1
When the peace agreement between the Jews and the Syrians was completed, Lysias returned to the king, and the Jews went back to their farming.
2
But some of the local governors, Timothy and Apollonius son of Gennaeus, as well as Hieronymus and Demophon, would not let them live in peace; and neither would Nicanor, the commander of the mercenaries from Cyprus.
3
About this time, the people of Joppa did a cruel thing to the Jews of their city. They pretended to be friendly to the Jews and invited them and their families to go sailing with them on ships they had provided.
4
Since all the people of the town had decided to do this, the Jews suspected nothing and accepted the invitation out of a feeling of good will. But when they were out at sea, the people of Joppa drowned all two hundred of them.
5
As soon as Judas heard of this inhuman thing that had been done to those Jews, he informed his men.
6
After they had prayed to God, the just judge, they attacked the murderers. Under cover of darkness they set fire to the harbor, burning all the ships, and killing everyone they found hiding there.
7
The gates of the city were locked, so Judas withdrew; but he was determined to return at some other time and wipe out everyone living there.
8
Judas heard that the people of Jamnia had plans to kill the Jews of their city also.
9
So he attacked Jamnia at night, setting fire to its harbor and the ships there. The flames could be seen as far as Jerusalem, thirty miles away.
10
When Judas and his men were about a mile away from Jamnia on their way to meet Timothy in battle, they were attacked by more than 5,000 Arabs, supported by 500 cavalry.