May God do good to you, and may he remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants.

For our brothers, after enduring a brief suffering for everlasting life, have fallen under God’s covenant, but you, by the judgment of God, will receive just punishment for your arrogance.

if not for their own sake, then for the sake of the covenants made with their ancestors and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name.

When the terms had been fully considered and the leader had informed the people and it had appeared that they were of one mind, they agreed to the covenant.

Nicanor Turns against Judas

But when Alcimus noticed their goodwill for one another, he took the covenant that had been made and went to Demetrius. He told him that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, since he had appointed that conspirator against the kingdom, Judas, to be his successor.

The king became excited and, provoked by the false accusations of that depraved man, wrote to Nicanor, stating that he was displeased with the covenant and commanding him to send Maccabeus to Antioch as a prisoner without delay.