1 Maccabees 13

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Simon heard that Trypho had col ected a large army to invade and devastate Judaea,	1 When Simon heard that Trypho was gathering a large army to invade and ravage the land of Judah,
2 and when he saw how the people were quaking with fear, he went up to Jerusalem, cal ed the peopletogether,	2 and saw that the people were in dread and terror, he went up to Jerusalem. There he assembled the people
3 and exhorted them thus, 'You know yourselves how much I and my brothers and my father's familyhave done for the laws and the sanctuary; you know what wars and hardships we have experienced.	3 and exhorted them in these words: "You know what I, my brothers, and my father's house have done for the laws and the sanctuary; what battles and disasters we have been through.
4 That is why my brothers are all dead, for Israel's sake, and I am the only one left.	4 It was for the sake of these, for the sake of Israel, that all my brothers have perished, and I alone am left.
5 Far be it from me, then, to be sparing of my own life in any time of oppression, for I am not worth morethan my brothers.	5 Far be it from me, then, to save my own life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers.
6 Rather wil I avenge my nation and the sanctuary and your wives and children, now that the foreignersare al united in malice to destroy us.'	6 Rather will I avenge my nation and the sanctuary, as well as your wives and children, for all the nations out of hatred have united to destroy us."
7 The people's spirit rekindled as they listened to his words,	7 As the people heard these words, their spirit was rekindled.
8 and they shouted back at him, 'You are our leader in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan.	8 They shouted in reply: "You are our leader in place of your brothers Judas and Jonathan.
9 Fight our battles for us, and we wil do whatever you tel us.'	9 Fight our battles, and we will do everything that you tell us."
10 So he assembled al the fighting men and hurried on with completing the wal s of Jerusalem,fortifying the whole perimeter.	10 So Simon mustered all the men able to fight, and quickly completing the walls of Jerusalem, fortified it on every side.
11 He sent a considerable force to Joppa under Jonathan son of Absalom who drove out the inhabitantsand remained there in occupation.	11 He sent Jonathan, son of Absalom, to Joppa with a large force; Jonathan drove out the occupants and remained there.
12 Trypho now left Ptolemais with a large army to invade Judaea, taking Jonathan with him underguard.	12 Then Trypho moved from Ptolemais with a large army to invade the land of Judah, bringing Jonathan with him as a prisoner.
13 Simon pitched camp in Adida, facing the plain.	13 But Simon pitched his camp at Adida, facing the plain.
14 When Trypho learned that Simon had taken the place of his brother Jonathan and that he intendedto join battle with him, he sent envoys to him with this message,	14 When Trypho learned that Simon had succeeded his brother Jonathan, and that he intended to fight him, he sent envoys to him with this message:
15 'Your brother Jonathan was in debt to the royal exchequer for the offices he held; that is why we aredetaining him.	15 "We have detained your brother Jonathan on account of the money that he owed the royal treasury in connection with the offices that he held.
16 If you send a hundred talents of silver and two of his sons as hostages, to make sure that on hisrelease he does not revolt against us, we shal release him.'	16 Therefore, if you send us a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons as hostages to guarantee that when he is set free he will not revolt against us, we will release him."
17 Although Simon was aware that the message was a ruse, he sent for the money and the boys forfear of incurring great hostility from the people,	17 Although Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, he gave orders to get the money and the boys, for fear of provoking much hostility among the people, who might say
18 who would have said that Jonathan had died because Simon would not send Trypho the money andthe children.	18 that Jonathan perished because Simon would not send Trypho the money and the boys.
19 He therefore sent both the boys and the hundred talents, but Trypho broke his word and did notrelease Jonathan.	19 So he sent the boys and the hundred talents; but Trypho broke his promise and would not let Jonathan go.
20 Next, Trypho set about the invasion and devastation of the country; he made a detour along theAdora road, but Simon and his army confronted him wherever he attempted to go.	20 Next he began to invade and ravage the country. His troops went around by the road that leads to Adora, but Simon and his army moved along opposite him everywhere he went.
21 The men in the Citadel kept sending messengers to Trypho, urging him to get through to them byway of the desert and send them supplies.	21 The men in the citadel sent messengers to Trypho, urging him to come to them by way of the desert, and to send them provisions.
22 Trypho organised his entire cavalry to go, but that night it snowed so heavily that he could not getthrough for the snow, so he left there and moved off into Gilead.	22 Although Trypho got all his cavalry ready to go, there was a heavy fall of snow that night, and he could not go. So he left for Gilead.
23 As he approached Baskama he kil ed Jonathan, who was buried there.	23 When he was approaching Baskama, he had Jonathan killed and buried there.
24 Trypho turned back and regained his own country.	24 Then Trypho returned to his own country.
25 Simon sent and recovered the bones of his brother Jonathan, and buried him in Modein, the town ofhis ancestors.	25 Simon sent for the remains of his brother Jonathan, and buried him in Modein, the city of his fathers.
26 Al Israel kept solemn mourning for him and long bewailed him.	26 All Israel bewailed him with solemn lamentation, mourning over him for many days.
27 Over the tomb of his father and brothers, Simon raised a monument high enough to catch the eye,using dressed stone back and front.	27 Then Simon erected over the tomb of his father and his brothers a monument of stones, polished front and back, and raised high enough to be seen at a distance.
28 He erected seven pyramids facing each other, for his father and mother and his four brothers,	28 He set up seven pyramids facing one another for his father and his mother and his four brothers.
