28. And he sent to him Athenobius, one of his friends, to deal with him, saying: "You hold Joppa and Gazara, and the stronghold that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my kingdom.
29. You have desolated their parts, and you have caused a great scourging in the land, and you have become ruler throughout many places in my kingdom.
30. Now, therefore, hand over the cities that you occupy, and the tributes of the places where you have become ruler beyond the borders of Judea.
31. But if not, give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the destruction that you have caused, and for the tributes of the cities, another five hundred talents. But if not, we will come and fight against you."
32. So Athenobius, the friend of the king, came to Jerusalem and saw the glory of Simon, and his splendor in gold and silver, and his abundance of equipment, and he was astonished. And he repeated the words of the king to him.
33. And Simon responded to him, and he said to him: "We have not taken foreign land, nor do we hold anything foreign, but we hold the inheritance of our fathers, which was for some time unjustly possessed by our enemies.
34. In truth, since we have the opportunity, we claim the inheritance of our fathers.
35. And as to Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, they brought a great scourging on the people and our country. For these, we will give one hundred talents." And Athenobius did not respond a word to him.