1 Maccabees 10:51-59
New Catholic Bible
51 Alexander Allies Himself with Egypt.[a] Alexander sent envoys to Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, with this message: 52 “Now that I have returned to my kingdom and taken my seat on the throne of my ancestors and established my rule by crushing Demetrius and thereby gaining control of my country— 53 for I met him in battle, defeated him and his army, and now occupy the throne of his kingdom— 54 let us therefore enter into an alliance of friendship with one another. Give me your daughter as my wife; as your son-in-law, I will give gifts to you and to her that are in keeping with your royal position.”
55 King Ptolemy said in his reply: “Happy was the day on which you returned to the land of your ancestors and took your seat on the throne of their kingdom. 56 I hereby agree to your request, but please come to me at Ptolemais so that we may meet each other, and I will become your father-in-law, as you have proposed.”
57 In the year one hundred and sixty-two, Ptolemy set out from Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra and came to Ptolemais, 58 where King Alexander met him. Ptolemy gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage, and their wedding was celebrated at Ptolemais with great pomp, as is customary with such royal occasions.
59 Jonathan Is Named Governor.[b] King Alexander then wrote to Jonathan, asking him to come and meet him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Maccabees 10:51 The new alliance is ratified in 150 B.C. at Ptolemais, a city that had remained half-Egyptian: the new king of Antioch married Cleopatra, the daughter of the king of Egypt. Cleopatra was about fifteen; she later married Demetrius II and still later his brother Antiochus VII.
- 1 Maccabees 10:59 Received with royal honors, the Hasmonean sees his civil and military powers confirmed. Already high priest, he can manage sword and thurible. This means going beyond the religious tradition of Israel and embarking on a perilous way that will render unpopular the Maccabean dynasty, in which the Herodian kings will insert themselves.
