Anno 144.

While things were in this state, Tryphon," having at length obtained of Zabdiel to have AnJonathan 17. tiochus, the son of Alexander, delivered unto him, came with him into Syria, and there laid claim to the kingdom for him; whereon all the soldiers whom Demetrius had disbanded, and multitudes of others whom he had by his ill conduct made his enemies, flocked to the pretender; and, having declared him king, marched under his banner against Demetrius; and, having vanquished him in battle, forced him into Seleucia, took all his elephants, and made themselves masters of Antioch, and there placed Antiochus upon the throne of the kings of Syria, giving him the name of Theos, or the divine.

And Jonathan, being provoked by the ill return Demetrius had made him for his great services to him, accepted of the invitation which he had received from the new king, of coming into his interest. For, as soon as Antiochus had gained Antioch, there was sent from him an embassy to Jonathan, with letters written in his name, whereby the high priest's office was confirmed to him, the grant of the three toparchies renewed, and a fourth added to them; and he was allowed to wear purple, and the golden buckle, and to have place among the chief of the king's friends, and many other privileges and advantages were moreover added. And Simon was made chief commander of all the king's forces, from the Ladder of Tyre to the borders of Egypt, on condition that these two brothers and the Jews would declare for him; which Jonathan readily consented to, having just reason for it from the ill conduct of Demetrius towards him. Whereon a commission was sent him to raise forces for the service of Antiochus through all Cole-Syria and Palestine; by virtue whereof, having gotten together a great army," he marched round the country even as far as Damascus, to secure all in those parts

n 1 Maccab. xi, 54-56. Epitome Livii, lib. 52. Josephus, ibid. Appian. in Syriacis.

o 1 Maccab. xi, 57-59. Joseph Antiq. lib. 13, c. 9.

p The Ladder of Tyre is a mountain so called, lying on the sea coast between Tyre and Ptolemais.

q Josephus, ibid.

ri Maccab. xi, 60-62. Josephus, ibid.

S

to the interest of Antiochus. For, the diverting of Jonathan from this purpose, the forces which Demetrius had in Cole-Syria and Phoenicia drew together, and invaded Galilee; whereon Jonathant marched thither to oppose them," leaving Simon to command in Judea. On his first coming into Galilee, being drawn into an ambush, he had like to have been overborne by the enemy; and most of his forces falling into a panic fear, fled from him, excepting a very few of the valiantest of them. But these few making a resolute stand, the rest rallied, and, coming on again to the fight, won the victory. And Simon,y in the interim, laying siege to Bethsura, forced it to a surrender, and thereby expelled the heathen, who had long kept a garrison there, to the great annoyance of all the country round it.

Ꮓ

Jonathan, on his return into Judea, finding all things were in quiet, sent ambassadors to the Romans to renew with them the league which they made with Judas; who, being introduced into the senate, were there received with honour, and dismissed with their full satisfaction. On their return from Rome, their orders were to address themselves to the Lacedemonians, and the other allies of the Jews in those parts, for the like renewing of their leagues with them; which they having accordingly done, they returned to Jerusalem, bringing back with them full success in all the negotiations on which they were sent.

The captains of Demetrius' forces, whom Jonathan bad lately vanquished in Galilee, having, by new reinforcements, much increased their number and strength, came the second time against him; whereon he marched out to meet them, as far as Amathis, in the utmost confines of Canaan, and there encamped against them; where, being informed by his spies, that their intent was to storm his camp the next night, he took care to be in full readiness to receive them; which the enemy

s 1 Maccab. xi, 63.

t 1 Maccab. xi, 64. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13, c. 9.

u 1 Maccab. & Josephus, ibid.

x 1 Maccab. xi, 67–74.

y 1 Maccab. xi, 65, 66; xiv, 7, 33. Josephus, ibid.

z 1 Maccab. xii, 1-13. Josephus, ibid.

a 1 Maccab. xii, 24-34. Josephus, ibid.

finding on their approach, they were so discouraged at the disappointment, that, returning to their camp, and lighting fires in it to make it believed that they were still there, they marched off in the night, and were got so far by the time Jonathan found they were gone, that, though he immediately, on the discovery of it, pursued after them, yet it was all in vain. For they had passed the river Eleutherus, and were thereby got out of his reach before he could come up thither. After this he led back his army against the Arabs that were of Demetrius' party, and, having smitten them, and taken their spoils, turned his course towards Damascus; and, passing over the country thereabout, made strict inquiry after all that were adversaries to the interest of Antiochus, and suppressed them every where. And, while he was thus employed beyond Jordan, Simon his brother was not idle in Judea; for, marching thence into the land of the Philistines, he made all there submit to him; and, having taken Joppa, he placed a strong garrison in it.

