Simon, who was inspecting the towns of the country and attending to their needs, went down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat. The son of Abubus received them treacherously at the small fortress called Dok, which he had built. He entertained them at a sumptuous banquet, while his men were concealed in nearby hiding places. When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up and seized their weapons. Rushing against Simon in the banquet hall, they killed him and his two sons and some of his servants. By this act of vicious treachery he returned evil for good.
Then Ptolemy wrote a report about his deed and forwarded it to the king, asking that troops be sent to aid him and that the country and its towns be placed under his rule. He sent some troops to Gazara to do away with John, and he wrote letters to his military commanders inviting them to come to him so that he might reward them with silver, gold, and gifts. He also sent other troops to seize control of Jerusalem and the temple mount. However, someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and his brothers had been murdered and that Ptolemy was sending men to kill him too. On hearing this, John was greatly shocked. When the men came to kill him, he had them arrested and put to death, for he had been forewarned of their mission to destroy him.
The rest of the history of John and his wars and the brave deeds that he performed, the walls he built, and the rest of his achievements are recorded in the annals of his high priesthood from the time when he succeeded his father as high priest.
1ST MACCABEES: CHAPTER 16, VERSES 11 - 24
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