Simon Is Chosen Leader

1-2Trypho got together a large army to invade Judea and destroy it. The Jews were terrified when they heard what he was up to. But Simon went to Jerusalem, where he called the people together 3and encouraged everyone by saying:

You know the wonderful things my family has done for the Law of Moses and our temple. You've heard how my brothers and I suffered in the wars 4and how they died fighting for our people.

I'm the only one in my family left alive. 5But in these troubled times I'm ready to die for our people, just as my brothers did. 6I want to get even with the other nations. They hate us and have come together to destroy our people, our temple, and our families.

7Simon's speech encouraged everyone, 8and they shouted, "Be our leader, just like your brothers Judas and Jonathan. 9Take command of our army, and we will obey your orders."

10Simon called the troops together, and they worked quickly to finish the walls and towers that protected Jerusalem on every side. 11Simon ordered Jonathan the son of Absalom to take a large force of soldiers to the town of Joppa. Jonathan forced the people to leave, and he took over Joppa.

Trypho Tricks Simon

12Trypho was still holding Simon's brother Jonathan as a hostage, and he brought Jonathan along when he led his large army out of Ptolemais to invade Judea.

13-14Someone told Trypho, "Simon is now leader of the Jews, and he's ready to attack." Then Trypho sent a message to Simon, whose camp was at Adida overlooking the valleys. The message said:

15Your brother Jonathan was a royal official, but he owed money to the king, and so I arrested him. 16I'll set him free as soon as you send me 100,000 pieces of silver and two of his sons as hostages. That way he won't rebel against me anymore.

17Simon knew the messengers were lying, but he sent for the money and Jonathan's sons. He knew if he did not, the Jewish people would hate him and say, 18"If Simon had given Trypho what he wanted, Jonathan would still be alive!" 19Simon sent Jonathan's sons and the money to Trypho. However, Trypho broke his promise and did not release Jonathan.

20Trypho and his soldiers now set out to invade and destroy the country. They marched south and came up on the road from Adora. But each time Trypho tried to cross the border, he was blocked by Simon and his forces.

21Meanwhile, the enemy troops in the fortress at Jerusalem kept sending messages to Trypho, begging him to go around by way of the desert and bring them food. 22Finally, Trypho ordered his cavalry to get ready to leave for Jerusalem.

But that night, Trypho was stopped by a heavy snowstorm, and he took his army to the country of Gilead. 23When he reached the town of Baskama, he had Jonathan killed and buried. 24Then he returned to his own country.

A Burial Place for the Maccabees

25Simon had the body of his brother Jonathan taken back to Modein, the town of his ancestors. He buried him there, 26and everyone in Israel cried and mourned for a long time.

27Simon had a tall stone monument built over his family grave. It was shiny on the front and back, and could be seen a long way off. 28He also built a row of seven pyramids to honor his father, his mother, and his four brothers.

29-30He set up tall stone columns around the pyramids. Then he hung suits of armor on these columns, so that everyone would remember what his family had done. Next to the suits of armor he put carved figures of ships that could be seen by anyone passing by on the sea. This family burial place is a work of art, and even today it can be seen in Modein.

Simon and Demetrius the Second Make Peace

31Antiochus the Sixth was still a young boy when Trypho had him murdered. 32Now Trypho was ruler and made everyone miserable.

33During this time, Simon ordered the Jews to build thick walls, high towers, and strong gates for the fortresses in Judea and to supply them with plenty of food. 34Simon sent messengers to King Demetrius the Second, and they begged him, "Please make things easier for our country. Trypho is robbing us of everything."

Demetrius the Second Makes Judea a Free Country

35Demetrius the Second did what Simon wanted and wrote him the following letter:

36King Demetrius sends greetings to the Jewish people and their leaders, including Simon, who is high priest and a trusted friend of the king.

37Thank you for the gold crown and the gold palm branch you sent me. I am ready to make a lasting peace by ordering my officials to stop collecting taxes from you. 38I will give you everything I have promised in our treaties. Besides that, you can keep the fortresses you have just built.

39I forgive everything you have done wrong in the past. And from now on, I won't collect the special royal tax or any of the other taxes I used to receive from Jerusalem.

40I will hire any of your people who are prepared to help me in my kingdom. Let's give peace a chance!

41So in the year 170 of the Syrian Kingdom, the Jews won their freedom from the Gentiles. 42And on their documents and contracts they wrote, "The first year of Simon, the great high priest and the commander and ruler of the Jews."

Simon Captures the Town of Gazara

43 About this time, Simon and the Jewish forces surrounded the town of Gazara and set up a large weapon to break through the wall. They pushed it up to the town wall, where they broke through and captured one of the towers. 44Then the soldiers who were operating the weapon rushed into Gazara, causing a terrible uproar.

45Everyone in Gazara tore their clothes to show their sorrow. They climbed to the top of the town wall where they shouted to Simon and begged him for peace, 46saying, "We've done wrong and deserve to be punished. But please have mercy on us."

47Simon agreed to stop the fighting. But he ordered everyone to leave the town, and he took the idols out of the houses where they were kept. Then he and his troops entered Gazara, singing hymns of praise.

48Simon removed everything that made the town unclean according to their religion, and he made the fortresses of Gazara stronger. He built a house for himself and let faithful Jews live in the town.

Simon Captures the Fortress in Jerusalem

49The enemy troops in the Jerusalem fortress still could not go into the country to buy food, and many of them starved to death. 50Finally, the survivors begged Simon for peace. He agreed, then ordered them to leave the fortress, so he could remove everything that made it unclean according to their religion.

51On the twenty-third day of the second month in the year 171 of the Syrian Kingdom, Simon led his soldiers into the fortress. They carried palm branches and praised God with all kinds of songs and musical instruments. God had completely crushed their powerful enemy! 52 Simon decided that a joyous festival should be held on this same day every year. He strengthened the wall on the side of the temple hill that faced the fortress. Then he and his troops made the fortress their headquarters.

53John the son of Simon was now a grown man. So Simon put him in command of the whole army, and John lived in the town of Gazara.