1 Maccabees 12
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1IOnathan now seing that the time was mete for him, chose certeine men, and sent them vnto Rome, to establish and renew the friendship with them. 2He sent letters also vnto "the Spartians and to other places, for the same purpose. 3So they went vnto Rome, and entred into the Senate, and said, Ionathan the hie Priest and the nacion of the Iewes sent vs vnto you, for to renewe friendship with you, and the bonde of loue, as in times past. 4So the Romaines gaue them fre pasports, that men shulde lead them home into the land of Iuda peaceably. 5¶ AND THIS is the copie of the letters that Ionathan wrote vnto the Spartians, 6Ionathan the hie Priest with the Elders of the nacion, and the Priests, and the rest of the people of the Iewes, send greting vnto the Spartians their brethren. 7Heretofore were letters sent vnto Onias the hie Priest, from "Arius, which then reigned among you, that ye wolde be our brethren, as the copie here vnder writen specifieth. 8And Onias intreated the ambassadour honorably, and receiued the letters: wherein there was mencion made of the bonde of loue and friendship. 9But as for vs, we nede no suche writings: for we haue the holy bokes in our hands for comfort. 10Neuertheles we thoght it good to send vnto you, for the renewing of the brotherhode and friendship, lest we shulde be strange vnto you: for it is long since the time that ye sent vnto vs. 11Wherefore we remember you at all seasons continually, and in the feastes and other daies appointed when we offre sacrifices and prayers, as it is mete and conuenient to thinke vpon our brethren. 12And we reioyce at your prosperous estate. 13And thogh we haue bene enuironed with great troubles & warres, so that the Kings rounde about vs haue foght against vs, 14Yet wolde we not be grieuous vnto you, nor to other of our confederates & friends in these warres. 15For we haue had helpe from heauen, that hathe soccoured vs, and we are deliuered from our enemies, and our enemies are subdued. 16Yet haue we chosen Numenius the sonne of Antiochus, and Antipater the sonne of Iason, and sent them vnto the Romaines, for to renewe the former friendship with them, and league. 17We commanded them also to go vnto you, and to salute you, and to deliuer you our letters, concerning the renewing of our brotherhode. 18And now ye shal do vs a pleasure to giue vs an answer of these things. 19¶ And this was the copie of the letters, which Arius the King of Sparta sent vnto Onias. 20THE KING of the Spartians vnto Onias the hie Priest sendeth greting. 21It is founde in writing, that the Spartians and Iewes are brethren, and come out of the generacion of Abraham. 22And now for somuche as this is come to our knowledge, ye shal do wel, to write vnto vs of your prosperitie. 23As for vs, we haue writen vnto you, that your cattel and goods are ours, and ours are yours: these things haue we commanded to be shewed vnto you. 24¶Now when Ionathan heard, that Demetrius princes were come to fight against him, with a greater hoste then afore, 25He went from Ierusalem, and met them in the land of Hamath: for he gaue them not space to come into his owne countrey. 26And he sent spies vnto their tentes, which came againe, and tolde him, that they were appointed to come vpon him in the night. 27Wherefore, when the sunne was gone downe, Ionathan commanded his men to watche, and to be in armes ready to fight all the night, & sent watchmen rounde about the hoste. 28But when the aduersaries heard that Ionathan was ready with his men to the battel, they feared, and trembled in their hearts, and kindled fyres in their tentes, and fled away. 29Neuertheles Ionathan and his companie knewe it not til the morning: for thei sawe the fyres burning. 30Then Ionathan followed vpon them, but he colde not ouertake them: for they were gone ouer the flood Eleutherus. 31So Ionathan turned to the Arabians, which were called Zabedei, and slewe them, and toke their spoile. 32He proceded further also, and came vnto Damascus, and went through all the countrey. 33But Simon his brother went forthe, and came to Ascalon and to the next holdes, departing vnto Ioppe, and wanne it. 34For he heard that they wolde deliuer the holde to them that toke Demetrius parte: wherefore he set a garison there to kepe it. 35¶After this came Ionathan home, and called the Elders of the people together, and deuised with them for to buyld vp the strong holdes in Iudea, 36And to make the walles of Ierusalem hier, and to make a great mount betwixt the castel and the citie, for to separate it from the citie, that it might be alone, and that men shulde nether bye, nor sel in it. 37So they came together to buylde vp the citie: for parte of the wall vpon the broke of the East side was fallen downe, and they repaired it, and called it Caphenatha. 38Simon also set vp Adida in Sephela, & made it strong with gates and barres. 39¶In the meane time Tryphon purposed to reigne in Asia, and to be crowned when he had slaine the King Antiochus. 40But he was afraied that Ionathan wolde not suffer him, but fight against him: wherefore he went about to take Ionathan, and to kil him: so he departed, and came vnto Bethsan. 41Then went Ionathan forthe against him to the battel with fortie thousand chosen men, and came vnto Bethsan. 42But when Tryphon sawe that Ionathan came with so great an hoste, he durst not lay hand vpon him, 43But receiued him honorably, and commended him vnto all his friends, and gaue him rewardes, and commanded his men of warre to be as obedient vnto him as to him self, 44And said vnto Ionathan, Why hast thou caused this people to take suche trauail, seing there is no warre betwene vs? 45Therefore send them now home againe, and chuse certeine men to wait vpon thee, and come thou with me to Ptolemais: for I wil giue it thee, with the other strong holdes, and the other garisons, and all them that haue the charge of the commune affaires: so wil I returne, & departe: for this is the cause of my comming. 46Ionathan beleued him, & did as he said, and sent away his hoste, which went into the land of Iuda, 47And reteined but thre thousand with him, whereof he sent two thousand into Galile, & one thousand went with him self. 48Now assone as Ionathan entred into Ptolemais, they of Ptolemais shut the gates, and toke him, and slewe all them with the sworde, that came in with him. 49Then sent Tryphon an hoste of fotemen, & horsemen into Galile, & into the great plaine, to destroye all Ionathans companie. 50But when they knewe that Ionathan was taken, and slaine, and those that were with him, they incouraged one another, and came forthe against them readie to the battel. 51But when thei which followed vpon them, sawe that it was a matter of life, they turned backe againe. 52By this meanes all they came into the land of Iuda peaceably, and bewailed Ionathan, and them that were with him, and feared greatly, and all Israel made great lamentacion. 53For all the heathen that were round about them, soght to destroye them. 54For they said, Nowe haue they no captaine, nor anie man to helpe them: therefore let vs now fight against them, and roote out their memorie from among men.