1 Maccabees

Embassy to Rome

Jonathan saw that circumstances were to his advantage. So he chose men, sending them to Rome to confirm and renew the alliance of friendship with the Romans.

He also sent letters to the Spartans and other places for this exact purpose.

Those who went to Rome entered the Senate and delivered this message: “The High Priest Jonathan and the Jewish nation have sent us to renew with you the friendship and alliance that formerly united us.”

The Senate gave them letters of recommendation to the authorities of each region, enabling them to journey safely back to the land of Judah.

This is a copy of the letter Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:

“Jonathan, the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the whole country of the Jews, to the people of Sparta, their brothers: Peace:

In the past, our high priest Onias received a letter from Areios, your king, stating that you are indeed our brothers, as the enclosed copy attests.

Onias received the envoy with great honor and accepted the letter of friendship and alliance.

Although we are not in need, since we find comfort in our Sacred Books,

we have decided to send ambassadors to you to renew our fraternal bonds and friendship so we do not become strangers to each other, as it has been a long time since we heard from you.

For our part, we always remember you in all circumstances, on special days, during the sacrifices we offer, and in our prayers; for it is fitting and proper to remember our brothers

and to rejoice greatly in your prosperity and fame.

For our part, we have endured many trials, suffering through misery and wars, as neighboring kings have attacked us.

However, we did not want to burden you or our other allies and friends during these conflicts,

because our help comes from Heaven. Finally, we have been delivered from our enemies, who have been humbled.

We have chosen Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, and sent them to the Romans to renew our former friendship and alliance.

We have also instructed them to go to you, greet you, and deliver this letter on our behalf, with the aim of renewing our alliance.

We will be glad to receive a favorable response.”

This is a copy of the letter that Onias had received:

“Areios, king of the Spartans, to Onias the High Priest:

We discovered in one of our documents that the Spartans and the Jews are brothers, because both are of the race of Abraham.

Now that we know this, we would appreciate it if you could send us news of your well-being.

And we tell you this: our livestock and possessions are yours, and everything that is yours is ours. This is what we have instructed our envoys to tell you.”

Jonathan learned that Demetrius’s generals had arrived with a larger army to attack him.

He immediately left Jerusalem and went to confront them in the land of Hamath, not giving them time to invade his territory.

He sent spies to their camp, and when they returned, they told him that the enemy planned to attack them at night.

So, at sunset, Jonathan commanded his men to stay alert all night with their weapons ready, prepared to fight. He also stationed guards around the camp.

When the enemies learned that Jonathan was keeping watch with his troops and ready for battle, they became afraid and discouraged; they lit fires in their camp and fled.

But neither Jonathan nor his army knew they had withdrawn until morning because they saw the fires burning all night.

Jonathan chased after them but couldn’t catch up since they had already crossed the Eleutherus River.

So Jonathan turned back against the Arabs called Zabadeans, defeated them, and took their plunder.

After breaking camp, he went to Damascus and traveled through the region.

Meanwhile, Simon also set out and traveled as far as Askalon and the nearby fortresses. Then he moved on to Joppa and took control of it

for he had heard that the city’s residents planned to hand over the Citadel to Demetrius’s supporters, so he stationed a garrison there to defend it.

On returning, Jonathan summoned the elders of the people. The assembly decided to build fortresses in Judea,

to make the walls of Jerusalem even higher, erect a barrier between the Citadel and the city, thereby separating it from the city, isolating it, and preventing its defenders from going out to buy or sell.

They also held an assembly to rebuild the city. Part of the wall over a rushing stream had fallen, and they built up a new wall called Chaphenatha.

Simon rebuilt Adida in the Shephelah, fortified it, and erected barred gates.

Kidnapping of Jonathan

Trypho wanted to control Asia and overthrow King Antiochus to become king.

But he was afraid that Jonathan might not allow him to do so and might even attack him. He set out and arrived at Beth-shan.

At once, Jonathan went out to meet him with forty thousand men, and he also came to Beth-shan.

When Trypho saw that Jonathan had come with a large army, he was afraid to start the assault.

So he received Jonathan with honor, introduced him to all his friends, gave him gifts, and instructed his friends and soldiers to obey Jonathan as they obeyed him.

Then he asked Jonathan: “Why have you gone through so much trouble bringing so many men? Are we perhaps enemies?

Send them back home, and stay here with some of them. Then, you will come with me to the city of Ptolemais because I want to hand it over to you and the other fortresses, and put the rest of the troops and their officers at your command. Then, I will go back home, for this is the only reason I have come.”

Jonathan believed him and did as Trypho had asked. He dismissed his men, who returned to the land of Judea,

and three thousand men remained with him. Of these, he left two thousand in Galilee, and only a thousand accompanied him.

But as soon as they had entered Ptolemais, the inhabitants closed the gates. They seized him and killed all who had come with him.

Trypho sent troops and cavalry to Galilee and to the Great Plain to wipe out all of Jonathan’s men.

On receiving the news that Jonathan and his companions had been seized and killed, his soldiers encouraged one another and prepared to face their pursuers.

When their enemy saw them ready to fight for their lives, they turned back.

So the men of Jonathan reached the land of Judea safe and sound. They wept for Jonathan and his companions, and they were discouraged. And all of Israel was in mourning.

All the neighboring nations planned to destroy them, seeing they were now without a leader or an ally. And the pagans said: “This is now the moment to erase their memory from humankind.”