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 Ascalon, where the people welcomed him with great honors.
61
Then he went to Gaza, but the people there barred their gates against him. So he laid siege to the city and burned 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 learned that the officers of Demetrius had come to Kedesh in Galilee with a large army, intending to keep him from carrying out his plan.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.