ASCALON, ON THE SHORE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and used by special permission.
Here was once an important city on the low sandy coast without a harbor. It was captured by Jonathan in the Maccabean wars, and was an important city during the time of the Crusades.
XXVII.
How There Was Prosperity in the Land in the Days of Simon.
And the land had rest all the days of Simon: and he sought the good of his nation; and his authority and his glory was well-pleasing to them all his days. And amid all his glory he took Joppa for a haven, and made it a port of entrance for the isles of the sea; and he enlarged the borders of his nation, and got possession of the country; and he gathered together a great number of captives, and got the dominion of Gazara, and Bethsura, and the citadel, and he took away from it its uncleannesses; and there was none that resisted him. And they tilled their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of the plains their fruit. The ancient men sat in the streets, they communed all of them together of good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel. He provided victuals for the cities, and furnished them with all manner of munition, until the name of his glory was named unto the end of the earth. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy: and they sat each man under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid: and there ceased in the land any that fought against them: and the kings were discomfited in those days. And he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out, and every lawless and wicked person he took away. He glorified the sanctuary, and the vessels of the temple he multiplied.
XXVIII.
How Antiochus, the Brother of King Demetrius, Spurned the Friendship of Simon.
But Antiochus the king encamped against Dor the second day, bringing his forces up to it continually, and making engines of war, and he shut up Tryphon from going in or out. And Simon sent him two thousand chosen men to fight on his side; and silver, and gold, and instruments of war in abundance. And he would not receive them, but set at naught all the covenants which he had made with him before, and was estranged from him. And he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his Friends, to commune with him, saying,--
"Ye hold possession of Joppa and Gazara, and the citadel that is in Jerusalem, cities of my kingdom. The borders thereof ye have wasted, and done great hurt in the land, and got the dominion of many places in my kingdom. Now therefore deliver up the cities which ye have taken, and the tributes of the places whereof ye have gotten dominion without the borders of Judaea: or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and for the harm that ye have done, and the tributes of the cities, five hundred talents more: or else we will come and subdue you."