Before taken away from Israel in the hundred
RH3 and seventieth year.
«ch.i4.»7.
42 Then the people of Israel began e to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon the high priest, the governor and leader of the Jews.
43 In those days Simon camped against Gaza, and besieged it round about ; he made also an engine of war, and set it by the city, and battered a certain tower, and took it.
44 And they that were in the engine leaped into the city ; whereupon there was a great uproar in the city :
45 Insomuch as the people of the city rent their clothes, and climbed upon the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon tGr» tt f to grant them peace.
furigb? 4° AlK* tney *aic*> ^eal not with us ac- tuu. . cording to our wickedness, but according to thy mercy.
47 Sa Simon was appeased toward them, and fought no more against them, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and thanks giving.
48 Yea, he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed such men there as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwelling place for himself.
49 They also of the tower in Jerusalem were kept so strait, that they could neither come forth, nor go into the country, nor buy, nor sell : wherefore they were in great distress for want of victuals, and a great number of them perished through famine.
50 Then cried they to Simon, beseeching I or, him II to be at one with them : which thing Sfi'/i"m ^e 8ranted them ; and when he had put •uu 1 tm. tj1em QUt from thence, , he cleansed the tower from pollutions :
51 And entered into itthe three and twen tieth day of the second month, in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanks giving, and branches of palm trees, and with narps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs : because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel.
52 He ordaiaed also that that day should be kept every year with gladness. Moreover the hill of the temple that was by the tower he made stronger than it was, and there he dwelt himself with his company.
53 And when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he made him 1. captain of all the hosts ; and * he dwelt in
CHAP. XIV.
NOW in the hundred threescore and twelfth year king Demetrius gather ed his forces together, and went into Media, to get him help to fight against Tryphon.
2 But when Arfaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive :
3 Who went and smote the host of De metrius, and took him, and brought him- to Arfaces, by whom he was put in ward.
4 As for the land of Judea, * that was quiet all the days of Simon ; for he sought the good of his nation in such wise, as that evermore his authority and honour pleased them well.
5 And as he was honourable in all his acts, so in this, that he took Joppe for art- haven, and made an entrance ,to the isles- of the sea,
6 And enlarged the bounds of his nation, and recovered the country,
7 And gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Ga zara, and Bethsura, and the tower, out of the which he took all uncleanness, neither- was there any that resisted him.
& Then did they till their ground in; peace, and the earth gave her increase,, and the trees of the field their fruit.
9 The ancient men fat all in the streets, communing together of D good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.
10 He provided victual's for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition*, so that his honourable name was renown ed unto the end of the world.
11 He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with greatjoy :
12 For b every man sat under his vine <> 1 Kings- and his fig tree, and there was none to fray f*s- them :
13 Neither was there any left in the land to fight against them : yea, the kings themselves were overthrown in those days.
14 Moreover he strengthened all those; of his people that were brought low : the law he searched out ; and^very conternner of the law and wicked person he took away.
15 He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels of the temple.
