12:17. And we have commanded them to go also to you, and salute you, and to deliver you our letters, concerning the renewing of our brotherhood.
12:18. And now you shall do well to give us an answer hereto.
12:19. And this is the copy of the letter which he had sent to Onias:
12:20. Arius, king of the Spartans, to Onias, the high priest, greeting.
12:21. It is found in writing concerning the Spartans, and the Jews, that they are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham.
12:22. And now since this is come to our knowledge, you do well to write to us of your prosperity.
12:23. And we also have written back to you, That our cattle, and our possessions, are yours: and yours, ours. We, therefore, have commanded that these things should be told you.
12:24. Now Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius were come again with a greater army than before to fight against him.
12:25. So he went out from Jerusalem, and met them in the land of Amath: for he gave them no time to enter into his country.
12:26. And he sent spies into their camp, and they came back, and brought him word that they designed to come upon them in the night.