1 Maccabees 14

In the one hundred and seventy-second year, King Demetrius gathered his forces together and went into Media to get help there, so that he could fight against Tryphon.

1Now in the hundred threescore and twelfth year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media to get him help to fight against Tryphone.

NoteThe book counts years from the founding of the Seleucid Greek kingdom in 312/311 BC, so the one hundred and seventy-second year falls in 141/140 BC. Demetrius is Demetrius II, the Seleucid king; Tryphon was the rival who had murdered Simon's brother Jonathan and seized the throne. Media was a region in what is now northwestern Iran.

2But when Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had come inside his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive.

2But 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:

NoteArsaces was the throne name taken by every Parthian king on his accession, rather as Roman emperors took the name Caesar; the man here was Mithridates I. The Parthians had already stripped Media and Persia from the Seleucids, so a Seleucid king marching east was walking into another man's kingdom.

3The prince went and struck down the army of Demetrius, and seized him, and brought him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.

3Who went and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put in ward.

4As for the land of Judea, it was at rest all the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation in such a way that his authority and his honor always pleased them.

4As 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.

NoteSimon was the last surviving of the five sons of Mattathias who had begun the revolt. His brothers Judas and Jonathan had both been killed, which is why the leadership had come to him.

5He was honored in everything he did, and in this too: he took Joppa as a harbor, and made it a way in from the islands of the sea.

5And as he was honourable in all his acts, so in this, that he took Joppa for an haven, and made an entrance to the isles of the sea,

NoteJoppa, modern Jaffa on the coast beside Tel Aviv, was the only usable harbor in reach; Judea itself is inland hill country, and without a port its trade moved through harbors other people controlled. The King James phrase "the isles of the sea" is a standard biblical expression for the coastlands and islands of the Mediterranean, that is, the Greek world to the west.

6He made the borders of his nation larger, and took possession of the country.

6And enlarged the bounds of his nation, and recovered the country,

7He gathered together a great number of captives. He gained control of Gazera, and Bethsura, and the citadel, and he removed all that was unclean from it. There was no one who stood against him.

7And gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazera, and Bethsura, and the tower, out of the which he took all uncleaness, neither was there any that resisted him.

NoteGazera is Gezer and Bethsura is Beth-zur, two fortress towns guarding the roads into Judea. "The tower" in the King James is the citadel in Jerusalem, the Greek garrison fort that had held out inside the city for more than twenty years. Taking "all uncleaness" out of it means clearing away everything connected with foreign worship, since the fort overlooked the temple.

8Then the people worked their ground in peace. The land gave its crops, and the trees of the field gave their fruit.

8Then did they till their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit.

9The old men all sat in the streets, talking together about good things, and the young men put on splendid clothing fit for war.

9The ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel.

NoteOld men sitting about in the open street and young men parading in fine war gear were stock pictures of a country at peace: nobody afraid to be outdoors, and the army equipped but not fighting.

10He provided food for the cities and stocked them with every kind of defense, so that the glory of his name was known to the end of the earth.

10He provided victuals for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition, so that his honourable name was renowned unto the end of the world.

Note"All manner of munition" in the King James means fortifications and stores of weapons and supplies, not ammunition in the modern sense. The word had not yet narrowed to gunpowder.

11He made peace in the land, and Israel was full of joy.

11He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy:

12Every man sat under his own vine and his own fig tree, and there was no one to frighten them.

12For every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to fray them:

NoteSitting under your own vine and fig tree is a set phrase, used of Solomon's reign in 1 Kings and of the hoped-for future in Micah. Vines and figs take years to come into bearing, so a man sitting under his own is a man who has stayed on his land long enough for it to pay.

13There was no one left in the land who fought against them. The kings themselves were defeated in those days.

13Neither was there any left in the land to fight against them: yea, the kings themselves were overthrown in those days.

14He also gave strength to all of his people who had been brought low. He searched out the law, and he took away everyone who despised the law and every wicked person.

14Moreover he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out; and every contemner of the law and wicked person he took away.

NoteSearching out the law covers both looking up what it requires and enforcing it; it is described here as the work of a ruler, not of a scholar.

15He made the sanctuary beautiful, and added to the vessels used in the temple.

15He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied vessels of the temple.

NoteThe vessels are the working equipment of the temple: bowls, lamps, censers, tables and the like. The originals had been stripped out by Antiochus IV, so replacing and adding to them was a visible measure of recovery.

16Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were deeply grieved.

16Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very sorry.

NoteRome and Sparta were the two foreign powers the family had formal treaties of friendship with, Judas having dealt with Rome and Jonathan with both. Such treaties were largely symbolic, but the fact that news of a Jewish leader's death registered in either city marked how far the family's standing had reached.

17But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place, and ruled the country and the cities in it,

17But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities therein:

18they wrote to him on bronze tablets, to renew the friendship and the alliance that they had made with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.

18They wrote unto him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judas and Jonathan his brethren:

NotePublic treaties were engraved on bronze because bronze survives weather and cannot be quietly altered. This was the normal Greek and Roman way of publishing a binding document.

