1 Maccabees 14:33-35

Common English Bible

³³ He fortified the towns of Judea and Beth-zur on the borders of Judea, where enemy weapons had been stored in the past, and placed a group of Jewish soldiers there. ³⁴ He also fortified Joppa by the sea, along with Gazara on the borders of Azotus, where enemies formerly lived. He settled Jews there and provided whatever was needed to restore the towns.

³⁵ The people saw Simon’s faithfulness and the honor that he had resolved to win for his nation. So they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things and had acted toward his nation with justice and loyalty. He sought in every way to lift up his people.