1 Maccabees 13

Simon heard that Trypho was assembling a large army to invade the land of Judah and devastate it.

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

He encouraged them, saying: 'You yourselves know how much I, my brothers, and my father's house have done for the laws and the sanctuary — the battles and the hardships we have endured.'

'For this cause all my brothers have perished for Israel's sake, and I alone am left.'

'Now far be it from me to spare my own life in any time of trouble, for I am no better than my brothers.'

'I will avenge my nation and the sanctuary, and our children and wives, for all the nations have gathered to destroy us out of sheer hatred.'

The spirit of the people was rekindled as they heard these words.

They answered with a loud voice: 'You are our leader in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan!'

'Fight our battle, and whatever you command us, we will do!'

He assembled all the fighting men and hurried to complete the walls of Jerusalem, fortifying it on every side.

He sent Jonathan son of Absalom to Joppa with a fresh army. He expelled those who were in it and remained there himself.

Trypho moved from Ptolemais with a large army to invade the land of Judah, bringing Jonathan with him as a prisoner.

Simon encamped at Adida, facing the plain.

When Trypho learned that Simon had risen in place of his brother Jonathan and was about to join battle with him, he sent envoys to him,

saying: 'We are holding your brother Jonathan because of the money he owed the royal treasury in connection with the offices he held.'

'Send a hundred talents of silver and his two sons as hostages, so that when released he will not revolt against us, and we will set him free.'

Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully, but he sent the money and the boys anyway, lest he bring great hostility upon himself from the people of Israel, who would say:

'It was because he did not send the money and the boys that Jonathan perished.'

He sent the boys and the hundred talents. But Trypho broke his word and did not release Jonathan.

After this, Trypho came to invade and devastate the land. They went around by the road to Adora, while Simon and his army marched alongside them everywhere they went.

Those in the citadel sent messengers to Trypho urging him to come quickly through the wilderness and send them provisions.

Trypho prepared all his cavalry to ride that night, but there was a very heavy snowfall, and he could not come because of the snow. He withdrew and went to Gilead.

When he approached Baskama, he killed Jonathan and his sons there.

Then Trypho turned and went back to his own land.

Simon sent and recovered the bones of his brother Jonathan, and buried them in Modein, the city of his fathers.

All Israel mourned him with great lamentation and wept for him many days.

Simon built over the tomb of his father and brothers a monument impressive to behold, of polished stone on front and back.

He erected seven pyramids, one facing another, for his father, his mother, and his four brothers.

Around these he placed tall columns, and upon the columns he set suits of armor for an eternal memorial, and beside the armor carved ships, visible to all who sailed the sea.

This is the tomb he built in Modein, which stands to this day.

Trypho, while traveling with the young King Antiochus, treacherously killed him.

He reigned in his place and put on the diadem of Asia, bringing great devastation upon the land.

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

Simon chose envoys and sent them to King Demetrius, asking for tax relief for the region, since all of Trypho's acts had been pure extortion.

King Demetrius responded favorably and wrote him the following letter:

'King Demetrius to Simon, great high priest and Friend of Kings, and to the elders and the nation of the Jews — greetings!'

'We have received the golden crown and the palm branch you sent. We are prepared to make a lasting peace with you and to write to the royal officials to release you from what we have remitted.'

'Whatever we have agreed upon for you stands firm, and the fortresses you have built shall be yours.'

'We pardon all oversights and offenses to this day, and remit the crown tax you owed. Whatever other taxes were levied in Jerusalem shall no longer be levied.'

'If any of you are fit to be enrolled among our forces, let them be enrolled. Let there be peace between us.'

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

The people of Israel began to write in their documents and contracts: 'In the first year of Simon, great high priest, governor, and leader of the Jews.'

In those days, Simon encamped against Gezer and surrounded it with his forces. He built siege engines, brought them up to the city, breached one tower, and captured it.

Those in the siege tower leaped into the city, and a great commotion arose in the city.

The people of the city, with their wives and children, climbed up on the walls with their garments torn and cried out with a loud voice, begging Simon for terms of peace.

They said: 'Do not deal with us according to our wickedness, but according to your mercy!'

Simon relented and did not destroy them. He expelled them from the city, purified the buildings where the idols had been, and then entered it with hymns, blessing the Lord.

After removing all uncleanness from it, he settled in it men who observed the Law. He fortified it and made it his residence.

Those in the citadel in Jerusalem were prevented from going out or coming into the countryside to buy and sell. They suffered severe hunger, and many of them perished from famine.

They cried out to Simon for terms of peace, and he granted them. He expelled them from the citadel and cleansed it of its defilements.

They entered it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, with praise and palm branches, with harps and cymbals and lyres, with hymns and songs — because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel.

He decreed that this day should be celebrated every year with rejoicing.

He fortified the Temple mount beside the citadel, and he and his men took up residence there.

Simon saw that his son John was a brave warrior, and he appointed him commander of all the forces. John took up residence in Gezer.