1Mac 16:1 

Then came up John from Gazera, and told Simon his father what 

Cendebeus had done. 

 

1Mac 16:2 

Wherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, 

and said unto them, I, and my brethren, and my father's house, 

have ever from my youth unto this day fought against the enemies 

of Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that 

we have delivered Israel oftentimes. 

 

1Mac 16:3 

But now I am old, and ye, by God's mercy, are of a sufficient 

age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go and fight for 

our nation, and the help from heaven be with you. 

 

1Mac 16:4 

So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war 

with horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus, and rested that 

night at Modin. 

 

1Mac 16:5 

And when as they rose in the morning, and went into the 

plain, behold, a mighty great host both of footmen and horsemen 

came against them: howbeit there was a water brook betwixt them. 

 

1Mac 16:6 

So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he 

saw that the people were afraid to go over the water brook, he 

went first over himself, and then the men seeing him passed 

through after him. 

 

1Mac 16:7 

That done, he divided his men, and set the horsemen in the 

midst of the footmen: for the enemies' horsemen were very many. 

 

1Mac 16:8 

Then sounded they with the holy trumpets: whereupon Cendebeus 

and his host were put to flight, so that many of them were 

slain, and the remnant gat them to the strong hold. 

 

1Mac 16:9 

At that time was Judas John's brother wounded; but John still 

followed after them, until he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus 

had built. 

 

1Mac 16:10 

So they fled even unto the towers in the fields of Azotus; 

wherefore he burned it with fire: so that there were slain of 

them about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into the land 

of Judea in peace. 

 

1Mac 16:11 

Moreover in the plain of Jericho was Ptolemeus the son of 

Abubus made captain, and he had abundance of silver and gold: 

 

1Mac 16:12 

For he was the high priest's son in law. 

 

1Mac 16:13 

Wherefore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the 

country to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against 

Simon and his sons to destroy them. 

 

1Mac 16:14 

Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, 

and taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he 

came down himself to Jericho with his sons, Mattathias and 

Judas, in the hundred threescore and seventeenth year, in the 

eleventh month, called Sabat: 

 

1Mac 16:15 

Where the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a 

little hold, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great 

banquet: howbeit he had hid men there. 

 

1Mac 16:16 

So when Simon and his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemee and 

his men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon 

into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and 

certain of his servants. 

 

1Mac 16:17 

In which doing he committed a great treachery, and 

recompensed evil for good. 

 

1Mac 16:18 

Then Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king, that 

he should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him 

the country and cities. 

 

1Mac 16:19 

He sent others also to Gazera to kill John: and unto the 

tribunes he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give 

them silver, and gold, and rewards. 

 

1Mac 16:20 

And others he sent to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the 

temple. 

 

1Mac 16:21 

Now one had run afore to Gazera and told John that his father 

and brethren were slain, and, quoth he, Ptolemee hath sent to 

slay thee also. 

 

1Mac 16:22 

Hereof when he heard, he was sore astonished: so he laid 

hands on them that were come to destroy him, and slew them; for 

he knew that they sought to make him away. 

 

1Mac 16:23 

As concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and 

worthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which 

he made, and his doings, 

 

1Mac 16:24 

Behold, these are written in the chronicles of his 

priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his 

father.