1 Maccabees 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 When Jonathan saw that circumstances were working in his favour, he sent a select mission to Rometo confirm and renew his treaty of friendship with the Romans.	1 When Jonathan saw that the times favored him, he sent selected men to Rome to confirm and renew his friendship with the Romans.
2 He also sent letters to the same effect to the Spartans and to other places.	2 He also sent letters to Sparta and other places for the same purpose.
3 The envoys made their way to Rome, entered the Senate and said, 'Jonathan the high priest and theJewish nation have sent us to renew your treaty of friendship and al iance with them as before.'	3 After reaching Rome, the men entered the senate chamber and said, "The high priest Jonathan and the Jewish people have sent us to renew the earlier friendship and alliance between you and them."
4 The Senate gave them letters to the authorities of each place, to procure their safe conduct toJudaea.	4 The Romans gave them letters addressed to the authorities in the various places, requesting them to provide the envoys with safe conduct to the land of Judah.
5 The fol owing is the copy of the letter Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:	5 This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:
6 'Jonathan the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests and the rest of the Jewish people to theSpartans their brothers, greetings.	6 "Jonathan the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people send greetings to their brothers the Spartans.
7 'In the past, a letter was sent to Onias, the high priest, from Areios, one of your kings, stating that youare indeed our brothers, as the copy subjoined attests.	7 Long ago a letter was sent to the high priest Onias from Arius, who then reigned over you, stating that you are our brothers, as the attached copy shows.
8 Onias received the envoy with honour, and accepted the letter, in which a clear declaration was made of friendship and al iance.	8 Onias welcomed the envoy with honor and received the letter, which clearly referred to alliance and friendship.
9 For our part, though we have no need of these, having the consolation of the holy books in ourpossession,	9 Though we have no need of these things, since we have for our encouragement the sacred books that are in our possession,
10 we venture to send to renew our fraternal friendship with you, so that we may not become strangersto you, a long time having elapsed since you last wrote to us.	10 we have ventured to send word to you for the renewal of brotherhood and friendship, so as not to become strangers to you altogether; a long time has passed since your mission to us.
11 We, for our part, on every occasion, at our festivals and on other appointed days, unfailinglyremember you in the sacrifices we offer and in our prayers, as it is right and fitting to remember brothers.	11 We, on our part, have never ceased to remember you in the sacrifices and prayers that we offer on our feasts and other appropriate days, as it is right and proper to remember brothers.
12 We rejoice in your renown.	12 We likewise rejoice in your renown.
13 'We ourselves, however, have had many trials and many wars, the neighbouring kings making waron us.	13 But many hardships and wars have beset us, and the kings around us have attacked us.
14 We were unwil ing to trouble you or our other al ies and friends during these wars,	14 We did not wish to be troublesome to you and to the rest of our allies and friends in these wars;
15 since we have the support of Heaven to help us, thanks to which we have been delivered from ourenemies, and they are the ones who have been brought low.	15 with the help of Heaven for our support, we have been saved from our enemies, and they have been humbled.
16 We have therefore chosen Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, and sent themto the Romans to renew our former treaty of friendship and alliance,	16 So we have chosen Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, and we have sent them to the Romans to renew our former friendship and alliance with them.
17 and we have ordered them also to visit you, to greet you and deliver you this letter of oursconcerning the renewal of our brotherhood;	17 We have also ordered them to come to you and greet you, and to deliver to you our letter about the renewal of our brotherhood.
18 we shal be grateful for an answer to it.'	18 Therefore kindly send us an answer on this matter."
19 The following is the copy of the letter sent to Onias:	19 This is a copy of the letter that was sent to Onias:
20 'Areios king of the Spartans, to Onias the high priest, greetings.	20 "Arius, king of the Spartans, sends greetings to Onias the high priest.
21 'It has been discovered in records regarding the Spartans and Jews that they are brothers, and ofthe race of Abraham.	21 A document has been found stating that the Spartans and the Jews are brothers; both nations descended from Abraham.
22 Now that this has come to our knowledge, we shall be obliged if you wil send us news of yourwelfare.	22 Now that we have learned this, kindly write to us about your welfare.
23 Our own message to you is this: your flocks and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours, andwe are instructing our envoys to give you a message to this effect.'	23 We, on our part, are informing you that your cattle and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours. We have, therefore, given orders that you should be told of this."
24 Jonathan learned that Demetrius' generals had returned with a larger army than before to make waron him.	24 Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had returned to attack him with a stronger army than before.
25 He therefore left Jerusalem and went to engage them in the area of Hamath, not giving them thetime to invade his own territory.	25 He set out from Jerusalem and went into the country of Hamath to meet them, giving them no time to enter his province.
26 He sent spies into their camp, who told him on their return that the enemy were taking up positionsfor a night attack on the Jews.	26 The spies he had sent into their camp came back and reported that the enemy had made ready to attack the Jews that very night.
27 At sunset, Jonathan ordered his men to keep watch with their weapons at hand, in readiness to fightat any time during the night, and posted advance guards al round the camp.	27 Therefore, when the sun set, Jonathan ordered his men to be on guard and to remain armed, ready for combat, throughout the night. He also set outposts all around the camp.
28 On learning that Jonathan and his men were ready to fight, the enemy took fright and, with quakinghearts, lit fires in their bivouac and decamped.	28 When the enemy heard that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, their hearts sank with fear and dread. They lighted fires and then withdrew.
29 Jonathan and his men, watching the glow of the fires, were unaware of their withdrawal untilmorning,	29 But because Jonathan and his men were watching the lights burning, they did not know what had happened until morning.
