12. Now he that was appointed to take care of the reception of

strangers, Nicanor by name, called for Dorotheus, whose duty it was to

make provision for them, and bid him prepare for every one of them what

should be requisite for their diet and way of living; which thing was

ordered by the king after this manner: he took care that those that

belonged to every city, which did not use the same way of living, that

all things should be prepared for them according to the custom of those

that came to him, that, being feasted according to the usual method of

their own way of living, they might be the better pleased, and might not

be uneasy at any thing done to them from which they were naturally

averse. And this was now done in the case of these men by Dorotheus, who

was put into this office because of his great skill in such matters

belonging to common life; for he took care of all such matters as

concerned the reception of strangers, and appointed them double seats

for them to sit on, according as the king had commanded him to do; for

he had commanded that half of their seats should be set at his right

hand, and the other half behind his table, and took care that no respect

should be omitted that could be shown them. And when they were thus set

down, he bid Dorotheus to minister to all those that were come to him

from Judea, after the manner they used to be ministered to; for which

cause he sent away their sacred heralds, and those that slew the

sacrifices, and the rest that used to say grace; but called to one of

those that were come to him, whose name was Eleazar, who was a priest,

and desired him to say grace; 8 who then stood in the midst of them, and

prayed, that all prosperity might attend the king, and those that were

his subjects. Upon which an acclamation was made by the whole company,

with joy and a great noise; and when that was over, they fell to eating

their supper, and to the enjoyment of what was set before them. And at a

little interval afterward, when the king thought a sufficient time had

been interposed, he began to talk philosophically to them, and he asked

every one of them a philosophical question 9 and such a one as might

give light in those inquiries; and when they had explained all the

problems that had been proposed by the king about every point, he was

well-pleased with their answers. This took up the twelve days in which

they were treated; and he that pleases may learn the particular

questions in that book of Aristeus, which he wrote on this very

occasion.

13. And while not the king only, but the philosopher Menedemus also,

admired them, and said that all things were governed by Providence, and

that it was probable that thence it was that such force or beauty was

discovered in these men's words, they then left off asking any more such

questions. But the king said that he had gained very great advantages by

their coming, for that he had received this profit from them, that he

had learned how he ought to rule his subjects. And he gave order that

they should have every one three talents given them, and that those that

were to conduct them to their lodging should do it. Accordingly, when

three days were over, Demetrius took them, and went over the causeway

seven furlongs long: it was a bank in the sea to an island. And when

they had gone over the bridge, he proceeded to the northern parts, and

showed them where they should meet, which was in a house that was built

near the shore, and was a quiet place, and fit for their discoursing

together about their work. When he had brought them thither, he

entreated them [now they had all things about them which they wanted for

the interpretation of their law] that they would suffer nothing to

interrupt them in their work. Accordingly, they made an accurate

interpretation, with great zeal and great pains, and this they continued

to do till the ninth hour of the day; after which time they relaxed, and

took care of their body, while their food was provided for them in great

plenty: besides, Dorotheus, at the king's command, brought them a great

deal of what was provided for the king himself. But in the morning they

came to the court and saluted Ptolemy, and then went away to their

former place, where, when they had washed their hands, 10 and purified

themselves, they betook themselves to the interpretation of the laws.

Now when the law was transcribed, and the labor of interpretation was

over, which came to its conclusion in seventy-two days, Demetrius

gathered all the Jews together to the place where the laws were

translated, and where the interpreters were, and read them over. The

multitude did also approve of those elders that were the interpreters of

the law. They withal commended Demetrius for his proposal, as the

inventor of what was greatly for their happiness; and they desired that

he would give leave to their rulers also to read the law. Moreover, they

all, both the priest and the ancientest of the elders, and the principal

men of their commonwealth, made it their request, that since the

interpretation was happily finished, it might continue in the state it

now was, and might not be altered. And when they all commended that

determination of theirs, they enjoined, that if any one observed either

any thing superfluous, or any thing omitted, that he would take a view

of it again, and have it laid before them, and corrected; which was a

wise action of theirs, that when the thing was judged to have been well

done, it might continue for ever.

