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1 And Simeon [Hearing] heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty host to come into the land of Judah [Praised], and destroy it utterly. 2 And he saw that the people trembled and was in great fear; and he went up to Jerusalem [City of peace], and gathered the people together; 3 and he encouraged them, and said to them, You yourselves know all the things that I, and my brethren, and my father’s house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen: 4 by reason hereof all my brethren have perished for Israel [God prevails]’s sake, and I am left alone. 5 And now be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of affliction; for I am not better than my brethren. 6 Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children; because all the Gentiles are gathered to destroy us of very hatred. 7 And the spirit of the people revived, as soon as they heard these words. 8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, You are our leader instead of Judas [Praised] and Jonathan your brother. 9 Fight you our battles, and all that you shall say to us, that will we do. 10 And he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem [City of peace], and he fortified it round about. 11 And he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great host, to Joppa: and he cast out them that were therein, and abode there in it.
12 And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a mighty host to enter into the land of Judah [Praised], and Jonathan was with him in ward. 13 But Simeon [Hearing] encamped at Adida, over against the plain. 14 And Tryphon knew that Simeon [Hearing] was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, and he sent ambassadors to him, saying, 15 It is for money which Jonathan your brother owed to the king’s treasure, by reason of the offices which he had, that we hold him fast. 16 And now send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will set him at liberty. 17 And Simeon [Hearing] knew that they spoke to him deceitfully; and he sends the money and the children, lest perhaps he should procure to himself great hatred of the people, 18 and they should say, Because I sent him not the money and the children, he perished. 19 And he sent the children and the hundred talents. And he dealt falsely, and did not set Jonathan at liberty. 20 And after this Tryphon came to invade the land, and destroy it, and he went round about by the way that leads to Adora: and Simeon [Hearing] and his army marched over against him to every place, wherever he went. 21 Now they of the citadel sent to Tryphon ambassadors, hastening him to come to them through the wilderness, and to send them food. 22 And Tryphon made ready all his horse to come: and on that night there fell a very great snow, and he came not by reason of the snow. And he removed, and came into the country of Gilead. 23 But when he came near to Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there. 24 And Tryphon returned, and went away into his own land.
25 And Simeon [Hearing] sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers. 26 And all Israel [God prevails] made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days. 27 And Simeon [Hearing] built a monument upon the sepulcher of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with polished stone behind and before. 28 And he set up seven pyramids, one over against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren. 29 And for these he made cunning devices, setting about them great pillars, and upon the pillars he fashioned all manner of arms for a perpetual memory, and beside the arms ships carved, that they should be seen of all that sail on the sea. 30 This is the sepulcher which he made at Modin, and it is there to this day.
31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and killed him, 32 and reigned in his stead, and put on himself the diadem of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land. 33 And Simeon [Hearing] built the strongholds of Judea, and fenced them about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars; and he laid up food in the strongholds. 34 And Simeon [Hearing] chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the country an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to plunder. 35 And king Demetrius sent to him according to these words, and answered him, and wrote a letter to him, after this manner:
36 King Demetrius to Simeon [Hearing] the high priest and Friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews [Praisers], greeting: 37 The golden crown, and the palm branch, which you sent, we have received: and we are ready to make a steadfast peace with you, yes, and to write to our officers, to grant immunities to you. 38 And whatever things we confirmed to you, they are confirmed; and the strongholds, which you have built, let them be your own. 39 As for any oversights and faults committed to this day, we forgive them, and the crown which you owed us: and if there were any other toll exacted in Jerusalem [City of peace], let it be exacted no longer. 40 And if there be any among you meet to be enrolled in our court, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.
41 In * circa B.C.E 143 the hundred and seventies year was the yoke of the heathen taken away from Israel [God prevails]. 42 And the people began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simeon [Hearing], the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews [Praisers].
43 In those days he encamped against Gazara, and compassed it round about with armies; and he made an engine of siege, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and took it. 44 And they that were in the engine leaped forth into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city: 45 and they of the city tore their clothes, and went up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, making request to Simeon [Hearing] to give them his right hand. 46 And they said, Deal not with us according to the multitude of our wickedness, but according to your mercy. 47 And Simeon [Hearing] was reconciled to them, and did not fight against them: and he put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with singing and giving praise. 48 And he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it such men as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwelling place for himself.
49 But they of the citadel in Jerusalem [City of peace] were hindered from going forth, and from going into the country, and from buying and selling; and they hungered exceedingly, and a great number of them perished through famine. 50 And they cried out to Simeon [Hearing], that he should give them his right hand; and he gave it to them: and he put them out from thence, and he cleansed the citadel from its pollutions. 51 And he entered into it on the three and twentieth day of the second month, in † circa B.C.E 142 the hundred and seventy and first year, with praise and palm branches, and with harps, and with cymbals, and with viols, and with hymns, and with songs: because a great enemy was destroyed out of Israel [God prevails]. 52 And he ordained that they should keep that day every year with gladness. And the hill of the temple that was by the citadel he made stronger than before, and there he lived, himself and his men. 53 And Simeon [Hearing] saw that John [Yah is gracious] his son was a valiant man, and he made him leader of all his forces: and he lived in Gazara.

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*13:41 circa B.C.E 143

†13:51 circa B.C.E 142

© 2016 Thomas Robinson