1Mac 10:1 

In the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander, the son of 

Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais: for 

the people had received him, by means whereof he reigned there, 

1Mac 10:2 

Now when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together 

an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight. 

1Mac 10:3 

Moreover Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with loving 

words, so as he magnified him. 

1Mac 10:4 

For said he, Let us first make peace with him, before he join 

with Alexander against us: 

1Mac 10:5 

Else he will remember all the evils that we have done against 

him, and against his brethren and his people. 

1Mac 10:6 

Wherefore he gave him authority to gather together an host, 

and to provide weapons, that he might aid him in battle: he 

commanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should 

be delivered him. 

1Mac 10:7 

Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the 

audience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower: 

1Mac 10:8 

Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given 

him authority to gather together an host. 

1Mac 10:9 

Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto 

Jonathan, and he delivered them unto their parents. 

1Mac 10:10 

This done, Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began 

to build and repair the city. 

1Mac 10:11 

And he commanded the workmen to build the walls and the mount 

Sion and about with square stones for fortification; and they 

did so. 

1Mac 10:12 

Then the strangers, that were in the fortresses which 

Bacchides had built, fled away; 

1Mac 10:13 

Insomuch as every man left his place, and went into his own 

country. 

1Mac 10:14 

Only at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law 

and the commandments remained still: for it was their place of 

refuge. 

1Mac 10:15 

Now when king Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had 

sent unto Jonathan: when also it was told him of the battles and 

noble acts which he and his brethren had done, and of the pains 

that they had endured, 

1Mac 10:16 

He said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we 

will make him our friend and confederate. 

1Mac 10:17 

Upon this he wrote a letter, and sent it unto him, according 

to these words, saying, 

1Mac 10:18 

King Alexander to his brother Jonathan sendeth greeting: 

1Mac 10:19 

We have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power, 

and meet to be our friend. 

1Mac 10:20 

Wherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the high priest 

of thy nation, and to be called the king's friend; (and 

therewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold:) and 

require thee to take our part, and keep friendship with us. 

1Mac 10:21 

So in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year, at 

the feast of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy robe, and 

gathered together forces, and provided much armour. 

1Mac 10:22 

Whereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said, 

1Mac 10:23 

What have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in making 

amity with the Jews to strengthen himself? 

1Mac 10:24 

I also will write unto them words of encouragement, and 

promise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid. 

1Mac 10:25 

He sent unto them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius 

unto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting: 

1Mac 10:26 

Whereas ye have kept covenants with us, and continued in our 

friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have 

heard hereof, and are glad. 

1Mac 10:27 

Wherefore now continue ye still to be faithful unto us, and 

we will well recompense you for the things ye do in our behalf, 

1Mac 10:28 

And will grant you many immunities, and give you rewards. 

1Mac 10:29 

And now do I free you, and for your sake I release all the 

Jews, from tributes, and from the customs of salt, and from 

crown taxes, 

1Mac 10:30 

And from that which appertaineth unto me to receive for the 

third part or the seed, and the half of the fruit of the trees, 

I release it from this day forth, so that they shall not be 

taken of the land of Judea, nor of the three governments which 

are added thereunto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee, 

from this day forth for evermore. 

1Mac 10:31 

Let Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders 

thereof, both from tenths and tributes. 

1Mac 10:32 

And as for the tower which is at Jerusalem, I yield up 

authority over it, and give the high priest, that he may set in 

it such men as he shall choose to keep it. 

1Mac 10:33 

Moreover I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews, that 

were carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of 

my kingdom, and I will that all my officers remit the tributes 

even of their cattle. 

1Mac 10:34 

Furthermore I will that all the feasts, and sabbaths, and new 

moons, and solemn days, and the three days before the feast, and 

the three days after the feast shall be all of immunity and 

freedom for all the Jews in my realm. 

1Mac 10:35 

Also no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest 

any of them in any matter. 

1Mac 10:36 

I will further, that there be enrolled among the king's 

forces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay 

shall be given, as belongeth to all king's forces. 

1Mac 10:37 

And of them some shall be placed in the king's strong holds, 

of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, 

which are of trust: and I will that their overseers and 

governors be of themselves, and that they live after their own 

laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea. 

1Mac 10:38 

And concerning the three governments that are added to Judea 

from the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Judea, that 

they may be reckoned to be under one, nor bound to obey other 

authority than the high priest's. 

1Mac 10:39 

As for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I give it 

as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary 

expences of the sanctuary. 

1Mac 10:40 

Moreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver 

out of the king's accounts from the places appertaining. 

1Mac 10:41 

And all the overplus, which the officers payed not in as in 

former time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of 

the temple. 

1Mac 10:42 

And beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which 

they took from the uses of the temple out of the accounts year 

by year, even those things shall be released, because they 

appertain to the priests that minister. 

1Mac 10:43 

And whosoever they be that flee unto the temple at Jerusalem, 

or be within the liberties hereof, being indebted unto the king, 

or for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that 

they have in my realm. 

