¹⁸ and to free themselves from the yoke, for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks was enslaving Israel completely.^(A)

Expedition of Bacchides and Alcimus

7 In the one hundred fifty-first year Demetrius son of Seleucus set out from Rome, sailed with a few men to a town by the sea, and there began to reign.^(A)

Nicanor in Judea

²⁶ Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honored princes, who hated and detested Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people.^(A)

⁴⁰ For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by the Romans as friends and allies and brothers and that the Romans^[a] had received the envoys of Simon with honor.^(A)

¹⁷ The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance. They had been sent by the high priest Simon and by the Jewish people^(A)