14. So the king rejoiced when he saw that his design of this nature was

brought to perfection, to so great advantage; and he was chiefly

delighted with hearing the Laws read to him; and was astonished at the

deep meaning and wisdom of the legislator. And he began to discourse

with Demetrius, "How it came to pass, that when this legislation was so

wonderful, no one, either of the poets or of the historians, had made

mention of it." Demetrius made answer, "that no one durst be so bold as

to touch upon the description of these laws, because they were Divine

and venerable, and because some that had attempted it were afflicted by

God." He also told him, that "Theopompus was desirous of writing

somewhat about them, but was thereupon disturbed in his mind for above

thirty days' time; and upon some intermission of his distemper, he

appeased God [by prayer], as suspecting that his madness proceeded from

that cause." Nay, indeed, he further saw in a dream, that his distemper

befell him while he indulged too great a curiosity about Divine matters,

and was desirous of publishing them among common men; but when he left

off that attempt, he recovered his understanding again. Moreover, he

informed him of Theodectes, the tragic poet, concerning whom it was

reported, that when in a certain dramatic representation he was desirous

to make mention of things that were contained in the sacred books, he

was afflicted with a darkness in his eyes; and that upon his being

conscious of the occasion of his distemper, and appeasing God [by

prayer], he was freed from that affliction.

15. And when the king had received these books from Demetrius, as we

have said already, he adored them, and gave order that great care should

be taken of them, that they might remain uncorrupted. He also desired

that the interpreters would come often to him out of Judea, and that

both on account of the respects that he would pay them, and on account

of the presents he would make them; for he said it was now but just to

send them away, although if, of their own accord, they would come to him

hereafter, they should obtain all that their own wisdom might justly

require, and what his generosity was able to give them. So he then sent

them away, and gave to every one of them three garments of the best

sort, and two talents of gold, and a cup of the value of one talent, and

the furniture of the room wherein they were feasted. And these were the

things he presented to them. But by them he sent to Eleazar the high

priest ten beds, with feet of silver, and the furniture to them

belonging, and a cup of the value of thirty talents; and besides these,

ten garments, and purple, and a very beautiful crown, and a hundred

pieces of the finest woven linen; as also vials and dishes, and vessels

for pouring, and two golden cisterns to be dedicated to God. He also

desired him, by an epistle, that he would give these interpreters leave,

if any of them were desirous of coming to him, because he highly valued

a conversation with men of such learning, and should be very willing to

lay out his wealth upon such men. And this was what came to the Jews,

and was much to their glory and honor, from Ptolemy Philadelphus.

CHAPTER 3. How The Kings Of Asia Honored The Nation Of The Jews And Made

Them Citizens Of Those Cities Which They Built.

1. The Jews also obtained honors from the kings of Asia when they became

their auxiliaries; for Seleucus Nicator made them citizens in those

cities which he built in Asia, and in the lower Syria, and in the

metropolis itself, Antioch; and gave them privileges equal to those of

the Macedonians and Greeks, who were the inhabitants, insomuch that

these privileges continue to this very day: an argument for which you

have in this, that whereas the Jews do not make use of oil prepared by

foreigners, 11 they receive a certain sum of money from the proper

officers belonging to their exercises as the value of that oil; which

money, when the people of Antioch would have deprived them of, in the

last war, Mucianus, who was then president of Syria, preserved it to

them. And when the people of Alexandria and of Antioch did after that,

at the time that Vespasian and Titus his son governed the habitable

earth, pray that these privileges of citizens might be taken away, they

did not obtain their request in which behavior any one may discern the

equity and generosity of the Romans, 12 especially of Vespasian and

Titus, who, although they had been at a great deal of pains in the war

against the Jews, and were exasperated against them, because they did

not deliver up their weapons to them, but continued the war to the very

last, yet did not they take away any of their forementioned privileges

belonging to them as citizens, but restrained their anger, and overcame

the prayers of the Alexandrians and Antiochians, who were a very

powerful people, insomuch that they did not yield to them, neither out

of their favor to these people, nor out of their old grudge at those

whose wicked opposition they had subdued in the war; nor would they

alter any of the ancient favors granted to the Jews, but said, that

those who had borne arms against them, and fought them, had suffered

punishment already, and that it was not just to deprive those that had

not offended of the privileges they enjoyed.

