Part 41 (1/2)

1 Mac 10:67 Furthermore in the hundred threescore and fifth year came Demetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his fathers:

1 Mac 10:68 Whereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry, and returned into Antioch.

1 Mac 10:69 Then Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high priest, saying,

1 Mac 10:70 Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laughed to scorn for thy sake, and reproached: and why dost thou vaunt thy power against us in the mountains?

1 Mac 10:71 Now therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter together: for with me is the power of the cities.

1 Mac 10:72 Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and they shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to to flight in their own land.

1 Mac 10:73 Wherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the hors.e.m.e.n and so great a power in the plain, where is neither stone nor flint, nor place to flee unto.

1 Mac 10:74 So when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind, and choosing ten thousand men he went out of Jerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him.

1 Mac 10:75 And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.

1 Mac 10:76 Then Jonathan laid siege unto it: whereupon they of the city let him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa.

1 Mac 10:77 Whereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand hors.e.m.e.n, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as one that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the plain, because he had a great number of hors.e.m.e.n, in whom he put his trust.

1 Mac 10:78 Then Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined battle.

1 Mac 10:79 Now Apollonius had left a thousand hors.e.m.e.n in ambush.

1 Mac 10:80 And Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him; for they had compa.s.sed in his host, and cast darts at the people, from morning till evening.

1 Mac 10:81 But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them: and so the enemies' horses were tired.

1 Mac 10:82 Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the footmen, (for the hors.e.m.e.n were spent) who were discomfited by him, and fled.

1 Mac 10:83 The hors.e.m.e.n also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for safety.

1 Mac 10:84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.

1 Mac 10:85 Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh eight thousand men.

1 Mac 10:86 And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great pomp.

1 Mac 10:87 After this returned Jonathan and his host unto Jerusalem, having any spoils.

1 Mac 10:88 Now when king ALexander heard these things, he honoured Jonathan yet more.

1 Mac 10:89 And sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to such as are of the king's blood: he gave him also Accaron with the borders thereof in possession.

1 Mac 11:1 And the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like the sand that lieth upon the sea sh.o.r.e, and many s.h.i.+ps, and went about through deceit to get Alexander's kingdom, and join it to his own.

1 Mac 11:2 Whereupon he took his journey into Spain in peaceable manner, so as they of the cities opened unto him, and met him: for king Alexander had commanded them so to do, because he was his brother in law.

1 Mac 11:3 Now as Ptolemee entered into the cities, he set in every one of them a garrison of soldiers to keep it.