1Mac 10:44 

For the building also and repairing of the works of the 

sanctuary expences shall be given of the king's accounts. 

1Mac 10:45 

Yea, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the 

fortifying thereof round about, expences shall be given out of 

the king's accounts, as also for the building of the walls in 

Judea. 

1Mac 10:46 

Now when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave 

no credit unto them, nor received them, because they remembered 

the great evil that he had done in Israel; for he had afflicted 

them very sore. 

1Mac 10:47 

But with Alexander they were well pleased, because he was the 

first that entreated of true peace with them, and they were 

confederate with him always. 

1Mac 10:48 

Then gathered king Alexander great forces, and camped over 

against Demetrius. 

1Mac 10:49 

And after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius' host 

fled: but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against 

them. 

1Mac 10:50 

And he continued the battle very sore until the sun went 

down: and that day was Demetrius slain. 

1Mac 10:51 

Afterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of 

Egypt with a message to this effect: 

1Mac 10:52 

Forasmuch as I am come again to my realm, and am set in the 

throne of my progenitors, and have gotten the dominion, and 

overthrown Demetrius, and recovered our country; 

1Mac 10:53 

For after I had joined battle with him, both he and his host 

was discomfited by us, so that we sit in the throne of his 

kingdom: 

1Mac 10:54 

Now therefore let us make a league of amity together, and 

give me now thy daughter to wife: and I will be thy son in law, 

and will give both thee and her as according to thy dignity. 

1Mac 10:55 

Then Ptolemee the king gave answer, saying, Happy be the day 

wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and 

satest in the throne of their kingdom. 

1Mac 10:56 

And now will I do to thee, as thou hast written: meet me 

therefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will 

marry my daughter to thee according to thy desire. 

1Mac 10:57 

So Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, 

and they came unto Ptolemais in the hundred threescore and 

second year: 

1Mac 10:58 

Where king Alexander meeting him, he gave unto him his 

daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais 

with great glory, as the manner of kings is. 

1Mac 10:59 

Now king Alexander had written unto Jonathan, that he should 

come and meet him. 

1Mac 10:60 

Who thereupon went honourably to Ptolemais, where he met the 

two kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold, and 

many presents, and found favour in their sight. 

1Mac 10:61 

At that time certain pestilent fellows of Israel, men of a 

wicked life, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him: 

but the king would not hear them. 

1Mac 10:62 

Yea more than that, the king commanded to take off his 

garments, and clothe him in purple: and they did so. 

1Mac 10:63 

And he made him sit by himself, and said into his princes, Go 

with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that 

no man complain against him of any matter, and that no man 

trouble him for any manner of cause. 

1Mac 10:64 

Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to 

the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away. 

1Mac 10:65 

So the king honoured him, and wrote him among his chief 

friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion. 

1Mac 10:66 

Afterward Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and 

gladness. 

1Mac 10:67 

Furthermore in the; hundred threescore and fifth year came 

Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his 

fathers: 

1Mac 10:68 

Whereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry, 

and returned into Antioch. 

1Mac 10:69 

Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his 

general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in 

Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high priest, saying, 

1Mac 10:70 

Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laughed to 

scorn for thy sake, and reproached: and why dost thou vaunt thy 

power against us in the mountains? 

1Mac 10:71 

Now therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come 

down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter 

together: for with me is the power of the cities. 

1Mac 10:72 

Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and 

they shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to to flight in 

their own land. 

1Mac 10:73 

Wherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the horsemen 

and so great a power in the plain, where is neither stone nor 

flint, nor place to flee unto. 

1Mac 10:74 

So when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was 

moved in his mind, and choosing ten thousand men he went out of 

Jerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him. 

1Mac 10:75 

And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa 

shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison 

there. 

1Mac 10:76 

Then Jonathan laid siege unto it: whereupon they of the city 

let him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa. 

1Mac 10:77 

Whereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand 

horsemen, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as 

one that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the 

plain. because he had a great number of horsemen, in whom he put 

his trust. 

1Mac 10:78 

Then Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies 

joined battle. 

1Mac 10:79 

Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush. 

1Mac 10:80 

And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him; 

for they had compassed in his host, and cast darts at the 

people, from morning till evening. 

1Mac 10:81 

But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: 

and so the enemies' horses were tired. 

1Mac 10:82 

Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the 

footmen, (for the horsemen were spent) who were discomfited by 

him, and fled. 

1Mac 10:83 

The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to 

Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for 

safety. 

1Mac 10:84 

But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about 

it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them 

that were fled into it, he burned with fire. 

1Mac 10:85 

Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh 

eight thousand men. 

1Mac 10:86 

And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against 

Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with 

great pomp. 

1Mac 10:87 

After this returned Jonathan and his host unto Jerusalem, 

having any spoils. 

1Mac 10:88 

Now when king ALexander heard these things, he honoured 

Jonathan yet more. 

1Mac 10:89 

And sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to 

such as are of the king's blood: he gave him also Accaron with 

the borders thereof in possession.