1Maccabees:13

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* Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea , and destroy it , * And saw that the people was in great trembling and fear , he went up to Jerusalem , and gathered the people together , * 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 . * By reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel 's sake , and I am left alone . * 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 . * 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 . * Now as soon as the people heard these words , their spirit revived . * And they answered with a loud voice , saying , Thou shalt be our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother . * Fight thou our battles , and whatsoever , thou commandest us , that will we do . * 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 . * 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 . * So Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to invade the land of Judea , and Jonathan was with him in ward . * But Simon pitched his tents at Adida , over against the plain . * 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 , * 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 . * 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 . * 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 : * Who might have said , Because I sent him not the money and the children , therefore is Jonathan dead . * So he sent them the children and the hundred talents : howbeit Tryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan , who was buried there . * Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land . * Then sent Simon , and took the bones of Jonathan his brother , and buried them in Modin , the city of his fathers . * And all Israel made great lamentation for him , and bewailed him many days . * 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 . * Moreover he set up seven pyramids , one against another , for his father , and his mother , and his four brethren . * 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 . * This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin , and it standeth yet unto this day . * Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus , and slew him . * And he reigned in his stead , and crowned himself king of Asia , and brought a great calamity upon the land . * 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 . * 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 . * Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner : * King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest , and friend of kings , as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews , sendeth greeting : * 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 . * And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand ; and the strong holds , which ye have builded , shall be your own . * 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 . * And look who are meet among you to be in our court , let then be enrolled , and let there be peace betwixt us . * Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year . * 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 . * 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 . * And they that were in the engine leaped into the city ; whereupon there was a great uproar in the city : * 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 . * And they said , Deal not with us according to our wickedness , but according to thy mercy . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * 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 .

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