2. We also know that Marcus Agrippa was of the like disposition towards

the Jews: for when the people of Ionia were very angry at them, and

besought Agrippa that they, and they only, might have those privileges

of citizens which Antiochus, the grandson of Seleucus, [who by the

Greeks was called The God,] had bestowed on them, and desired that, if

the Jews were to be joint-partakers with them, they might be obliged to

worship the gods they themselves worshipped: but when these matters were

brought to the trial, the Jews prevailed, and obtained leave to make use

of their own customs, and this under the patronage of Nicolaus of

Damascus; for Agrippa gave sentence that he could not innovate. And if

any one hath a mind to know this matter accurately, let him peruse the

hundred and twenty-third and hundred and twenty-fourth books of the

history of this Nicolaus. Now as to this determination of Agrippa, it is

not so much to be admired, for at that time our nation had not made war

against the Romans. But one may well be astonished at the generosity of

Vespasian and Titus, that after so great wars and contests which they

had from us, they should use such moderation. But I will now return to

that part of my history whence I made the present digression.

3. Now it happened that in the reign of Antiochus the Great, who ruled

over all Asia, that the Jews, as well as the inhabitants of Celesyria,

suffered greatly, and their land was sorely harassed; for while he was

at war with Ptolemy Philopater, and with his son, who was called

Epiphanes, it fell out that these nations were equally sufferers, both

when he was beaten, and when he beat the others: so that they were very

like to a ship in a storm, which is tossed by the waves on both sides;

and just thus were they in their situation in the middle between

Antiochus's prosperity and its change to adversity. But at length, when

Antiochus had beaten Ptolemy, he seized upon Judea; and when Philopater

was dead, his son sent out a great army under Scopas, the general of his

forces, against the inhabitants of Celesyria, who took many of their

cities, and in particular our nation; which when he fell upon them, went

over to him. Yet was it not long afterward when Antiochus overcame

Scopas, in a battle fought at the fountains of Jordan, and destroyed a

great part of his army. But afterward, when Antiochus subdued those

cities of Celesyria which Scopas had gotten into his possession, and

Samaria with them, the Jews, of their own accord, went over to him, and

received him into the city [Jerusalem], and gave plentiful provision to

all his army, and to his elephants, and readily assisted him when he

besieged the garrison which was in the citadel of Jerusalem. Wherefore

Antiochus thought it but just to requite the Jews' diligence and zeal in

his service. So he wrote to the generals of his armies, and to his

friends, and gave testimony to the good behavior of the Jews towards

him, and informed them what rewards he had resolved to bestow on them

for that their behavior. I will set down presently the epistles

themselves which he wrote to the generals concerning them, but will

first produce the testimony of Polybius of Megalopolis; for thus does he

speak, in the sixteenth book of his history: "Now Scopas, the general of

Ptolemy's army, went in haste to the superior parts of the country, and

in the winter time overthrew the nation of the Jews?" He also saith, in

the same book, that "when Seopas was conquered by Antiochus, Antiochus

received Batanea, and Samaria, and Abila, and Gadara; and that, a while

afterwards, there came in to him those Jews that inhabited near that

temple which was called Jerusalem; concerning which, although I have

more to say, and particularly concerning the presence of God about that

temple, yet do I put off that history till another opportunity." This it

is which Polybius relates. But we will return to the series of the

history, when we have first produced the epistles of king Antiochus.

King Antiochus To Ptolemy, Sendeth Greeting.

