1 Maccabees, 13

1. Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,

1. Simon heard that Trypho had assembled a great army to invade Judea and devastate it.

2. And saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together,

2. As the people were frightened and apprehensive, he went up to Jerusalem.

3. 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.

3. There he called the people together and encouraged them with this exhortation: "All of you know what I, my brothers, and the family of my father have done for the laws and for the Holy Place. You also know the wars and the hardships we endured.

4. By reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel's sake, and I am left alone.

4. All my brothers died for Israel and now I alone am left.

5. 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.

5. God forbid that I should seek my own safety when things go wrong! For my life is not of more worth than the lives of my brothers. Now that all the nations have united in their hatred in order to destroy us,

6. 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.

6. I will defend my nation and the Holy Place, your wives and your children."

7. Now as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit revived.

7. All were encouraged with these words

8. And they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother.

8. and they exclaimed in a loud voice: "Be our leader in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan.

9. Fight thou our battles, and whatsoever, thou commandest us, that will we do.

9. Lead us in the war and we will obey your commands."

10. 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.

10. So Simon assembled all the men able to fight and hastened to finish building the walls of Jerusalem, which was fortified on all sides.

11. 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.

11. Then he sent Jonathan, son of Absalom, with a strong army to Joppa. They drove out those who occupied it and remained there.

12. So Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to invade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.

12. Meanwhile, Trypho left Ptolemais with a large army to invade Judea, taking Jonathan with him as prisoner.

13. But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.

13. Simon encamped in Adida facing the plain.

14. 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,

14. But when Trypho learned that Simon had taken command in place of his brother Jonathan and was prepared to fight him, he sent some envoys to him with this message:

15. 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.

15. "We have in our custody your brother Jonathan because of the money he owes to the royal treasury for the offices he held.

16. 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.

16. So, send a hundred talents of silver and two of his sons as hostages lest he slip away when we release him, and come back against us. Then we shall let him go."

17. 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:

17. Simon knew that Trypho was deceiving him, but he still sent for the money and the boys so as not to draw upon himself the anger of the people of Israel who might say:

18. Who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the children, therefore is Jonathan dead.

18. "They killed Jonathan because Simon refused to send Trypho the money and the boys."

19. So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit Tryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go.

19. He therefore sent the boys and the hundred talents, but Trypho broke his word and did not set Jonathan free.

20. 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.

20. After this, Trypho advanced to invade Judea and plunder it. He moved along the way to Adora, but Simon and his army kept confronting him wherever he went.

21. 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.

21. Then the men in the Citadel sent messengers to Trypho urging him to come at once to their rescue by way of the desert and to bring them food.

22. 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.

22. Trypho prepared his entire cavalry to go, but it snowed so heavily that night that he was not able to go. So he left for Gilead,

23. And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan, who was buried there.

23. and when he approached Baskama he killed Jonathan and buried him there.

24. Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.

24. Then Trypho returned to his own land.

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

25. Simon sent men to look for the remains of Jonathan, his brother, and he buried him in Modein, the city of their fathers.

26. And all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed him many days.

26. All Israel deeply mourned and wept for Jonathan for many days.

27. 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.

27. Simon built a monument over the tomb of his fathers and brothers, high enough to be seen even from afar, with the back and front covered with marble.

28. Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren.

28. He erected seven pyramids facing each other, for his father and mother and his four brothers.

29. 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.

29. He surrounded the pyramids with great columns, and he had trophies of arms carved upon the columns as a lasting remembrance; and beside the armor, sculptured ships were to be seen by all who sailed the sea.

30. This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth yet unto this day.

30. This is the tomb he constructed in Modein and it is still there today.

31. Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew him.

31. Trypho treated the young King Antiochus in bad faith, and put him to death.

32. And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.

32. He then made himself king in his place, put on the crown of Asia and caused great havoc in the country.

33. 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.

33. Now Simon rebuilt the fortresses of Judea, surrounded them with high towers and great walls with barred gates, and stored food in them.

34. 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.

34. Simon chose men whom he sent to King Demetrius in his attempt to obtain tax exemption for the region, on the grounds that all that Trypho did was to plunder.

35. Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner:

35. King Demetrius responded favorably to his request and wrote to him as follows,

36. King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:

36. "King Demetrius greets Simon, High Priest and Friend of the King, the elders and the Jewish nation.

37. 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.

37. We have received the golden crowns and the palm you have sent us and we are disposed to make a lasting peace with you, and to write to the officials to grant you remission of your debts.

38. And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.

38. All our concessions in your favor are definitive and the fortresses you have built are yours.

39. 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.

39. Moreover, we pardon all errors and offenses committed to this day, as well as the crown tax you owe. From now on, any other tax that used to be paid in Jerusalem shall no longer be collected.

40. And look who are meet among you to be in our court, let then be enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us.

40. If any of your men are qualified to enlist in our army, they can do so. And let peace reign between us."

41. Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year.

41. So, in the year one hundred and seventy (142 B.C.), Israel became free from the yoke of the pagans.

42. 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.

42. They began to write in their documents and contracts, "In the first year of Simon, high priest, general and leader of the Jews."

43. 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.

43. In those days, Simon encamped against Gazard and surrounded it with his army. He constructed a mobile tower, brought it up to the city, attacked and occupied one tower.

44. And they that were in the engine leaped into the city; whereupon there was a great uproar in the city:

44. Then the men of the mobile tower entered the city, causing great dismay.

45. 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.

45. The inhabitants with their wives and children went up on the walls, tore their garments, cried out in a loud voice to Simon and sought peace.

46. And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness, but according to thy mercy.

46. They said to him, "Treat us not as our wickedness deserves, but according to your mercy."

47. 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.

47. Simon was reconciled with them and did not treat them according to the rigor of war. But he expelled them from the city and purified the houses where idols were kept. He then entered the city singing hymns of thanksgiving.

48. 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.

48. After cleansing it from all its impurity, he settled in it men who observed the Law. He fortified it and built a house there for himself.

49. 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.

49. The men who occupied the Citadel in Jerusalem could no longer come out or go into Jewish territory to buy or sell. So they were desperately in need of food, many of them dying of hunger.

50. 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:

50. They begged Simon for peace, and he granted it to them. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the Citadel from all that reminded them of the presence of the pagans.

51. 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.

51. On the twenty-third day of the second month of the year one hundred and seventy-one (141 B.C.), the Jews entered it with songs and palm branches to the accompaniment of zithers, cymbals and harps, and with hymns and songs, for a great plague had been crushed and removed from Israel.

52. 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.

52. Simon decreed that this day be celebrated as a day of annual rejoicing. He strengthened the fortifications of the Temple hill by the side of the military Citadel, and dwelt there with his men.

53. 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.

53. John, son of Simon, had come to manhood, so his father appointed him general in command of all the troops, and John lived in Gazara.