1 Maccabees 13

1 Καὶ ἤκουσε Σίμων ὅτι συνήγαγε Τρύφων δύναμιν πολλὴν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν εἰς γῆν Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐκ ρίψαι αὐτήν.

2 Καὶ εἶδε τὸν λαὸν ὅτι ἐστὶν ἔντρομος, καὶ ἔμφοβος, καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἤθροισε τὸν λαόν.

3 Καὶ παρεκάλεσεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, αὐτοὶ οἴδατε ὅσα ἐγὼ, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου, ὁ καὶ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός μου, ἐποιήσαμεν περὶ τῶν νόμων, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ τοὺς πολέμους, καὶ τὰς στενοχωρίας ἃς εἴδομεν.

4 Τούτου χάριν ἀπώλοντο οἱ ἀδελφοί μου πάντες χάριν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ κατελείφθην ἐγὼ μόνος.

5 Καὶ νῦν μή μοι γένοιτο φείσασθαί μου τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ θλίψεως, οὐ γάρ εἰμι κρείσσων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου.

6 Πλὴν ἐκδικήσω περὶ τοῦ ἔθνους μου, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ περὶ τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τῶν τέκνων ἡμῶν, ὅτι συνήχθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐκτρίψαι ἡμᾶς ἔχθρας χάριν.

7 Καὶ ἀνεζωοπύρησε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ λαοῦ ἅμα τῷ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν λόγων τούτων,

8 καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, λέγοντες, σὺ εἶ ἡμῶν ἡγούμενος ἀντὶ Ἰούδα, καὶ Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου.

9 Πολέμησον τὸν πόλεμον ἡμῶν, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃς ἡμῖν, ποιήσομεν.

10 Καὶ συνήγαγε πάντας τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς πολεμιστὰς, καὶ ἐτάχυνε τοῦ τελέσαι τὰ τείχη Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὠχύρωσεν αὐτὴν κυκλόθεν.

11 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἰωνάθαν τὸν τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλώμου καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ἱκανὴν εἰς Ἰόππην, καὶ ἐξέβαλε τοὺς ὄντας ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ ἐν αὐτῇ.

12 Καὶ ἀπῇρε Τρύφων ἀπὸ Πτολεμαΐδος μετὰ δυνάμεως πολλῆς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς γῆν Ἰούδα, καὶ Ἰωνάθαν μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐν φυλακῇ.

13 Σίμων δὲ παρενέβαλεν ἐν Ἀδιδὰ κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ πεδίου.

14 Καὶ ἐπέγνω Τρύφων ὅτι ἀνέστη Σίμων ἀντὶ Ἰωνάθου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅτι συνάπτειν αὐτῷ μέλλει πόλεμον, καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτὸν πρέσβεις, λέγων,

15 περὶ ἀργυρίου οὗ ὤφειλεν Ἰωνάθαν ὁ ἀδελφός σου εἰς τὸ βασιλικὸν διʼ ἃς εἶχε χρείας συνέχομεν αὐτόν.

16 Καὶ νῦν ἀπόστειλον ἀργυρίου τάλαντα ἑκατὸν, καὶ δύο τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ὅμηρα, ὅπως μὴ ἀφεθεὶς ἀποστατήσῃ ἀφʼ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀφήσομεν αὐτόν.

17 Καὶ ἔγνω Σίμων ὅτι δόλῳ λαλοῦσι πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ πέμπει τὸ ἀργύριον, καὶ τὰ παιδάρια, μήποτε ἔχθραν ἄρῃ μεγάλην πρός τὸν λαόν,

18 λέγων, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέστειλα αὐτῷ τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὰ παιδάρια, καὶ ἀπώλετο.

19 Καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὰ παιδάρια, καὶ τὰ ἑκατὸν τάλαντα· καὶ διεψεύσατο, καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκε τὸν Ἰωνάθαν.

20 Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἦλθε Τρύφων τοῦ ἐμβατεῦσααι εἰς τὴν χώραν, καὶ ἐκτρίψαι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐκύκλωσεν ὁδὸν τὴν εἰς Ἄδωρα· καὶ Σίμων καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ ἀντιπαρῆγεν αὐτῷ εἰς πάντα τόπον οὗ ἂν ἐπορεύετο.

21 Οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας ἀπέστελλον πρὸς Τρύφωνα πρεσβευτὰς κατασπεύδοντας αὐτὸν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν προὺς αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου, καὶ· ἀποστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τροφάς.

22 Καὶ ἡτοίμασε Τρύφων πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον αὐτοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ· καὶ ἦν χιὼν πολλὴ σφόδρα, καὶ οὐκ ἦλθε διὰ τὴν χιόνα, καὶ ἀπῇρε, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν Γαλααδίτιν.

23 Ὡς δὲ ἤγγισε τῇ Βασκαμᾷ, ἀπέκτεινε τὸν Ἰωνάθαν, καὶ ἐτάφη ἐκεῖ.

