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:
29
Inasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country for the maintenance of their sanctuary and the law, Simon the son of Mattathias of the posterity of Joarib, together with his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy and, resisting the enemies of their nation, did their nation great honor.
30
(For after Jonathan, having gathered his nation together and been their high priest, was gathered to his people,
31
their enemies purposed to invade their country, that they might destroy it and lay hands on the sanctuary.
32
At that time Simon rose up and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,