17. Zabdiel the Arabian cut off Alexander’s head and sent it to Ptolemy.
18. But three days later King Ptolemy himself died, and his troops in the strongholds were killed by the inhabitants of the strongholds.
19. Thus Demetrius became king in the one hundred and sixty-seventh year.
20. In those days Jonathan gathered together the people of Judea to attack the citadel in Jerusalem, and they set up many siege engines against it.
21. But some transgressors of the law, enemies of their own nation, went to the king and informed him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel.
22. When Demetrius heard this, he was enraged; and as soon as he heard it, he set out and came to Ptolemais. He wrote to Jonathan to discontinue the siege and to meet him for a conference at Ptolemais as soon as possible.
23. On hearing this, Jonathan ordered the siege to continue. He selected some elders and priests of Israel and put himself at risk.