12
Then the foreigners who were in the strongholds that Bacchides had built fled;
13
all of them left their places and went back to their own lands.
14
Only in Beth-zur did some remain who had forsaken the law and the commandments, for it served as a place of refuge.
15
Now King Alexander heard of all the promises that Demetrius had sent to Jonathan, and he heard of the battles that Jonathan and his brothers had fought, of the brave deeds that they had done, and of the troubles that they had endured.
16
So he said, "Shall we find another such man? Come now, we will make him our friend and ally."
17
And he wrote a letter and sent it to him, in the following words:
18
"King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greetings.
19
We have heard about you, that you are a mighty warrior and worthy to be our friend.
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And so we have appointed you today to be the high priest of your nation; you are to be called the king's Friend and you are to take our side and keep friendship with us." He also sent him a purple robe and a golden crown.
21
So Jonathan put on the sacred vestments in the seventh month of the one hundred sixtieth year, at the festival of booths, and he recruited troops and equipped them with arms in abundance.
22
When Demetrius heard of these things he was distressed and said,