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The First Book of Maccabees

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- Kapitel 14 -

Demetrius is taken by the king of Persia. Judea flourishes under the government of Simon.

1
In the one hundred and seventy-second year, king Demetrius gathered together his army, and he went into Media to obtain auxiliaries to fight against Trypho.
2
And Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius entered his confines, and so he sent one of his princes to capture him alive and to bring him to him.
3
And he went out and struck the camp of Demetrius. And captured him and brought him to Arsaces, and he placed him under guard.
4
And the entire land of Judah was quiet during all the days of Simon, and he sought what was good for his people. And his power and his glory pleased them through all his days.
5
And, with all his glory, he accepted Joppa as a port, and he made it an entrance to the islands of the sea.
6
And he enlarged the boundaries of his nation, and he controlled the countryside.
7
And he gathered together many captives, and he was the ruler of Gazara and Bethzur, and the stronghold. And he took uncleanness away from it, and there was no one who could withstand him.
8
And each one cultivated his land in peace, and the land of Judah produced its fruits, and the trees of the fields their fruit.
9
All the elders sat in the streets, and they discussed what was good for the country, and the youths clothed themselves in glory and in the robes of war.
10
And he gave tributes of provisions to the cities, and he decreed that they would have equipment for fortification, so that the fame of his glory was renowned, even to the ends of the earth.
11
He caused there to be peace over the land, and Israel was rejoicing with great joy.
12
And each one sat under his vine and under his fig tree. And there was no one who would terrify them.
13
There was nothing left of those who might fight against them in the land; kings had been crushed in those days.
14
And he confirmed all the humble of his people, and he sought the law, and he took away every iniquity and evil.
15
He glorified the sanctuary, and he multiplied the vessels of the holy places.
16
And it was heard at Rome, and even in Sparta, that Jonathan had passed away. And they were very sorrowful.
17
But when they heard that Simon, his brother, had been made high priest in his place, and that he obtained the entire country and the cities in it,
18
they wrote to him on tablets of brass, so as to renew the friendship and alliance, which they had made with Judas and with Jonathan, his brothers.
19
And they were read in the sight of the assembly at Jerusalem. And this is a copy of the letters that the Spartans sent:
20
“The leaders and the cities of the Spartans, to Simon, the great priest, and to the elders, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, their brothers: greetings.
21
The ambassadors who were sent to our people have reported to us of your glory, and honor, and rejoicing. And we were glad at their arrival.
22
And we wrote down what was said by them in the councils of the people, as follows: ‘Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew the former friendship with us.
23
And it pleased the people to receive the men gloriously, and to place a copy of their words in a section of the public books, so as to be a memorial for the people of the Spartans. Furthermore, we have written a copy of them to Simon, the great priest.’ ”
24
But after this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome, in possession of a great shield of gold, weighing over a thousand pounds, to confirm the association with them.
25
But when the people of Rome had heard these words, they said: “With what deeds of thanksgiving shall we repay Simon and his sons?
26
For he has vindicated his brothers, and he has fought off the enemies of Israel from them.” And so, they decreed him free, and they registered it on tablets of brass and placed it in an inscription on mount Zion.
27