30 and although Jonathan pursued them, he failed to overtake them, for they had already crossed theriver Eleutherus.	30 Then Jonathan pursued them, but he could not overtake them, for they had crossed the river Eleutherus.
31 So Jonathan wheeled round on the Arabs cal ed Zabadaeans, beat them and plundered them;	31 So Jonathan turned aside against the Arabs who are called Zabadeans, overwhelming and plundering them.
32 then, breaking camp, he went to Damascus, thus crossing the whole province.	32 Then he marched on to Damascus and traversed that whole region.
33 Simon, meanwhile, had also set out and had penetrated as far as Ascalon and the neighbouringtowns. He then turned on Joppa and moved quickly to occupy it,	33 Simon also set out and went as far as Ashkalon and its neighboring strongholds. He then turned to Joppa and occupied it,
34 for he had heard of their intention to hand over this strong point to the supporters of Demetrius; hestationed a garrison there to hold it.	34 for he heard that its men had intended to hand over this stronghold to the supporters of Demetrius. He left a garrison there to guard it.
35 Jonathan, on his return, cal ed a meeting of the elders of the people and decided with them to buildfortresses in Judaea	35 When Jonathan returned, he assembled the elders of the people, and with them he made plans for building strongholds in Judea,
36 and to heighten the walls of Jerusalem and erect a high barrier between the Citadel and the city, tocut the former off from the city and isolate it, to prevent the occupants from buying or sel ing.	36 for making the walls of Jerusalem still higher, and for erecting a high barrier between the citadel and the city, that would isolate the citadel and so prevent its garrison from commerce with the city.
37 Rebuilding the city was a co-operative effort: part of the wall over the eastern ravine had fal en down;he restored the quarter called Chaphenatha.	37 The people therefore worked together on building up the city, for part of the east wall above the ravine had collapsed. The quarter called Chaphenatha was also repaired.
38 Simon, meanwhile, rebuilt Adida in the lowlands, fortifying it, and erecting gates with bolts.	38 Simon likewise built up Adida in the Shephelah, and strengthened its fortifications by providing them with gates and bars.
39 Trypho's ambition was to become king of Asia, assume the crown, and overpower King Antiochus.	39 Trypho was determined to become king of Asia, assume the crown, and do away with King Antiochus.
40 He was apprehensive that Jonathan might not al ow him to do this, and might even make war onhim, so he set out and came to Beth-Shean, in the hopes of finding some pretext for having him arrested and putto death.	40 But he was afraid that Jonathan would not permit him, but would fight against him. Looking for a way to seize and kill him, he set out and reached Beth-shan.
41 Jonathan went out to intercept him, with forty thousand picked men in battle order, and arrived atBeth-Shean.	41 Jonathan marched out against him with forty thousand picked fighting men and came to Beth-shan.
42 When Trypho saw him there with a large force, he hesitated to make any move against him.	42 But when Trypho saw that Jonathan had arrived with a large army he was afraid to offer him violence.
43 He even received him with honour, commended him to al his friends, gave him presents andordered his friends and his troops to obey him as they would himself.	43 Instead, he received him with honor, introduced him to all his friends, and gave him presents. He also ordered his friends and soldiers to obey him as they would himself.
44 He said to Jonathan, 'Why have you given all these people so much trouble, when there is no threatof war between us?	44 Then he said to Jonathan: "Why have you put all your soldiers to so much trouble when we are not at war?
45 Send them back home; pick yourself a few men as your bodyguard, and come with me to Ptolemais,which I am going to hand over to you, with the other fortresses and the remaining troops and al the officials;after which, I shal take the road for home. This was my purpose in coming here.'	45 Pick out a few men to stay with you, send the rest back home, and then come with me to Ptolemais. I will hand it over to you together with other strongholds and their garrisons, as well as the officials, then I will leave and go home. That is why I came here."
46 Jonathan trusted him and did as he said; he dismissed his forces, who went back to Judaea.	46 Jonathan believed him and did as he said. He dismissed his troops, and they returned to the land of Judah.
47 With him he retained three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee, while a thousandaccompanied him.	47 But he kept with him three thousand men, of whom he sent two thousand to Galilee while one thousand accompanied him.
48 But as soon as Jonathan had entered Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais closed the gates, seizedhim, and put al those who had entered with him to the sword.	48 Then as soon as Jonathan had entered Ptolemais, the men of the city closed the gates and seized him; all who had entered with him, they killed with the sword.
49 Trypho sent troops and cavalry into Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan's supporters.	49 Trypho sent soldiers and cavalry to Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan's men.
50 These, concluding that he had been taken and had perished with his companions, encouraged oneanother, marching with closed ranks and ready to give battle,	50 These, upon learning that Jonathan had been captured and his companions killed, encouraged one another and went out in compact body ready to fight.
51 and when their pursuers saw that they would fight for their lives, they turned back.	51 As their pursuers saw that they were ready to fight for their lives, they turned back.
52 Al reached Judaea safe and sound, and there they lamented Jonathan and his companions, beingvery frightened indeed; al Israel was plunged into mourning.	52 Thus all these men of Jonathan came safely into the land of Judah. They mourned over Jonathan and his men, and were in great fear, and all Israel fell into deep mourning.
53 The surrounding nations were al now looking for ways of destroying them: 'They have no leader,'they said, 'no ally; we have only to attack them now, and we shall blot out their very memory from all peoples.'	53 All the nations round about sought to destroy them. They said, "Now that they have no leader to help them, let us make war on them and wipe out their memory from among men."