24 Καὶ ἐπέστρεψε Τρύφων, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ.

25 Καὶ ἀπέστειλε Σίμων, καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ ὀστᾶ Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔθαψεν αὐτὰ ἐν Μωδεῒν πόλει τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ.

26 Καὶ ἐκόψαντο αὐτὸν πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ κοπετὸν μέγαν, καὶ ἐπένθησαν αὐτὸν ἡμέρας πολλάς.

27 Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε Σίμων ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὕψωσεν αὐτὸν τῇ ὁράσει λίθῳ ξεστῷ ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν.

28 Καὶ ἔστησεν ἐπʼ αὐτὰ ἑπτὰ πυραμίδας, μίαν κατέναντι τῆς μιᾶς, τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῇ μητρὶ καὶ τῇ μητρὶ καὶ τοῖς τέσσαρσιν ἀδελφοῖς.

29 Καὶ ταύταις ἐποίησε μηχανήματα, περιθεὶς στύλους μεγάλους, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπὶ τοῖς στύλοις πανοπλίας εἰς ὄνομα αἰώνιον, καὶ παρὰ ταῖς πανοπλίαις πλοῖα ἐπιγεγλυμμένα, εἰς τὸ θεωρεῖσθαι ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν πλεόντων τὴν θάλασσαν.

30 Οὗτος ὁ τάφος ὃν ἐποίησεν ἐν Μωδεῒν, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.

31 Ὁ δὲ Τρύφων ἐπορεύετο δόλῳ μετὰ Ἀντιόχου τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ νεωτέρου, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτὸν,

32 καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιέθετο διάδημα τῆς Ἀσίας, καὶ ἐποίησε πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

33 Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε Σίμων τὰ ὀχυρώματα τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ περιετείχισε πύργοις ὑψηλοῖς, καὶ τείχεσι μεγάλοις, καὶ πύλαις, καὶ μοχλοῖς, καὶ ἔθετο βρώματα ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασι.

34 Καὶ ἐπέλεξε Σίμων ἄνδρας, καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς Δημήτριον τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἄφεσιν τῇ χώρᾳ, ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ πράξεις Τρύφωνος ἦσαν ἁρπαγαί.

35 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτῷ Δημήτριος ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους· καὶ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔγραψεν αὐτῷ ἐπιστολὴν τοιαύτην·

36 Βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος Σίμονι ἀρχιερεῖ καὶ φίλῳ βασιλέων, καὶ πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ ἔθνει Ἰουδαίων χαίρειν.

37 Τὸν στέφανον τὸν χρυσοῦν, καὶ τὴν βαΐνην ἣν ἀπεστείλατε, κεκομίσμεθα, καὶ ἕτοιμοί ἐσμεν τοῦ ποιεῖν ὑμῖν εἰρήνην μεγάλην, καὶ γράφειν τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν χρειῶν τοῦ ἀφιέναι ὑμῖν ἀφέματα.

38 Καὶ ὅσα ἑστήκαμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔστηκε, καὶ τὰ ὀχυρώματα ἃ ᾠκοδομήκατε ὑπαρχέτω ὑμῖν.

39 Ἀφίεμεν δὲ ἀγνοήματα καὶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν στέφανον ὃν ὠφείλετε, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἐτελωνεῖτο ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, μηκέτι τελωνείσθω.

40 Καὶ εἴ τινες ἐπιτήδειοι ὑμῶν γραφῆναι εἰς τοὺς περὶ ἡμᾶς, ἐγγραφέσθωσαν, καὶ γινέσθω ἀναμέσον ἡμῶν εἰρήνη.

41 Ἔτους ἑβδομηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ ᾔρθη ὁ ζυγὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.

42 Καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ γράφειν ἐν ταῖς συγγραφαῖς καὶ συναλλάγμασιν, ἔτους πρώτου ἐπὶ Σίμωνος ἀρχιερέως μεγάλου καὶ στρατηγοῦ καὶ ἡγουμένου Ἰουδαίων.

43 Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παρενέβαλε Σίμων ἐπὶ Γάζαν, καὶ ἐκύκλωσεν αὐτὴν παρεμβολαῖς, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑλεπόλεις καὶ προσήγαγε τῇ πόλει, καὶ ἐπάταξε πύργον ἕνα καὶ κατελάβετο.

44 Καὶ ἐξήλλοντο οἱ ἐν τῇ ἑλεπόλει εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐγένετο κίνημα μέγα ἐν τῇ πόλει.

45 Καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ ἐν τῇ πόλει σὺν ταῖς γυναιξὶ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος διεῤῥηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἀξιοῦντες Σίμωνα δεξιὰς αὐτοῖς δοῦναι,

46 καὶ εἶπον, μὴ ἡμῖν χρήσῃ κατὰ τὰς πονηρίας ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ ἔλεός σου.

