Old Testament

New Testament

1 Maccabees 11:50-63 Good News Bible Anglicised (GNBDC)

50. him to arrange a truce and stop the Jewish attack.

51. The rebels threw down their arms and surrendered. The king and everyone in his kingdom now had great respect for the Jews, who returned to Jerusalem with a great deal of loot.

52. Demetrius was firmly established as king, and the country was at peace under his rule,

53. but he broke all his promises and turned against Jonathan. He did not reward him for his loyal service, but instead continued to harass him.

54. Some time later, Trypho returned with the young boy Antiochus and crowned him king.

55. All the soldiers that Demetrius had dismissed then came to the support of the young king. They defeated Demetrius and he fled.

56. Trypho captured the elephants and took control of Antioch.

57. The young King Antiochus wrote to Jonathan and confirmed him as High Priest and as ruler over the four regions and gave him the title “Friend of the King.”

58. He sent him a gold dinner-service and authorized him to drink from gold cups, to wear a royal robe, and to wear the gold shoulder buckle awarded to “Relatives of the King.”

59. He also appointed Jonathan's brother Simon as governor of the territory from the Phoenician coast to the Egyptian border.

60. Jonathan then marched with his army through the towns of Greater Syria, and all the Syrian forces joined him as allies. He went to Ashkelon, where the people welcomed him with great honours.

61. Then he went to Gaza, but the people there barred their gates against him. So he laid siege to the city and burnt and looted the surrounding area.

62. The people of Gaza then asked for peace, and Jonathan arranged a truce. He took the sons of the leaders and sent them to Jerusalem as hostages. After that he marched on as far as Damascus.

63. Jonathan learnt that the officers of Demetrius had come to Kedesh in Galilee with a large army, intending to keep him from carrying out his plan.

Read complete chapter 1 Maccabees 11