King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting: We have heard of you
that you are a valiant man and fit to be our friend. And now we have
appointed you to-day to be high priest of your nation and to be called the
king's Friend (and he sent to him a purple robe and a crown of gold), and
to take our part and to remain on friendly terms with us.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 10:21]
And Jonathan put on the holy garments in the seventh month of the hundred
and sixtieth year at the feast of tabernacles, and he gathered together
forces, and provided arms in abundance.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 10:67-71]
Now in the one hundred and sixty-fifth year, Demetrius son of Demetrius,
came from Crete into the land of his fathers. Then King Alexander heard of
it, and he was exceedingly troubled and returned to Antioch. And Demetrius
appointed Apollonius, who was over Coele-Syria, and he collected a great
army and encamped in Jamnia, and sent to Jonathan the high priest this
message:

You alone are hostile to us, and I have become a laughing-stock and butt
of ridicule on account of you. Now why do you flaunt your power against us
in the mountains? If, indeed, you trust your forces, come down to us in
the plain, and there let us try the matter together, because with me is
the power of the cities.

[Sidenote: I Macc. 10:74-76]
Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was stirred to anger,
and he chose ten thousand men and went forth from Jerusalem, and Simon his
brother met him to help him. And he encamped against Joppa. The people of
the city, however, shut him out, because Apollonius had a garrison in