beyond Jordan while the enemies did not pass over that
river; but Bacchides returned presently to the citadel at Jerusalem,
having lost about two thousand of his army. He also fortified many
cities of Judea, whose walls had been demolished; Jericho, and Emmaus,
and Betboron, and Bethel, and Tinma, and Pharatho, and Tecoa, and
Gazara, and built towers in every one of these cities, and encompassed
them with strong walls, that were very large also, and put garrisons
into them, that they might issue out of them, and do mischief to the
Jews. He also fortified the citadel at Jerusalem more than all the rest.
Moreover, he took the sons of the principal Jews as pledges, and shut
them up in the citadel, and in that manner guarded it.

4. About the same time one came to Jonathan, and to his brother Simon,
and told them that the sons of Ambri were celebrating a marriage, and
bringing the bride from the city Gabatha, who was the daughter of one
of the illustrious men among the Arabians, and that the damsel was to
be conducted with pomp, and splendor, and much riches: so Jonathan and
Simon thinking this appeared to be the fittest time for them to avenge
the death of their brother, and that they had forces sufficient for
receiving satisfaction from them for his death, they made haste to
Medaba, and lay in wait among the mountains for the coming of their
enemies; and as soon as they saw them conducting the virgin, and her
bridegroom, and such a great company of their friends with them as was
to be expected at this wedding, they sallied out of their ambush, and
slew them all, and took their ornaments, and all the prey that then
followed them, and so returned, and received this satisfaction for their
brother John from the sons of Ambri; for as well those sons themselves,
as their friends, and wives, and children that followed them, perished,
being in number about four hundred.

5. However, Simon and Jonathan returned to the lakes of the river,
and abode there. But Bacchides, when he had secured all Judea with his
garrisons, returned to the king; and then it was that the affairs of
Judea were quiet for two years. But when the deserters and the wicked
saw that Jonathan and those that were with him lived in the country
very quietly, by reason of the peace, they sent to king Demetrius, and
excited him to send Bacchides to seize upon Jonathan, which they said
was to be done without any trouble, and in one night's time; and that if
they fel