I Maccabees 13

¹Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army to invade the land of Juda, and to destroy it.

²And seeing that the people was in dread and in fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and assembled the people,

³And exhorted them, saying: You know what great battles I and my brethren, and the house of my father, have fought for the laws, and the sanctuary, and the distresses that we have seen:

⁴By reason whereof all my brethren have lost their lives for Israel's sake, and I am left alone.

⁵And now far be it from me to spare my life in any time of trouble: for I am not better than my brethren.

⁶I will avenge then my nation and the sanctuary, and our children, and wives: for all the heathens are gathered together to destroy us out of mere malice.

⁷And the spirit of the people was enkindled as soon as they heard these words:

⁸And they answered with a loud voice, saying: Thou art our leader in the place of Judas, and Jonathan, thy brother:

⁹Fight thou our battles, and we will do whatsoever thou shalt say to us.

¹⁰So gathering together all the men of war, he made haste to finish all the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.

¹¹And he sent Jonathan, the son of Absalom, and with him a new army, into Joppe, and he cast out them that were in it, and himself remained there.

¹²And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great army, to invade the land of Juda, and Jonathan was with him in custody.

¹³But Simon pitched in Addus, over against the plain.

¹⁴And when Tryphon understood that Simon was risen up in the place of his brother, Jonathan, and that he meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers to him,

¹⁵Saying: We have detained thy brother, Jonathan, for the money that he owed in the king's account, by reason of the affairs which he had the management of.

¹⁶But now send a hundred talents of silver, and his two sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will release him.

¹⁷Now Simon knew that he spoke deceitfully to him; nevertheless, he ordered the money and the children to be sent, lest he should bring upon himself a great hatred of the people of Israel, who might have said:

¹⁸Because he sent not the money and the children therefore is he lost.

¹⁹So he sent the children and the hundred talents and he lied, and did not let Jonathan go.

²⁰And after this, Tryphon entered within the country, to destroy it: and they went about by the way that leadeth to Ador: and Simon and his army marched to every place whithersoever they went.

²¹And they that were in the castle, sent messengers to Tryphon, that he should make haste to come through the desert, and send them victuals.

²²And Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night; but there fell a very great snow, and he came not into the country of Galaad.

²³And when he approached to Bascama, he slew Jonathan and his sons there.

²⁴And Tryphon returned, and went into his own country.

²⁵And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan, his brother, and buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers.

²⁶And all Israel bewailed him with great lamentation: and they mourned for him many days.

²⁷And Simon built over the sepulchre of his father and of his brethren, a building lofty to the sight, of polished stone, behind and before:

²⁸And he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren:

²⁹And round about these he set great pillars; and upon the pillars, arms, for a perpetual memory; and by the arms, ships carved, which might be seen by all that sailed on the sea.

³⁰This is the sepulchre that he made in Modin, even unto this day.

³¹But Tryphon, when he was upon a journey with the young king, Antiochus, treacherously slew him.

³²And he reigned in his place, and put on the crown of Asia: and brought great evils upon the land.

³³And Simon built up the strong holds of Judea, fortifying them with high towers, and great walls, and gates and bars: and he stored up victuals in the fortresses.

³⁴And Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end that he should grant an immunity to the land; for all that Tryphon did, was to spoil.

³⁵And king Demetrius, in answer to this request, wrote a letter in this manner:

³⁶King Demetrius to Simon, the high priest, and friend of kings, and to the ancients, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting:

³⁷The golden crown, and the palm, which you sent, we have received: and we are ready to make a firm peace with you, and to write to the king's chief officers to release you the things that we have released.

³⁸For all that we have decreed in your favour shall stand in force. The strong holds that you have built, shall be your own.

³⁹And as for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it: and the crown which you owed: and if any other thing were taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.

⁴⁰And if any of you be fit to be enrolled among ours, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.

⁴¹In the year one hundred and seventy, the yoke of the Gentiles was taken off from Israel.

⁴²And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments, and public records, The first year under Simon, the high priest, the great captain, and prince of the Jews.

⁴³In those days Simon besieged Gaza, and camped round about it, and he made engines, and set them to the city, and he struck one tower, and took it.

⁴⁴And they that were within the engine leapt into the city: and there was a great uproar in the city.

⁴⁵And they that were in the city went up, with their wives and children, upon the wall, with their garments rent, and they cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.

⁴⁶And they said: Deal not with us according to our evil deeds, but according to thy mercy.

⁴⁷And Simon being moved, did not destroy them but yet he cast them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein there had been idols, and then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord:

⁴⁸And having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men that should observe the law: and he fortified it, and made it his habitation.