And this is a copy of the writing: “On the eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year, the third year under Simon, the great priest at Asaramel,
28
in a great convocation of the priests, and the people, and the leaders of the nation, and the elders of the country, these things were noted: ‘Now there have often been battles in our country.
29
And Simon, the son of Mattathias, of the sons of Jarib, and his brothers, have put themselves in danger, and have withstood the enemies of their nation, so as to establish their holy places and the law. And they have glorified their people with great glory.
30
And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and he was made their great priest, and he was laid to rest among his people.
31
And their enemies wanted to trample and lay waste to their country, and to extend their hands against their holy places.
32
Then Simon resisted, and he fought for his nation, and he requested much money, and he armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages.
33
And he fortified the cities of Judea and Bethzur, which are along the borders of Judea, where the weaponry of the enemies was before. And he placed a garrison of Jewish men there.
34
And he fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazara, which is on the border of Azotus, where the enemies stayed before, and he placed Jews there. And he positioned with them whatever was fitting for their preparations.
35
And the people saw the acts of Simon, and the glory that he intended to bring to his nation, and they made him their commander and first priest, because he had done all these things, and because of the justice and faith that he maintained for his nation, and because he sought to exalt his people by all means.
36
And in his days, there was prosperity by his hands, so that the Gentiles were taken away from their country, and also those who were in the city of David, in Jerusalem, in the stronghold, from which they went out and contaminated all the places that were around the sanctuary, and from which they brought a great scourging against chastity.
37
And he placed in it Jewish men, as a means of protection for the region and the city, and he raised the walls of Jerusalem.
38
And king Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.
39
According to these things, he made him his friend, and he glorified him with great glory.
40
For he heard that the Romans had called the Jews their friends, and associates, and brothers, and that they received the ambassadors of Simon with glory,
41
and that the Jews and their priests had consented that he should be their governor and high priest unceasingly, until there should arise a faithful prophet,(a)
42
and that he should be the commander over them, and that he should take care of the sanctuary, and that he should appoint foremen over their works, and over the country, and over the weapons, and over the strongholds,
43
and that he should take care of the holy places, and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all the records in the country should be recorded in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple and gold,
44
and that it should not be lawful for any of the people or the priests to make void any of these things, nor to contradict things that are said by him, nor to call together an assembly in the country without him, nor to be clothed in purple, nor to use a clasp of gold.
45
And whoever will do otherwise, or who will make void any of these things, shall be guilty.
46
And it pleased all the people to appoint Simon, and to act according to these words.
47
And Simon accepted it, and he was pleased to perform the office of the high priesthood, and to be the commander and leader of the people of the Jews, and of the priests, and to be foremost over them all.
48
And they asked that this writing be placed on tablets of brass, and be placed within the precinct of the sanctuary in a celebrated place,
49
and that a copy of these be placed in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons may have it.’ “

