131 And Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together numerousa host to come into the land of Judah, and destroy it utterly. 2 And he saw that the people were troubled band (were) in great fearb; so he went up to Jerusalem, 3 and gathered the people together, and encouraged them, and said unto them: ‘Ye yourselves know what things I, and my brethren, and my father’s house, havec done for the dlaws and the sanctuaryd, 4 and the battles eand the distressese fwhich we have seenf; by reason whereof all my brethren have perished for Israel’s sake, and I alone am left. 5 And now be it far from me that I should spare my own life in any time of affliction; gfor I am not better than my brethreng. 6 Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the sanctuary, and for our hwives andh children; because alli the Gentiles are gathered together to destroy us kof very hatredk.’ 7 And the spirit of the people, las soon asl they heard thesem words, revived. 8 nAnd they answered with a loud voice, sayingn: ‘Thou art our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brethreno. 9 Fight thou pour warp, and all that thou shalt say unto us, that will we do.’ 10 And heq gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and 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 therer sin its.

13:12–24. Simon defeats Tryphon.

12 And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a mighty host to enter into the land of Judah; and Jonathan was with him in ward. 13 But Simon encamped at Adida, tover against the plaint. 14 And (when) Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathanu, and meant to join battle with him, he sent ambassadors unto him, saying: 15 ‘It is for the money which Jonathan thy brother owed unto the king’s treasure, vby reason of the offices which he had v, that we hold him fast. 16 And now send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons (as) hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us,—and we will set him at liberty.’ 17 And Simon kneww that they spake xunto himx deceitfully, but sent the money and the children, lest peradventure he should bring upon himself great hatred on the part of the peopley, (in that they should be) saying: 18 ‘Because I sent him not the money and the children z ahe perishedb.’ 19 cAnd he sent the childrenz c and the hundred talents; anda hed dealt falsely, and did not set Jonathan at liberty. 20 And eafter thise Tryphon came to invade the landf, and destroy it, and he went round about by the way (that leadeth) to Adora; and Simon and his army marched over against him to whatsoever place he went. 21 Now they of the citadel sent gunto Tryphong ambassadors, hastening him to come hunto them through the wilderness, and to send them victualsh. 22 And Tryphon made ready all his horse to come; and in that night there fell ia great quantity ofi snow, and he did not (find it possible to) come because of the snow; so he removed, and came into the country of Gilead. 23 But when he came near to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, and he was buried there. 24 And Tryphon returned, and went away into his own land.

13:25–30. Jonathan’s sepulchre at Modin.

25 And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried himk at Modin, the city of his fathers. 26 And lall Israell made greatm lamentation over him, nand mourned for him many daysn. 27 And Simon built (a monument) upon the sepulchre of his father and of his brethren, and raised it aloft, oso that it could be seeno (from afar); (he built it) with polished stone behind and before. 28 And he set upp seven pyramids, qone over against another, for (his) father, and mother, and four brethrenq. 29 And rfor theser he made cunning devices, setting about thems greatt pillars, and upon the pillars he fashioned uall manner of armsu for a perpetual memory, and beside uthe armsu vcarved shipsv, that they should be seen of all that sail on the sea. 30 This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, (and it is there) unto this day.

13:31–42. Murder of Antiochus. Treaty between Simon and Demetrius II.

31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the youngw kingx Antiochus, 32 and slew him, and reigned in his stead, and put on himself the diadem of Asia, and brought great calamity upon the land.

33 And Simon built the strongholdsy of Judaea, and fenced (them) about with high towers, and great wallsz, and gates, and bars; and he laid up victuals in the strongholds. 34 And Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the country an immunity, abecause all that Tryphon did was to plundera. 35 bAnd king Demetrius sent unto him according to these words, and answered him, and wrote a letter unto him, after this mannerb: 36 ‘King Demetrius unto Simon the high-priest and Friend of kingsc, dand unto the elders and nation of the Jewsd, greeting. 37 The golden crown, and the palm-branche, which ye sent, we have received; and we are ready to conclude a lasting peace with you, and to write to the officers to grant immunities unto you. 38 fAnd whatsoever things we (have now) confirmed unto you, they are confirmedf; and the strongholds which ye have builded, glet them beg your own. 39 hAs for any oversights and faults (committed) unto this day, we forgive (themi)h; and the crown which ye owedk (we remit); and if there were any other toll exacted in Jerusalem, llet it no longer be exactedl. 40 And if (there be) some of you meet to be enrolled among those round about us, let them be enrolled; and (thus) let there be peace betwixt us.’ 41 mIn the one hundred and seventieth year (therefore) was the yoke of the heathen taken away from Israelm. 42 And the people of Israeln began to write in their instruments and contracts: o‘In the first yearo of Simon the great high-priest and captainp and leader of the Jews.’

13:43–53. Simon captures Gazara and the citadel of Jerusalem.

43 In those days heq encamped against Gazarar, and compassed it round about swith armies; and he made tan engine of sieget, and brought it ups to the city, and smote one tower, and took itu. 44 And they that were in the engine of siege leaped forth into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city; and they of the city rent their clothes, 45 and went up von the wallv with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, making request to Simon to give them right hands. 46 And they said: ‘Deal not with us according to our wickednesses, but according to thy mercy.’ 47 And Simon was reconciled unto them, and did not fight against them; but he drove them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and sow entered into it with xsinging and giving of praisex y. 48 zAnd he put all uncleanness out of itz, and caused to dwell in it men who observed the Law; and he made it stronger (than it was before), and he built therein a dwelling-place for himself.

49 But they of the citadel of Jerusalem were hindered from going forth, a band from goinga into the countryb, cand from buying and sellingc; and they hungered exceedingly, and many of them perished through famine. 50 And they cried out to Simon dto take right hands; which thing he granted themd; but he cast them out from thence; and he cleansed the citadel from pollutions. 51 And hee entered into itf g on the three and twentieth day of the secondh month, in the one hundred and seventy-first yearg, with praise, and palm-branches, iand with harps and with cymbals, kand with viols, and with hymnsk, and with songsi; because a greatl enemy had been destroyed out of Israelm. 52 And he ordained that they should keep that day every year nwith gladnessn. oAnd the hill of the temple that was by the citadel he made stronger (than it was before); and he dwelt there, (both) he and his meno. 53 And Simon saw that John his son was (grown to be) a man, and he made him leader of all his forces; and he dwelt at Gazara.

14:1–3. Demetrius II imprisoned by Arsaces, king of Persia.