1 Maccabees

John’s First Success

At that time, John went up from Gazara to report to his father what Cendebeus was doing.

So, Simon called his two elder sons, John and Judas, and said to them: “My brothers, my father’s family, and I have fought for Israel against its enemies since our youth, often helping to liberate the country.

Now I am old, but you—thank Heaven—are already grown men. Take my place and that of my brothers, and go out to fight for our homeland. May Heaven’s help be with you!”

Then he selected a thousand men and horsemen from the countryside, whom he sent against Cendebeus.

Early the next morning, they rose and moved into the plain, where they saw a large army, including infantry and cavalry, coming to meet them.

A stream lay between them, and John with his troops lined up against the enemy. His troops were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed first. Seeing this, his men followed him.

He divided his army into two groups and placed the horsemen in the center, as the enemy’s cavalry was very numerous.

They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebeus and his army were defeated. Many of them were killed, and those who remained fled to the fortress.

Judas, John’s brother, was wounded but fell, while John continued to chase the enemies until Cendebeus reached Kedron, which he had fortified.

The enemy fled as far as the towers in the fields of Azotus, but John burned them down. About two thousand of the enemy perished. After this, John returned safely to Judea.

Death of Simon

Ptolemy, son of Abubus, had become the general in command of the plain of Jericho. He possessed a large amount of silver and gold,

because he was the son-in-law of the high priest.

He became overly ambitious and aspired to lead his nation. So, he sought ways to eliminate Simon and his sons.

During this time, Simon made rounds of the cities of Judea and attended to their administration. In the eleventh month, called Shebat, in one hundred and seventy-seven (in B.C.), Simon came to Jericho with his two sons, Mattathias and Judas.

The son of Abubus welcomed them treacherously into the small fortress called Dock, which he had built. He hosted a grand banquet but had men hiding in the shadows.

When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men drew their weapons and rushed at Simon during the banquet. They killed him, along with his two sons and some of his servants.

With this, Ptolemy committed a great act of treason, repaying evil for good.

Ptolemy then hurried to send a letter to the king to inform him of what had happened, asking Antiochus to help him transfer the cities and the country to him.

He also sent other men to Gazara to kill John and wrote a letter to the commanders of the Jewish troops, urging them to defect in return for silver, gold, and gifts.

He then dispatched others to seize Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

But a man ran and reached Gazara before them, informing John that his father and brothers had been killed. He also added, “He has also sent some people to kill you.”

John was shocked by the news. So he arrested the men who had been sent to kill him and executed them, because he knew they had come with that purpose.

The rest of John’s deeds, battles, exploits, walls he built, and other achievements

are written in the annals of his pontificate from the day he succeeded his father as high priest.