Antiquities Book 13, Chapter 1
How Jonathan Took The Government After His Brother Judas; And How He, Together With His Brother Simon, Waged War Against Bacchides.
1. By what means the nation of the Jews recovered their freedom when
they had been brought into slavery by the Macedonians, and what
struggles, and how great battles, Judas, the general of their army, ran
through, till he was slain as he was fighting for them, hath been
related in the foregoing book; but after he was dead, all the wicked,
and those that transgressed the laws of their forefathers, sprang up
again in Judea, and grew upon them, and distressed them on every side. A
famine also assisted their wickedness, and afflicted the country, till
not a few, who by reason of their want of necessaries, and because they
were not able to bear up against the miseries that both the famine and
their enemies brought upon them, deserted their country, and went to the
Macedonians. And now Bacchides gathered those Jews together who had
apostatized from the accustomed way of living of their forefathers, and
chose to live like their neighbors, and committed the care of the
country to them, who also caught the friends of Judas, and those of his
party, and delivered them up to Bacchides, who when he had, in the first
place, tortured and tormented them at his pleasure, he, by that means,
at length killed them. And when this calamity of the Jews was become so
great, as they had never had experience of the like since their return
out of Babylon, those that remained of the companions of Judas, seeing
that the nation was ready to be destroyed after a miserable manner, came
to his brother Jonathan, and desired him that he would imitate his
brother, and that care which he took of his countrymen, for whose
liberty in general he died also; and that he would not permit the nation
to be without a governor, especially in those destructive circumstances
wherein it now was. And where Jonathan said that he was ready to die for
them, and esteemed no inferior to his brother, he was appointed to be
the general of the Jewish army.
2. When Bacchides heard this, and was afraid that Jonathan might be very
troublesome to the king and the Macedonians, as Judas had been before
him, he sought how he might slay him by treachery. But this intention of
his was not unknown to Jonathan, nor to his brother Simon; but when
these two were apprized of it, they took all their companions, and
presently fled into that wilderness which was nearest to the city; and
when they were come to a lake called Asphar, they abode there. But when
Bacchides was sensible that they were in a low state, and were in that
place, he hasted to fall upon them with all his forces, and pitching his
camp beyond Jordan, he recruited his army. But when Jonathan knew that
Bacchides Was coming upon him, he sent his brother John, who was also
called Gaddis, to the Nabatean Arabs, that he might lodge his baggage
with them until the battle with Bacchides should be over, for they were
the Jews' friends. And the sons of Ambri laid an ambush for John from
the city Medaba, and seized upon him, and upon those that were with him,
and plundered all that they had with them. They also slew John, and all
his companions. However, they were sufficiently punished for what they
now did by John's brethren, as we shall relate presently.
3. But when Bacchides knew that Jonathan had pitched his camp among the
lakes of Jordan, he observed when their sabbath day came, and then
assaulted him, [as supposing that he would not fight because of the law
for resting on that day]: but he exhorted his companions [to fight]; and
told them that their lives were at stake, since they were encompassed by
the river, and by their enemies, and had no way to escape, for that
their enemies pressed upon them from before, and the river was behind
them. So after he had prayed to God to give them the victory, he joined
battle with the enemy, of whom he overthrew many; and as he saw
Bacchides coming up boldly to him, he stretched out his right hand to
smite him; but the other foreseeing and avoiding the stroke, Jonathan
with his companions leaped into the river, 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 shut
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.
they had been brought into slavery by the Macedonians, and what
struggles, and how great battles, Judas, the general of their army, ran
through, till he was slain as he was fighting for them, hath been
related in the foregoing book; but after he was dead, all the wicked,
and those that transgressed the laws of their forefathers, sprang up
again in Judea, and grew upon them, and distressed them on every side. A
famine also assisted their wickedness, and afflicted the country, till
not a few, who by reason of their want of necessaries, and because they
were not able to bear up against the miseries that both the famine and
their enemies brought upon them, deserted their country, and went to the
Macedonians. And now Bacchides gathered those Jews together who had
apostatized from the accustomed way of living of their forefathers, and
chose to live like their neighbors, and committed the care of the
country to them, who also caught the friends of Judas, and those of his
party, and delivered them up to Bacchides, who when he had, in the first
place, tortured and tormented them at his pleasure, he, by that means,
at length killed them. And when this calamity of the Jews was become so
great, as they had never had experience of the like since their return
out of Babylon, those that remained of the companions of Judas, seeing
that the nation was ready to be destroyed after a miserable manner, came
to his brother Jonathan, and desired him that he would imitate his
brother, and that care which he took of his countrymen, for whose
liberty in general he died also; and that he would not permit the nation
to be without a governor, especially in those destructive circumstances
wherein it now was. And where Jonathan said that he was ready to die for
them, and esteemed no inferior to his brother, he was appointed to be
the general of the Jewish army.
2. When Bacchides heard this, and was afraid that Jonathan might be very
troublesome to the king and the Macedonians, as Judas had been before
him, he sought how he might slay him by treachery. But this intention of
his was not unknown to Jonathan, nor to his brother Simon; but when
these two were apprized of it, they took all their companions, and
presently fled into that wilderness which was nearest to the city; and
when they were come to a lake called Asphar, they abode there. But when
Bacchides was sensible that they were in a low state, and were in that
place, he hasted to fall upon them with all his forces, and pitching his
camp beyond Jordan, he recruited his army. But when Jonathan knew that
Bacchides Was coming upon him, he sent his brother John, who was also
called Gaddis, to the Nabatean Arabs, that he might lodge his baggage
with them until the battle with Bacchides should be over, for they were
the Jews' friends. And the sons of Ambri laid an ambush for John from
the city Medaba, and seized upon him, and upon those that were with him,
and plundered all that they had with them. They also slew John, and all
his companions. However, they were sufficiently punished for what they
now did by John's brethren, as we shall relate presently.
3. But when Bacchides knew that Jonathan had pitched his camp among the
lakes of Jordan, he observed when their sabbath day came, and then
assaulted him, [as supposing that he would not fight because of the law
for resting on that day]: but he exhorted his companions [to fight]; and
told them that their lives were at stake, since they were encompassed by
the river, and by their enemies, and had no way to escape, for that
their enemies pressed upon them from before, and the river was behind
them. So after he had prayed to God to give them the victory, he joined
battle with the enemy, of whom he overthrew many; and as he saw
Bacchides coming up boldly to him, he stretched out his right hand to
smite him; but the other foreseeing and avoiding the stroke, Jonathan
with his companions leaped into the river, 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 shut
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.