3 Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan written in peaceful terms, to exalt him;
4 for he said: “Let us be the first to make peace with him, before he makes peace with Alexander against us,
5 since he will remember all the wrongs we have done to him, his brothers, and his nation.”
6 So Demetrius authorized him to gather an army and procure arms as his ally; and he ordered that the hostages in the citadel be released to him.
7 Accordingly Jonathan went to Jerusalem and read the letter to all the people and to those who were in the citadel.
8 They were struck with fear when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather an army.
9 Those in the citadel released the hostages to Jonathan, and he gave them back to their parents.