Now in the hundred and sixtieth year, Alexander, the son of Antiochus, surnamed the Illustrious, came up and took Ptolemais, and they received him, and he reigned there. 2And king Demetrius heard of it, and gathered together an exceeding great army, and went forth against him to fight. 3And Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan, with peaceable words, to magnify him. 4For he said: Let us first make a peace with him, before he make one with Alexander against us. 5For he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brother, and against his nation. 6And he gave him authority to gather together a army, and to make arms, and that he should be his confederate: and the hostages that were in the castle, he commanded to be delivered to him. 7And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the hearing of all the people, and of them that were in the castle. 8And they were struck with great fear, because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army. 9And the hostages were delivered to Jonathan, and he restored them to their parents. 10And Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem, and began to build, and to repair the city. 11And he ordered workmen to build the walls, and mount Sion round about with square stones for fortification: and so they did. 12Then the strangers that were in the strong holds, which Bacchides had built, fled away. 13And every man left his place, and departed into his own country: 14Only in Bethsura there remained some of them, that had forsaken the law, and the commandments of God: for this was a place of refuge for them.