9 During the battle, John's brother Judas was wounded. But John and his troops chased the enemy soldiers. Some of them ran as far as Kedron, the town that Cendebeus had rebuilt.
10 Others reached the towers in the open country near the town of Azotus. But John burned the town and killed about 2,000 enemy troops. After this, he led his army safely back to Judea.
11 Ptolemy the son of Abubus was in command of the valley near Jericho. He was a rich man
12 and was married to the daughter of Simon the high priest.
13 But Ptolemy was very proud and thought he deserved to be the ruler. So he began plotting to kill Simon and his sons.
14 In the year 177 of the Syrian Kingdom, Simon was going from town to town in Judea, trying to help the people. Later that year during the month of Shebat, he and his sons Mattathias and Judas arrived in Jericho.
15 Ptolemy pretended he was glad to see Simon and his sons. Then he invited them to a banquet in their honor at a small fortress that he had built and named Dok.Some of Ptolemy's soldiers were hiding near the dining room.