1Mac 15:1 

Moreover Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent letters 

from the isles of the sea unto Simon the priest and prince of 

the Jews, and to all the people; 

1Mac 15:2 

The contents whereof were these: King Antiochus to Simon the 

high priest and prince of his nation, and to the people of the 

Jews, greeting: 

1Mac 15:3 

Forasmuch as certain pestilent men have usurped the kingdom 

of our fathers, and my purpose is to challenge it again, that I 

may restore it to the old estate, and to that end have gathered 

a multitude of foreign soldiers together, and prepared ships of 

war; 

1Mac 15:4 

My meaning also being to go through the country, that I may 

be avenged of them that have destroyed it, and made many cities 

in the kingdom desolate: 

1Mac 15:5 

Now therefore I confirm unto thee all the oblations which the 

kings before me granted thee, and whatsoever gifts besides they 

granted. 

1Mac 15:6 

I give thee leave also to coin money for thy country with 

thine own stamp. 

1Mac 15:7 

And as concerning Jerusalem and the sanctuary, let them be 

free; and all the armour that thou hast made, and fortresses 

that thou hast built, and keepest in thine hands, let them 

remain unto thee. 

1Mac 15:8 

And if anything be, or shall be, owing to the king, let it be 

forgiven thee from this time forth for evermore. 

1Mac 15:9 

Furthermore, when we have obtained our kingdom, we will 

honour thee, and thy nation, and thy temple, with great honour, 

so that your honour shall be known throughout the world. 

1Mac 15:10 

In the hundred threescore and fourteenth year went Antiochus 

into the land of his fathers: at which time all the forces came 

together unto him, so that few were left with Tryphon. 

1Mac 15:11 

Wherefore being pursued by king Antiochus, he fled unto Dora, 

which lieth by the sea side: 

1Mac 15:12 

For he saw that troubles came upon him all at once, and that 

his forces had forsaken him. 

1Mac 15:13 

Then camped Antiochus against Dora, having with him an 

hundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand 

horsemen. 

1Mac 15:14 

And when he had compassed the city round about, and joined 

ships close to the town on the sea side, he vexed the city by 

land and by sea, neither suffered he any to go out or in. 

1Mac 15:15 

In the mean season came Numenius and his company from Rome, 

having letters to the kings and countries; wherein were written 

these things: 

1Mac 15:16 

Lucius, consul of the Romans unto king Ptolemee, greeting: 

1Mac 15:17 

The Jews' ambassadors, our friends and confederates, came 

unto us to renew the old friendship and league, being sent from 

Simon the high priest, and from the people of the Jews: 

1Mac 15:18 

And they brought a shield of gold of a thousand pound. 

1Mac 15:19 

We thought it good therefore to write unto the kings and 

countries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against 

them, their cities, or countries, nor yet aid their enemies 

against them. 

1Mac 15:20 

It seemed also good to us to receive the shield of them. 

1Mac 15:21 

If therefore there be any pestilent fellows, that have fled 

from their country unto you, deliver them unto Simon the high 

priest, that he may punish them according to their own law. 

1Mac 15:22 

The same things wrote he likewise unto Demetrius the king, 

and Attalus, to Ariarathes, and Arsaces, 

1Mac 15:23 

And to all the countries and to Sampsames, and the 

Lacedemonians, and to Delus, and Myndus, and Sicyon, and Caria, 

and Samos, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Halicarnassus, and 

Rhodus, and Aradus, and Cos, and Side, and Aradus, and Gortyna, 

and Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene. 

1Mac 15:24 

And the copy hereof they wrote to Simon the high priest. 

1Mac 15:25 

So Antiochus the king camped against Dora the second day, 

assaulting it continually, and making engines, by which means he 

shut up Tryphon, that he could neither go out nor in. 

1Mac 15:26 

At that time Simon sent him two thousand chosen men to aid 

him; silver also, and gold, and much armour. 

1Mac 15:27 

Nevertheless he would not receive them, but brake all the 

covenants which he had made with him afore, and became strange 

unto him. 

1Mac 15:28 

Furthermore he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his friends, 

to commune with him, and say, Ye withhold Joppa and Gazera; with 

the tower that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my realm. 

1Mac 15:29 

The borders thereof ye have wasted, and done great hurt in 

the land, and got the dominion of many places within my kingdom. 

1Mac 15:30 

Now therefore deliver the cities which ye have taken, and the 

tributes of the places, whereof ye have gotten dominion without 

the borders of Judea: 

1Mac 15:31 

Or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and 

for the harm that ye have done, and the tributes of the cities, 

other five hundred talents: if not, we will come and fight 

against you 

1Mac 15:32 

So Athenobius the king's friend came to Jerusalem: and when 

he saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver 

plate, and his great attendance, he was astonished, and told him 

the king's message. 

1Mac 15:33 

Then answered Simon, and said unto him, We have neither taken 

other men's land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others, 

but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had 

wrongfully in possession a certain time. 

1Mac 15:34 

Wherefore we, having opportunity, hold the inheritance of our 

fathers. 

1Mac 15:35 

And whereas thou demandest Joppa and Gazera, albeit they did 

great harm unto the people in our country, yet will we give thee 

an hundred talents for them. Hereunto Athenobius answered him 

not a word; 

1Mac 15:36 

But returned in a rage to the king, and made report unto him 

of these speeches, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he 

had seen: whereupon the king was exceeding wroth. 

1Mac 15:37 

In the mean time fled Tryphon by ship unto Orthosias. 

1Mac 15:38 

Then the king made Cendebeus captain of the sea coast, and 

gave him an host of footmen and horsemen, 

1Mac 15:39 

And commanded him to remove his host toward Judea; also he 

commanded him to build up Cedron, and to fortify the gates, and 

to war against the people; but as for the king himself, he 

pursued Tryphon. 

1Mac 15:40 

So Cendebeus came to Jamnia and began to provoke the people 

and to invade Judea, and to take the people prisoners, and slay 

them. 

1Mac 15:41 

And when he had built up Cedrou, he set horsemen there, and 

an host of footmen, to the end that issuing out they might make 

outroads upon the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.