Simon Leads the Jews

¹Simon learned that Trypho had assembled a large army and that he had plans to invade Judea and devastate it.

²He realized that this news had brought panic and fear to the people, so he went to Jerusalem, called the people together,

³and tried to encourage them by saying, You know how much my father's family, my brothers, and I have done for the sake of the Law of Moses and the Temple. You also know about the wars we have fought and the troubles we have had.

⁴All my brothers have been killed fighting for our Law, our Temple, and our nation, and I am the only one left.

⁵But never let it be said that I tried to save my own life in a time of danger; I do not consider myself better than my brothers.

⁶Not in the least! It is true that in their hatred all the Gentile nations have gathered together to destroy us, but I will fight to defend my nation, the Temple, and your loved ones.

⁷These words immediately revived the morale of the people,

⁸and they answered with a loud shout, You are now our leader in place of your brothers Judas and Jonathan.

⁹Fight our wars, and we will do whatever you ask.

¹⁰So Simon gathered together all the soldiers and hurried to complete the walls of Jerusalem and to strengthen all its defenses.

¹¹He sent Jonathan son of Absalom to Joppa with a large army. This Jonathan drove out the people who were there and occupied the town.

¹²Trypho left Ptolemais with a large army to invade Judea, taking Simon's brother Jonathan along with him as a prisoner.

¹³Simon set up camp at Adida at the edge of the plain.

¹⁴When Trypho learned that Simon had succeeded his brother Jonathan and that he was ready to meet him in battle, he sent this message to him:

¹⁵I am holding your brother Jonathan under arrest because while he was in office he did not pay his debts to the royal treasury.

¹⁶However, I will release him if you will pay me 6,000 pounds of silver and send two of his sons as hostages to guarantee that he will not revolt against us when he is released.

¹⁷Although Simon knew that they were deceiving him, he sent for the money and the two sons because he did not want to arouse the hostility of the Jews.

¹⁸He was afraid that they might later say that Jonathan was put to death because Simon would not send the money and the boys.

¹⁹So he did as Trypho had demanded, but Trypho broke his promise and did not release Jonathan.

²⁰Then Trypho made his move to invade the land and destroy it, circling around by the road to Adora. But Simon and his army moved along facing him wherever he went.

²¹The enemy soldiers in the fort in Jerusalem kept sending messengers to Trypho urging him to come to them quickly by way of the desert and to send them supplies.

²²Trypho got all his cavalry ready for the invasion, but that night there was a heavy snowstorm, and he was not able to move up into the hills. So he withdrew and went into Gilead.

²³When he was near Baskama, he had Jonathan put to death and his body buried there.

²⁴Then Trypho turned and went back to his own country.

²⁵Simon had the body of his brother Jonathan brought to Modein, to be buried in the town of their ancestors.

²⁶Everyone in Israel was in deep sorrow at the loss of Jonathan, and they mourned for him a long time.

²⁷Over the tomb of his father and his brothers Simon built a high monument that could be seen from a great distance. It was covered front and back with polished stone.

²⁸He constructed seven pyramids side by side for his father, his mother, and his four brothers.

²⁹For the pyramids he created a setting of tall columns on which there were carvings. Some of these carvings were of suits of armor and some were of ships. It was a monument to their victories, which travelers from overseas could visit.

³⁰The tomb which he built in Modein is still there today.

³¹Meanwhile, Trypho assassinated the young king, Antiochus the Sixth,

³²and took over his kingdom in Syria. He brought that country great troubles.

³³Simon rebuilt the fortresses of Judea with high towers, strong walls, and barred gates; then he placed stores of supplies there.

³⁴He sent ambassadors to King Demetrius the Second to ask for tax relief for the land, since Trypho was doing nothing but robbing them.

³⁵King Demetrius sent the following letter in reply:

³⁶King Demetrius to the High Priest Simon, the friend of kings, to the Jewish nation, and to their leaders, greetings.

³⁷I have received the gold crown and the gold palm branch which you sent, and I am prepared to make a peace treaty with you and to instruct our tax officials to grant you exemptions.

³⁸Our previous agreements with you are confirmed, and the fortresses which you have built are to remain yours.

³⁹I grant you pardon for treaty violations committed up to the present date, and I release you from payment of the special tax still due and any other taxes that have been collected up to this time in Jerusalem.

⁴⁰All Jews who are qualified may enroll in the royal service. Let us have peace.

⁴¹So in the year 170 the yoke of the Gentile oppressors was removed from the Jews.

⁴²People began to date their documents and contracts with these words: In the first year of Simon, the great High Priest, commander and leader of the Jews.

⁴³At that time Simon laid siege to Gezer and surrounded it with his army. He built a movable siege platform, brought it up to the town wall, attacked one of the towers, and captured it.

⁴⁴The men who had been on the siege platform then moved rapidly into the town, and this created great confusion.

⁴⁵The men of the town, their wives, and their children tore their clothes in distress and climbed up on the top of the town wall. They pleaded loudly with Simon for a truce.

⁴⁶Have mercy on us, they begged. Don't punish us as we deserve!

⁴⁷So Simon came to terms with them and ended the fighting. He made the people leave the town; then he purified the houses in which there had been idols. When that was done, he and his men entered the town singing hymns and songs of praise.

⁴⁸He eliminated everything that would make the town ritually unclean and settled it with people who would obey every command contained in the Law of Moses. He strengthened the defenses of the town and built himself a palace there.

⁴⁹Those in the fort in Jerusalem were now prevented from leaving to buy or sell anything. They were suffering from severe hunger and many of them had died of starvation.

⁵⁰Finally they appealed to Simon for a truce. He agreed, removed them from the fort, and purified it.

