20
What follows is a copy of the letter sent by the Spartans: "The people of Sparta and their rulers to Simon the High Priest, to the leaders and the priests of the Jews, and to all our Jewish brothers, greetings.
21
The delegation that you sent to our people has told us how respected and renowned you are. Their visit has been a source of joy for us,
22
and a report of their visit has been written down in our public records, as follows: "Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason, honored representatives of the Jews, appeared before us to renew their treaty of friendship.
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,
28
at a great assembly of priests, people, officials, and national leaders the following facts were made known to us:
29
Often when wars broke out in the country, Simon son of Mattathias, a priest of the Jehoiarib family, and his brothers risked their lives in protecting our nation, our Temple, and our Law against our enemies. They have brought great glory to our nation.
30
Jonathan united our people and became the High Priest before he died.