the antiquities of the jews-1-第194章

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and　swam　over　it；　and　by　that　means　escaped　beyond　Jordan　while
the　enemies　did　not　pass　over　that　river；　but　Bacchides　returned
presently　to　the　citadel　at　Jerusalem；　having　lost　about　two
thousand　of　his　army。　He　also　fortified　many　cities　of　Judea；
whose　walls　had　been　demolished；　Jericho；　and　Emmaus；　and
Betboron；　and　Bethel；　and　Tinma；　and　Pharatho；　and　Tecoa；　and
Gazara；　and　built　towers　in　every　one　of　these　cities；　and
encompassed　them　with　strong　walls；　that　were　very　large　also；
and　put　garrisons　into　them；　that　they　might　issue　out　of　them；
and　do　mischief　to　the　Jews。　He　also　fortified　the　citadel　at
Jerusalem　more　than　all　the　rest。　Moreover；　he　took　the　sons　of
the　principal　Jews　as　pledges；　and　hut　them　up　in　the　citadel；
and　in　that　manner　guarded　it。

4。　About　the　same　time　one　came　to　Jonathan；　and　to　his　brother
Simon；　and　told　them　that　the　sons　of　Ambri　were　celebrating　a
marriage；　and　bringing　the　bride　from　the　city　Gabatha；　who　was
the　daughter　of　one　of　the　illustrious　men　among　the　Arabians；
and　that　the　damsel　was　to　be　conducted　with　pomp；　and　splendor；
and　much　riches：　so　Jonathan　and　Simon　thinking　this　appeared　to
be　the　fittest　time　for　them　to　avenge　the　death　of　their
brother；　and　that　they　had　forces　sufficient　for　receiving
satisfaction　from　them　for　his　death；　they　made　haste　to　Medaba；
and　lay　in　wait　among　the　mountains　for　the　coming　of　their
enemies；　and　as　soon　as　they　saw　them　conducting　the　virgin；　and
her　bridegroom；　and　such　a　great　company　of　their　friends　with
them　as　was　to　be　expected　at　this　wedding；　they　sallied　out　of
their　ambush；　and　slew　them　all；　and　took　their　ornaments；　and
all　the　prey　that　then　followed　them；　and　so　returned；　and
received　this　satisfaction　for　their　brother　John　from　the　sons
of　Ambri；　for　as　well　those　sons　themselves；　as　their　friends；
and　wives；　and　children　that　followed　them；　perished；　being　in
number　about　four　hundred。

5。　However；　Simon　and　Jonathan　returned　to　the　lakes　of　the
river；　and　abode　there。　But　Bacchides；　when　he　had　secured　all
Judea　with　his　garrisons；　returned　to　the　king；　and　then　it　was
that　the　affairs　of　Judea　were　quiet　for　two　years。　But　when　the
deserters　and　the　wicked　saw　that　Jonathan　and　those　that　were
with　him　lived　in　the　country　very　quietly；　by　reason　of　the
peace；　they　sent　to　king　Demetrius；　and　excited　him　to　send
Bacchides　to　seize　upon　Jonathan；　which　they　said　was　to　be　done
without　any　trouble；　and　in　one　night's　time；　and　that　if　they
fell　upon　them　before　they　were　aware；　they　might　slay　them　all。
So　the　king　sent　Bacchides；　who；　when　he　was　come　into　Judea；
wrote　to　all　his　friends；　both　Jews　and　auxiliaries；　that　they
should　seize　upon　Jonathan；　and　bring　him　to　him；　and　when；　upon
all　their　endeavors；　they　were　not　able　to　seize　upon　Jonathan；
for　he　was　sensible　of　the　snares　they　laid　for　him；　and　very
carefully　guarded　against　them；　Bacchides　was　angry　at　these
deserters；　as　having　imposed　upon　him；　and　upon　the　king；　and
slew　fifty　of　their　leaders：　whereupon　Jonathan；　with　his
brother；　and　those　that　were　with　him；　retired　to　Bethagla；　a
village　that　lay　in　the　wilderness；　out　of　his　fear　of　Bacchides。
He　also　built　towers　in　it；　and　encompassed　it　with　walls；　and
took　care　that　it　should　be　safely　guarded。　Upon　the　hearing　of
which　Bacchides　led　his　own　army　along　with　him；　and　besides　took
his　Jewish　auxiliaries；　and　came　against　Jonathan；　and　made　an
assault　upon　his　fortifications；　and　besieged　him　many　days；　but
Jonathan　did　not　abate　of　his　courage　at　the　zeal　Bacchides　used
in　the　siege；　but　courageously　opposed　him。　And　while　he　left　his
brother　Simon　in　the　city　to　fight　with　Bacchides；　he　went
privately　out　himself　into　the　country；　and　got　a　great　body　of
men　together　of　his　own　party；　and　fell　upon　Bacchides's　camp　in
the　night　time；　and　destroyed　a　great　many　of　them。　His　brother
Simon　knew　also　of　this　his　falling　upon　them；　because　he
perceived　that　the　enemies　were　slain　by　him；　so　he　sallied　out
upon　them；　and　burnt　the　engines　which　the　Macedonians　used；　and
made　a　great　slaughter　of　them。　And　when　Bacchides　saw　himself
encompassed　with　enemies；　and　some　of　them　before　and　some　behind
him；　he　fell　into　despair　and　trouble　of　mind；　as　confounded　at
the　unexpected　ill　success　of　this　siege。　However；　he　vented　his
displeasure　at　these　misfortunes　upon　those　deserters　who　sent
for　him　from　the　king；　as　having　deluded　him。　So　he　had　a　mind　to
finish　this　siege　after　a　decent　manner；　if　it　were　possible　for
him　so　to　do；　and　then　to　return　home。

