n, when he was upon a journey with the young king,
Antiochus, treacherously slew him.

13:32. And he reigned in his place, and put on the crown of Asia: and
brought great evils upon the land.

13:33. And Simon built up the strong holds of Judea, fortifying them
with high towers, and great walls, and gates and bars: and he stored up
victuals in the fortresses.

13:34. And Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end that
he should grant an immunity to the land; for all that Tryphon did, was
to spoil.

13:35. And king Demetrius, in answer to this request, wrote a letter in
this manner:

13:36. King Demetrius to Simon, the high priest, and friend of kings,
and to the ancients, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting:

13:37. The golden crown, and the palm, which you sent, we have received:
and we are ready to make a firm peace with you, and to write to the
king's chief officers to release you the things that we have released.

13:38. For all that we have decreed in your favour shall stand in force.
The strong holds that you have built, shall be your own.

13:39. And as for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we
forgive it: and the crown which you owed: and if any other thing were
taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.

13:40. And if any of you be fit to be enrolled among ours, let them be
enrolled, and let there be peace between us.

13:41. In the year one hundred and seventy, the yoke of the Gentiles was
taken off from Israel.

13:42. And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments, and
public records, The first year under Simon, the high priest, the great
captain, and prince of the Jews.

13:43. In those days Simon besieged Gaza, and camped round about it, and
he made engines, and set them to the city, and he struck one tower, and
took it.

13:44. And they that were within the engine leapt into the city: and
there was a great uproar in the city.

13:45. And they that were in the city went up, with their wives and
children, upon the wall, with their garments rent, and they cried with a
loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.

13:46. And they said: Deal not with us according to our evil deeds, but
according to thy mercy.

13:47. And Simon being moved, did not destroy them but yet he cast them
out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein there had been idols,
and then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord:

13:48. And having cast out of i