[Sidenote:  15:9-15]
The old men sat in the streets,
They talked together of the common good,
And the young men put on glorious, fine apparel. 
He provided food for the cities,
And furnished them with means of fortification,
Until his famous name was known to the end of the earth. 
He made peace in the land,
And Israel rejoiced with great joy,
Everyone sat under his own vine and fig tree,
And there was no one to make them afraid,
And none who warred against them was left upon the earth,
For the kings were utterly crushed in those days. 
And he strengthened all the distressed of his people,
He was full of zeal for the law,
And every lawless and wicked person he banished. 
He made the sanctuary glorious,
And multiplied the vessels of the temple.

I. Capture and Death of Jonathan.  It was not strange in that corrupt age that Jonathan, who had risen to power largely by intrigue, should himself in the end fall a prey to treachery.  Tryphon, the general who secretly aspired to the Syrian throne, by lies succeeded in misleading even the wily Jewish leader.  His object was to gain possession of southern Palestine, and he evidently believed that by capturing Jonathan he would easily realize his ambition.  He overlooked the fact, however, that Simon, next to Judas the ablest of the sons of Mattathias, still remained to rally and lead the Jewish patriots.  The natural barriers of Judea again proved insurmountable, for when Tryphon tried repeatedly on the west, south, and east to invade the central uplands, he found the passes guarded by Simon and his experienced warriors.  Thus baffled, the treacherous Tryphon vented his disappointment upon Jonathan, whom he slew in Gilead.  As the would-be usurper advanced northward, where he ultimately met the fate which he richly deserved, Simon and his followers bore the body of Jonathan back to Modein, and there they reared over it the fourth of those tombs which testified to the warlike spirit and devotion of the sons of Mattathias.

II.  Character and Policy of Simon.  Simon, who was at this crisis called to the leadership of the Jewish race, had been famed from the first for his moderation and wise counsel.  In many campaigns he had also shown the military skill and courage that had characterized his younger brothers.  In him the noble spirit of Judas lived again.  He was devoted to the law, intent upon building up the state, and at the same time was deeply and genuinely interested in all members of his race, whether in Judea or in distant nations.  Like David and Josiah, he was a true father of his people and set an example which unfortunately his descendants failed to follow.  He still recognized the authority of Demetrius ii, but the Syrian kingdom was so weak that Simon succeeded in securing a definite promise of the remission of all taxes, and ruled practically as an independent sovereign.  To strengthen his position he sent