Alliances with Rome and Sparta
1 When Jonathan felt that the time was favorable, he chose envoys and sent them to Rome in order to confirm and renew friendship with them.
2
He also sent letters in the same vein to the Spartans and to others.
3
The envoys went to Rome and entered the senate chamber. They said, "Jonathan the high priest and the Jewish nation have sent us to renew our former friendship and alliance."
4
The Romans provided letters for them to give to various people to ask them to assure the envoys safe passage back to Judah.
5
This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:
6
The high priest Jonathan, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people. To their brothers the Spartans. Greetings!
7
In the past, your king Arius sent a letter to the high priest Onias, stating that you are our relatives as the appended copy shows.
8
Onias welcomed the envoy with honor and received the letter, which contained a clear declaration of alliance and friendship.
9
Generally, we have no need of these things, since we have the holy scrolls as encouragement.
10
Yet we have desired to renew our family ties and friendship with you so that we may not become estranged from you, because considerable time has passed since you sent your letter to us.
11
We remember you constantly on every occasion—at our festivals and on other appropriate days, at the sacrifices that we offer, and in our prayers—as it is right and proper to remember relatives.
12
Furthermore, we rejoice at your success.
13
As for us, we have experienced many trials and many wars. The kings around us have waged war against us.
14
We have not wanted to bother you and our other allies and friends about these wars
15
because we have the help that comes from heaven. So we have been delivered from our enemies, and they have been humbled.
16
Therefore, we chose Numenius, Antiochus' son, and Antipater, Jason's son, and sent them to Rome to renew our former friendship and alliance with them.
17
We have told them to go to you as well and greet you and deliver to you this letter from us concerning the renewal of our family ties.
18
So please send us a reply.
19
This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Onias:
20
King Arius of the Spartans. To the high priest Onias. Greetings!
21
It has been discovered in a written record that the Spartans and the Jews are relatives and are both of the family of Abraham.
22
Since we have learned this, please let us know how you are.
23
On our part, we write to let you know that what is yours—your livestock and property—belongs to us, and ours belongs to you. We therefore command that our envoys report to you in keeping with this.