1 Maccabees 13 — Greek text and reception

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered a large force to enter the land of Judah and crush it.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He saw that the people were trembling and terrified. He went up to Jerusalem and gathered the people.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He encouraged them and said, “You yourselves know all that I, my brothers, and my father's house have done for the laws and the holy places, and the battles and hardships we have seen.

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

I will avenge my nation, the holy places, your wives, and your children, for all the nations have gathered to crush us out of hatred.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

They answered in a loud voice, saying, “You are our leader in place of Judas and Jonathan your brother.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Fight our war, and we will do everything you tell us.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

He gathered all the warriors, hastened to complete Jerusalem's walls, and fortified it all around.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He sent Jonathan son of Absalom and a sufficient force with him to Joppa. He expelled those who were in it and remained there.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Tryphon set out from Ptolemais with a large force to enter the land of Judah, with Jonathan under guard.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon encamped at Adida facing the plain.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Tryphon learned that Simon had arisen in place of Jonathan his brother and was about to join battle with him. He sent envoys to him, saying,

Greek–English Saints Priority

“We are holding Jonathan your brother because of money he owed to the royal treasury for the offices he held.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Now send a hundred talents of silver and two of his sons as hostages, so that he will not revolt against us when released, and we will release him.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, yet sent to fetch the money and the children, lest he incur great hostility among the people

Greek–English Saints Priority

if they said, “Because I did not send him the money and the children, he perished.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

He sent the children and the hundred talents, but Tryphon proved false and did not release Jonathan.

Greek–English Saints Priority

After this Tryphon came to invade the country and crush it. They went around by the road to Adora. Simon and his army moved opposite him wherever he went.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Those in the citadel sent envoys to Tryphon, urging him to come to them through the wilderness and send them food.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Tryphon prepared all his cavalry to go, but that night there was exceedingly heavy snow, and he did not go because of the snow. He set out and came to Gilead.

Greek–English Saints Priority

When he approached Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and Jonathan was buried there.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Tryphon turned and went away to his own land.

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

All Israel lamented him with a great lament and mourned him for many days.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon built over the tomb of his father and brothers and raised it high to be seen, with dressed stone at the back and front.

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

For these he made elaborate structures, setting great columns around them. On the columns he made full suits of armor for an everlasting name, and beside the armor he carved ships, to be seen by all who sailed the sea.

Greek–English Saints Priority

This is the tomb he made in Modein, remaining to this day.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young King Antiochus and killed him.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He reigned in his place, put on the diadem of Asia, and inflicted a great blow upon the land.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon rebuilt Judea's strongholds, enclosed them with high towers and great walls, gates, and bars, and placed food in the strongholds.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon chose men and sent them to King Demetrius to secure remission for the country, because all Tryphon's acts were plunder.

Greek–English Saints Priority

King Demetrius sent to him in these words, replying with a letter of this form:

Greek–English Saints Priority

“King Demetrius to Simon, high priest and Friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greetings.

Greek–English Saints Priority

We have received the golden crown and the palm branch that you sent. We are ready to make a great peace with you and to write to the officials to grant you the remissions.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Everything we have established with you stands, and the strongholds you have built shall be yours.

Greek–English Saints Priority

We remit offenses of ignorance and sins up to this day, and the crown payment you owed. If any other levy was collected in Jerusalem, let it be collected no longer.

Greek–English Saints Priority

If any of you are suitable to be enrolled among those around us, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

The people began to write in their documents and contracts, “In the first year of Simon, great high priest, general, and leader of the Jews.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

In those days he encamped against Gazara, surrounded it with camps, made a siege tower, brought it against the city, struck one tower, and took it.

Greek–English Saints Priority

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

Greek–English Saints Priority

The people of the city, with their wives and children, went up onto the wall with torn garments and cried in a loud voice, asking Simon to give them his right hand.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They said, “Do not deal with us according to our wickedness, but according to your mercy.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon came to terms with them and did not fight them. He expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols had been. Then he entered it, singing hymns and blessings.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He removed every uncleanness from it, settled in it men who would carry out the law, further fortified it, and built himself a dwelling in it.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Those in the citadel in Jerusalem were prevented from going out and coming into the country to buy and sell. They became exceedingly hungry, and many of them perished from famine.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They cried to Simon to receive a pledge of peace, and he gave it to them. He expelled them from there and cleansed the citadel from its defilements.

Greek–English Saints Priority

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 lyres, cymbals, harps, hymns, and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed out of Israel.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He established that this day should be celebrated every year with gladness. He further fortified the temple mountain beside the citadel, and he and his men lived there.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Simon saw that his son John was a grown man, and appointed him commander of all the forces. He lived in Gazara.