1st Maccabees Chapter 14

Eulogy of Simon

14:1 Now in the hundred seventy-second year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media to get him help to fight against Tryphone.
14:2 But when Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive:
14:3 Who went and struck the army of Demetrius, and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put in custody.
14:4 As for the land of Judea, that was quiet all the days of Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here; for he sought the good of his nation in such wise, as that forever his authority and honor pleased them well.
14:5 And as he was honorable in all his acts, so in this, that he took Joppa for an port, and made an entrance to the isles of the sea,
14:6 And enlarged the bounds of his nation, and recovered the country,
14:7 And gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gaza, and Bethsura, and the tower, out of the which he took all uncleanness, neither was there any that resisted him.
14:8 Then did they till their ground in peaceשָׁלוֹם‎
Transliteration šālôm Pronunciation shaw-lome’ shalom – completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, be well, prosperity For more info click here, and the earth gave her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit.
14:9 The old men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.
14:10 He provided supplies for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition, so that his honorable name was renowned to the ends of the earth.
14:11 He made peaceשָׁלוֹם‎
Transliteration šālôm Pronunciation shaw-lome’ shalom – completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, be well, prosperity For more info click here in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy:
14:12 For every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to battle them:
14:13 Neither was there any left in the land to fight against them: yes, the kings themselves were overthrown in those days.
14:14 Then he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot. he searched out; and every hatred of the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot. and wicked person he took away.
14:15 He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied vessels of the temple.

Renewal of the league with Sparta and with Rome

14:16 Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathanיוֹנָתָן‎ אַפְּפוּס‎
Jonathan Apphus Yōnāṯān ʾApfūs; Ancient Greek: Ἰωνάθαν Ἀπφοῦς, Iōnáthan Apphoûs) was one of the sons of Mattathias and the leader of the Hasmonean dynasty of Judea from 161 to 143 BCE. For more info click here was dead, and they were very sorry.
14:17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities in it:
14:18 They wrote to him in tables of bronze, to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here and Jonathan his brothers:
14:19 Which writings were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.
14:20 And this is the copy of the letters that the Spartans sent; The rulers of the Spartans, with the city, to Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here the high priest, and the elders, and priests, and residue of the people of the Jews, our brothers, send greeting:
14:21 The ambassadors that were sent to our people certified us of your glory and honor: for that reason we were glad of their coming,
14:22 And did register the things that they spoke in the council of the people like this; Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.
14:23 And it pleased the people to entertain the men honorably, and to put the copy of their embassy in public records, to the end the people of the Spartans might have a memorial of it: additionally we have written a copy of it to Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here the high priest.
14:24 After this Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to confirm the league with them.

Official honors decreed for Simon

14:25 Of which when the people heard, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here and his sons?
14:26 Because he and his brothers and the house of his father have established Israel, and chased away in fight their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty.
14:27 So then they wrote it in tables of bronze, which they set on pillars in mount Zion: and this is the copy of the writing; The eighteenth day of the month Elulאֱלוּל
(Standard ʾElūl, Tiberian ʾĔlūl) is the twelfth month of the civil year and the sixth month of the religious year in the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 29 days. Elul usually occurs in August–September on the Gregorian calendar. For more info click here, in the hundred seventy-second year, being the third year of Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here the high priest,
14:28 At Asramel in the great congregation of the priests, and people, and rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, were these things notified unto us.
14:29 In view of the fact that frequently  there have been wars in the country, in which for the maintenance of their sanctuary, and the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here the son of Mattathiasמַתִּתְיָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן יוֹחָנָן
Mattīṯyāhū haKōhēn ben Yōḥānān; died 166–165 BCE) was a Kohen (Jewish priest) who helped spark the Maccabean Revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. Mattathias’s story is related in the deuterocanonical book of 1 Maccabees. Mattathias is accorded a central role in the story of Hanukkah and, as a result, is named in the Al HaNissim prayer Jews add to the Birkat Hamazon (grace after meals) and the Amidah during the festival’s eight days. From the Greek later transliterated Matthew. For more info click here, of the posterity of Jarib, together with his brothers, put themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the enemies of their nation did their nation great honor:
14:30 (For after that Jonathanיוֹנָתָן‎ אַפְּפוּס‎
Jonathan Apphus Yōnāṯān ʾApfūs; Ancient Greek: Ἰωνάθαν Ἀπφοῦς, Iōnáthan Apphoûs) was one of the sons of Mattathias and the leader of the Hasmonean dynasty of Judea from 161 to 143 BCE. For more info click here, having gathered his nation together, and been their high priest, was added to his people,
14:31 Their enemies prepared to invade their country, that they might destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary:
14:32 At which time Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own wealth, and armed the brave men of his nation and gave them wages,
14:33 And fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura, that lies upon the borders of Judea, where the armor of the enemies had been before; but he stationed a garrison of Jews there:
14:34 Then he fortified Joppa, which lies upon the coast, and Gaza, that borders upon Azotus, where the enemies had lived before: but he placed Jews there, and furnished them with all things accessible for the reconstruction of it.)
14:35 The people for that reason sang the acts of Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here, and to what glory he thought to bring his nation, made him their governor and chief priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and faith which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to elevate his people.
14:36 For in his time things prospered in his hands, so that the heathen were taken out of their country, and they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a tower, out of which they issued, and polluted all about the sanctuary, and did much hurt in the holy place:
14:37 But he placed Jews in it. and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and raised up the walls of Jerusalem.
14:38 King Demetrius also confirmed him in the high priesthood according to those things,
14:39 And made him one of his friends, and honored him with great honor.
14:40 For he had heard say, that the Romans had called the Jews their friends and confederates and brothers; and that they had entertained the ambassadors of Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here honorably;
14:41 Also that the Jews and priests were well pleased that Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here should be their governor and high priest forever, or until there should rise up a faithful prophet;
14:42 Then that he should be their captain, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to station them over their works, and over the country, and over the armor, and over the fortresses, that, I say, he should take charge of the sanctuary;
14:43 Beside this, that he should be obeyed by every man, and that all the documents in the country should be made in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold:
14:44 Also that it should be lawful for none of the people or priests to violate any of these things, or to deny his words, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a badge of gold;
14:45 And whoever should do otherwise, or violate any of these things, he should be punished.
14:46 So all the people liked it to deal with Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here, and to do as has been said.
14:47 Then Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here accepted this, and was well pleased to be high priest, and captain and governor of the Jews and priests, and to defend them all.
14:48 So they ordered that this writing should be put in tables of bronze, and that they should be set up within the surrounding of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place;
14:49 Also that the copies of it should be laid up in the treasury, to the end that Simonשִׁמְעוֹן הַתַּסִּי
Šīməʿōn haTassī; died 135 BC The name “Thassi” has a connotation of “the Wise”, a title which can also mean “the Director”, “the Guide”, “the Man of Counsel”, and “the Zealous”. This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as Simon the Hasmonean, Simon Maccabee, or (from Latin) Simon Maccabeus. For more info click here and his sons might have them.