"Since the Jews, upon our first entrance on their country, demonstrated

their friendship towards us, and when we came to their city [Jerusalem],

received us in a splendid manner, and came to meet us with their senate,

and gave abundance of provisions to our soldiers, and to the elephants,

and joined with us in ejecting the garrison of the Egyptians that were

in the citadel, we have thought fit to reward them, and to retrieve the

condition of their city, which hath been greatly depopulated by such

accidents as have befallen its inhabitants, and to bring those that have

been scattered abroad back to the city. And, in the first place, we have

determined, on account of their piety towards God, to bestow on them, as

a pension, for their sacrifices of animals that are fit for sacrifice,

for wine, and oil, and frankincense, the value of twenty thousand pieces

of silver, and [six] sacred artabrae of fine flour, with one thousand

four hundred and sixty medimni of wheat, and three hundred and seventy-

five medimni of salt. And these payments I would have fully paid them,

as I have sent orders to you. I would also have the work about the

temple finished, and the cloisters, and if there be any thing else that

ought to be rebuilt. And for the materials of wood, let it be brought

them out of Judea itself and out of the other countries, and out of

Libanus tax free; and the same I would have observed as to those other

materials which will be necessary, in order to render the temple more

glorious; and let all of that nation live according to the laws of their

own country; and let the senate, and the priests, and the scribes of the

temple, and the sacred singers, be discharged from poll-money and the

crown tax and other taxes also. And that the city may the sooner recover

its inhabitants, I grant a discharge from taxes for three years to its

present inhabitants, and to such as shall come to it, until the month

Hyperheretus. We also discharge them for the future from a third part of

their taxes, that the losses they have sustained may be repaired. And

all those citizens that have been carried away, and are become slaves,

we grant them and their children their freedom, and give order that

their substance be restored to them."

4. And these were the contents of this epistle. He also published a

decree through all his kingdom in honor of the temple, which contained

what follows: "It shall be lawful for no foreigner to come within the

limits of the temple round about; which thing is forbidden also to the

Jews, unless to those who, according to their own custom, have purified

themselves. Nor let any flesh of horses, or of mules, or of asses, he

brought into the city, whether they be wild or tame; nor that of

leopards, or foxes, or hares; and, in general, that of any animal which

is forbidden for the Jews to eat. Nor let their skins be brought into

it; nor let any such animal be bred up in the city. Let them only be

permitted to use the sacrifices derived from their forefathers, with

which they have been obliged to make acceptable atonements to God. And

he that transgresseth any of these orders, let him pay to the priests

three thousand drachmae of silver." Moreover, this Antiochus bare

testimony to our piety and fidelity, in an epistle of his, written when

he was informed of a sedition in Phrygia and Lydia, at which time he was

in the superior provinces, wherein he commanded Zenxis, the general of

his forces, and his most intimate friend, to send some of our nation out

of Babylon into Phrygia. The epistle was this:

King Antiochus To Zeuxis His Father, Sendeth Greeting.

"If you are in health, it is well. I also am in health. Having been

informed that a sedition is arisen in Lydia and Phrygia, I thought that

matter required great care; and upon advising with my friends what was

fit to be done, it hath been thought proper to remove two thousand

families of Jews, with their effects, out of Mesopotamia and Babylon,

unto the castles and places that lie most convenient; for I am persuaded

that they will be well-disposed guardians of our possessions, because of

their piety towards God, and because I know that my predecessors have

borne witness to them, that they are faithful, and with alacrity do what

they are desired to do. I will, therefore, though it be a laborious

work, that thou remove these Jews, under a promise, that they shall be

permitted to use their own laws. And when thou shalt have brought them

to the places forementioned, thou shalt give everyone of their families

a place for building their houses, and a portion of the land for their

husbandry, and for the plantation of their vines; and thou shalt

discharge them from paying taxes of the fruits of the earth for ten

years; and let them have a proper quantity of wheat for the maintenance

of their servants, until they receive bread corn out of the earth; also

let a sufficient share be given to such as minister to them in the

necessaries of life, that by enjoying the effects of our humanity, they

may show themselves the more willing and ready about our affairs. Take

care likewise of that nation, as far as thou art able, that they may not

have any disturbance given them by any one." Now these testimonials

which I have produced are sufficient to declare the friendship that

Antiochus the Great bare to the Jews.