47 Καὶ συνελύθη Σίμων αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπολέμησεν αὐτούς· καὶ ἐξέβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐκαθάρισε τὰς οἰκίας ἐν αἷς ἦν τὰ εἴδωλα, καὶ οὕτως εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτὴς ὑμνῶν καὶ εὐλογῶν.

48 Καὶ ἐξέβαλεν ἐξ αὐτῆς πᾶσαν ἀκαθαρσίαν, καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐκεῖ ἄνδρας οἵτινες τὸν νόμον ποιοῦσι, καὶ προσωχύρωσεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῷ ἑν αὐτῇ οἴκησιν.

49 Οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐκωλύοντο ἐκπορεύεσθαι καὶ εἰσπορεύεσθαι εἰς τὴν χώραν, καὶ ἀγοράζειν καὶ πωλεῖν, καὶ ἐπείνασαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐξ αὐτῶν ἱκανοὶ τῇ λιμῷ.

50 Καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς Σίμωνα δεξιὰς λαβεῖν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐξέβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ ἐκαθάρισε τὴν ἄκραν ἀπὸ τῶν μιασμάτων.

51 Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτὴν τῇ τρίτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ δευτέρου μηνὸς ἔτους ἑνὸς καὶ ἑβδομηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ μετὰ αἰνέσεως καὶ βαΐων, καὶ ἐν κινύραις, καὶ ἐν κυμβάλοις, καὶ ἐν νάβλαις, καὶ ἐν ὕμνοις, καὶ ἐν ᾠδαῖς, ὅτι συνετρίβη ἐχθρὸς μέγας ἐξ Ἰσραήλ.

52 Καὶ ἔστησε κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦ ἄγειν τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην μετʼ εὐφροσύνης· καὶ προσωχύρωσε τὸ ὄρος τοῦ ἱεροῦ τὸ παρὰ τὴν ἄκραν, καὶ ᾤκει ἐκεῖ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ.

53 Καὶ εἶδε Σίμων τὸν Ἰωάννην υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστι, καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὸν ἡγούμενον τῶν δυνάμεων πασῶν, καὶ ᾤκει ἐν Γαζάροις.

1 Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,

2 and saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together,

3 and gave them exhortation, saying, Ye yourselves know what great things I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, the battles also and troubles which we have seen,

4 by reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel's sake, and I am left alone.

5 Now therefore be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of trouble: for I am no better than my brethren.

6 Doubtless I will avenge my nation, and the sanctuary, and our wives, and our children: for all the heathen are gathered to destroy us of very malice.

7 Now as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit revived.

8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother.

9 Fight thou our battles, and whatsoever thou commandest us, that will we do.

10 So then he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.

11 Also he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great power, to Joppe: who casting out them that were therein remained there in it.

12 So Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great power to invade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.

13 But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.

14 Now when Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers unto him, saying,

15 Whereas we have Jonathan thy brother in hold, it is for money that he is owing unto the king's treasure, concerning the business that was committed unto him.

16 Wherefore now send an hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will let him go.

17 Hereupon Simon, albeit he perceived that they spake deceitfully unto him, yet sent he the money and the children, lest peradventure he should procure to himself great hatred of the people:

18 who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the children, therefore is Jonathan dead.

19 So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit Tryphon dissembled, neither would he let Jonathan go.

20 And after this came Tryphon to invade the land, and destroy it, going round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: but Simon and his host marched against him in every place, wheresoever he went.

21 Now they that were in the tower sent messengers unto Tryphon, to the end that he should hasten his coming unto them by the wilderness, and send them victuals.

22 Wherefore Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, by reason whereof he came not. So he departed, and came into the country of Galaad.

23 And when he came near to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, who was buried there.

24 Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.

25 Then sent Simon, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers.

26 And all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed him many days.

27 Simon also built a monument upon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with hewn stone behind and before.

28 Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren.

29 And in these he made cunning devices, about the which he set great pillars, and upon the pillars he made all their armour for a perpetual memory, and by the armour ships carved, that they might be seen of all that sail on the sea.

30 This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth yet unto this day.

31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew him.

32 And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.

33 Then Simon built up the strong holds in Judea, and fenced them about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars, and laid up victuals therein.

34 Moreover Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the land an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to spoil.

35 Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner:

36 King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:

37 The golden crown, and the scarlet robe, which ye sent unto us, we have received: and we are ready to make a stedfast peace with you, yea, and to write unto our officers, to confirm the immunities which we have granted.

38 And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.

39 As for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown tax also, which ye owe us: and if there were any other tribute paid in Jerusalem, it shall no more be paid.

40 And look who are meet among you to be in our court, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us.

41 Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year.

42 Then the people of Israel began 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 to grant them peace.

46 And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness, but according to thy mercy.

47 So 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 thanksgiving.

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 him to be at one with them: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out from thence, he cleansed the tower from pollutions;

51 and entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel.

52 He ordained 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 captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazara.