4. The land of Judea was at peace as long as Simon lived. During his entire reign, he used his position of power and influence to do what was good for his people, and they were always pleased with him as their ruler.
5. He added to his reputation when he captured the port of Joppa and opened up the route to the Greek islands.
6. He not only enlarged the territory of his nation and gained control of the whole country,
7. but he brought back many prisoners of war and captured Gezer, Bethzur, and the fort in Jerusalem. He purified the fort, and there was no one to oppose him.
8. The Jews farmed their land in peace; the land produced its crops and the trees bore fruit.
9. The young men showed off their splendid military uniforms, while the old men sat round the city squares and talked about the great things that had happened.
10. Simon supplied the cities with food and provided them with weapons of defence. His fame spread everywhere.
11. He brought peace to the country, and Israel's joy knew no bounds.
12. Everyone lived in peace among his own vineyards and fig-trees, and no one made them afraid.
13. In those days all the enemy kings had been defeated, and there was no one left in the land to fight the Jews.
14. Simon provided help for all the poor among his people, and guided by the Law of Moses, he got rid of all wicked and lawless men.
15. He provided the Temple with splendid furnishings and added a large number of utensils for use in worship.
16. When the news that Jonathan had died reached Rome and Sparta, it brought great sorrow.
17. But when the Spartans heard that Simon had succeeded his brother as High Priest and that he was in control of the country and its towns,
18. they engraved on bronze tablets a renewal of the treaty of friendship which they had made with his brothers Judas and Jonathan and sent the tablets to him.
19. These were read to the assembly in Jerusalem.
20. What follows is a copy of the letter sent by the Spartans:“The people of Sparta and their rulers to Simon the High Priest, to the leaders and the priests of the Jews, and to all our Jewish brothers, greetings.
21. The delegation that you sent to our people has told us how respected and renowned you are. Their visit had been a source of joy for us,
22. and a report of their visit has been written down in our public records, as follows: ‘Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason, honoured representatives of the Jews, appeared before us to renew their treaty of friendship.