Simon saw that the people of Jerusalem were terrified at the
circumstances they were in, he desired to make a speech to them, and
thereby to render them more resolute in opposing Trypho when he should
come against them. He then called the people together into the temple,
and thence began thus to encourage them: "O my countrymen, you are not
ignorant that our father, myself, and my brethren, have ventured to
hazard our lives, and that willingly, for the recovery of your liberty;
since I have therefore such plenty of examples before me, and we of
our family have determined with ourselves to die for our laws, and our
Divine worship, there shall no terror be so great as to banish this
resolution from our souls, nor to introduce in its place a love of
life, and a contempt of glory. Do you therefore follow me with alacrity
whithersoever I shall lead you, as not destitute of such a captain as is
willing to suffer, and to do the greatest things for you; for neither am
I better than my brethren that I should be sparing of my own life, nor
so far worse than they as to avoid and refuse what they thought the most
honorable of all things,--I mean, to undergo death for your laws, and
for that worship of God which is peculiar to you; I will therefore give
such proper demonstrations as will show that I am their own brother;
and I am so bold as to expect that I shall avenge their blood upon
our enemies, and deliver you all with your wives and children from
the injuries they intend against you, and, with God's assistance, to
preserve your temple from destruction by them; for I see that these
nations have you in contempt, as being without a governor, and that they
thence are encouraged to make war against you."

4. By this speech of Simon he inspired the multitude with courage; and
as they had been before dispirited through fear, they were now raised to
a good hope of better things, insomuch that the whole multitude of the
people cried out all at once that Simon should be their leader; and
that instead of Judas and Jonathan his brethren, he should have the
government over them; and they promised that they would readily obey him
in whatsoever he should command them. So he got together immediately all
his own soldiers that were fit for war, and made haste in rebuilding
the walls of the city, and strengthening them by very high and strong
towers, and sent a friend of his, one Jonathan, the son of Absalom, to
Joppa, and gave him order to eject