1And the king of Egypt gathered a great hoste, like the sande that lieth vpon the sea shore, and many shippes, and went about through deceite to obtaine the kingdome of Alexander, and to ioyne it vnto his owne Realme. 2Vpon this he went into Syria with friendly wordes, and was let into the cities, and men came foorth to meete him: for king Alexander had commanded them to meete him, because hee was his father in lawe. 3Now when he entred into the citie of Ptolemais, he left bands and garisons in euery citie. 4And when he came neere to Azotus, they shewed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus, and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies cast abroad, and them that hee had burnt in the battell: for they had made heapes of them by the way where he should passe. 5And they tolde the king what Ionathan had done, to the intent they might get him euill will: but the King helde his peace. 6And Ionathan met the king with great honour at Ioppe, where they saluted one another, and lay there. 7So when Ionathan had gone with the king vnto the water that was called Eleutherus, hee turned againe to Ierusalem. 8So King Potolemeus gate the dominion of the cities by the sea vnto Seleucia vpon ye sea coast, imagining wicked counsels against Alexander, 9And sent Ambassadours vnto King Demetrius, saying, Come, let vs make a league betweene vs, and I wil giue thee my daughter, which Alexander hath, and thou shalt reigne in thy fathers kingdome. 10For I repent that I gaue Alexander my daughter: for he goeth about to slay me. 11Thus he slandered Alexander, as one that should desire his Realme. 12And he tooke his daughter from him, and gaue her vnto Demetrius, and forsooke Alexander, so that their hatred was openly knowen. 13Then Ptolemeus came to Antiochia, where he set two crownes vpon his owne head, of Asia and of Egypt. 14In the meane season was King Alexander in Cilicia: for they that dwelt in those places, had rebelled against him: 15But when Alexander heard it, he came to warre against him, and Ptolemeus brought foorth his hoste, and met him with a mightie power, and put him to flight. 16Then fled Alexander into Arabia, there to be defended: so Ptolemeus was exalted. 17And Zabdiel the Arabian smote off Alexanders head, and sent it vnto Ptolemeus. 18But the third day after, King Ptolemeus dyed: and they that were in the holdes, were slaine one of another. 19And Demetrius reigned in the hundreth, threescore and seuenth yeere. 20At the same time gathered Ionathan them that were in Iudea, to lay siege vnto ye castell, which was at Ierusalem, and they made many instruments of warre against it. 21Then went there certaine vngodly persons (which hated their owne people) vnto King Demetrius, and tolde him that Ionathan besieged the castell. 22So when he heard it, he was angry, and immediatly came vnto Ptolemais, and wrote vnto Ionathan, that he should lay no more siege vnto it, but that he should meete him and speake with him at Ptolemais in all haste. 23Neuertheles when Ionathan heard this, hee commanded to besiege it: he chose also certaine of the Elders of Israel, and the Priests, and put himselfe in danger, 24And tooke with him siluer and golde, and apparell, and diuers presents, and went to Ptolemais vnto the King, and found fauour in his sight. 25And though certaine vngodly men of his owne nation had made complaints vpon him, 26Yet the King intreated him as his predecessours had done, and promoted him in the sight of all his friends, 27And confirmed him in the hie priesthood with all the honourable things, that hee had afore, and made him his chiefe friend. 28Ionathan also desired the King, that hee would make Iudea free with the three gouernements, and the countrey of Samaria, and Ionathan promised him three hundreth talents. 29Whereunto the King consented, and gaue Ionathan writing of the same, conteining these wordes, 30King Demetrivs vnto his brother Ionathan, and to the nation of the Iewes sendeth greeting. 31We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write vnto our cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that ye should see it. 32King Demetrius vnto Lasthenes his father sendeth greeting. 33For the faithfulnes that our friends the nation of the Iewes keepe vnto vs, and for their good wil towards vs, we are determined to do them good. 34Wherefore we assigne to them the coasts of Iudea with the three gouernments Apherema, and Lydda, and Ramathe (which are added vnto Iudea from the countrey of Samaria) and all that appertaineth to all them that sacrifice in Ierusalem: both concerning the paiments which the King tooke yeerely aforetime, both for the fruites of the earth, and for the fruites of the trees. 35As for the other things appertaining vnto vs of the tenthes and tributes, which were due vnto vs, and the customes of salte, and crowne taxes, which were payed vnto vs, we discharge them of all from hencefoorth. 36And nothing hereof shall be reuoked from this time forth and for euer. 37Therefore see that ye make a copy of these things, and deliuer it vnto Ionathan, that it may be set vp vpon the holy mount in an open place. 