1 Maccabees

Jonathan and Alexander Balas

In one hundred and sixty (in 152 B.C.), Alexander Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, sailed for Ptolemais and occupied it. He was well received when he took the throne.

When Demetrius heard this, he assembled a large army and marched out to fight him.

At the same time, he sent a letter of friendship to Jonathan. He offered him vast power,

for Demetrius thought: “Let us make the first move in making peace with him, before he makes peace with Alexander against us,

remembering all the wrongs we have done to him, his brothers, and his nation.”

So Demetrius authorized Jonathan to organize an army and manufacture arms. He called him his ally and ordered the release of the hostages in the Citadel of Jerusalem.

Jonathan went to Jerusalem and read the letter in front of all the people and those in the Citadel.

They were afraid when they heard that the king had authorized Jonathan to raise a large army;

and they released the hostages to Jonathan, who returned them to their families.

Jonathan stayed in Jerusalem and started rebuilding and restoring the city.

He ordered the builders to construct the walls and defenses of Mount Zion with hewn stones. And they did so.

Then, all the foreigners who stayed in the fortresses built by Bacchides began to flee,

abandoning their posts and returning to their land.

Only at Beth-Zur did some who had abandoned the law and the precepts remain, since this was a place of refuge.

King Alexander was informed of Demetrius’s promises to Jonathan. He was also given an account of the battles and exploits of Jonathan and his brothers, as well as the trials they had endured.

So Alexander declared: “Shall we ever find another man like him? Let us make him our ally and friend.”

He wrote him a letter:

“King Alexander, to our brother Jonathan: Peace.

We have heard that you are a courageous man and highly worthy of our friendship.

Therefore, we now appoint you as high priest of your nation and bestow upon you the title Friend of the King (he also sent him a purple robe and a golden crown). So, we invite you to look after our interests and keep good relations with us.”

This is why in the seventh month of one hundred and sixty (in B.C.), during the feast of Tabernacles, Jonathan put on the sacred vestments. He also recruited troops and manufactured a great quantity of arms.

When Demetrius heard what had happened, he was greatly displeased and said:

“What have we done that Alexander is ahead of us in gaining the friendship of the Jews?

I will also write them kind words and promise them honor and gifts to win them to my side.”

So he wrote to the Jews:“King Demetrius welcomes the Jewish people.

You kept your promise to us, remained our friends, and did not align with our enemies. We have heard about it, and we are pleased.

So, continue to be faithful, and we will reward you with privileges for your loyalty.

I will reduce many taxes for the Jews and grant them royal privileges and exemptions.

From now on, and forever, I now free all Jews from payment of tribute, salt dues, and crown levies.

I give up, from this day and subsequently, the third of the harvest and half of the fruit of the trees which I have the right to exact from the region of Judea and the three districts annexed to it from Samaria and Galilee.

From this day on, and for all time, Jerusalem shall be a Holy City and be free with all its territory, with the right to collect tithes and tributes.

I also gave up control of the Citadel of Jerusalem and turned it over to the high priest, who said he may choose the men he wants to defend it.

I grant freedom without ransom to all the captives taken from Judea into any part of my kingdom. I free everyone from the taxes they owe me for their livestock.

All feasts, Sabbaths, new moons, special days, and the three holy days before and after a feast shall be days of exemption for all the Jews in my kingdom.

No one shall have the right to pursue or molest them for any motive whatsoever.

I also decreed that they be accepted into the king’s army, and thirty thousand Jews would receive the same salary as the rest of the king’s forces.

Some of them shall be stationed at the king’s fortresses, and positions of trust shall be given to some of them. Their officers shall be chosen from among themselves, and they will live according to their laws, as the king has prescribed in the land of Judea.

The three districts of Samaria annexed to Judea shall be considered part of Jewish territory. To avoid any power conflict, these shall be subject to no authority other than that of the High Priest.

I donate the city of Ptolemais and its territory to the temple of Jerusalem to cover the costs of public worship.

Henceforth, I will give fifteen thousand silver coins annually for the temple’s upkeep, taken from the royal revenues from suitable sources.

Additionally, I give all that the administrators should have paid me in previous years.

Furthermore, I waive the five thousand silver coins levied each year from the tributes to the temple and give them to the priests responsible for public worship.

Anyone who seeks refuge in the temple of Jerusalem or its enclosed areas because of debt owed on royal taxes or any other debt shall not be disturbed, and their possessions anywhere in my kingdom shall be protected.

Finally, the costs of rebuilding or restoring the Sanctuary shall be charged to the king’s account,

along with the expenses for reconstructing Jerusalem’s walls, strengthening its defenses, and building walls in the cities of Judea.”