⁵¹On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year 171, there was a great celebration in the city because this terrible threat to the security of Israel had come to an end. Simon and his men entered the fort singing hymns of praise and thanksgiving, while carrying palm branches and playing harps, cymbals, and lyres.

⁵²Simon issued a decree that the day should be joyfully celebrated every year. He strengthened the defenses of the Temple hill on the side facing the fort, and he and his men made their headquarters there.

⁵³Simon's son John was now a grown man, so Simon made him commander of the whole army, and John set up headquarters at Gezer.

¹If you are chosen to preside at a banquet, don't put on airs. Just be like everyone else. Look after the guests before you sit down.

²After you have performed your duties, you can sit down and enjoy yourself with the others. They will respect you for doing a good job.

³If you are older than most of the guests, you may talk; that is your right. But you should know what you are talking about and not interrupt the music.

⁴If entertainment is being provided, don't keep up a steady conversation; it's the wrong time to show off your wit.

⁵Music at a banquet where wine is served is like a ruby set in gold.

⁶Good music and good wine—an emerald set in gold.

⁷If you are young, don't speak unless you have to, but never more than twice, and only if someone speaks to you first.

⁸Come to the point and say it all in a few words. Show that you are well-informed, but stay quiet.

⁹Don't treat important people as if you were their equal and don't make a nuisance of yourself by asking them a lot of questions.

¹⁰The reputation of a modest person goes before him, as lightning before thunder.

¹¹Leave the party at the right time and never be the last to go. Don't linger at the door; just go straight home.

¹²There you can enjoy yourself as you wish, but don't commit the sin of bragging.

¹³And don't forget to thank your Creator for letting you enjoy so many good things.

Interpreting the Law

¹⁴If you fear the Lord, you will accept his correction. He will bless those who get up early in the morning to pray.

¹⁵Study his Law, and you will master it, unless you are insincere about it, in which case you will fail.

¹⁶If you fear the Lord, you will know what is right, and you will be famous for your fairness.

¹⁷Sinners have no use for correction, and will interpret the Law to suit themselves.

¹⁸Sensible people will consider every opinion, but arrogant people will let nothing stand in their way.

¹⁹Never do anything without thinking it through, and once you have done something, don't look back and wish you had done something else.

²⁰Don't take a course of action that is dangerous, and don't make the same mistake twice.

²¹Don't be too sure of yourself, even when the way looks easy.

²²Always watch where you are going.

²³Whatever you do be careful; this is keeping the Lord's commands.

²⁴Believing in the Law means keeping the Lord's commands. If you trust the Lord, you cannot lose.

¹No evil will ever come to a person who fears the Lord; however often danger comes, the Lord will come to the rescue.

²A person who has no use for the Law doesn't have good sense, and anyone who is insincere about it is going to be tossed about like a boat in a storm.

³If you are wise, you will believe in the Law; you will find it as reliable as the sacred lots.

⁴Prepare what you are going to say and people will listen to you. Use what you have learned before you start talking.

⁵A foolish person's mind works like a cartwheel, going round and round in circles.

⁶A sarcastic friend is like a wild horse that neighs no matter who tries to ride him.

People Are Not Alike

⁷Why are some days holier than others, even though the same sun rises on every day of the year?

⁸It is because the Lord made them different by setting them apart as religious holidays and festivals.

⁹He made some days holy and important, and made other days ordinary.

¹⁰Every human being was made from the earth, just as Adam was.

¹¹But the Lord, in his wisdom, made them all different and gave them different tasks.

¹²He blessed some, making them honored and holy, keeping them near him. Others he cursed, humbling them and removing them from their positions.

¹³Just as clay is in the potter's hands for him to shape as he pleases, so we are in the hands of our Creator for him to do with as he wishes.

¹⁴Good is the opposite of evil, life is the opposite of death, and sin is the opposite of devotion to the Lord.

¹⁵Think about it: the Most High has made everything in pairs, each thing the opposite of something else.

¹⁶As for me, I have been the last to come on duty, as if going through vineyards to gather whatever the grape-pickers had left behind. But the Lord blessed me, and I did well, like a grape-picker who has filled the wine press.

¹⁷But I want you to know that I have not done all this work for myself alone, but for everyone who wants to learn.

¹⁸Listen to me, all you great leaders! All you leaders of the assemblies, hear what I have to say!

Be Independent

¹⁹Never, as long as you live, give anyone power over you—whether son, wife, brother, or friend. Don't give your property to anyone; you might change your mind and have to ask for it back.

²⁰As long as you have breath in your body, don't let anyone lead your life for you.

²¹It is better that your children be dependent on you than the other way around.

²²Keep control over all that you do; don't let anything stain your reputation.

²³Wait until the last moment of your life, when you are breathing your last, and then divide your property among your heirs.

Treatment of Slaves

²⁴A donkey should be given its fodder and its burden, and it should be beaten. A slave should be given food and work, and should be disciplined.

²⁵If you make your slave work, you can set your mind at ease. If you don't keep him busy, he will be looking for freedom.

²⁶You can use a harness and yoke to tame an animal, and a slave can be tortured in the stocks.

²⁷Keep him at work, and don't let him be idle; idleness can only teach him how to make trouble.

²⁸Work is what he needs. If he won't obey you, put him in chains.

²⁹But don't be too severe with anyone, and never be unfair.

³⁰If you have a slave, treat him as you would want to be treated; you bought him with your hard-earned money.

³¹Treat him as a brother; you need him as you need yourself. If you mistreat him and he runs away, where are you going to look for him?

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¹⁷Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life.

¹⁸If it is, you have a bright future.

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¹⁹Listen, my child, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live.

²⁰Don't associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food.

²¹Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.