34. Simon also sent messengers to King Demetrius with a request to grant relief to the country, because Trypho had stolen many of their goods.
35. King Demetrius sent a reply to this request, and wrote him a letter:
36. King Demetrius. To Simon, the high priest and advisor of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews. Greetings!
37. We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that you sent. We are ready to make a general peace with you and to write to our officials to grant you release from tribute.
38. All the exemptions that we have made to you remain valid. Let the fortresses that you have built be in your possession.
39. We pardon any errors and offenses committed to this day. Plus, we cancel the crown tax that you owe. Whatever other tax has been collected in Jerusalem will not be collected any longer.
40. If any of you are qualified to be enrolled in our bodyguard, let them be enrolled. Finally, let there be peace between us.
41. In the year 170, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel.
42. The people of Israel began to write in their documents and contracts, "In the first year of Simon the great high priest, commander and leader of the Jews."
43. In those days, Simon camped against Gazara and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine and brought it up to the city. He battered and captured one tower.
44. The men in the siege engine leaped out into the city, and a great tumult arose.
45. Together with their wives and children, the men went up on the wall with their clothes torn. They cried out loudly, asking Simon to make peace with them.
46. They said, "Don’t treat us according to our wicked acts but according to your mercy."
47. So Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting. But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols were located. He then entered it with hymns and praise.
48. He removed all pollution from it and settled people there who observed the Law. He also strengthened its defenses and built a house for himself there.
49. Those who were in the elevated fortress at Jerusalem were prevented from moving around to buy and sell in the country. So they were very hungry, and many perished from famine.
50. They appealed to Simon to make peace with them, and he did. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the elevated fortress from its pollutions.
51. On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year 171, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs. A great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel.