the antiquities of the jews-1- 第155部分

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　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