The First Book of Maccabees

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- Chapter 13 -

Simon is made captain general in the room of his brother. Jonathan is slain by Tryphon. Simon is favoured by Demetrius: he takes Gaza, and the castle of Jerusalem.

And Simon heard that Trypho had gathered together an immense army to come to the land of Judah and to lay waste to it.

Seeing that the people were fearful and trembling, he went up to Jerusalem, and he gathered together the people.

And exhorting them, he said: “You know what great battles I, and my brothers, and the house of my father, have fought for the laws and for the holy places, and the anguish that we have seen.

As a result of these things, all my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel, and I have been left alone.

And now, it is not necessary for me to spare my life in any time of tribulation. For I am not better than my brothers.

And so, I will vindicate my people and the sanctuary, and likewise our children and wives. For all the Gentiles have gathered together to crush us, solely out of malice.”

And the spirit of the people was immediately enkindled, when they heard these words.

And they responded with a loud voice, saying: “You are our leader in place of Judas and of Jonathan, your brother.

Fight our battles, and we will do whatever you tell us to do.”

And so, gathering together all the men of war, he accelerated the completion of all the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it all around.

And he sent Jonathan, the son of Absalom, and with him a new army, into Joppa, and he cast out those who were in it, and he himself remained there.

And Trypho moved from Ptolemais, with a great army, to come into the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him in custody.

But Simon took up a position at Addus, opposite the face of the plains.

And when Trypho realized that Simon rose up in the place of his brother, Jonathan, and that he would be joining in battle with him, he sent messengers to him,

saying: “We have detained your brother, Jonathan, because of the money that he owed to the king’s account, because of the matters for which he was responsible.

And now, send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, so that when he is dismissed, he may not flee from us. And then we will release him.”

And Simon knew that he was speaking deceitfully to him. Yet he ordered the money and the boys to be given, lest he should bring upon himself a great hostility from the people of Israel, who might have said,

“It is because he did not send the money and the boys that he perished.”

So he sent the boys and one hundred talents. And he was lying and did not dismiss Jonathan.

And after this, Trypho came into the country, to crush it. And they circled around by the way that leads to Adora. And Simon and his camp marched into every place, wherever they went.(a)

But those who were in the stronghold sent messengers to Trypho, so that he would hurry to come through the desert, and to send them provisions.

And Trypho prepared all his horsemen to arrive on that night. But there was a very great snowfall, and he did not come into Gilead.

And when he approached toward Baskama, he killed Jonathan and his sons there.

And Trypho turned back and went into his own land.

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

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

And Simon built, over the sepulcher of his father and of his brothers, a building, lofty to see, of polished stone, front and back.

And he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brothers.

And around these he placed great columns; and upon the columns, weapons, as a continual memorial; and beside the weapons, carvings of ships, which might be seen by all those who sail the sea.

This is the sepulcher that he made in Modin, even to this day.

But Trypho, when he was on a journey with the young king, Antiochus, killed him by deceit.

And he reigned in his place, and he put on the diadem of Asia, and he caused great scourges upon the land.

And Simon built up the strongholds of Judea, fortifying them with high towers, and great walls, and gates and bars. And he placed provisions in the fortresses.

And Simon chose men, and he sent to king Demetrius, so that he would grant a remission to the region, for all that Trypho did was to carry out plundering.

And king Demetrius responded to this word, and he wrote a letter in this manner:

“King Demetrius to Simon, the high priest and friend of kings, and to the elders, and to the people of the Jews: greetings.

The golden crown and the bahem that you sent, we have received. And we are prepared to make a great peace with you, and to write to the officers of the king to remit to you the things that we have released.

For whatever we have established remains in force for you. The strongholds that you have built, let them be yours.

Likewise, any oversight or fault, even to this day, we forgive it, along with the crown that you owed. And if anything else was taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.

And if any of you is fit to be enrolled among our own, let them be enrolled. And let there be peace between us.”

In the one hundred and seventieth year, the yoke of the Gentiles was taken away from Israel.

And the people of Israel began to write in the tablets and the public records, in the first year under Simon: high priest, great commander, and leader of the Jews.

In those days, Simon took up a position at Gaza, and he encamped around it, and he made machines of war, and he applied them to the city, and he struck one tower and captured it.

And those who were within the machine broke forth into the city. And a great commotion occurred in the city.

And those who were in the city ascended upon the wall, with their wives and children, having torn their tunics. And they cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to grant them a pledge.

And they said, “Do not repay us according to our malice, but according to your mercy.”

And weeping, Simon did not destroy them. Yet he cast them out of the city, and he cleansed the buildings, in which there had been idols. And then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord.

And, having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men who would observe the law. And he fortified it and made it his dwelling place.

But those who were in the stronghold of Jerusalem were prohibited from going out and entering the region, and from buying and selling. And they were very hungry, and many of them perished through famine.

And they cried out to Simon, that they might receive a pledge, and he granted it to them. And he cast them out of there, and he cleansed the stronghold from contaminations.

And they entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, with thanksgiving, and palm branches, and lyres, and cymbals, and psalteries, and hymns, and canticles, because a great enemy had been crushed out of Israel.

And he established that these days should be kept every year with rejoicing.

And he fortified the mountain of the temple, which was near the stronghold, and he lived there himself, along with those who were with him.

And Simon saw that John, his son, was a valiant man in battle. And so he appointed him as commander of all the forces. And he lived in Gazara.