Fußnoten

(a)14:41 Here is a good example of the effect of context on translation. The phrase ‘in æternum’ would usually be translated as ‘in eternity,’ or ‘forever.’ But in light of the subsequent clause, ‘until a faithful prophet shall arise,’ the phrase ‘in æternum’ should be translated somewhat more conditionally, as in ‘unceasingly’ or ‘continually.’(Conte)

Demetrius is taken by the king of Persia. Judea flourishes under the government of Simon.

1
In the one hundred seventy-second year,(a) King Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media to get help, that he might fight against Tryphon.
2
When Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had come into his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive.
3
He went and struck the army of Demetrius, and seized him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.
4
The land had rest all the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation. His authority and his honor was pleasing to them all his days.
5
Amid all his honors, he took Joppa for a harbor, and made it an entrance for the islands of the sea.
6
He enlarged the borders of his nation and took possession of the country.
7
He gathered together a great number of captives, and took control of Gazara, Bethsura, and the citadel, and he removed its uncleannesses from it. There was no one who resisted him.
8
They tilled their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of the plains gave their fruit.
9
The old men sat in the streets; they all conversed together about good things. The young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.
10
He provided food for the cities and furnished them with means of defense, until the glory of his name was known to the end of the earth.
11
He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
12
Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was no one to make them afraid.
13
No one was left in the land who fought against them. The kings were defeated in those days.
14
He strengthened all those of his people who were humble. He searched out the law, and every lawless and wicked person he took away.
15
He glorified the sanctuary, and added to the vessels of the temple.
16
It was heard at Rome that Jonathan was dead, and even in Sparta, and they were exceedingly grieved.
17
But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his place, and ruled the country and the cities in it,
18
they wrote to him on brass tablets to renew with him the friendship and the alliance which they had confirmed with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.
19
These were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.
20
This is the copy of the letters which the Spartans sent: “The rulers and the city of the Spartans, to Simon the high priest, to the elders, the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, our kindred, greetings.
21
The ambassadors who were sent to our people reported to us about your glory and honor. We were glad for their coming,
22
and we registered the things that were spoken by them in the public records(b) as follows: ‘Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.
23
It pleased the people to entertain the men honorably, and to put the copy of their words in the public records,(c) to the end that the people of the Spartans might have a record of them. Moreover they wrote a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.’”
24
After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of weighing one thousand minas,(d) in order to confirm the alliance with them.
25
But when the people heard these things, they said, “What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?
26
For he and his brothers and the house of his father have made themselves strong, and have fought and chased away Israel’s enemies, and confirmed liberty to Israel.(e)
27
So they wrote on tablets of brass, and set them on pillars on mount Zion. This is the copy of the writing: “On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the one hundred seventy-second year,(f) which is the third year of Simon the high priest,
28
in Asaramel, in a great congregation of priests and people and princes of the nation, and of the elders of the country, it was proclaimed to us:(g)
29
‘Since wars often occurred in the country, Simon the son of Mattathias, the son of the sons of Joarib, and his brothers, put themselves in jeopardy and withstood the enemies of their nation, that their sanctuary and the law might be established, and glorified their nation with great glory.
30
Jonathan rallied the nation, became their high priest, and was gathered to his people.
31
Their enemies planned to invade their country, that they might destroy their country utterly, and stretch out their hands against their sanctuary.
32
Then Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent much of his own money to arm the valiant men of his nation and give them wages.
33
He fortified the cities of Judea and Bethsura that lies on the borders of Judea, where the weapons of the enemies were had been stored, and there he placed a garrison of Jews.
34
He fortified Joppa which is upon the sea, and Gazara which is upon the borders of Azotus, where the enemies used to live, and placed Jews there, and set in there all things necessary for their restoration.
35
The people saw Simon’s faith,(h) and the glory which he resolved to bring to his nation, and they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and the faith which he kept to his nation, and because he sought by all means to exalt his people.
36
In his days, things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles were taken away out of their country, and they also who were in the city of David, those who were in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a citadel, out of which they used to go, and polluted everything around the sanctuary, and did great damage to its purity.
37
He placed Jews in it and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and made high the walls of Jerusalem.
38
King Demetrius confirmed to him the high priesthood according to these things,
39
and made him one of his friends,(i) and honored him with great honor;
40
for he had heard that the Jews had been called by the Romans friends, allies, and kindred, and that they had met the ambassadors of Simon honorably;
41
and that the Jews and the priests were well pleased that Simon should be their leader and high priest forever, until there should arise a faithful prophet;
42
and that he should be governor over them, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to set them over their works, and over the country, and over the weapons, and over the strongholds; and that he should take charge of the sanctuary,
43
and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all contracts in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold;
44
and that it should not be lawful for any of the people or of the priests to nullify any of these things, or to oppose the words that he should speak, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold;
45
but whoever should do otherwise, or nullify any of these things, he will be liable to punishment.’”
46
All the people consented to ordain for Simon that he should do according to these words.
47
So Simon accepted this, and consented to be high priest, and to be captain and governor(j) of the Jews and of the priests, and to be protector of all.
48
They commanded to put this writing on tablets of brass, and to set them up within the precinct of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place,
49
and moreover to put copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.

Fußnoten

(a)14:1 circa B.C. 141.
(b)14:22 Gr. counsels of the people.
(c)14:23 Gr. books that are appointed for the people.
(d)14:24 1,000 minas is about 499 kg or 1,098 pounds.
(e)14:26 Gr. him.
(f)14:27 circa B.C. 141.
(g)14:28 Gr. he made known.
(h)14:35 Some authorities read acts.
(i)14:39 See 1 Maccabees 2:18 .
(j)14:47 Gr. ethnarch.