After this, both brothers being returned to Jerusalem,b they called the great council of the nation together, to consult about the repairing and new fortifying of Jerusalem, and other strong holds in Judea, so that they might be made tenable against any enemy that should come against them. And it being then agreed, that the walls of Jerusalem, where they were broken down or decayed, should be repaired, and where too low should be built higher, and every thing else done that was necessary thoroughly to fortify the place; all this was immediately set about, and carried on with the utmost expedition. And at the same time they built a wall or mount between the fortress and the rest of the city, that the heathen who were in garrison there, might receive no relief of provision, or of any thing else that way; which soon reduced them to great distress, and very much forwarded that necessity, whereby at last they were forced to surrender the place. Jonathan took on himself the oversight of all these works at Jerusalem; and while he was there thus employed, Simon went into the country, and did

1 Maccab. xii, 35-38. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13, c. 9.

the same as to all the other fortresses and strong holds that were in the land; and thereby the whole country became well fortified against any enemy that should come to make war against it.

Tryphon, thinking his plot for the making away of Antiochus, and seizing the crown of Syria to himself, now ripe for execution in all other particulars, save only that he foresaw Jonathan would never be brought to bear so great a villany, resolved at any rate to take him out of the way; and therefore marched with a great army towards Judea, in order to get him into his power, that so he might put him to death. On his coming to Bethsan, there Jonathan met him with forty thousand men. Tryphon, seeing him at the head of so great an army, durst not openly attempt any thing against him; but endeavoured to deceive him by flattering words, and a false appearance of friendship, pretending, that he came thither only to consult with him about their common interest, and to put Ptolemais into his hands, which he intended wholly to resign to him; and, having deceived him by these fair pretences, he persuaded him to send away all his army, except three thousand men, two thousand of which he sent into Galilee; and, with the other one thousand, he went with Tryphon to Ptolemais, expecting, according to the oath of that traitor, to have the place delivered to him; but as soon as he and his company were got within the walls, the gates were shut upon them, and Jonathan was made a prisoner, and all his men were put to the sword. And immediately forces were sent out to cut off the two thousand also that were in Galilee; but they having notice of what had been done to Jonathan and his men at Ptolemais, encouraged each other to stand to their defence; and then, joining close together, put themselves in a posture resolutely to fight for their lives; which the enemy perceiving, durst not attack them, but permitted them quietly to march off; and they all returned safe to ferusalem, where was great lamentation for what had happened to Jonathan. For hereond all the heathen

c 1 Maccab. xii, 39-52. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13, c. 10. d1 Maccab. xii, 53.

round about, finding the Jews thus deprived of their captain, were making ready to destroy them; and Tryphon, drawing together all his forces for the same purpose, reckoned on this opportunity utterly to cut off and extirpate the whole nation. Whereone the people being in great fears, Simon went up to the temple, and then calling the people together to him, encouraged them to stand to their defence, and offered himself to fight for them, as his father and brothers had done before him. Whereon their hearts being again raised, and their drooping spirits revived, they unanimously made choice of Simon to be their captain in the place of Jonathan; and, under his conduct and direction, immediately set themselves hard at work for the finishing of the fortifications at Jerusalem, which Jonathan had begun. And on Tryphon's approach to invade the land, Simon led forth a great army against him; whereon Tryphon not daring to engage him in battle, sent to him a deceitful message, telling him, that he had seized Jonathan only because he owed one hundred talents to the king; that, in case he would send the money and Jonathan's two sons to be hostages for their father's fidelity to the king, he would set him again at liberty. Though Simon well saw all this was fraud and deceit, yet he complied, to avoid the ill report which otherwise might have been raised against him, as if he had wilfully caused his brother's death by the refusal; and therefore sent both the money and the young men. But the false traitor, according as Simon foresaw, when he had received all that he demanded, would do nothing of what he had promised; but still detained Jonathan in chains; and, after having gotten together more forces, he came again to invade the land, with intent utterly to destroy it. But Simon, coasting him wherever he marched, opposed and baf

e 1 Maccab. xiii, 1-11. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13, c. 11.

f The outer court of the temple which was called the court of the Gentiles, was the place where the people assembled on all occasions. It was called the court of the Gentiles, because so far as into this court the Gentiles of what nation soever might come, but were not allowed to pass the Chel into the inner court, unless they were circumcised, and made thorough proselytes to the whole Jewish law.

g 1 Maccab. xiii, 12-19. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13, c. 11.

h 1 Maccab. xiii, 20-24.