23
The assembly of the people was pleased to receive these men with all honors and to place a copy of their report in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have it on record. A copy of this document has been made for the High Priest Simon.' "
24
Later, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with the gift of a large gold shield weighing half a ton, to confirm the Jews' alliance with the Romans.
25
When the people of Israel heard about all this, they asked themselves, "How can we express our thanks to Simon and his sons?
26
He, his brothers, and his father's whole family have been towers of strength for our nation. They have fought off our enemies and set the nation free." So they recorded this on bronze tablets and set them up on columns on Mount Zion.
27
The inscription read as follows: "On the eighteenth day of the month of Elul in the year 172, that is, in the third year of Simon, the High Priest,
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.