King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting:  We have heard of you that you are a valiant man and fit to be our friend.  And now we have appointed you to-day to be high priest of your nation and to be called the king’s Friend (and he sent to him a purple robe and a crown of gold), and to take our part and to remain on friendly terms with us.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 10:21] And Jonathan put on the holy garments in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year at the feast of tabernacles, and he gathered together forces, and provided arms in abundance.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 10:67-71] Now in the one hundred and sixty-fifth year, Demetrius son of Demetrius, came from Crete into the land of his fathers.  Then King Alexander heard of it, and he was exceedingly troubled and returned to Antioch.  And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, who was over Coele-Syria, and he collected a great army and encamped in Jamnia, and sent to Jonathan the high priest this message: 

You alone are hostile to us, and I have become a laughing-stock and butt of ridicule on account of you.  Now why do you flaunt your power against us in the mountains?  If, indeed, you trust your forces, come down to us in the plain, and there let us try the matter together, because with me is the power of the cities.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 10:74-76] Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was stirred to anger, and he chose ten thousand men and went forth from Jerusalem, and Simon his brother met him to help him.  And he encamped against Joppa.  The people of the city, however, shut him out, because Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa.  So they fought against it.  Then the people of the city were afraid and opened to him, and Jonathan became master of Joppa.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 11:20-27] At that time Jonathan gathered together the people of Judea to take the citadel that was at Jerusalem, and he erected many engines of war against it.  Some, however, who hated their own nation, apostates, went to the king, and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel.  And when he heard it, he was angry, and immediately after he heard of it he set out and came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan that he should not besiege it, and that he should meet him and confer with him at Ptolemais with all speed.  But when Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to proceed with the siege, while he chose certain of the elders of Israel and of the priests, and putting himself in peril, and taking silver and gold and garments, and various presents besides, he went to the king at Ptolemais.  And he was favorably received; and although some apostates of the nation Made complaints against him, the king treated him just as his predecessors had done and exalted him in the presence of all his Friends, both confirming to him the high priesthood, and all the other honors that he had before, and giving him preeminence among his Chief Friends.

[Sidenote:  I Macc. 11:28, 29] And Jonathan requested the king to make Judea free from tribute, together with the three districts of Samaria, and he promised him three hundred talents.  And the king consented and wrote letters to Jonathan concerning all these things.