Chapter 14 _{15 He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied vessels of the temple.16 Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very sorry.17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities therein:18 They wrote unto him in tables 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 at Jerusalem.20 And this is the copy of the letters 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 that were sent unto our people certified us of your glory and honour: wherefore we were glad of their coming,22 And did register the things that they spake 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 honourably, and to put the copy of their ambassage in publick records, to the end 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 Whereof when the people heard, 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 chased away in fight their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty.27 So then they wrote it in tables of brass, which they set upon pillars in mount Sion: and this is the copy of the writing; The eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth year, being the third year of Simon the high priest,28 At Saramel 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 Forasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country, wherein for the maintenance of their sanctuary, and the law, Simon the son of Mattathias, of the posterity of Jarib, together with his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the enemies of their nation did their nation great honour:30 (For after that Jonathan, having gathered his nation together, and been their high priest, was added to his people,31 Their enemies prepared to invade their country, that they might destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary:32 At which 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,33 And fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura, that lieth upon the borders of Judea, where the armour of the enemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Jews there:}