23. When he was approaching Baskama, he had Jonathan killed and buried him there.
24. Then Trypho returned to his own land.
25. Simon sent for the remains of his brother Jonathan, and buried him in Modein, the city of his ancestors.
26. All Israel bewailed him with solemn lamentation, mourning over him for many days.
27. Then Simon erected over the tomb of his father and his brothers a monument of stones, polished front and back, and raised high enough to be seen at a distance.
28. He set up seven pyramids facing one another for his father and his mother and his four brothers.
29. For the pyramids he devised a setting of massive columns, which he adorned with suits of armor as a perpetual memorial, and next to the armor carved ships, which could be seen by all who sailed the sea.
30. This tomb which he built at Modein is there to the present day.
31. Trypho dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus. He killed him
32. and became king in his place, putting on the crown of Asia. Thus he brought much evil on the land.
33. Simon, for his part, built up the strongholds of Judea, fortifying them all around with high towers, thick walls, and gates with bars, and he stored up provisions in the strongholds.
34. Simon also chose men and sent them to King Demetrius to obtain for the land an exemption from taxation, since Trypho did nothing but plunder.
35. King Demetrius replied favorably and sent him the following letter:
36. “King Demetrius sends greetings to Simon, high priest and friend of kings, and to the elders and the Jewish people.
37. We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that you sent. We are ready to make a lasting peace with you and to write to our officials to grant you exemption.
38. Whatever decrees we have made in your regard remain in force, and the strongholds that you have built you may keep.
39. We pardon any oversights and offenses committed up to now, as well as the crown tax that you owe. Any other tax that used to be collected in Jerusalem shall no longer be collected there.
40. Any of you qualified for enrollment in our service may be enrolled. Let there be peace between us.”
41. Thus in the one hundred and seventieth year, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel,
42. and the people began to write in their records and contracts, “In the first year of Simon, great high priest, governor, and leader of the Jews.”