17
And we have commanded them to go also to you, and to salute you, and to deliver you our letters, concerning the renewing of our brotherhood.
18
And now you shall do well to give us an answer hereto.
19
And this is the copy of the letter which he had sent to Onias:
20
Arius king of the Spartans to Onias the high priest, greeting.
21
It is found in writing concerning the Spartans, and the Jews, that they are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham.
22
And now since this is come to our knowledge, you do well to write to us of your prosperity.
23
And we also have written back to you: That our cattle, and our possessions are yours: and yours, ours. We therefore have commanded that these things should be told you.
24
Now Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius were come again with a greater army than before to fight against him.
25
So he went out from Jerusalem, and met them in the land of Amath: for he gave them no time to enter into his country.
26
And he sent spies into their camp, and they came back and brought him word that they designed to come upon them in the night.
27
And when the sun was set, Jonathan commanded his men to watch, and to be in arms all night long ready to fight, and he set sentinels round about the camp.