The history of Simeon the son of Mattathias
1 Then Simeon the son of Mattathias succeeded to the government; and he gathered together all those who remained of the army of Judas:
2 and his affairs prospered, and he subdued all those who had exercised hostility against the Jews after the death of his brother Judas; and he behaved well towards his people, and the matters of his country were rightly ordered.
3 Wherefore Antiochus? attacked him, and also Demetrius the son of Seleucus; and sent a great army against him:
4 to meet which, Simeon and his two sons went out; and he divided his army into two parts, one of which he kept with himself, and gave the other to his sons.
5 Then he and they which were with him went to the army; and he sent his two sons and their followers by another way, and appointed with them to attack the army at a given time.
6 After this, he met the army of Antiochus, and attacked it, and began to prevail against it: and his two sons came when the battle had now begun, and the fight grew fierce, and they came round the rear of the army.
7 And Antiochus’ army, being placed between two armies, was cut to pieces, nor did a single man of them escape: nor did Antiochus return any more to fight with Simeon.
8 And peace and quietness continued among the Jews all the days of Simeon. And the time of his government was two years.
9 Then Ptolemy his son-in-law rushed on him, and slew him, at a certain feast where he was present. And he seized his wife and his two sons. And Simeon’s son, whose name was Hyrcanus, was set in his father’s place.
[Here ends the history as given in the two books usually attached to our Bibles.]