CHAPTER 4. How Antiochus Made A League With Ptolemy And How Onias

Provoked Ptolemy Euergetes To Anger; And How Joseph Brought All Things

Right Again, And Entered Into Friendship With Him; And What Other Things

Were Done By Joseph, And His Son Hyrcanus.

1. After this Antiochus made a friendship and league with Ptolemy, and

gave him his daughter Cleopatra to wife, and yielded up to him

Celesyria, and Samaria, and Judea, and Phoenicia, by way of dowry. And

upon the division of the taxes between the two kings, all the principal

men framed the taxes of their several countries, and collecting the sum

that was settled for them, paid the same to the [two] kings. Now at this

time the Samaritans were in a flourishing condition, and much distressed

the Jews, cutting off parts of their land, and carrying off slaves. This

happened when Onias was high priest; for after Eleazar's death, his

uncle Manasseh took the priesthood, and after he had ended his life,

Onias received that dignity. He was the son of Simon, who was called The

Just: which Simon was the brother of Eleazar, as I said before. This

Onias was one of a little soul, and a great lover of money; and for that

reason, because he did not pay that tax of twenty talents of silver,

which his forefathers paid to these things out of their own estates, he

provoked king Ptolemy Euergetes to anger, who was the father of

Philopater. Euergetes sent an ambassador to Jerusalem, and complained

that Onias did not pay his taxes, and threatened, that if he did not

receive them, he would seize upon their land, and send soldiers to live

upon it. When the Jews heard this message of the king, they were

confounded; but so sordidly covetous was Onias, that nothing of things

nature made him ashamed.

2. There was now one Joseph, young in age, but of great reputation among

the people of Jerusalem, for gravity, prudence, and justice. His

father's name was Tobias; and his mother was the sister of Onias the

high priest, who informed him of the coming of the ambassador; for he

was then sojourning at a village named Phicol, 13 where he was born.

Hereupon he came to the city [Jerusalem], and reproved Onias for not

taking care of the preservation of his countrymen, but bringing the

nation into dangers, by not paying this money. For which preservation of

them, he told him he had received the authority over them, and had been

made high priest; but that, in case he was so great a lover of money, as

to endure to see his country in danger on that account, and his

countrymen suffer the greatest damages, he advised him to go to the

king, and petition him to remit either the whole or a part of the sum

demanded. Onias's answer was this: That he did not care for his

authority, and that he was ready, if the thing were practicable, to lay

down his high priesthood; and that he would not go to the king, because

he troubled not himself at all about such matters. Joseph then asked him

if he would not give him leave to go ambassador on behalf of the nation.

He replied, that he would give him leave. Upon which Joseph went up into

the temple, and called the multitude together to a congregation, and

exhorted them not to be disturbed nor affrighted, because of his uncle

Onias's carelessness, but desired them to be at rest, and not terrify

themselves with fear about it; for he promised them that he would be

their ambassador to the king, and persuade him that they had done him no

wrong. And when the multitude heard this, they returned thanks to

Joseph. So he went down from the temple, and treated Ptolemy's

ambassador in a hospitable manner. He also presented him with rich

gifts, and feasted him magnificently for many days, and then sent him to

the king before him, and told him that he would soon follow him; for he

was now more willing to go to the king, by the encouragement of the

ambassador, who earnestly persuaded him to come into Egypt, and promised

him that he would take care that he should obtain every thing that he

desired of Ptolemy; for he was highly pleased with his frank and liberal

temper, and with the gravity of his deportment.

