65. And the king magnified him, and he enrolled him among his foremost friends, and he gave him a position as governor and as a participant in his dominion.
66. And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and joy.
67. In the one hundred and sixty-fifth year, Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, came from Crete into the land of his fathers.
68. And king Alexander heard of it, and he was very sorrowful, and he returned to Antioch.
69. And king Demetrius appointed Apollonius as his general, who was in charge of Coelesyria. And he gathered together a great army, and he drew near to Jamnia. And he sent to Jonathan, the high priest,
70. saying: "You alone resist us, and so I have been brought to derision and disgrace, because you exercise your power against us in the mountains.
71. Now, therefore, if you trust in your forces, descend to us in the plains, and there let us contest one another. For the power of war is with me.
72. Inquire, and learn who I am, and the others, who are auxiliaries to me, who also say that your feet cannot stand before our face, for your fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land.
73. And now, how will you be able to withstand the horsemen, and so great an army in the plains, where there is no stone, or rock, or place to flee?"
74. But when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was moved in his soul. And he chose ten thousand men, and he departed from Jerusalem, and Simon, his brother, met him to help him.
75. And they positioned their tents near Joppa, but they excluded him from the city, because a garrison from Apollonius was in Joppa. And so, he attacked it.
76. And those who were in the city, being terrified, opened to him. And so Jonathan obtained Joppa.
77. And Apollonius heard of it, and he moved three thousand horsemen, and a great army.
78. And he went toward Azotus, like one making a journey, but he suddenly departed into the plains, because he had a great number of horsemen, and he trusted in them. And Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, and they joined together in battle.
79. And Apollonius secretly left behind them in the camp a thousand horsemen.
80. And Jonathan realized that there was an ambush behind him, and they surrounded his camp, and they cast darts at the people from morning until evening.
81. But the people stood firm, just as Jonathan had instructed them, and their horses suffered hardships.
82. Then Simon drew forth his army, and he sent them against the legion. For the horsemen were wearied. And they were crushed by him, and they fled.