trymen, for whose
liberty in general he died also; and that he would not permit the nation
to be without a governor, especially in those destructive circumstances
wherein it now was. And where Jonathan said that he was ready to die for
them, and esteemed no inferior to his brother, he was appointed to be
the general of the Jewish army.

2. When Bacchides heard this, and was afraid that Jonathan might be very
troublesome to the king and the Macedonians, as Judas had been before
him, he sought how he might slay him by treachery. But this intention
of his was not unknown to Jonathan, nor to his brother Simon; but when
these two were apprized of it, they took all their companions, and
presently fled into that wilderness which was nearest to the city; and
when they were come to a lake called Asphar, they abode there. But when
Bacchides was sensible that they were in a low state, and were in that
place, he hasted to fall upon them with all his forces, and pitching his
camp beyond Jordan, he recruited his army. But when Jonathan knew that
Bacchides Was coming upon him, he sent his brother John, who was also
called Gaddis, to the Nabatean Arabs, that he might lodge his baggage
with them until the battle with Bacchides should be over, for they were
the Jews' friends. And the sons of Ambri laid an ambush for John from
the city Medaba, and seized upon him, and upon those that were with him,
and plundered all that they had with them. They also slew John, and all
his companions. However, they were sufficiently punished for what they
now did by John's brethren, as we shall relate presently.

3. But when Bacchides knew that Jonathan had pitched his camp among
the lakes of Jordan, he observed when their sabbath day came, and then
assaulted him, [as supposing that he would not fight because of the law
for resting on that day]: but he exhorted his companions [to fight]; and
told them that their lives were at stake, since they were encompassed
by the river, and by their enemies, and had no way to escape, for that
their enemies pressed upon them from before, and the river was behind
them. So after he had prayed to God to give them the victory, he
joined battle with the enemy, of whom he overthrew many; and as he saw
Bacchides coming up boldly to him, he stretched out his right hand to
smite him; but the other foreseeing and avoiding the stroke, Jonathan
with his companions leaped into the river, and swam over it, and by that
means escaped