3. When Ptolemy's ambassador was come into Egypt, he told the king of

the thoughtless temper of Onias; and informed him of the goodness of the

disposition of Joseph; and that he was coming to him to excuse the

multitude, as not having done him any harm, for that he was their

patron. In short, he was so very large in his encomiums upon the young

man, that he disposed both the king and his wife Cleopatra to have a

kindness for him before he came. So Joseph sent to his friends at

Samaria, and borrowed money of them, and got ready what was necessary

for his journey, garments and cups, and beasts for burden, which

amounted to about twenty thousand drachmae, and went to Alexandria. Now

it happened that at this time all the principal men and rulers went up

out of the cities of Syria and Phoenicia, to bid for their taxes; for

every year the king sold them to the men of the greatest power in every

city. So these men saw Joseph journeying on the way, and laughed at him

for his poverty and meanness. But when he came to Alexandria, and heard

that king Ptolemy was at Memphis, he went up thither to meet with him;

which happened as the king was sitting in his chariot, with his wife,

and with his friend Athenion, who was the very person who had been

ambassador at Jerusalem, and had been entertained by Joseph. As soon

therefore as Athenion saw him, he presently made him known to the king,

how good and generous a young man he was. So Ptolemy saluted him first,

and desired him to come up into his chariot; and as Joseph sat there, he

began to complain of the management of Onias: to which he answered,

"Forgive him, on account of his age; for thou canst not certainly be

unacquainted with this, that old men and infants have their minds

exactly alike; but thou shalt have from us, who are young men, every

thing thou desirest, and shalt have no cause to complain." With this

good humor and pleasantry of the young man, the king was so delighted,

that he began already, as though he had had long experience of him, to

have a still greater affection for him, insomuch that he bade him take

his diet in the king's palace, and be a guest at his own table every

day. But when the king was come to Alexandria, the principal men of

Syria saw him sitting with the king, and were much offended at it.

4. And when the day came on which the king was to let the taxes of the

cities to farm, and those that were the principal men of dignity in

their several countries were to bid for them, the sum of the taxes

together, of Celesyria, and Phoenicia, and Judea, with Samaria, [as they

were bidden for,] came to eight thousand talents. Hereupon Joseph

accused the bidders, as having agreed together to estimate the value of

the taxes at too low a rate; and he promised that he would himself give

twice as much for them: but for those who did not pay, he would send the

king home their whole substance; for this privilege was sold together

with the taxes themselves. The king was pleased to hear that offer; and

because it augmented his revenues, he said he would confirm the sale of

the taxes to him. But when he asked him this question, Whether he had

any sureties that would be bound for the payment of the money? he

answered very pleasantly, "I will give such security, and those of

persons good and responsible, and which you shall have no reason to

distrust." And when he bid him name them who they were, he replied, "I

give thee no other persons, O king, for my sureties, than thyself, and

this thy wife; and you shall be security for both parties." So Ptolemy

laughed at the proposal, and granted him the farming of the taxes

without any sureties. This procedure was a sore grief to those that came

from the cities into Egypt, who were utterly disappointed; and they

returned every one to their own country with shame.

5. But Joseph took with him two thousand foot soldiers from the king,

for he desired he might have some assistance, in order to force such as

were refractory in the cities to pay. And borrowing of the king's

friends at Alexandria five hundred talents, he made haste back into

Syria. And when he was at Askelon, and demanded the taxes of the people

of Askelon, they refused to pay any thing, and affronted him also; upon

which he seized upon about twenty of the principal men, and slew them,

and gathered what they had together, and sent it all to the king, and

informed him what he had done. Ptolemy admired the prudent conduct of

the man, and commended him for what he had done, and gave him leave to

do as he pleased. When the Syrians heard of this, they were astonished;

and having before them a sad example in the men of Askelon that were

slain, they opened their gates, and willingly admitted Joseph, and paid

their taxes. And when the inhabitants of Scythopolis attempted to

affront him, and would not pay him those taxes which they formerly used

to pay, without disputing about them, he slew also the principal men of

that city, and sent their effects to the king. By this means he gathered

great wealth together, and made vast gains by this farming of the taxes;

and he made use of what estate he had thus gotten, in order to support

his authority, as thinking it a piece of prudence to keep what had been

the occasion and foundation of his present good fortune; and this he did

by the assistance of what he was already possessed of, for he privately

sent many presents to the king, and to Cleopatra, and to their friends,

and to all that were powerful about the court, and thereby purchased

their good-will to himself.

