2 Maccabees 6

1 And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in the castle in Jerusalem in custody. 2 Now in the year one hundred and fifty-three, the second month, Alcimus commanded the walls of the inner court of the sanctuary to be thrown down, and the works of the prophets to be destroyed: and he began to destroy. 3 At that time Alcimus was struck: and his works were hindered, and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more speak a word, nor give order concerning his house. 4 And Alcimus died at that time in great torment. 5 And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead: and he returned to the king, and the land was quiet for two years. 6 And all the wicked held a council, saying: Behold Jonathan, and they that are with him, dwell at ease and without fear: now, therefore, let us bring Bacchides hither, and he shall take them all in one night. 7 So they went, and gave him counsel. 8 And he arose to come with a great army: and he sent secretly letters to his adherents that were in Judea to seize upon Jonathan, and them that were with him: but they could not, for their design was known to them. 9 And he apprehended of the men of the country, that were the principal authors of the mischief, fifty men, and he slew them. 10 And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, retired into Bethbessen, which is in the desert: and he repaired the breaches thereof, and they fortified it. 11 And when Bacchides knew it, he gathered together all his multitude: and sent word to them that were of Judea. 12 And he came, and camped above Bethbessen, and fought against it many days, and made engines. 13 But Jonathan left his brother, Simon, in the city and went forth into the country, and came with a number of men, 14 And struck Odares, and his brethren, and the children of Phaseron, in their tents, and he began to slay, and to increase in forces. 15 But Simon, and they that were with him, sallied out of the city, and burnt the engines, 16 And they fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them: and they afflicted him exceedingly, for his counsel, and his enterprise was in vain. 17 And he was angry with the wicked men that had given him counsel to come into their country, and he slew many of them: and he purposed to return with the rest into their country. 18 And Jonathan had knowledge of it, and he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him, and to restore to him the prisoners. 19 And he accepted it willingly, and did according to his words, and swore that he would do him no harm all the days of his life. 20 And he restored to him the prisoners which he before had taken out of the land of Juda: and he returned, and went away into his own country, and he came no more into their borders. 21 So the sword ceased from Israel: and Jonathan dwelt in Machmas, and Jonathan began there to judge the people, and he destroyed the wicked out of Israel. 23 Now in the hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the son of Antiochus, surnamed the Illustrious, came up and took Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there. 24 And king Demetrius heard of it, and gathered together an exceeding great army, and went forth against him to fight. 25 And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan, with peaceable words, to magnify him. 26 For he said: Let us first make a peace with him, before he make one with Alexander against us. 27 For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brother, and against his nation. 28 And he gave him authority to gather together a army, and to make arms, and that he should be his confederate: and the hostages that were in the castle, he commanded to be delivered to him. 29 And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of them that were in the castle. 30 And they were struck with great fear, because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army. 31 And the hostages were delivered to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents.