{480}

And John went up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what
Cendebaeus was doing. And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and
John, and said unto them, "I and my brethren and my father's house
have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even unto this day;
and things have prospered in our hands, that we should deliver Israel
oftentimes. But now I am old, and ye moreover, by his mercy, are of a
sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go forth and
fight for our nation; but let the help which is from heaven be with
you."

And he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and
horsemen, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. And
rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a
great host came to meet them, of footmen and horsemen: and there was a
brook between them. And he encamped over against them, he and his
people: and he saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook,
and he passed over first, and the men saw him and passed over after
him. And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of
the footmen: but the enemies' horsemen were exceeding many. And they
sounded the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to the
rout, and there fell of them many wounded to death, but they that were
left fled to the stronghold: at that time was Judas John's brother
wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came unto Kidron, which
Cendebaeus had built; and they fled unto the towers that are in the
fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire; and there fell of them
about two thousand men. And he returned into Judaea in peace.

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XXX.

_How Simon and His Sons Were Betrayed and Murdered While
Sitting at a Banquet_.

And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed captain for the plain
of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold; for he was the high
priest's son in law. And his heart was lifted up, and he was minded to
make himself master of the country, and he took counsel deceitfully
against Simon and his sons, to make away with them.

Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking
care for the good ordering of them; and he went down to Jericho,
himself and Mattathias and Judas his sons, in the hundred and seventy
and seventh year, in the eleventh month: and the son of Abubus
received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called
Dok, which he had built, and made them a great