When Jonathan and the people heard these proposals, they did not believe or accept them, because they remembered the great wrongs Demetrius had inflicted on Israel and the mistreatment he had subjected them to them.

They chose to support Alexander because he was the first to suggest peace, and they became his loyal allies.

King Alexander gathered a large army and set up camp across from Demetrius.

The two kings fought, and Demetrius’s army was defeated. Alexander chased him until Demetrius was overcome.

The battle continued until sunset, and that was the day Demetrius died.

Alexander, Ptolemy, and Jonathan

Then Alexander sent messengers to Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, with the following message:

“I am now again in my kingdom and have assumed power after defeating Demetrius and all his army.

Now I occupy the throne of my ancestors as master of all the land. Let us be friends.

Give me your daughter in marriage, and I will become your son-in-law, and I will give you and her gifts worthy of you.”

King Ptolemy replied: “Blessed be the day when you returned to the land of your ancestors and ascended to their throne!

I will, without delay, do for you as you have proposed. But meet me in Ptolemais. We shall see one another there, and I will receive you as my son-in-law as you requested.”

Ptolemy left Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra in one hundred and sixty-two (in B.C.) and arrived at Ptolemais.

Alexander met him, and Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra and celebrated her wedding with great splendor as kings do.

King Alexander also wrote to Jonathan, inviting him to come and meet him.

So Jonathan traveled to Ptolemais with much display and met the two kings. Then he gave them and their friends a large amount of silver, gold, and other gifts.

The renegades, the pests of Israel, gathered together to accuse Jonathan, but the king paid no attention to them.

The king even ordered that Jonathan remove his garment and be clothed in purple; it was done.

The king seated him by his side and said to his captains:“Go with him into the center of the city and proclaim that no one is to accuse Jonathan under any pretext, and no one is to molest him for any reason.”

When his accusers saw the public honor given to Jonathan and that he was clothed in purple, they all fled.

The king honored him, enrolled him among his first friends, and appointed him general and governor.

So Jonathan returned to Jerusalem, happy and secure.

Jonathan’s Activities During the Reign of Demetrius II

In one hundred and sixty-five (in 147 B.C.), Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, returned from Crete to the land of his ancestors.

When King Alexander heard of it, he was so greatly disturbed that he returned to Antioch.

Demetrius took his general Apollonius, the governor of Coelesyria, who assembled a large force. He encamped at Jamnia and sent the following message to Jonathan, the high priest:

“Are you the only one resisting our authority? And am I to be mocked because of you? Why do you oppose our rule in your mountains?

If you trust in your forces, come down to the plain and let’s test our strength there, for I have the army of the cities with me.

Find out who I am and who supports me. People say that you cannot stand against us, for your ancestors were twice defeated on their land.

Nor will you withstand the cavalry and such a large army on the plain, where no stones or rocks can give you refuge.

When Jonathan heard Apollonius’ message, he was greatly provoked. So he left Jerusalem with ten thousand picked men, and his brother Simon came to his help.

They encamped near Joppa, but the city’s inhabitants closed the gates to them because Apollonius had a garrison there.

So Jonathan gave the order to attack. The people in the city were so afraid that they opened the gates to him, and Jonathan took control of Joppa.

When Apollonius learned of it, he mobilized three thousand cavalry and a large army. He headed toward Azotus, pretending to march through the land, while in reality, his troops were spreading out toward the plain because he relied heavily on a large number of cavalry.

Jonathan pursued him towards Azotus, and they began to fight.

Apollonius had left a thousand picked horsemen hidden behind Jonathan,

but Jonathan was informed of the ambush. The horsemen surrounded Jonathan’s men and shot their arrows from morning till evening.

But the Israelites faced them, as Jonathan had commanded, until the enemy’s horses tired. Once the cavalry was exhausted,

Simon and his men advanced, attacking the infantry. The enemy was defeated and fled.

The cavalry scattered over the plain. Those who fled went to Azotus, where they entered the temple of Dagon, their idol, to save their lives.

But Jonathan set fire to Azotus and the surrounding towns and plundered them. He also burned down the temple of Dagon with all who had taken refuge in it.

About eight thousand men either fell by the sword or were burned to death.

Jonathan then left for Askalon, where the inhabitants received him with great honor.

From there, Jonathan and his men returned to Jerusalem laden with booty.

When King Alexander heard what happened, he gave Jonathan new honors.

He sent him a golden brooch, usually given to the relatives of kings. He also granted him Ekron and all its territory as his possession.