37
He settled Jews in it and fortified it for the safety of the country and of the city, and built the walls of Jerusalem higher.
38
"In view of these things King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,
39
made him one of his Friends, and paid him high honors.
40
For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by the Romans as friends and allies and brothers, and that the Romans had received the envoys of Simon with honor.
41
"The Jews and their priests have resolved that Simon should be their leader and high priest forever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise,
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and that he should be governor over them and that he should take charge of the sanctuary and appoint officials over its tasks and over the country and the weapons and the strongholds, and that he should take charge of the sanctuary,
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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.
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"None of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he says, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle.
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Whoever acts contrary to these decisions or rejects any of them shall be liable to punishment."
46
All the people agreed to grant Simon the right to act in accordance with these decisions.
47
So Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and priests, and to be protector of them all.