Trypho captures Jonathan
39 At that time, Trypho attempted to rise up against King Antiochus, put on the crown, and become king in Asia.
40
He feared that Jonathan might not permit him to do this, making war on him. So he kept trying to capture and kill him. He marched out and came to Beth-shan.
41
Jonathan went out to meet him with forty thousand select warriors. He also came to Beth-shan.
42
When Trypho saw that he had come with a large army, he was afraid to lift a hand against him.
43
So he received Jonathan with honor and commended him to all his chief political advisors. He gave him gifts and told his advisors and troops to obey him as they would himself.
44
Then he said to Jonathan, "Why have you put all these people to so much trouble when we're not at war?
45
Tell them to go back to their homes. Pick for yourself a few men to stay with you, and come with me to Ptolemais. I'll hand it over to you as well as the other fortresses and the remaining troops and officials. Then I'll turn around and go home. That's why I'm here."
46
Jonathan trusted him and did what he said. He sent away his troops, and they returned to Judah.
47
He kept with himself three thousand troops—two thousand of whom he left in Galilee, while one thousand accompanied him.
48
But when Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people there closed the gates and captured him, and killed with their swords all those who had entered with him.
49
Trypho then sent infantry and cavalry into Galilee and the great plain to destroy Jonathan's soldiers.
50
But Jonathan's forces believed that Jonathan had been seized and had died along with his troops. They encouraged each other and kept marching in tight formation, ready for fighting.
51
When their pursuers saw that they would fight for their lives, they turned back.
52
So they all reached the land of Judah safely. They mourned for Jonathan and his companions, and they were very anxious. All Israel mourned deeply.
53
All the nations around them tried to destroy them, saying, "They have no leader or helper now. Let's make war against them and blot out their memory from humanity."