19These writings were read out before the assembly at Jerusalem.

19Which writings were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.

20This is the copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: "The rulers of the Spartans, together with the city, to Simon the high priest, and to the elders, the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews, our brothers: greetings.

20And this is the copy of the letters that the Lacedemonians sent; The rulers of the Lacedemonians, with the city, unto Simon the high priest, and the elders, and priests, and residue of the people of the Jews, our brethren, send greeting:

NoteThe King James calls the Spartans "Lacedemonians", the older name for the people of the region around Sparta. Calling the Jews "our brethren" refers back to an earlier exchange of letters in which the Spartans were said to be kin of the Jews, both descended from Abraham. Claimed kinship of this sort was a normal and largely diplomatic basis for alliance between Greek states.

21The ambassadors who were sent to our people told us about your glory and honor, and we were glad that they came.

21The ambassadors that were sent unto our people certified us of your glory and honour: wherefore we were glad of their coming,

22We wrote down what they said before the council of the people, in this way: 'Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.

22And did register the things that they spake in the council of the people in this manner; Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came unto us to renew the friendship they had with us.

NoteThe council of the people was the Spartan assembly, the body that heard and voted on public business. Entering a foreign delegation's words in the city records was the formal act of recognizing them.

23It pleased the people to receive these men with honor, and to put a copy of their message into the public records, so that the people of the Spartans would have a record of it. We have also written a copy of it to Simon the high priest.'"

23And it pleased the people to entertain the men honourably, and to put the copy of their ambassage in publick records, to the end the people of the Lacedemonians might have a memorial thereof: furthermore we have written a copy thereof unto Simon the high priest.

24After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with them.

24After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to confirm the league with them.

NoteA mina was a Greek weight of roughly a pound, about half a kilogram, so a thousand minas is on the order of half a ton of gold. The King James calls it "a thousand pound weight". Large gold objects, especially shields and crowns, were the standard high-value gift between states when confirming an alliance.

25When the people heard of this, they said, "What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?

25Whereof when the people heard, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?

26For he and his brothers and his father's house have made Israel firm, and have fought and driven their enemies away from them, and have secured their freedom."

26For he and his brethren and the house of his father have established Israel, and chased away in fight their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty.

Note"His father's house" means the family line of Mattathias, which from this point ruled Judea and is known as the Hasmonean dynasty.

27So they wrote it on bronze tablets, which they set on pillars on Mount Zion. This is the copy of the writing: "On the eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year, which is the third year of Simon the high priest,

27So then they wrote it in tables of brass, which they set upon pillars in mount Sion: and this is the copy of the writing; The eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth year, being the third year of Simon the high priest,

NoteElul was the sixth month of the Jewish year, falling in late August and September. Mount Zion here means the temple hill in Jerusalem. The date is given twice, by the Greek kingdom's era and by the years of Simon's own rule; dating documents by a ruler's regnal years was what independent states did.

28at Saramel, in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, these things were made known to us:

28At Saramel 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.

NoteSaramel is unexplained. The Greek spelling looks like a garbled Hebrew phrase, possibly meaning something like "the court of the people of God", which would make it a place inside the temple where the assembly met rather than a town. No one knows for certain, and the text is left as it stands.

29'Since there have often been wars in the country, Simon son of Mattathias, a descendant of Jarib, together with his brothers, put themselves in danger and stood against the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and the law might be kept safe, and they brought their nation great honor.

29Forasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country, wherein for the maintenance of their sanctuary, and the law, Simon the son of Mattathias, of the posterity of Jarib, together with his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the enemies of their nation did their nation great honour:

NoteJarib, elsewhere Joarib, was one of the twenty-four priestly divisions that took turns serving in the temple. Naming it establishes that Simon's family was priestly by descent, which is what qualified him to hold the high priesthood at all.

30(For after Jonathan had gathered his nation together, and had been their high priest, he was gathered to his people,

30(For after that Jonathan, having gathered his nation together, and been their high priest, was added to his people,

NoteThe King James's "added to his people" is an old Hebrew idiom for dying and being buried with one's ancestors. It says nothing about how he died.

31and their enemies made ready to invade their country, to destroy it and to lay hands on their sanctuary.

31Their enemies prepared to invade their country, that they might destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary:

32At that time Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent much of his own money to arm the brave men of his nation and to pay them wages.

32At which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,

33He fortified the cities of Judea, and Bethsura along with them, which lies on the borders of Judea, where the weapons of the enemies had been kept before; and he placed a garrison of Jews there.

33And fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura, that lieth upon the borders of Judea, where the armour of the enemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Jews there:

34He also fortified Joppa, which lies on the sea, and Gazera, which borders on Azotus, where the enemies had lived before; and he settled Jews there, and supplied them with everything they needed to rebuild the places.)

34Moreover he fortified Joppa, which lieth upon the sea, and Gazera, that bordereth upon Azotus, where the enemies had dwelt before: but he placed Jews there, and furnished them with all things convenient for the reparation thereof.)

