1 Now when Shim’on heard that Truphon had gathered together a great army to invade the land of Yahuḏah, and destroy it,
2 and seeing that the people were in great trembling and fear, went up to Yerushalayim, and gathered the people together,
3 and gave them encouragement, saying, “You yourselves know what great deeds my brothers and I and my father’s house have done for the Laws and the Miqdash; also the battles and troubles which we have seen.
4 “For this reason all my brothers are slain for Yisra’ĕl’s sake, and I alone am left.
5 “Now therefore, far be it from me that I should spare my own life in any time of trouble, for I am no better than my brothers.
6 “Certainly I shall avenge my nation, and the Miqdash and our wives and our children; for all the gentiles are gathered with great evil to destroy us.”
7 Now as soon as the people heard these words their spirit revived,
8 and they answered with a loud voice saying, “You shall be our leader instead of Yahuḏah and Yahonathan your brother!”
9 “You fight our battles, and whatever, you command us, that we shall do.”
10 So then he gathered together all the men of battle, and made haste to finish the walls of Yerushalayim, and he fortified it round about.
11 He also sent Yahonathan the son of Aḇshalom, and a great force with him to Yapho, who throwing out those that were there, remained there in it.
12 So Truphon moved from Ptolemais with a great strength to invade the land of Yahuḏah, and Yahonathan was with him under guard.
13 But Shim’on pitched his tents at Aḏiḏa, opposite the plain.
14 Now when Truphon knew that Shim’on had risen up instead of his brother Yahonathan, and meant to fight with him, he sent messengers to him, saying,
15 “Although we have Yahonathan your brother under guard, it is for silver that he owes to the sovereign’s treasury, concerning that which was delivered to him.
16 “Now therefore, send a hundred talanton of silver and two of his sons as hostages, that when he is released he may not revolt against us, and we will let him go.”
17 Although Shim’on perceived that they spoke deceitfully to him, because of this he sent the silver and the children, lest he should possibly gain great hatred for himself from the people,
18 who might have said, “Because he did not send him the silver and the children, therefore Yahonathan is dead.”
19 So he sent them the children and the hundred talanton. However, Truphon was deceitful, neither would he let Yahonathan go.
20 And after this, Truphon came to invade the land and destroy it, going round about by the way that leads to Aḏorayim. But Shim’on and his army marched against him in every place, wherever he went.
21 Now those that were in the tower sent messengers to Truphon, so that he should hasten his coming to them by the wilderness, and send them food.
22 Therefore Truphon prepared all his horsemen to come that night, but he did not come because a very great snow fell. So he departed, and came into the land of Gil’aḏ.
23 And when he came near to Baskama he slew Yahonathan, who was buried there.
24 Afterward Truphon returned and went into his own land.
25 Then Shim’on sent, and took the bones of Yahonathan his brother, and buried them in Modi’im, the city of his fathers,
26 and all Yisra’ĕl made a great lamentation for him, and mourned for him many days.
27 Shim’on also built a monument upon the tomb of his father and his brothers, and raised it up to be seen, with hewn stone in front and behind.
28 And, he put up seven memorials, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brothers.
29 And in these he made skilled works, around which he placed great column. And he placed all their armour upon the columns for a remembrance forever, and ships were carved by the armour, that they might be seen of all that sail on the sea.
30 This is the tomb which he made at Modi’im, and it still stands to this day.
31 Now Truphon dealt deceitfully with the young Sovereign Antioḵos, and slew him,
32 and he reigned in his place, and crowned himself sovereign of Asia, and brought great distress upon the land.
33 Then Shim’on built up the strongholds in Yahuḏah, and walled them around with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars, and stored up food within.
34 And Shim’on chose men, and sent to Sovereign Dĕmĕtrios so that he would give the land immunity, because all that Truphon did was to plunder;
35 unto whom Sovereign Dĕmĕtrios answered and wrote after this manner:
36 “Sovereign Dĕmĕtrios, to Shim’on the kohĕn ha’gadol, and friend of sovereigns, also to the elders and nation of the Yahuḏim, greetings.
37 “The golden crown, and the scarlet robe which you sent to us, we have received, and we are ready to make lasting peace with you, and also to write to our officers to confirm the immunities which we have granted.
38 “And whatever covenants we have made with you shall stand, and the strongholds which you have built shall be your own.
39 “As for any oversight or fault committed to this day, we forgive it, and also the crown tax which you owe us. And if there were any other tribute paid in Yerushalayim, it shall no longer be paid.
40 “And seek those who are upright among you to be in our court; let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.”
41 Thus the yoke of the gentiles was taken away from Yisra’ĕl in the hundred and seventieth year.
42 Then the people of Yisra’ĕl began to write in their documents and contracts, “In the first year of Shim’on the kohĕn ha’gadol, the governor and leader of the Yahuḏim.”
43 In those days Shim’on encamped against Azzah and besieged it round about. He also made a siege engine, and positioned it by the city, and battered a certain tower, and took it.
44 And those that were in the siege engine leaped into the city; therefore there was such a great uproar in the city,
45 that the people of the city tore their garments, and climbed up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice pleading for Shim’on to grant them peace.
46 And they said, “Do not deal with us according to our wickedness, but according to your kindness!”
47 So Shim’on was appeased toward them and no longer fought against them, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses in which the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and thanksgiving.
48 He also removed all its uncleanness, and appointed men there that would guard the Law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built a dwelling place for himself there.
49 Also, those of the tower in Yerushalayim were kept so restricted, that they could neither come out, nor go into the country, nor buy, nor sell. Therefore they were in great distress for need of food, and a great number of them perished through scarcity of food.
50 Then they cried to Shim’on, pleading for him to be at one with them, which he granted them. And when he had put them out from there, he cleansed the tower from uncleannesses,
51 and entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the hundred and seventy-first year with thanksgiving and branches of palm trees, and with harps and cymbals and with stringed instruments, and songs of praise and songs; because a great enemy was destroyed out of Yisra’ĕl.
52 He also ordained that the day should be kept every year with gladness. And he made the hill of the Hĕyḵal that was by the tower stronger than it was, and he dwelt there himself with his army.
53 And when Shim’on saw that Yoḥanan his son was a brave man, he made him captain of all the armies; and he dwelt in Gezer.