Anonymous (Septuagint) · a new plain-English translation from the original language
1| Jonathan saw that the time was working in his favor, and he chose men and sent them to Rome to confirm and renew the friendship with them.
2| He also sent letters to the same effect to the Spartans and to other places.
3| So they went to Rome, and they went into the senate house, and declared, "Jonathan, high priest of the Jewish nation, along with his people, has sent us to renew the friendship and alliance with them as before."
4| And they gave them letters to the authorities in each place along the way, so that they might send them on to the land of Judah in peace.
5| And this is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans.
6| "Jonathan the high priest, together with the council of elders of our people, our priests, and the rest of the Jewish nation, to the Spartans our brothers, greetings.
7| Even before this, letters were sent to Onias the high priest from Arius, who was reigning among you, stating that you are our brothers, as the copy set out below shows.
8| And Onias welcomed the man who was sent with honor, and received the letters, in which the matter of alliance and friendship was set out plainly.
9| We ourselves, then, though we have no need of these things, having as our encouragement the holy books that are in our hands,
10| have undertaken to send to you to renew the brotherhood and friendship, so that we might not become strangers to you; for many years have passed since you sent to us.
11| We, then, at every season without ceasing, both at the festivals and on the other appointed days, remember you, when we offer sacrifices and in our prayers, as it is right and fitting to remember brothers.
12| And we rejoice in your glory.
13| But many troubles and many wars have surrounded us, and the kings around us have made war on us.
14| We were unwilling, then, to trouble you and our other allies and friends in these wars.
15| For we have the help from heaven that helps us, and we have been delivered from our enemies, and our enemies have been humbled.
16| We therefore chose Numenius, Antiochus's son, together with Antipater, whose father was Jason, and sent them to the Romans to renew our former friendship and alliance with them.
17| We have also charged them to go to you and greet you, and to deliver to you our letters concerning the renewal and our brotherhood.
18| And now you will do well to send us a reply to this."
19| And this is the copy of the letter that they sent to Onias.
20| "Areus, king of the Spartans, to Onias the great priest, greetings.
21| It has been found in writing concerning the Spartans and the Jews that they are brothers, and that they are of the family of Abraham.
22| Now therefore, since we have learned this, you will do well to write to us about your welfare.
23| And we for our part write back to you: your livestock and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours. We therefore command that this be reported to you accordingly."
24| Jonathan heard that Demetrius's commanders had returned with a much larger force than before to make war against him.
25| So he set out from Jerusalem and met them in the region of Hamath; for he did not give them the opportunity to invade his own territory.
26| And he sent spies into their camp, and they returned and reported to him, "They are arranging to fall upon us this very night."
27| So when the sun went down, Jonathan ordered his men to keep watch and to stay under arms, ready for battle all through the night, and he posted outposts around the camp.
28| And the enemy heard that Jonathan and his men had made ready for battle, and they were afraid and their hearts quailed within them, and they lit fires in their camp.
29| But Jonathan and his men did not learn of it until morning, for they saw the fires burning.
30| And Jonathan pursued after them but did not overtake them, for they had crossed the Eleutherus river.
31| So Jonathan turned aside against the Arabs called the Zabadeans, and struck them, and took their spoils.
32| Then he broke camp and came to Damascus, and traveled through the whole region.
33| Simon also went out and traveled as far as Ascalon and the strongholds nearby, and turned aside to Joppa and seized it beforehand,
34| for he had heard that they intended to hand over the stronghold to Demetrius's men, and he stationed a garrison there to guard it.
35| Then Jonathan returned and called an assembly of the elders of the people, and took counsel with them about building strongholds in Judea,
36| and raising the walls of Jerusalem higher, and building a great height between the citadel and the city, to separate it from the city, so that it would stand alone, unable to buy or sell.
37| And they gathered to build, and part of the wall over the Kidron valley on the east side fell down, and he repaired the section called Chaphenatha.
38| Simon also built up Adida in the lowland, and fortified it with gates and bars.
39| Now Trypho was seeking to become king of Asia and to put on the diadem, and to raise his hand against King Antiochus.
40| But he was afraid that Jonathan would not allow it and might make war against him, and so he looked for a way to seize him and put him to death. And he set out and came to Beth-shan.
41| Jonathan marched out to encounter him, bringing forty thousand troops picked for combat, and reached Beth-shan.
42| And when Trypho saw that he had come with so large a force, he was afraid to raise his hand against him.
43| So he received him with honor, introduced him to all his friends, presented him with gifts, and commanded his friends and troops to obey him just as they obeyed himself.
44| Then he said to Jonathan, "Why have you worn out all these people, when there is no war between us?
45| So now send them away to their homes, but choose for yourself a few men to stay with you, and come with me to Ptolemais, and I will hand it over to you along with the rest of the strongholds and the remaining forces and all the officials, and then I will turn back and depart; for this is the reason I have come."
46| And Jonathan trusted him and did as he said, and sent away his forces, and they went off to the land of Judah.
47| But he kept with himself three thousand men; two thousand of these he left in Galilee, and one thousand went along with him.
48| But when Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais shut the gates and seized him, and killed with the sword all who had come in with him.
49| And Trypho sent forces and cavalry into Galilee, into the great plain, to destroy all of Jonathan's men.
50| But they learned that Jonathan had been seized and had perished, along with those with him, and they encouraged one another and marched on in close formation, ready for battle.
51| When those pursuing them saw that it was a matter of life and death for them, they turned back.
52| So they all came in peace to the land of Judah, and they mourned for Jonathan and those who had been with him, and they were greatly afraid; and Israel mourned a great mourning.
53| And all the nations around them sought to wipe them out, for they said, "They have no leader or helper; now, then, let us make war on them and blot out their memory from among men."