1
Yochanan went up from Gezer and told Shim’on his father what Kendebaios was doing.
2
Shim’on called his two oldest sons, Yehudah and Yochanan, and said to them, “I and my brothers and my father’s house have fought the battles of Yis’rael from our youth, even to this day; and things have prospered in our hands, so that we have often delivered Yis’rael.
3
But now I am old, and you moreover, by his mercy, are of a sufficient age. Take the place of me and my brother, and go out and fight for our nation; and let the help which is from heaven be with you.
4
He chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and cavalry, and they went against Kendebaios, and slept at Modi’in.
5
Rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great army of infantry and cavalry came to meet them. There was a brook between them.
6
He encamped near them, he and his people. He saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, and he passed over first. When the men saw him, they passed over after him.
7
He divided the people, and placed the cavalry in the midst of the infantry; but the enemies’ cavalry were exceedingly many.
8
They sounded the trumpets; and Kendebaios and his army were put to flight, and many of them fell wounded to death, but those who were left fled to the stronghold.
9
At that time Yehudah, Yochanan’s brother, was wounded; but Yochanan pursued after them until he came to Qidron, which Kendebaios had built.
10
They fled to the towers that are in the fields of Ashdod; and he burnt them with fire. About two thousand men of them fell. Then he returned into Yehudah in peace.
11
Ptolemaios the son of Abubus had been appointed governor over the plain of Yericho, and he had much silver and gold;
12
for he was the Kohen Gadol’s son-in-law.
13
His heart was lifted up, and he planned to make himself master of the country, and he made deceitful plans against Shim’on and his sons, to do away with them.
14
Now Shim’on was visiting the cities that were in the country, and attending to their needs. He went down to Yericho—himself with Mattityahu and Yehudah his sons—in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month Shevat.
15
The son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men there.
16
When Shim’on and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemaios and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Shim’on in the banqueting place, and killed him, his two sons, and some of his servants.
17
He committed a great iniquity, and repaid evil for good.
18
Ptolemaios wrote these things and sent to the king, that he should send him forces to aid him, and should deliver him their country and the cities.
19
He sent others to Gezer to do away with Yochanan. To the captains of thousands, he sent letters to come to him, that he might give them silver, gold, and gifts.
20
He sent others to take possession of Yerushalayim and the temple hill.
21
One ran before to Gezer, and told Yochanan that his father and kindred had perished, and that he has sent to kill you also.
22
When he heard, he was greatly shocked. He seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them; for he perceived that they were seeking to destroy him.
23
And the rest of the acts of Yochanan and of his wars and of his valiant deeds which he did, and of the building of the walls which he built, and of his achievements,
24
behold, they are written in the chronicles of his office of Kohen Gadol, from the time that he was made Kohen Gadol after his father.