4
for he said to himself, "Let us act first to make peace with him before he makes peace with Alexander against us,
5
for he will remember all the wrongs that we did to him and to his brothers and his nation."
6
So Demetrius gave him authority to recruit troops, to equip them with arms, and to become his ally; and he commanded that the hostages in the citadel should be released to him.
7
Then Jonathan came to Jerusalem and read the letter in the hearing of all the people and of those in the citadel.
8
They were greatly alarmed when they heard that the king had given him authority to recruit troops.
9
But those in the citadel released the hostages to Jonathan, and he returned them to their parents.
10
And Jonathan took up residence in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city.
11
He directed those who were doing the work to build the walls and encircle Mount Zion with squared stones, for better fortification; and they did so.
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.