⁴⁹But they that were in the castle of Jerusalem were hindered from going out and coming into the country, and from buying and selling: and they were straitened with hunger, and many of them perished through famine.

⁵⁰And they cried to Simon for peace, and he granted it to them: and he cast them out from thence and cleansed the castle from uncleannesses.

⁵¹And they entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and harps, and cymbals, and psalteries, and hymns, and canticles, because the great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.

⁵²And he ordained that these days should be kept every year with gladness.

⁵³And he fortified the mountain of the temple that was near the castle, and he dwelt there himself, and they that were with him.

⁵⁴And Simon saw that John, his son, was a valiant man for war: and he made him captain of all the forces: and he dwelt in Gazara.

I Maccabees 13

¹Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,

²And saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together,

³And gave them exhortation, saying, Ye yourselves know what great things I, and my brethren, and my father’s house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, the battles also and troubles which we have seen.

⁴By reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel’s sake, and I am left alone.

⁵Now therefore be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of trouble: for I am no better than my brethren.

⁶Doubtless I will avenge my nation, and the sanctuary, and our wives, and our children: for all the heathen are gathered to destroy us of very malice.

⁷Now as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit revived.

⁸And they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother.

⁹Fight thou our battles, and whatsoever, thou commandest us, that will we do.

¹⁰So then he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.

¹¹Also he sent Jonathan the son of Absolom, and with him a great power, to Joppa: who casting out them that were therein remained there in it.

¹²So Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to invade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.

¹³But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.

¹⁴Now when Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers unto him, saying,

¹⁵Whereas we have Jonathan thy brother in hold, it is for money that he is owing unto the king’s treasure, concerning the business that was committed unto him.

¹⁶Wherefore now send an hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will let him go.

¹⁷Hereupon Simon, albeit he perceived that they spake deceitfully unto him yet sent he the money and the children, lest peradventure he should procure to himself great hatred of the people:

¹⁸Who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the children, therefore is Jonathan dead.

¹⁹So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit Tryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go.

²⁰And after this came Tryphon to invade the land, and destroy it, going round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: but Simon and his host marched against him in every place, wheresoever he went.

²¹Now they that were in the tower sent messengers unto Tryphon, to the end that he should hasten his coming unto them by the wilderness, and send them victuals.

²²Wherefore Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, by reason whereof he came not. So he departed, and came into the country of Galaad.

²³And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan, who was buried there.

²⁴Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.

²⁵Then sent Simon, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers.

²⁶And all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed him many days.

²⁷Simon also built a monument upon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with hewn stone behind and before.

²⁸Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren.

²⁹And in these he made cunning devices, about the which he set great pillars, and upon the pillars he made all their armour for a perpetual memory, and by the armour ships carved, that they might be seen of all that sail on the sea.

³⁰This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth yet unto this day.

³¹Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew him.

³²And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.

³³Then Simon built up the strong holds in Judea, and fenced them about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars, and laid up victuals therein.

³⁴Moreover Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the land an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to spoil.

³⁵Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner:

³⁶King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:

³⁷The golden crown, and the scarlet robe, which ye sent unto us, we have received: and we are ready to make a stedfast peace with you, yea, and to write unto our officers, to confirm the immunities which we have granted.

³⁸And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.

³⁹As for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown tax also, which ye owe us: and if there were any other tribute paid in Jerusalem, it shall no more be paid.

⁴⁰And look who are meet among you to be in our court, let then be enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us.

⁴¹Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year.

⁴²Then the people of Israel began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon the high priest, the governor and leader of the Jews.

⁴³In those days Simon camped against Gaza and besieged it round about; he made also an engine of war, and set it by the city, and battered a certain tower, and took it.

⁴⁴And they that were in the engine leaped into the city; whereupon there was a great uproar in the city:

⁴⁵Insomuch as the people of the city rent their clothes, and climbed upon the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.

⁴⁶And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness, but according to thy mercy.

⁴⁷So Simon was appeased toward them, and fought no more against them, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and thanksgiving.

⁴⁸Yea, he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed such men there as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwellingplace for himself.

⁴⁹They also of the tower in Jerusalem were kept so strait, that they could neither come forth, nor go into the country, nor buy, nor sell: wherefore they were in great distress for want of victuals, and a great number of them perished through famine.

⁵⁰Then cried they to Simon, beseeching him to be at one with them: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out from thence, he cleansed the tower from pollutions:

⁵¹And entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel.

⁵²He ordained also that that day should be kept every year with gladness. Moreover the hill of the temple that was by the tower he made stronger than it was, and there he dwelt himself with his company.

⁵³And when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he made him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazera.