5 Soon a rumor spread around that King Antiochus was dead. Right away, Jason got together a force of over 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on Jerusalem, defeating the troops that Menelaus had stationed on the city walls. After this, they captured the city and forced Menelaus to retreat to the fortress overlooking the temple.
6 But Jason kept on killing more Jews, without realizing that a victory which destroys your own people is the worst possible defeat. He seemed to think he had won a battle against enemies rather than against other Jews.
7 But Jason wasn't able to take control of the government. In fact, he was so disgraced by what he had done that he had to run for his life once again to the country of the Ammonites.
8 Afterwards, he died a miserable death.Accused before the courtof Aretas, the Arab ruler,Jason was forced to hidein town after town.He was hunted and hatedby everyone,because he had rebelledagainst the Law of Godand had sentenced to deathmany Jews in Israel.Jason lived in Egypt for a while,
9 then sailed to Sparta,so he could beg protectionfrom distant relatives.This man who had forced Jewsto live in foreign countriesdied in that foreign city.
10 Because he didn't even burythe Jews he killed,no one grieved when he died,or gave him a funeral,or made a place for his bodyin the family grave.
11 When King Antiochus heard about the fighting in Jerusalem, he thought that Judea had rebelled against him. So in his fury, he led his army from Egypt and captured Jerusalem.