6. This good fortune he enjoyed for twenty-two years, and was become the

father of seven sons by one wife; he had also another son, whose name

was Hyrcanus, by his brother Solymius's daughter, whom he married on the

following occasion. He once came to Alexandria with his brother, who had

along with him a daughter already marriageable, in order to give her in

wedlock to some of the Jews of chief dignity there. He then supped with

the king, and falling in love with an actress that was of great beauty,

and came into the room where they feasted, he told his brother of it,

and entreated him, because a Jew is forbidden by their law to come near

to a foreigner, to conceal his offense; and to be kind and subservient

to him, and to give him an opportunity of fulfilling his desires. Upon

which his brother willingly entertained the proposal of serving him, and

adorned his own daughter, and brought her to him by night, and put her

into his bed. And Joseph, being disordered with drink, knew not who she

was, and so lay with his brother's daughter; and this did he many times,

and loved her exceedingly; and said to his brother, that he loved this

actress so well, that he should run the hazard of his life [if he must

part with her], and yet probably the king would not give him leave [to

take her with him]. But his brother bid him be in no concern about that

matter, and told him he might enjoy her whom he loved without any

danger, and might have her for his wife; and opened the truth of the

matter to him, and assured him that he chose rather to have his own

daughter abused, than to overlook him, and see him come to [public]

disgrace. So Joseph commended him for this his brotherly love, and

married his daughter; and by her begat a son, whose name was Hyrcanus,

as we said before. And when this his youngest son showed, at thirteen

years old, a mind that was both courageous and wise, and was greatly

envied by his brethren, as being of a genius much above them, and such a

one as they might well envy, Joseph had once a mind to know which of his

sons had the best disposition to virtue; and when he sent them severally

to those that had then the best reputation for instructing youth, the

rest of his children, by reason of their sloth and unwillingness to take

pains, returned to him foolish and unlearned. After them he sent out the

youngest, Hyrcanus, and gave him three hundred yoke of oxen, and bid him

go two days' journey into the wilderness, and sow the land there, and

yet kept back privately the yokes of the oxen that coupled them

together. When Hyrcanus came to the place, and found he had no yokes

with him, he condemned the drivers of the oxen, who advised him to send

some to his father, to bring them some yokes; but he thinking that he

ought not to lose his time while they should be sent to bring him the

yokes, he invented a kind of stratagem, and what suited an age older

than his own; for he slew ten yoke of the oxen, and distributed their

flesh among the laborers, and cut their hides into several pieces, and

made him yokes, and yoked the oxen together with them; by which means he

sowed as much land as his father had appointed him to sow, and returned

to him. And when he was come back, his father was mightily pleased with

his sagacity, and commended the sharpness of his understanding, and his

boldness in what he did. And he still loved him the more, as if he were

his only genuine son, while his brethren were much troubled at it.

7. But when one told him that Ptolemy had a son just born, and that all

the principal men of Syria, and the other countries subject to him, were

to keep a festival, on account of the child's birthday, and went away in

haste with great retinues to Alexandria, he was himself indeed hindered

from going by old age; but he made trial of his sons, whether any of

them would be willing to go to the king. And when the elder sons excused

themselves from going, and said they were not courtiers good enough for

such conversation, and advised him to send their brother Hyrcanus, he

gladly hearkened to that advice, and called Hyrcanus, and asked him

whether he would go to the king, and whether it was agreeable to him to

go or not. And upon his promise that he would go, and his saying that he

should not want much money for his journey, because he would live

moderately, and that ten thousand drachmas would be sufficient, he was

pleased with his son's prudence. After a little while, the son advised

his father not to send his presents to the king from thence, but to give

him a letter to his steward at Alexandria, that he might furnish him

with money, for purchasing what should be most excellent and most

precious. So he thinking that the expense of ten talents would be enough

for presents to be made the king, and commending his son, as giving him

good advice, wrote to Arion his steward, that managed all his money

matters at Alexandria; which money was not less than three thousand

talents on his account, for Joseph sent the money he received in Syria

to Alexandria. And when the day appointed for the payment of the taxes

to the king came, he wrote to Arion to pay them. So when the son had

asked his father for a letter to the steward, and had received it, he

made haste to Alexandria. And when he was gone, his brethren wrote to

all the king's friends, that they should destroy him.

