16
When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Simon in the banquet hall and killed him and his two sons, as well as some of his servants.
17
So he committed an act of great treachery and returned evil for good.
18
Then Ptolemy wrote a report about these things and sent it to the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over to him the towns and the country.
19
He sent other troops to Gazara to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and gold and gifts;
20
and he sent other troops to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill.
21
But someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and brothers had perished, and that "he has sent men to kill you also."
22
When he heard this, he was greatly shocked; he seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that they were seeking to destroy him.
23
The rest of the acts of John and his wars and the brave deeds that he did, and the building of the walls that he completed, and his achievements,
24
are written in the annals of his high priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his father.