1 Then came up John from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done.

1 Et ascendit Joannes de Gazaris, et nuntiavit Simoni patri suo quæ fecit Cendebæus in populo ipsorum.

2 Wherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said unto them, I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have ever from our youth unto this day fought against the enemies of Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.

2 Et vocavit Simon duos filios seniores, Judam et Joannem, et ait illis: Ego, et fratres mei, et domus patris mei expugnavimus hostes Israël ab adolescentia usque in hunc diem: et prosperatum est in manibus nostris liberare Israël aliquoties.

3 But now I am old, and ye, by God's mercy, are of a sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go and fight for our nation, and the help from heaven be with you.

3 Nunc autem senui: sed estote loco meo, et fratres mei, et egressi pugnate pro gente nostra: auxilium vero de cælo vobiscum sit.

4 So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war with horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus, and rested that night at Modin.

4 Et elegit de regione viginti millia virorum belligeratorum, et equites: et profecti sunt ad Cendebæum, et dormierunt in Modin.

5 And when as they rose in the morning, and went into the plain, behold, a mighty great host both of footmen and horsemen came against them: howbeit there was a water brook betwixt them.

5 Et surrexerunt mane, et abierunt in campum: et ecce exercitus copiosus in obviam illis peditum et equitum: et fluvius torrens erat inter medium ipsorum.

6 So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he saw that the people were afraid to go over the water brook, he went first over himself, and then the men seeing him passed through after him.

6 Et admovit castra contra faciem eorum ipse et populus ejus, et vidit populum trepidantem ad transfretandum torrentem: et transfretavit primus, et viderunt eum viri, et transierunt post eum.

7 That done, he divided his men, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: for the enemies' horsemen were very many.

7 Et divisit populum et equites in medio peditum: erat autem equitatus adversariorum copiosus nimis.

8 Then sounded they with the holy trumpets: whereupon Cendebeus and his host were put to flight, so that many of them were slain, and the remnant gat them to the strong hold.

8 Et exclamaverunt sacris tubis, et in fugam conversus est Cendebæus et castra ejus: et ceciderunt ex eis multi vulnerati: residui autem in munitionem fugerunt.

9 At that time was Judas John's brother wounded; but John still followed after them, until he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus had built.

9 Tunc vulneratus est Judas frater Joannis: Joannes autem insecutus est eos, donec venit Cedronem, quam ædificavit:

10 So they fled even unto the towers in the fields of Azotus; wherefore he burned it with fire: so that there were slain of them about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into the land of Judea in peace.

10 et fugerunt usque ad turres, quæ erant in agris Azoti, et succendit eas igni. Et ceciderunt ex illis duo millia virorum, et reversus est in Judæam in pace.

11 Moreover in the plain of Jericho was Ptolemeus the son of Abubus made captain, and he had abundance of silver and gold:

11 ¶ Et Ptolemæus filius Abobi constitutus erat dux in campo Jericho, et habebat argentum et aurum multum:

12 For he was the high priest's son in law.

12 erat enim gener summi sacerdotis.

13 Wherefore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the country to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against Simon and his sons to destroy them.

13 Et exaltatum est cor ejus, et volebat obtinere regionem, et cogitabat dolum adversus Simonem et filios ejus, ut tolleret eos.

14 Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he came down himself to Jericho with his sons, Mattathias and Judas, in the hundred threescore and seventeenth year, in the eleventh month, called Sabat:

14 Simon autem, perambulans civitates quæ erant in regione Judææ, et sollicitudinem gerens earum, descendit in Jericho ipse, et Mathathias filius ejus, et Judas, anno centesimo septuagesimo septimo, mense undecimo: hic est mensis Sabath.

15 Where the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a little hold, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great banquet: howbeit he had hid men there.

15 Et suscepit eos filius Abobi in munitiunculam, quæ vocatur Doch, cum dolo, quam ædificavit: et fecit eis convivium magnum, et abscondit illic viros.

16 So when Simon and his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemee and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and certain of his servants.

16 Et cum inebriatus esset Simon et filii ejus, surrexit Ptolemæus cum suis, et sumpserunt arma sua, et intraverunt in convivium: et occiderunt eum, et duos filios ejus, et quosdam pueros ejus:

17 In which doing he committed a great treachery, and recompensed evil for good.

17 et fecit deceptionem magnam in Israël, et reddidit mala pro bonis.

18 Then Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him the country and cities.

18 Et scripsit hæc Ptolemæus, et misit regi ut mitteret ei exercitum in auxilium, et traderet ei regionem, et civitates eorum, et tributa.

19 He sent others also to Gazara to kill John: and unto the tribunes he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give them silver, and gold, and rewards.

19 Et misit alios in Gazaram tollere Joannem: et tribunis misit epistolas, ut venirent ad se, et daret eis argentum, et aurum, et dona.

20 And others he sent to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.

20 Et alios misit occupare Jerusalem et montem templi.

21 Now one had run afore to Gazara, and told John that his father and brethren were slain, and, quoth he, Ptolemee hath sent to slay thee also.

21 Et præcurrens quidam, nuntiavit Joanni in Gazara quia periit pater ejus et fratres ejus, et quia misit te quoque interfici.

22 Hereof when he heard, he was sore astonished: so he laid hands on them that were come to destroy him, and slew them; for he knew that they sought to make him away.

22 Ut audivit autem, vehementer expavit: et comprehendit viros, qui venerant perdere eum, et occidit eos: cognovit enim quia quærebant eum perdere.

23 As concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and worthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he made, and his doings,

23 ¶ Et cetera sermonum Joannis, et bellorum ejus, et bonarum virtutum, quibus fortiter gessit, et ædificii murorum, quos exstruxit, et rerum gestarum ejus:

24 Behold, these are written in the chronicles of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.

24 ecce hæc scripta sunt in libro dierum sacerdotii ejus, ex quo factus est princeps sacerdotum post patrem suum.