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Machabees
14
In the year one hundred and seventy-two, king Demetrius
assembled has army, and went into Media to get him succours
to fight against Tryphon.
And Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that
Demetrius was entered within his borders, and he sent
one of his princes to take him alive, and bring him
to him.
And he went and defeated the army of Demetrius: and
took him, and brought him to Arsaces, and he put him
into custody.
And all the land of Juda was at rest all the days of
Simon, and he sought the good of his nation: and his
power, and his glory pleased them well all his days.
And with all his glory he took Joppe for a haven, and
made an entrance to the isles of the sea.
And he enlarged the bounds of his nation, and made himself
master of the country.
And he gathered together a great number of captives,
and had the dominion of Gazara, and of Bethsura, and
of the castle: and took away all uncleanness out of
it and there was none that resisted him.
And every man tilled his land with peace: and the land
of Juda yielded her increase, and the trees of the fields
their fruit.
The ancient men sat all in the streets, and treated
together of the good things of the land, and the young
men put on them glory, and the robes of war.
And he provided victuals for the cities, and he appointed
that they should be furnished with ammunition, so that
the fame of his glory was renowned even to the end of
the earth.
He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with
great joy.
And every man sat under his vine, and under his fig
tree: and there was none to make them afraid.
There was none left in the land to fight against them:
kings were discomfited in those days.
And he strengthened all those of his people that were
brought low, and he sought the law, and took away every
unjust and wicked man.
He glorified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels
of the holy places.
And it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that
Jonathan was dead: and they were very sorry.
But when they heard that Simon his brother was made
high priest in his place, and was possessed of all the
country, and the cities therein:
They wrote to him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship
and alliance which they had made with Judas, and with
Jonathan his brethren.
And they were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
And this is the copy of the letters that the Spartans
sent.
The princes and the cities of the Spartans to Simon
the high priest, and to the ancients, and the priests,
and the rest of the people of the Jews their brethren,
greeting.
The ambassadors that were sent to our people, have told
us of your glory, and honour, and joy: and we rejoice
at their coming.
And we registered what was said by them in the councils
of the people in this manner: Numenius the son of Antiochus,
and Antipater the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews,
came to us to renew the former friendship with us.
And it pleased the people to receive the men honourably,
and to put a copy of their words in the public records,
to be a memorial to the people of the Spartans. And
we have written a copy of them to Simon the high priest.
And after this Simon sent Numenius to Rome, with a great
shield of gold the weight of a thousand pounds, to confirm
the league with them. And when the people of Rome had
heard
These words, they said: What thanks shall we give to
Simon, and his sons?
For he hath restored his brethren, and hath driven away
in fight the enemies of Israel from them: and they decreed
him liberty, and registered it in tables of brass, and
set it upon pillars in mount Sion.
And this is a copy of the writing: The eighteenth day
of the month Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two,
being the third year under Simon the high priest at
Asaramel,
In a great assembly of the priests, and of the people,
and the princes of the nation, and the ancients of the
country, these things were notified: Forasmuch as there
have often been wars in our country,
And Simon the son of Mathathias of the children of Jarib,
and his brethren have put themselves in danger, and
have resisted the enemies of their nation, for the maintenance
of their holy places, and the law: and have raised their
nation to great glory.
And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and was made
their high priest, and he was laid to his people.
And their enemies desired to tread down and destroy
their country, and to stretch forth their hands against
their holy places.
Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation, and laid
out much of his money, and armed the valiant men of
his nation, and gave them wages:
And he fortified the cities of Judea, and Bethsura that
lieth in the borders of Judea, where the armour of the
enemies was before: and he placed there a garrison of
Jews.
And he fortified Joppe which lieth by the sea: and Gazara,
which bordereth upon Azotus, wherein the enemies dwelt
before, and he placed Jews here: and furnished them
with all things convenient for their reparation.
And the people seeing the acts of Simon, and to what
glory he meant to bring his nation, made him their prince,
and high 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 advance
his people.
And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that
the heathens were taken away out of their country, and
they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem
in the castle, out of which they issued forth, and profaned
all places round about the sanctuary, and did much evil
to its purity.
And he placed therein Jews for the defence of the country,
and of the city, and he raised up the walls of Jerusalem.
And king Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.
According to these things he made him his friend, and
glorified him with great glory.
For he had heard that the Romans had called the Jews
their friends, and confederates, and brethren, and that
they had received Simon's ambassadors with honour:
And that the Jews, and their priests, had consented
that he should be their prince, and high priest for
ever, till there should arise a faithful prophet:
And that he should be chief over them, and that he should
have the charge of the sanctuary, and that he should
appoint rulers over their works, and over the country,
and over the armour, and over the strong holds.
And that he should have care of the holy places: and
that he should be obeyed by all, and that all the writings
in the country should be made in his name: and that
he should be clothed with purple, and gold:
And that it should not be lawful for any of the people,
or of the priests, to disannul any of these things,
or to gainsay his words, or to call together an assembly
in the country without him: or to be clothed with purple,
or to wear a buckle of gold:
And whosoever shall do otherwise, or shall make void
any of these things shall be punished.
And it pleased all the people to establish Simon, and
to do according to these words.
And Simon accepted thereof, and was well pleased to
execute the office of the high priesthood, and to be
captain, and prince of the nation of the Jews, and of
the priests, and to be chief over all.
And they commanded that this writing should be put in
tables of brass, and that they should be set up within
the compass of the sanctuary, in a conspicuous place:
And that a copy thereof should be put in the treasury,
that Simon and his sons may have it.
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