70 Jonathan, you are the only one who is still fighting against us, and you are making others laugh and sneer at me. Why do you keep rebelling against us there in the hill country?
71 If you're so proud of your army, come down out of the hills and fight. You will find out that the people in the towns are on our side.
72 Just ask anyone, and they will tell you who I am and who my followers are. You don't stand a chance against us.Your own ancestors were defeated twice right here in their own land.
73 What makes you think you can win a battle in the valley against my army and cavalry? There are no rocks or stones to crawl behind, and there is no place where you can run away.
74 Jonathan was furious when he read this letter. He chose 10,000 soldiers, then left Jerusalem to meet his brother Simon, who was coming to help him.
75 The two brothers surrounded the town of Joppa, because Apollonius had soldiers there. No one would let them in at first.
76 But they attacked and frightened the people into opening the gates; then they took command of the town.