29 surrounding them with a structure consisting of tal columns surmounted by trophies of arms to theireverlasting memory and, beside the trophies of arms, ships sculpted on a scale to be seen by al who sail thesea.	29 For the pyramids he devised a setting of big columns, on which he carved suits of armor as a perpetual memorial, and next to the armor he placed carved ships, which could be seen by all who sailed the sea.
30 Such was the monument he constructed at Modein, and it is stil there today.	30 This tomb which he built at Modein is there to the present day.
31 Now Trypho, betraying the trust of young King Antiochus, put him to death.	31 Trypho dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus. He killed him
32 He usurped his throne, assuming the crown of Asia, and brought great havoc on the country.	32 and assumed the kingship in his place, putting on the crown of Asia. Thus he brought much evil on the land.
33 Simon built up the fortresses of Judaea, surrounding them with high towers, great wal s and gateswith bolts, and stocked these fortresses with food.	33 Simon, on his part, built up the strongholds of Judea, strengthening their fortifications with high towers, thick walls, and gates with bars, and he stored up provisions in the fortresses.
34 He also sent a delegation to King Demetrius, to get him to grant the province a remission, since alTrypho did was to despoil.	34 Simon also sent chosen men to King Demetrius with the request that he grant the land a release from taxation, for all that Trypho did was to plunder the land.
35 King Demetrius replied to his request in a letter framed as fol ows:	35 In reply, King Demetrius sent him the following letter:
36 'King Demetrius to Simon, high priest and Friend of Kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews,greetings.	36 "King Demetrius sends greetings to Simon the high priest, the friend of kings, and to the elders and the Jewish people.
37 'It has pleased us to accept the golden crown and the palm you have sent us, and we are disposedto make a general peace with you, and to write to the officials to grant you remissions.	37 We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that you sent. We are willing to be on most peaceful terms with you and to write to our official to grant you release from tribute.
38 Everything that we have decreed concerning you remains in force, and the fortresses you have builtmay remain in your hands.	38 Whatever we have guaranteed to you remains in force, and the strongholds that you have built shall remain yours.
39 We pardon all offences, unwitting or intentional, hitherto committed, and remit the crown tax you nowowe us; and whatever other taxes were levied in Jerusalem are no longer to be levied.	39 We remit any oversights and defaults incurred up to now, as well as the crown tax that you owe. Any other tax that may have been collected in Jerusalem shall no longer be collected there.
40 If any of you are suitable for enrolment in our bodyguard, let them be enrol ed, and let there bepeace between us.'	40 If any of you are qualified for enrollment in our service, let them be enrolled. Let there be peace between us."
41 The gentile yoke was thus lifted from Israel in the year 170,	41 Thus in the year one hundred and seventy, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel,
42 when our people began engrossing their documents and contracts: 'In the first year of Simon,eminent high priest, commander-in-chief and ethnarch of the Jews'.	42 and the people began to write in their records and contracts, "In the first year of Simon, high priest, governor, and leader of the Jews."
43 About that time Simon laid siege to Gezer, surrounding it with his troops. He constructed a mobiletower, brought it up to the city, opened a breach in one of the bastions and took it.	43 In those days Simon besieged Gazara and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege machine, pushed it up against the city, and attacked and captured one of the towers.
44 The men in the mobile tower sprang out into the city, where great confusion ensued.	44 The men who had been on the siege machine jumped down into the city and caused a great tumult there.
45 The citizens, accompanied by their wives and children, mounted the ramparts with their garmentstorn and loudly implored Simon to make peace with them:	45 The men of the city, joined by their wives and children, went up on the wall, with their garments rent, and cried out in loud voices, begging Simon to grant them peace.
46 'Treat us', they said, 'not as our wickedness deserves, but as your mercy prompts you.'	46 "Do not treat us according to our evil deeds," they said, "but according to your mercy."
47 Simon came to terms with them and stopped the fighting; but he expel ed them from the city, purifiedthe houses which contained idols, and then made his entry with songs of praise.	47 So Simon came to terms with them and did not destroy them. He made them leave the city, however, and he purified the houses in which there were idols. Then he entered the city with hymns and songs of praise.
48 He banished al impurity from it, settled in it people who observed the Law, and having fortified it,built a residence there for himself.	48 After removing from it everything that was impure, he settled there men who observed the law. He improved its fortifications and built himself a residence.
49 The occupants of the Citadel in Jerusalem, prevented as they were from coming out and going intothe countryside to buy and sel , were in desperate need of food, and numbers of them were being carried off bystarvation.	49 The men in the citadel in Jerusalem were prevented from going out into the country and back for the purchase of food; they suffered greatly from hunger, and many of them died of starvation.
50 They begged Simon to make peace with them, and he granted this, though he expel ed them andpurified the Citadel from its pollutions.	50 They finally cried out to Simon for peace, and he gave them peace. He expelled them from the citadel and cleansed it of impurities.
51 The Jews made their entry on the twenty-third day of the second month in the year 171, withacclamations and carrying palms, to the sound of lyres, cymbals and harps, chanting hymns and canticles, sincea great enemy had been crushed and thrown out of Israel. Simon made it a day of annual rejoicing.	51 On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, the Jews entered the citadel with shouts of jubilation, waving of palm branches, the music of harps and cymbals and lyres, and the singing of hymns and canticles, because a great enemy of Israel had been destroyed.
52 He fortified the Temple hil on the Citadel side, and took up residence there with his men.	52 Simon decreed that this day should be celebrated every year with rejoicing. He also strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill alongside the citadel, and he and his companions dwelt there.
53 Since his son John had come to manhood, Simon appointed him general-in-chief, with his residencein Gezer.	53 Seeing that his son John was now a grown man, Simon made him commander of all his soldiers, with his residence in Gazara.