Tryphon Captures Jonathan

Tryphon wanted power for himself. He aimed to rule in Asia, crown himself, and stretch out his hand against King Antiochus. But he feared Jonathan might stop him and fight against him. So Tryphon went to Bethshan, looking for a way to seize Jonathan and destroy him.

Jonathan came to meet him at Bethshan with forty thousand chosen soldiers. When Tryphon saw such a great army, he was afraid to attack. Instead, he welcomed Jonathan with honour, praised him before his friends, gave him gifts, and told his own forces to obey Jonathan as they obeyed him.

Then Tryphon asked why Jonathan had troubled so many men when there was no war between them. He told him to send the army home, keep only a few men, and come to Ptolemais. He promised to hand over the city, the strongholds, the forces, and the king’s officers, and then to leave. Jonathan trusted him, sent his forces back to Judah, and kept three thousand men. He left two thousand in Galilee, and one thousand went with him.

As soon as Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people of the city shut the gates and seized him. The men who had gone in with him were killed. Then Tryphon sent troops and cavalry into Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy Jonathan’s other men.

Jonathan’s men understood that he had been seized, and they thought he had perished along with those who were with him. So they encouraged one another and travelled close together, ready to fight for their lives. When those following them saw this, they turned back. The men came in peace into the land of Judah and mourned greatly for Jonathan and for those with him. All Israel mourned, and the surrounding Gentiles looked for a chance to destroy them, saying they had no ruler and no helper.