NoteAzotus is Ashdod, one of the old Philistine cities on the coastal plain, then a Greek-held town.

35The people saw Simon's faithfulness, and the glory he intended to bring to his nation, and they made him their governor and chief priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and loyalty he kept toward his nation, and because he sought by every means to lift up his people.

35The people therefore sang the acts of Simon, and unto 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 exalt his people.

Note"Governor" here renders a Greek word for the recognized civil head of a people. Joined to the high priesthood, it made Simon both the political ruler and the chief officer of the temple, two roles that had until now been separable.

36In his time things went well in his hands, so that the foreign nations were driven out of their country, and so were those in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had built themselves a citadel. They used to come out of it and defile everything around the sanctuary, and they did great harm to its purity.

36For 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:

NoteThe "city of David" is the old fortified ridge of Jerusalem below and south of the temple, where the Greek garrison's citadel stood. The King James's "the heathen" simply means non-Jews, the Gentiles; the word carried no sneer in 1611.

37But Simon settled Jews in it, and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and he raised the walls of Jerusalem higher.

37But he placed Jews therein. and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and raised up the walls of Jerusalem.

38King Demetrius also confirmed him in the high priesthood in keeping with these things,

38King Demetrius also confirmed him in the high priesthood according to those things,

NoteThe high priesthood was hereditary in principle, but by this period the Seleucid king claimed the right to appoint and depose the holder. Demetrius confirming Simon means the foreign crown signing off on what the Jews had already settled among themselves.

39and made him one of his friends, and honored him with great honor.

39And made him one of his friends, and honoured him with great honour.

Note"Friend of the king" was a formal rank at the Seleucid court, with a title, court dress and privileges attached. It describes a grade in a hierarchy, not personal affection.

40For he had heard it said that the Romans had called the Jews their friends and allies and brothers, and that they had received the ambassadors of Simon with honor;

40For he had heard say, that the Romans had called the Jews their friends and confederates and brethren; and that they had entertained the ambassadors of Simon honourably;

41and also that the Jews and the priests were well pleased that Simon should be their governor and high priest forever, until a faithful prophet should arise;

41Also that the Jews and priests were well pleased that Simon should be their governor and high priest for ever, until there should arise a faithful prophet;

NoteThe clause makes the grant open-ended but not final: it stands until a prophet appears whose word could settle the matter. Prophecy was by this time widely regarded as having ceased in Israel, so the condition placed no practical limit on Simon while leaving the arrangement formally unclosed.

42and that he should be their commander, and should take charge of the sanctuary, and should set men over their work, and over the country, and over the weapons, and over the fortresses; that he, I say, should take charge of the sanctuary;

42Moreover that he should be their captain, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to set them over their works, and over the country, and over the armour, and over the fortresses, that, I say, he should take charge of the sanctuary;

Note"Captain" in the King James translates the Greek title strategos, the commanding general, who in a Greek kingdom was also in practice the military governor of a province.

43and besides this, that every man should obey him, and that all documents in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple and wear gold;

43Beside this, that he should be obeyed of every man, and that all the writings in the country should be made in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold:

NotePurple cloth was dyed with a costly extract from murex sea snails and, in the Greek kingdoms, was worn only by royalty and by those the king permitted. Gold ornament went with it as court insignia. The decree is granting Simon the outward marks of a Hellenistic ruler.

44and also that it should not be lawful for any of the people or the priests to set aside any of these things, or to speak against his words, or to call an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or to wear a gold buckle;

44Also that it should be lawful for none of the people or priests to break any of these things, or to gainsay his words, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold;

NoteThe gold buckle was the clasp that fastened the purple cloak at the shoulder, given by Seleucid kings as a badge of the highest court rank. Forbidding anyone else to wear one makes Simon's rank unique within the country.

45and that whoever should act otherwise, or set aside any of these things, should be punished.'"

45And whosoever should do otherwise, or break any of these things, he should be punished.

46So it pleased all the people to deal with Simon in this way, and to do as has been said.

46Thus it liked all the people to deal with Simon, and to do as hath been said.

47Then Simon accepted this, and was glad to be high priest, and commander and governor of the Jews and of the priests, and to protect them all.

47Then Simon accepted hereof, and was well pleased to be high priest, and captain and governor of the Jews and priests, and to defend them all.

48So they gave orders that this writing should be put on bronze tablets, and that these should be set up inside the sanctuary area in a place where all could see them;

48So they commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass, and that they should be set up within the compass of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place;

NoteGreek cities published their decrees on bronze set up in temple precincts, where the text was permanent, public and under guard. The Jerusalem decree follows the same convention.

49and also that copies of it should be stored in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.

49Also that the copies thereof should be laid up in the treasury, to the end that Simon and his sons might have them.

NoteThe treasury was the temple's strongroom, which served as a public archive and safe deposit as well as a store of money. Keeping copies there meant Simon's family could produce the text later if the terms were ever challenged.