptolemais in all haste.

23   Neuertheles when Ionathan heard this, hee commanded to besiege it: he chose also certaine of the Elders of Israel, and the Priests, and put himselfe in danger,

24   And tooke with him siluer and golde, and apparell, and diuers presents, and went to Ptolemais vnto the King, and found fauour in his sight.

25   And though certaine vngodly men of his owne nation had made complaints vpon him,

26   Yet the King intreated him as his predecessours had done, and promoted him in the sight of all his friends,

27   And confirmed him in the hie priesthood with all the honourable things, that hee had afore, and made him his chiefe friend.

28   Ionathan also desired the King, that hee would make Iudea free with the three gouernements, and the countrey of Samaria, and Ionathan promised him three hundreth talents.

29   Whereunto the King consented, and gaue Ionathan writing of the same, conteining these wordes,

30   King Demetrivs vnto his brother Ionathan, and to the nation of the Iewes sendeth greeting.

31   We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write vnto our cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that ye should see it.

32   King Demetrius vnto Lasthenes his father sendeth greeting.

33   For the faithfulnes that our friends the nation of the Iewes keepe vnto vs, and for their good wil towards vs, we are determined to do them good.

34   Wherefore we assigne to them the coasts of Iudea with the three gouernments Apherema, and Lydda, and Ramathe (which are added vnto Iudea from the countrey of Samaria) and all that appertaineth to all them that sacrifice in Ierusalem: both concerning the paiments which the King tooke yeerely aforetime, both for the fruites of the earth, and for the fruites of the trees.

35   As for the other things appertaining vnto vs of the tenthes and tributes, which were due vnto vs, and the customes of salte, and crowne taxes, which were payed vnto vs, we discharge them of all from hencefoorth.

36   And nothing hereof shall be reuoked from this time forth and for euer.

37   Therefore see that ye make a copy of these things, and deliuer it vnto Ionathan, that it may be set vp vpon the holy mount in an open place.

38   After this when Demetrius the King sawe that his land was in rest, and that no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his hoste, euery man to his owne place, except certaine bands of strangers, whome he brought from the yles of the heathen: wherefore all his fathers hoste hated him.

39   Now was there one Tryphon, that had bene of Alexanders part afore, which when he saw that all the hoste murmured against Demetrius, he went to ^note Simaleue the Arabian, that brought vp Antiochus the sonne of Alexander,

40   And lay sore vpon him, to deliuer him this yong Antiochus, that he might reigne in his fathers steade: hee tolde him also what great euill Demetrius had done, and howe his men of warre hated him, and he remained there a long season.

41   Also Ionathan sent vnto King Demetrius to driue them out which were in the castell at Ierusalem, and those that were in the fortresses: for they fought against Israel.

42   So Demetrius sent vnto Ionathan, saying, I will not onely doe these things for thee, and thy nation, but if opportunitie serue, I will honour thee, and thy nation.

43   Nowe therefore thou shalt doe me a pleasure, if thou wilt send me men to helpe me: for all mine armie is gone from me.

44   So Ionathan sent him three thousand strong men vnto Antiochia, and they came vnto the King: wherefore the King was very glad at their comming.

45   ¶2; But they that were of the citie, euen an hundreth, and twentie thousand men, gathered them together in the mids of the citie, and would haue slaine the King.

46   But the King fled into the palace, and the citizens kept the streetes of the citie, and began to fight.

47   Then the king called to the Iewes for helpe, which came to him all together, and went abroad through the citie,

48   And slewe the same day an hundreth thousand, and set fire vpon the citie, and tooke many spoyles in that day, and deliuered the King.

49   So when the citizens saw that the Iewes had gotten the vpper hand of the citie, and that they themselues were disappointed of their purpose, they made their supplication vnto the King, saying,

50    ^noteGraunt vs peace, and let the Iewes cease from vexing vs and the citie.

51   So they cast away their weapons, and made peace, and the Iewes were greatly honoured before the King, and before all that were in his Realme, and they came againe to Ierusalem with great pray.

52   Then King Demetrius sate in the throne of his kingdome, and had peace in his land.

53   Neuerthelesse hee dissembled in all that euer he spake, and withdrewe him selfe from Ionathan, neither did he rewarde him according to the benefites which he had done for him, but troubled him very sore.

54   ¶2; After this returned Tryphon with the yong childe Antiochus, which reigned, and was crowned.

55   Then there gathered vnto him al the men of warre, whome Demetrius had scattered, and they fought against him, who fled and turned his backe.

56   So Tryphon tooke the ^note beastes, and wanne Antiochia.

57   And yong Antiochus wrote vnto Ionathan, saying, I appoynt thee to bee the chiefe Priest, and make thee ruler ouer the foure gouernements, that thou mayest be a friend of the kings.

58   Vpon this hee sent him golden vessels to be serued in, and gaue him leaue to drinke in gold, and to weare purple, and to haue a colar of gold.

59   He made his brother Simon also captaine fr&obar; the coastes of Tyrus vnto the borders of Egypt.

60   Then Ionathan went foorth, and passed

thorow the cities beyond the flood, and all the men of warre of Syria gathered vnto him for to helpe him: so he came vnto Ascalon, and they of the citie receiued him honourably.

61   And from thence went hee vnto Gaza: but they of Gaza shut him out: wherefore he layd siege vnto it, and burned the suburbes thereof with fire, and spoyled them.

62   Then they of Gaza made supplication vnto Ionathan, and he made peace with them, and tooke of the sonnes of the chiefe men for hostages, and sent them to Ierusalem, and went thorow the countrey vnto Damascus.

63   And when Ionathan heard that Demetrius princes were come into Cades, which is in Galile, with a great hoste, purposing to driue him out of the countrey,

64   Hee came against them, and left Simon his brother in the countrey.

65   And Simon besieged Beth-sura, and fought against it a long season, and shut it vp.

66   So they desired to haue peace with him, which hee graunted them, and afterwarde put them out from thence, and tooke the citie, and set a garison in it.

67   Then Ionathan with his hoste came to the water of Genesar, and betimes in the morning came to the plaine of Azor.

68   And behold the hostes of the ^note strangers met him in the plaine, and had layde ambushments for him in the mountaines.

69   So that when they came against them, the ambushments rose out of their places & skirmished.

70   So that all that were of Ionathans side, fled: and there was not one of them left, except Mattathias the sonne of ^note Absalomus, and Iudas the sonne of Calphi the captaines of the hoste.

71   Then Ionathan rent his clothes, and cast earth vpon his head, and prayed,

72   And turned againe to them to fight, and put them to flight, so that they fled away.

73   Now when his owne men that were fled, saw this, they turned againe vnto him, and helped him to followe after all vnto their tentes at Cades, and there they camped.

74   So there were slaine of the strangers the same day about three thousande men, and Ionathan turned againe to Ierusalem.

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