18
they wrote unto him on tablets of brass to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judas and Jonathan his brethren,
19
which writings were read before the congregation in Jerusalem.
20
And this is the copy of the letter 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:
21
The ambassadors who were sent unto our people certified us of your glory and honor. Therefore we were glad of their coming,
22
and registered the things that they spoke 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.
23
And it pleased the people to entertain the men honorably, and to put the copy of their embassage in public records, to the end that the people of the Lacedemonians might have a memorial thereof. Furthermore we have written a copy thereof unto Simon the high priest.'
24
After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to confirm the league with them.
25
When the people heard thereof, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?
26
For he and his brethren and the house of his father have established Israel, and fought and chased away their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty.
27
So then they wrote it on tablets of brass, which they set upon pillars on Mount Zion. And this is the copy of the writing: The eighteenth day of the month of Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth year, being the third year of Simon the high priest,
28
in Asaramel, 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: