“Simon heard that Trypho had assembled a large army to invade the land of Judah and destroy it. He saw that the people were trembling and fearful. So he went up to Jerusalem. He gathered the people together. He encouraged them, saying to them.
‘You yourselves know
What great things
My brothers and I
And the house of my father
Have done for the laws and the sanctuary.
You know also the wars
And the difficulties
That my brothers and I have seen.
By reason of this,
All my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel.
I alone am left.
Now, far be it from me
To spare my life
In any time of distress.
I am not better than my brothers.
But I will avenge my nation
And the sanctuary
And your wives and children.
All the nations have gathered together out of hatred to destroy us.’”
Simon, who was the governor of the coastal states, saw how afraid the Israelites were. He knew that Trypho had a large army that was attempting to destroy the people of Judah. He went to Jerusalem to gather the people there in a great assembly. He spoke to the people to encourage them to keep going. He reminded them of what his family had done. His father and all his brothers had died fighting for Judah and the law. He was the only one left, even though he was not better than his brothers. Simon had assumed that Jonathan was dead and not captured. He wanted to avenge all the nations that had attacked the Jewish people. He was going to defend the sanctuary, their wives, and their children.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 