1 Subindo de Gazara a Jerusalém, veio João anunciar a seu pai os atos de Cendebeu.

2 Mandou então Simão vir seus dois filhos mais velhos, João e Judas, e lhes disse: "Eu, meus irmãos e a casa de meu pai temos combatido os inimigos de Israel desde nossa juventude até o dia de hoje, e, muitas vezes, conseguimos libertar a nação.

3 Mas já estou velho, enquanto que vós, graças a Deus, tendes a idade necessária. Tomai, pois, o meu lugar e o de meu irmão. Ide combater por nossa raça, e que o socorro do céu esteja convosco".

4 João recrutou no país vinte mil combatentes e cavaleiros. Foram eles contra Cendebeu e acamparam em Modin.

5 Levantaram-se ao romper do dia, avançaram pela planície, e eis que um exército numeroso de infantes e de cavaleiros apareceu diante deles, estando separado apenas por uma torrente.

6 João dispôs seus homens diante do inimigo, mas, percebendo que eles temiam passar a torrente, atravessou-a por primeiro e, a exemplo dele, todos atravessaram em seguida.

7 Dividiu seu exército e colocou os cavaleiros no meio dos infantes, porque a cavalaria inimiga era muito numerosa.

8 Fizeram soar as trombetas. Cendebeu e seu exército foram derrotados. Muitos dentre os seus caíram sob os golpes e o restante fugiu para a fortaleza.

9 Judas, irmão de João, foi ferido, mas João perseguiu o inimigo até Quedron, construída por ele.

10 Muitos fugiram para as torres construídas no campo de Azoto, mas ele incendiou-as e pereceram cerca de dois mil homens. Depois disso, João voltou em paz para a Judeia.

11 Ptolomeu, filho de Abubo, tinha sido nomeado comandante da planície de Jericó. Possuía muito ouro e prata,

12 porque era genro do sumo sacerdote.

13 Seu coração ensoberbeceu-se e ele resolveu tornar-se senhor do país. Maquinou pois uma traição contra Simão e seus filhos para livrar-se deles.

14 Ora, no undécimo mês, isto é, no mês de Sabat do ano cento e setenta e sete, quando ele percorria as cidades do país, para cuidar de seus interesses, Simão desceu a Jericó com seus filhos Matatias e Judas.

15 O filho de Abubo recebeu-o dolosamente no forte de Doc, que tinha construído, e onde ele havia ocultado seus homens. Deu um grande banquete

16 e, quando Simão e seus filhos ficaram ébrios, Ptolomeu e seus companheiros ergueram-se, tomaram suas armas e lançaram-se sobre Simão, na sala do banquete. Mataram-no como também seus dois filhos e alguns de seus servidores.

17 Isso foi uma grande perfídia cometida em Israel e pagou-se o bem com o mal.

18 Ptolomeu escreveu ao rei para informá-lo, pedindo que lhe enviasse tropas de socorro e lhe cedesse a região e as cidades.

19 Mandou outros a Gazara, com a missão de matar João. Convocou por meio de cartas os chefes do exército, para entregar-lhes prata, ouro e presentes.

20 Enviou outros emissários a conquistar Jerusalém e a montanha santa.

21 Mas, antecipando-os, alguém veio a Gazara avisar João de que seu pai e seus irmãos tinham perecido e que tinham enviado assassinos para matá-lo.

22 Com essa notícia, João ficou espavorido, mas mandou prender aqueles que vinham matá-lo, e os exterminou, sabendo perfeitamente que tinham a intenção de assassiná-lo.

23 As outras palavras de João, suas guerras e os seus feitos que realizou com valentia, como construiu as muralhas,

24 tudo isso está narrado nos anais de seu pontificado, desde o momento em que ele se tornou sumo sacerdote em lugar de seu pai.

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

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 my 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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:

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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,

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