6。　When　Jonathan　understood　these　his　intentions；　he　sent
ambassadors　to　him　about　a　league　of　friendship　and　mutual
assistance；　and　that　they　might　restore　those　they　had　taken
captive　on　both　sides。　So　Bacchides　thought　this　a　pretty　decent
way　of　retiring　home；　and　made　a　league　of　friendship　with
Jonathan；　when　they　sware　that　they　would　not　any　more　make　war
one　against　another。　Accordingly；　he　restored　the　captives；　and
took　his　own　men　with　him；　and　returned　to　the　king　at　Antioch；
and　after　this　his　departure；　he　never　came　into　Judea　again。
Then　did　Jonathan　take　the　opportunity　of　this　quiet　state　of
things；　and　went　and　lived　in　the　city　Michmash；　and　there
governed　the　multitude；　and　punished　the　wicked　and　ungodly；　and
by　that　means　purged　the　nation　of　them。

CHAPTER　2。

How　Alexander　＇Bala＇　In　His　War　With　Demetrius；　Granted　Jonathan
Many　Advantages　And　Appointed　Him　To　Be　High　Priest　And　Persuaded
Him　To　Assist　Him　Although　Demetrius　Promised　Him　Greater
Advantages　On　The　Other　Side。　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Demetrius。

1。　Now　in　the　hundred　and　sixtieth　year；　it　fell　out　that
Alexander；　the　son　of　Antiochus　Epiphanes；　（1）　came　up　into
Syria；　and　took　Ptolemais　the　soldiers　within　having　betrayed　it
to　him；　for　they　were　at　enmity　with　Demetrius；　on　account　of　his
insolence　and　difficulty　of　access；　for　he　shut　himself　up　in　a
palace　of　his　that　had　four　towers　which　he　had　built　himself；
not　far　from　Antioch　and　admitted　nobody。　He　was　withal　slothful
and　negligent　about　the　public　affairs；　whereby　the　hatred　of　his
subjects　was　the　more　kindled　against　him；　as　we　have　elsewhere
already　related。　When　therefore　Demetrius　heard　that　Alexander
was　in　Ptolemais；　he　took　his　whole　army；　and　led　it　against　him；
he　also　sent　ambassadors　to　Jonathan　about　a　league　of　mutual
assistance　and　friendship；　for　he　resolved　to　be　beforehand　with
Alexander；　lest　the　other　should　treat　with　him　first；　and　gain
assistance　from　him；　and　this　he　did　out　of　the　fear　he　had　lest
Jonathan　should　remember　how　ill　Demetrius　had　formerly　treated
him；　and　should　join　with　him　in　this　war　against　him。　He
therefore　gave　orders　that　Jonathan　should　be　allowed　to　raise　an
army；　and　should　get　armor　made；　and　should　receive　back　those
hostages　of　the　Jewish　nation　whom　Baechides　had　shut　up　in　the
citadel　of　Jerusalem。　When　this　good　fortune　had　befallen
Jonathan；　by　the　concession　of　Demetrius；　he　came　to　Jerusalem；
and　read　the　king's　letter　in　the　audience　of　the　people；　and　of
those　that　kept　the　citadel。　When　these　were　read；　these　wicked
men　and　deserters；　who　were　in　the　citadel；　were　greatly　afraid；
upon　the　king's　permission　to　Jonathan　to　raise　an　army；　and　to
receive　back　the　hostages。　So　he　delivered　every　one　of　them　to
his　own　parents。　And　thus　did　Jonathan　make　his　abode　at
Jerusalem；　renewing　the　city　to　a　better　state；　and　reforming　the
buildings　as　he　pleased；　for　he　gave　orders　that　the　walls　of　the
city　should　be　rebuilt　with　square　stones；　that　it　might　be　more
secure　from　their　enemies。　And　when　those　that　kept　the　garrisons
that　were　in　Judea　saw　this；　they　all　left　them；　and　fled　to
Antioch；　excepting　those　that　were　in　the　city　Bethsura；　and
those　that　were　in　the　citadel　of　Jerusalem；　for　the　greater　part
of　these　was　of　the　wicked　Jews　and　deserters；　and　on　that
account　these　did　not　deliver　up　their　garrisons。

2。　When　Alexander　knew　what　promises　Demetrius　had　made　Jonathan；
and　withal　knew　his　courage；　and　what　great　things　he　had　done
when　he　fought　the　Macedonians；　and　besides　what　hardships　he　had