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1 And John [Yah is gracious] went up from Gazara, and told Simeon [Hearing] his father what Cendebaeus was doing. 2 And Simeon [Hearing] called his two oldest sons, Judas [Praised] and John [Yah is gracious], and said to them, I and my brethren and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel [God prevails] from our youth, even to this day; and things have prospered in our hands, that we should deliver Israel [God prevails] oftentimes. 3 But now I am old, and you moreover, by his mercy, are of a sufficient age: be you instead of me and my brother, and go forth and fight for our nation; but let the help which is from heaven (God) be with you. 4 And he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and horsemen, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. 5 And rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great host came to meet them, of footmen and horsemen: and there was a brook between them. 6 And he encamped over against them, he and his people: and he saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, and he passed over first, and the men saw him, and passed over after him. 7 And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the enemies’ horsemen were exceeding many. 8 And they sounded with the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to the rout, and there fell of them many wounded to death, but they that were left fled to the stronghold: 9 at that time was Judas [Praised] John [Yah is gracious]’s brother wounded: but John [Yah is gracious] pursued after them, till he came to Kidron, which Cendebaeus had built; 10 and they fled to the towers that are in the fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire; and there fell of them about two thousand men. And he returned into Judea [Praise] in peace.
11 And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed captain for the plain of Jericho [Fragrant, Moon], and he had much silver and gold; 12 for he was the Cohen Gadol ·High Priest·’s son in law. 13 And his heart was lifted up, and he was minded to make himself master of the country, and he took counsel deceitfully against Simeon [Hearing] and his sons, to make away with them. 14 Now Simeon [Hearing] was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; and he went down to Jericho [Fragrant, Moon], himself and Mattathias [Gift of Yah] and Judas [Praised] his sons, in * the one hundred seventity seventh year, in the eleventh month Shevat ·Staff / Rod / Royal scepter·, the same is the month Sebat: 15 and the son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men there. 16 And when Simeon [Hearing] and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, and took their arms, and came in upon Simeon [Hearing] into the banqueting place, and killed him, and his two sons, and certain of his servants. 17 And he committed a great iniquity, and recompensed evil for good. 18 And Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him forces to aid him, and should deliver him their country and the cities. 19 And he sent others to Gazara to make away with John [Yah is gracious]: and to the captains of thousands he sent letters to come to him, that he might give them silver and gold and gifts. 20 And others he sent to take possession of Jerusalem [City of peace], and the mount of the temple. 21 And one ran before to Gazara, and told John [Yah is gracious] that his father and brethren were perished, and he has sent to kill you also. 22 And when he heard, he was sore amazed; and he laid hands on the men that came to destroy him, and killed them; for he perceived that they were seeking to destroy him.
23 And the rest of the acts of John [Yah is gracious], and of his wars, and of his valiant deeds which he did, and of the building of the walls which he built, and of his doings, 24 behold, they are written in the chronicles of his role as Cohen Gadol ·High Priest·, from the time that he was made Cohen Gadol ·High Priest· after his father.
* 16:14 circa B.C.E 136