1st Maccabees 14

CHAPTER 14

¹In the hundred and two and seventy [or seventieth] year, king Demetrius gathered his host, and went to Media, for to draw together helps to him, for to overcome Tryphon.

²And as Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius entered into his nigh coasts, he sent one of his princes, for to take him quick, and that he should bring him to himself.

³And he went, and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and led him to Arsaces, and he putted him into keeping.

⁴And the land of Judea was still, either peaceable , in all the days of Simon, and he sought good things of his folk; and his power and his glory pleased them in all days.

⁵And with all his glory he took Joppa into haven, and made entry into isles of the sea;

⁶and alarged the coasts of his people, and wielded the country.

⁷And he gathered much captivity, and was lord in Gazara, and Bethsura, and the high tower; and he did away uncleannesses of it, and there was not that against-stood him.

⁸And each man tilled his own land in peace, and the land of Judea gave his fruits, and trees of [the] fields their fruit.

⁹Elder men sat all in streets [or All elder men sat in streets] , and treated of goods of the land; and young men clothed them in glory, and stoles of battle, that is armours, in the time of peace .

¹⁰And to the cities he gave foods, and ordained those [or them] , that those [or they] were vessels of strengthening, till that the name of his glory was named till to the last of earth.

¹¹He made peace on the land, and Israel was glad [or gladded] with great gladness;

¹²and each man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree, neither there was that feared them.

¹³The fighting man against them failed on earth; kings were all-broken in those days.

¹⁴And he confirmed all meek men of his people, and he sought out the law, and did away all evil and wickedness;

¹⁵and he glorified holy things, and multiplied vessels of holy things.

¹⁶And it was heard at Rome, that Jonathan was dead, and till into Spartans, and they were full sorrowful.

¹⁷Forsooth as they heard, that Simon, his brother, was made highest priest in his stead, and he wielded the country, and cities in it,

¹⁸they wrote to him in brazen tables, for to renew friendship, and fellow-ship, that they made with Judas and Jonathan, his brethren;

¹⁹and they were read in the sight of the church in Jerusalem.

²⁰And this is the ensample of epistles, that Spartans sent. The prince and the cities, that is, governors of the cities , of Spartans to Simon, great priest, and to the elder men, and priests, and to other people of Jews, brethren, health.

²¹Legates that were sent to our people, told to us of your glory, and honour, and gladness, and we joyed in the entry of them.

²²And we have written what things were said of them in councils [or in council] of people, thus. Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, legates of Jews, came to us, and renewed with us the former friendship.

²³And it pleased to the people, for to receive the men gloriously, and to put ensample of their words in departed books of the people, that it be to mind to the people of Spartans; forsooth we have written ensample of these things to Simon, the great priest.

²⁴Forsooth after these things, Simon sent Numenius to Rome, having a great golden shield, in weight of a thousand bezants, for to ordain fellow-ship with them.

²⁵Soothly when the people of Rome heard these words, they said, What doing of thankings shall we yield to Simon, and his sons?

²⁶For he restored his brethren, and overcame the enemies of Israel from them. And they ordained to him [or them] liberty,

²⁷and wrote in brazen tables, and Jews putted in titles, in the mount of Zion. And this is ensample of writing. In the eighteenth day of the month Elul, that is, August , in the hundred and two and seventy [or seventieth] year, the third year under Simon, great priest,

²⁸in Saramel, in the great coming together of priests, of the people, and princes, and folk, and the elder men [or seniors] of the country, these things were made known;

²⁹for many times battles were done [or be made] in your country. Forsooth Simon, the son of Mattathias, of the sons of Jarib, and his brethren, gave themselves to peril, and against-stood adversaries of their folk, that their holy things and law should stand; and by great glory they glorified their folk.

³⁰And Jonathan gathered his folk, and was made to them a great priest, and is put to his people.

³¹And the enemies of them would defoul holy things, and destroy the country of them, and stretch forth hands into holy things of them.

³²Then Simon against-stood, and fought for his people, and gave many riches [or much money] , and armed men of virtue of his folk, and gave to them wages;

³³and strengthened the cities of Judea, and Bethsura, that was in the ends of Judea, where before were arms of enemies, and he putted there help, [or strength] , men of Jews.

³⁴And he strengthened Joppa, that was at the sea, and Gazara, that was in the coasts of Azotus, in which enemies dwelt before; and he setted [or set] there Jews, and whatever things were able to amending of them, he putted [or put] in them.

³⁵And the people saw the doing of Simon, and glory that he thought for to do to his folk, and they made him their duke, and prince of priests, for that he had done all these things, and rightwiseness, and faith that he kept to his folk; and he sought out in all manner for to raise his people.

³⁶And in his days it had prosperity in his hands, that heathen men were taken away from the country of them, which were in the city of David in Jerusalem, in the high tower, from which they came out, and defouled all things that were in the compass of holy things, and gave great wound to chastity.

³⁷And he setted therein men Jews, to defending of the country, and city, and raised the walls in Jerusalem.

³⁸And king Demetrius ordained to him the highest priesthood;

³⁹by this he made him his friend, and glorified him in great glory.

⁴⁰For he heard, that Jews were called of Romans friends, and fellows, and brethren, and that they received [the] legates of Simon gloriously;

⁴¹and that Jews, and priests of them, consented, him for to be their duke, and highest priest [into] without end, till there rise a faithful prophet;

⁴²and that he be duke on them, and care, or busyness , were to him for holy things; and that he should ordain governors [or provosts] on the works of them, and on the country, and on arms, and on strengths; and care be to him of holy things;

⁴³and that he be heard of men, and all writings in the country be written together under the name of him, and that he be covered with purple and gold;

⁴⁴and that it be not leaveful to any of the people, and to priests, for to make anything of these void, and against-say to these things that be said of him, either for to call together covent in the country without him; and for to be clothed in purple, and for to use a golden lace or ouch.

⁴⁵Soothly he that shall do without this, either shall make void any of these, shall be guilty.

⁴⁶And it pleased altogether to all the people, for to ordain Simon, and do by [or after] these words.

⁴⁷And Simon received, and it pleased him, that he should use [or was set in] high or highest priesthood, and be duke and prince of the folk of Jews, and priests, and be the sovereign of all men.

⁴⁸And they ordained for to put this writing in brazen tables, and put them in the wall about the compassing [or in the walking place] of holy things, in solemn place;

⁴⁹forsooth for to put ensample of these in the treasury, that Simon have and his sons.