38After this when Demetrius the King sawe that his land was in rest, and that no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his hoste, euery man to his owne place, except certaine bands of strangers, whome he brought from the yles of the heathen: wherefore all his fathers hoste hated him. 39Now was there one Tryphon, that had bene of Alexanders part afore, which when he saw that all the hoste murmured against Demetrius, he went to Simaleue the Arabian, that brought vp Antiochus the sonne of Alexander, 40And lay sore vpon him, to deliuer him this yong Antiochus, that he might reigne in his fathers steade: hee tolde him also what great euill Demetrius had done, and howe his men of warre hated him, and he remained there a long season. 41Also Ionathan sent vnto King Demetrius to driue them out which were in the castell at Ierusalem, and those that were in the fortresses: for they fought against Israel. 42So Demetrius sent vnto Ionathan, saying, I will not onely doe these things for thee, and thy nation, but if opportunitie serue, I will honour thee, and thy nation. 43Nowe therefore thou shalt doe me a pleasure, if thou wilt send me men to helpe me: for all mine armie is gone from me. 44So Ionathan sent him three thousand strong men vnto Antiochia, and they came vnto the King: wherefore the King was very glad at their comming. 45But they that were of the citie, euen an hundreth, and twentie thousand men, gathered them together in the mids of the citie, and would haue slaine the King. 46But the King fled into the palace, and the citizens kept the streetes of the citie, and began to fight. 47Then the king called to the Iewes for helpe, which came to him all together, and went abroad through the citie, 48And slewe the same day an hundreth thousand, and set fire vpon the citie, and tooke many spoyles in that day, and deliuered the King. 49So when the citizens saw that the Iewes had gotten the vpper hand of the citie, and that they themselues were disappointed of their purpose, they made their supplication vnto the King, saying, 50Graunt vs peace, and let the Iewes cease from vexing vs and the citie. 51So they cast away their weapons, and made peace, and the Iewes were greatly honoured before the King, and before all that were in his Realme, and they came againe to Ierusalem with great pray. 52Then King Demetrius sate in the throne of his kingdome, and had peace in his land. 53Neuerthelesse hee dissembled in all that euer he spake, and withdrewe him selfe from Ionathan, neither did he rewarde him according to the benefites which he had done for him, but troubled him very sore. 54After this returned Tryphon with the yong childe Antiochus, which reigned, and was crowned. 55Then there gathered vnto him al the men of warre, whome Demetrius had scattered, and they fought against him, who fled and turned his backe. 56So Tryphon tooke the beastes, and wanne Antiochia. 57And yong Antiochus wrote vnto Ionathan, saying, I appoynt thee to bee the chiefe Priest, and make thee ruler ouer the foure gouernements, that thou mayest be a friend of the kings. 58Vpon this hee sent him golden vessels to be serued in, and gaue him leaue to drinke in gold, and to weare purple, and to haue a colar of gold. 59He made his brother Simon also captaine fro the coastes of Tyrus vnto the borders of Egypt. 60Then Ionathan went foorth, and passedthorow the cities beyond the flood, and all the men of warre of Syria gathered vnto him for to helpe him: so he came vnto Ascalon, and they of the citie receiued him honourably. 61And from thence went hee vnto Gaza: but they of Gaza shut him out: wherefore he layd siege vnto it, and burned the suburbes thereof with fire, and spoyled them. 62Then they of Gaza made supplication vnto Ionathan, and he made peace with them, and tooke of the sonnes of the chiefe men for hostages, and sent them to Ierusalem, and went thorow the countrey vnto Damascus. 63And when Ionathan heard that Demetrius princes were come into Cades, which is in Galile, with a great hoste, purposing to driue him out of the countrey, 64Hee came against them, and left Simon his brother in the countrey. 65And Simon besieged Beth-sura, and fought against it a long season, and shut it vp. 66So they desired to haue peace with him, which hee graunted them, and afterwarde put them out from thence, and tooke the citie, and set a garison in it. 67Then Ionathan with his hoste came to the water of Genesar, and betimes in the morning came to the plaine of Azor. 68And behold the hostes of the strangers met him in the plaine, and had layde ambushments for him in the mountaines. 69So that when they came against them, the ambushments rose out of their places & skirmished. 70So that all that were of Ionathans side, fled: and there was not one of them left, except Mattathias the sonne of Absalomus, and Iudas the sonne of Calphi the captaines of the hoste. 71Then Ionathan rent his clothes, and cast earth vpon his head, and prayed, 72And turned againe to them to fight, and put them to flight, so that they fled away. 73Now when his owne men that were fled, saw this, they turned againe vnto him, and helped him to followe after all vnto their tentes at Cades, and there they camped. 74So there were slaine of the strangers the same day about three thousande men, and Ionathan turned againe to Ierusalem.