47 Simon agreed to stop the fighting. But he ordered everyone to leave the town, and he took the idols out of the houses where they were kept. Then he and his troops entered Gazara, singing hymns of praise.
48 Simon removed everything that made the town unclean according to their religion, and he made the fortresses of Gazara stronger. He built a house for himself and let faithful Jews live in the town.
49 The enemy troops in the Jerusalem fortress still could not go into the country to buy food, and many of them starved to death.
50 Finally, the survivors begged Simon for peace. He agreed, then ordered them to leave the fortress, so he could remove everything that made it unclean according to their religion.
51 On the twenty-third day of the second month in the year 171 of the Syrian Kingdom, Simon led his soldiers into the fortress. They carried palm branches and praised God with all kinds of songs and musical instruments. God had completely crushed their powerful enemy!
52 Simon decided that a joyous festival should be held on this same day every year. He strengthened the wall on the side of the temple hill that faced the fortress. Then he and his troops made the fortress their headquarters.
53 John the son of Simon was now a grown man. So Simon put him in command of the whole army, and John lived in the town of Gazara.