1Mac 13:1 Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had
gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,
1Mac 13:2 And saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he went
up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together,
1Mac 13:3 And 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.
1Mac 13:4 By reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel's sake, and
I am left alone.
1Mac 13:5 Now 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.
1Mac 13:6 Doubtless 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.
1Mac 13:7 Now as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit revived.
1Mac 13:8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be our
leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother.
1Mac 13:9 Fight thou our battles, and whatsoever, thou commandest us, that
will we do.
1Mac 13:10 So then he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste
to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.
1Mac 13:11 Also 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.
1Mac 13:12 So Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to invade
the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.
1Mac 13:13 But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.
1Mac 13:14 Now 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,
1Mac 13:15 Whereas 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.
1Mac 13:16 Wherefore 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.
1Mac 13:17 Hereupon 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:
1Mac 13:18 Who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the
children, therefore is Jonathan dead.
1Mac 13:19 So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit
Tryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go.
1Mac 13:20 And 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.
1Mac 13:21 Now 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.
1Mac 13:22 Wherefore 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.
1Mac 13:23 And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan, who was buried
there.
1Mac 13:24 Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.
1Mac 13:25 Then sent Simon, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and
buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers.
1Mac 13:26 And all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed him
many days.
1Mac 13:27 Simon 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.
1Mac 13:28 Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his
father, and his mother, and his four brethren.
1Mac 13:29 And 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.
1Mac 13:30 This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth yet
unto this day.
1Mac 13:31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and
slew him.
1Mac 13:32 And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia,
and brought a great calamity upon the land.
1Mac 13:33 Then 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.
1Mac 13:34 Moreover 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.
1Mac 13:35 Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner:
1Mac 13:36 King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of kings,
as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:
1Mac 13:37 The 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.
1Mac 13:38 And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and
the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.
1Mac 13:39 As 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.
1Mac 13:40 And look who are meet among you to be in our court, let then be
enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us.
1Mac 13:41 Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the
hundred and seventieth year.
1Mac 13:42 Then 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.
1Mac 13:43 In 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.
1Mac 13:44 And they that were in the engine leaped into the city; whereupon
there was a great uproar in the city:
1Mac 13:45 Insomuch 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.
1Mac 13:46 And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness, but
according to thy mercy.
1Mac 13:47 So 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.
1Mac 13:48 Yea, 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.
1Mac 13:49 They 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.
1Mac 13:50 Then 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:
1Mac 13:51 And 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.
1Mac 13:52 He 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.
1Mac 13:53 And when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he made
him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazera.