14
1 Now in the hundred threescore and twelfth year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went
into Media to get him help to fight against Tryphone.
2 But when Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders,
he sent one of his princes to take him alive:
3 Who went and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put
in ward.
4 As for the land of Judea, that was quiet all the days of Simon; for he sought the good of his nation
in such wise, as that evermore his authority and honour pleased them well.
5 And as he was honourable in all his acts, so in this, that he took Joppa for an haven, and made an entrance
to the isles of the sea,
7 And gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazera, and Bethsura, and the
tower, out of the which he took all uncleaness, neither was there any that resisted him.
8 Then did they till their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase, and the trees of the field
their fruit.
9 The ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things, and the young men put on glorious
and warlike apparel.
10 He provided victuals for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition, so that his honourable name
was renowned unto the end of the world.
13 Neither was there any left in the land to fight against them: yea, the kings themselves were overthrown
in those days.
14 Moreover he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out; and
every contemner of the law and wicked person he took away.
16 Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very sorry.
17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country,
and the cities therein:
18 They wrote unto him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judas
and Jonathan his brethren:
20 And this is the copy of the letters that the Lacedemonians sent; The rulers of the Lacedemonians, with
the city, unto Simon the high priest, and the elders, and priests, and residue of the people of the Jews,
our brethren, send greeting:
21 The ambassadors that were sent unto our people certified us of your glory and honour: wherefore we were
glad of their coming,
22 And did register the things that they spake in the council of the people in this manner; Numenius son
of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came unto us to renew the friendship
they had with us.
23 And it pleased the people to entertain the men honourably, and to put the copy of their ambassage in
publick records, to the end the people of the Lacedemonians might have a memorial thereof: furthermore
we have written a copy thereof unto Simon the high priest.
24 After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to confirm
the league with them.
26 For he and his brethren and the house of his father have established Israel, and chased away in fight
their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty.
27 So then they wrote it in tables of brass, which they set upon pillars in mount Sion: and this is the
copy of the writing; The eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth year,
being the third year of Simon the high priest,
28 At Saramel in the great congregation of the priests, and people, and rulers of the nation, and elders
of the country, were these things notified unto us.
29 Forasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country, wherein for the maintenance of their sanctuary,
and the law, Simon the son of Mattathias, of the posterity of Jarib, together with his brethren, put
themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the enemies of their nation did their nation great honour:
30 (For after that Jonathan, having gathered his nation together, and been their high priest, was added
to his people,
31 Their enemies prepared to invade their country, that they might destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary:
32 At which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed
the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,
33 And fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura, that lieth upon the borders of Judea, where
the armour of the enemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Jews there:
34 Moreover he fortified Joppa, which lieth upon the sea, and Gazera, that bordereth upon Azotus, where
the enemies had dwelt before: but he placed Jews there, and furnished them with all things convenient
for the reparation thereof.)
35 The people therefore sang the acts of Simon, and unto what glory he thought to bring his nation, made
him their governor and chief priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and faith
which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to exalt his people.
36 For in his time things prospered in his hands, so that the heathen were taken out of their country, and
they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a tower, out of which
they issued, and polluted all about the sanctuary, and did much hurt in the holy place:
37 But he placed Jews therein. and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and raised up
the walls of Jerusalem.
40 For he had heard say, that the Romans had called the Jews their friends and confederates and brethren;
and that they had entertained the ambassadors of Simon honourably;
41 Also that the Jews and priests were well pleased that Simon should be their governor and high priest
for ever, until there should arise a faithful prophet;
42 Moreover that he should be their captain, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to set them over their
works, and over the country, and over the armour, and over the fortresses, that, I say, he should take
charge of the sanctuary;
43 Beside this, that he should be obeyed of every man, and that all the writings in the country should be
made in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold:
44 Also that it should be lawful for none of the people or priests to break any of these things, or to gainsay
his words, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a
buckle of gold;
47 Then Simon accepted hereof, and was well pleased to be high priest, and captain and governor of the Jews
and priests, and to defend them all.