Footnotes

(a)13:20 Simon and his army marched to every place whithersoever they went:That is, whithersoever Tryphon and his horsemen went in order to oppose them.(Challoner)

Simon is made captain general in the room of his brother. Jonathan is slain by Tryphon. Simon is favoured by Demetrius: he takes Gaza, and the castle of Jerusalem.

Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty army to come into the land of Judah and destroy it utterly.

He saw that the people were trembling in great fear. So he went up to Jerusalem and gathered the people together.

He encouraged them, and said to them, “You yourselves know all the things that I, my kindred, and my father’s house have done for the laws and the sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen.

Because of this, all my brothers have perished for Israel’s sake, and I am left alone.

Now be it far from me, that I should spare my own life in any time of affliction, for I am not better than my kindred.

However, I will take vengeance for my nation, for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children, because all the Gentiles have gathered out of hatred to destroy us.”

The spirit of the people revived as soon as they heard these words.

They answered with a loud voice, saying, “You are our leader in the place of Judas and Jonathan your brothers.

Fight our battles, and we will do all that you tell us to do.”

He gathered together all the men of war, and hurried to finish the walls of Jerusalem. He fortified it all around.

He sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great army, to Joppa. He threw out those who were in it, and lived there.

Tryphon left Ptolemais with a mighty army to enter into the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him under guard.

But Simon encamped at Adida, near the plain.

Tryphon knew that Simon had risen up in the place of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, so he sent ambassadors to him, saying,

“It is for money which Jonathan your brother owed to the king’s treasury, by reason of the offices which he had, that we are detaining him.

Now send one hundred talents of silver and two of his sons for hostages, so that when he is released he may not revolt against us, and we will release him.”

Simon knew that they spoke to him deceitfully, but he sent to get the money and the children, lest perhaps he would arouse great hostility among the people,

who might say, “Because I didn’t send him the money and the children, he perished.”

So he sent the children and the hundred talents, but Tryphon lied, and didn’t release Jonathan.

After this, Tryphon came to invade the land and destroy it, and he went around by the way that leads to Adora. Simon and his army marched near him to every place, wherever he went.

Now the people of the citadel sent to Tryphon ambassadors, urging him to come to them through the wilderness, and to send them food.

So Tryphon prepared all his cavalry to come, but on that night a very heavy snow fell, and he didn’t come because of the snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead.

When he came near to Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there.

Then Tryphon turned back, and went away into his own land.

Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers.

All Israel made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days.

Simon built a monument on the tomb of his father and his kindred, and raised it high so that it could be seen, with polished stone on the front and back.

He also set up seven pyramids, one near another, for his father, his mother, and his four brothers.

For these, he made an elaborate setting, erecting great pillars around them, and upon the pillars he made suits of armor for a perpetual memorial, and beside the suits of armor, he carved ships, so that they could be seen by all who sail on the sea.

This is the tomb which he made at Modin. It remains to this day.

Now Tryphon deceived the young King Antiochus and killed him,

and reigned in his place. He put on himself the crown of Asia and brought a great calamity upon the land.

Simon built up the strongholds of Judea, and walled them all around with high towers, great walls, gates, and bars; and he stored food in the strongholds.

Simon chose men, and sent to King Demetrius with a request that he grant the country an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to plunder.

King Demetrius sent to him according to these words, and answered him, and wrote a letter to him, as follows:

“King Demetrius to Simon the high priest and friend(a) of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greetings.

The golden crown and the palm branch, which you sent, we have received. We are ready to make a steadfast peace with you, yes, and to write to our officers to release you from tribute.

Whatever things we confirmed to you, they are confirmed. The strongholds, which you have built, let them be your own.

As for any oversights and faults committed to this day, we forgive them, and the crown tax which you owed us. If there were any other tax collected in Jerusalem, let it be collected no longer.

If any among you are qualified to be enrolled in our court, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.”

In the one hundred seventieth year,(b) the yoke of the Gentiles was taken away from Israel.

The people began to write in their instruments and contracts, “In the first year of Simon, the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews.”

In those days Simon encamped against(c) Gazara, and surrounded it with troops. He made a seige engine, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and captured it.

Those who were in the engine leaped out into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city.

The people of the city tore their clothes, and went up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, asking Simon to give them(d) his right hand.

They said, “Don’t deal with us according to our wickednesses, but according to your mercy.”

So Simon was reconciled to them, and didn’t fight against them; but he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses where the idols were, and then entered into it with singing and giving praise.

He removed all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it men who would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built a dwelling place for himself in it.

But the people of the citadel in Jerusalem were hindered from going out and from going into the country, and from buying and selling. So they were very hungry, and a great number of them perished from famine.

Then they cried out to Simon, that he should give them his right hand; and he gave it to them; but he expelled them from there, and he cleansed the citadel from its pollutions.

He entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred seventy-first year,(e) with praise and palm branches, with harps, with cymbals, and with stringed instruments, with hymns, and with songs, because a great enemy had been destroyed out of Israel.

Simon ordained that they should keep that day every year with gladness. He made the hill of the temple that was by the citadel stronger than before, and he lived there with his men.

Simon saw that his son John was a man, so he made him leader of all his forces; and he lived in Gazara.

Footnotes

(a)13:36 See 1 Maccabees 2:18 .

(b)13:41 circa B.C. 143.

(c)13:43 See 1 Maccabees 13:53 (compare 1 Maccabees 13:48 ); 1 Maccabees 14:7 34; 15:28; 16:1: also Josephus. All the authorities read Gazain this verse.

(d)13:45 Gr. right hands.

(e)13:51 circa B.C. 142.