Jonathan Makes Treaties with Rome and Sparta

1Jonathan realized this was a good time to make sure the Romans remained on friendly terms with the Jews. So he sent some messengers to Rome. 2He also wrote letters to the city of Sparta and other places for the same reason.

3When the messengers arrived in Rome, they met with the Roman senators and said, "Jonathan the high priest and the Jewish people have sent us here to renew our friendship with Rome and to make sure we remain allies."

4After the meeting, the Romans wrote letters to the other nations where the messengers were going. In these letters they said, "Help these men return safely to Judea."

5Jonathan himself wrote a letter to the people of Sparta in which he said:

6Jonathan the high priest, the other priests, the Jewish council, and the rest of our people send greetings to our dear friends in Sparta.

7Some time ago, your king, Arius, sent a letter to Onias, our high priest. Arius said that Jews and Spartans are related, as you can see from the copy of the king's letter we have sent along with this letter.

8When Onias read this, he welcomed your messenger with honors, because your letter clearly stated that Jews and Spartans should become friends and allies.

9We Jews don't really need friends and allies, since our Scriptures give us hope and strength. 10But we decided to write you anyway to renew our friendship and to make sure that we are still on good terms. After all, it has been a long time since you wrote us, and we don't want to become like strangers to each other.

11It is our custom and duty to remember relatives. So during our festivals and other special days, we always think of you as we pray and offer sacrifices. 12We are very pleased that you have become so famous.

13We have had plenty of troubles and wars of our own. Even the nearby kings have attacked us. 14However, there was no reason to bother you or other friends and allies with our problems. 15God always helps us, and we defeated our enemies and were rescued from them.

16We have sent Numenius and Antipater as messengers to Rome to make sure that we and the Romans remain on good terms. 17They also have orders to bring this letter to you with our greetings, because we want to be certain that you still consider us your relatives.

18Please send a reply.

19Here is a copy of the letter King Arius wrote to Onias some time ago:

20"King Arius of Sparta sends greetings to Onias the high priest.

21"We have found a document that says Spartans and Jews are relatives because both nations descended from Abraham. 22Now that I know this, I want you to write and tell me how you are doing. 23I am writing to tell you that your livestock together with everything else you own belongs to us. And our livestock together with everything else we own belongs to you.

"My messengers have orders to tell you about this."

Other Wars of Jonathan and Simon

24Jonathan found out that the officers of King Demetrius the Second were now ready to invade his country with a more powerful army than before.

25Jonathan did not want the king's army to invade Jerusalem, so he led his troops to the region around Hamath, where he saw the enemy camp. 26Jonathan sent out spies, who came back and reported, "The king's army is getting ready to attack us tonight."

27At sunset, Jonathan stationed some of his troops on lookout duty around the camp, and he told the others, "Stay awake and be ready to fight at any time."

28But the king's troops lost their nerve and were frightened when someone informed them that the Jews were ready for their attack. So they lit campfires and ran away.

29The campfires burned all night, and the Jews did not find out until morning that the enemy had left. 30Jonathan sent troops after them, but the king's army had already crossed the Eleutherus River.

31There was a tribe of Arabs named the Zabadeans, and Jonathan ordered his troops to destroy them. The troops took everything of value, 32then Jonathan led them all the way to Damascus.

33-34Meanwhile, Simon took his soldiers as far as Askalon and the nearby fortresses. Someone told him, "The town of Joppa is about to join Demetrius." Simon made a surprise attack on Joppa; he captured the town and stationed some of his troops there to guard it.

Jerusalem Is Made Stronger

35Jonathan returned to Jerusalem and met with the Jewish leaders. They decided to build fortresses in Judea 36and to make Jerusalem's walls even higher. They also agreed to construct a strong, high wall between the enemy fortress and the rest of the city, in order to separate the fortress from the city and to keep enemy soldiers from going in and out for supplies.

37Everyone worked together to rebuild Jerusalem; they repaired part of the collapsed eastern wall and the section of the city called Chaphenatha.

38Meanwhile, Simon and his workers rebuilt the town of Adida at the edge of the hill country, and they put a wall around it with strong gates.

Trypho Captures Jonathan

39Trypho wanted to be king of Asia, and he began plotting against King Antiochus the Sixth. 40But Trypho was afraid Jonathan would go to war to protect Antiochus. So he decided to do away with Jonathan, and he led his army to the town of Beth-Shan.

41Jonathan and 40,000 of his best soldiers left Jerusalem to attack Trypho at Beth-Shan.

42When Trypho saw the large army, he was too frightened to fight. 43Instead, he brought Jonathan to his camp and gave him honors and gifts. Trypho bragged about Jonathan to all his trusted friends and troops and said, "Obey Jonathan's orders, just as you obey mine."

44Trypho told Jonathan:

We're not at war! Why have you caused these people so much trouble? 45I've come here to give you the city of Ptolemais and the other fortresses and to put you in charge of all the officers and troops. After I've done this, I'll go home. Choose a few troops to go with you and me to Ptolemais, then send the others back to Judea.

46-47Jonathan believed Trypho and sent all but 3,000 of his soldiers back to Judea. Two thousand of them stayed behind in Galilee, while 1,000 went with Jonathan to Ptolemais. 48But as soon as he entered the city, its gates were closed. Then he was captured, and his soldiers were killed.

49Trypho's troops and cavalry went to the Great Valley in Galilee to kill the rest of Jonathan's soldiers. 50However, when Jonathan's troops heard what had happened to him and the others, they encouraged each other and marched away, ready to fight. 51Trypho's soldiers and cavalry caught up with them, but they turned back when they realized that the Jews would fight for their lives.

52After the Jewish soldiers from Galilee returned safely to Judea, the whole nation mourned for Jonathan and his troops. Everyone was terrified 53because the Gentiles around there were saying, "The Jews have no ruler or general. Let's destroy them and make the world forget they ever lived."