8. But when he was come to Alexandria, he delivered his letter to Arion,

who asked him how many talents he would have [hoping he would ask for no

more than ten, or a little more]; he said he wanted a thousand talents.

At which the steward was angry, and rebuked him, as one that intended to

live extravagantly; and he let him know how his father had gathered

together his estate by painstaking, and resisting his inclinations, and

wished him to imitate the example of his father: he assured him withal,

that he would give him but ten talents, and that for a present to the

king also. The son was irritated at this, and threw Arion into prison.

But when Arion's wife had informed Cleopatra of this, with her entreaty,

that she would rebuke the child for what he had done, [for Arion was in

great esteem with her,] Cleopatra informed the king of it. And Ptolemy

sent for Hyrcanus, and told him that he wondered, when he was sent to

him by his father, that he had not yet come into his presence, but had

laid the steward in prison. And he gave order, therefore, that he should

come to him, and give an account of the reason of what he had done. And

they report that the answer he made to the king's messenger was this:

That "there was a law of his that forbade a child that was born to taste

of the sacrifice, before he had been at the temple and sacrificed to

God. According to which way of reasoning he did not himself come to him

in expectation of the present he was to make to him, as to one who had

been his father's benefactor; and that he had punished the slave for

disobeying his commands, for that it mattered not Whether a master was

little or great: so that unless we punish such as these, thou thyself

mayst also expect to be despised by thy subjects." Upon hearing this his

answer he fell a laughing, and wondered at the great soul of the child.

9. When Arion was apprized that this was the king's disposition, and

that he had no way to help himself, he gave the child a thousand

talents, and was let out of prison. So after three days were over,

Hyrcanus came and saluted the king and queen. They saw him with

pleasure, and feasted him in an obliging manner, out of the respect they

bare to his father. So he came to the merchants privately, and bought a

hundred boys, that had learning, and were in the flower of their ages,

each at a talent apiece; as also he bought a hundred maidens, each at

the same price as the other. And when he was invited to feast with the

king among the principal men in the country, he sat down the lowest of

them all, because he was little regarded, as a child in age still; and

this by those who placed every one according to their dignity. Now when

all those that sat with him had laid the bones Of the several parts on a

heap before Hyrcanus, [for they had themselves taken away the flesh

belonging to them,] till the table where he sat was filled full with

them, Trypho, who was the king's jester, and was appointed for jokes and

laughter at festivals, was now asked by the guests that sat at the table

[to expose him to laughter]. So he stood by the king, and said, "Dost

thou not see, my lord, the bones that lie by Hyrcanus? by this

similitude thou mayst conjecture that his father made all Syria as bare

as he hath made these bones." And the king laughing at what Trypho said,

and asking of Hyrcanus, How he came to have so many bones before him? he

replied, "Very rightfully, my lord; for they are dogs that eat the flesh

and the bones together, as these thy guests have done, [looking in the

mean time at those guests,] for there is nothing before them; but they

are men that eat the flesh, and cast away the hones, as I, who am also a

man, have now done." Upon which the king admired at his answer, which

was so wisely made; and bid them all make an acclamation, as a mark of

their approbation of his jest, which was truly a facetious one. On the

next day Hyrcanus went to every one of the king's friends, and of the

men powerful at court, and saluted them; but still inquired of the

servants what present they would make the king on his son's birthday;

and when some said that they would give twelve talents, and that others

of greater dignity would every one give according to the quantity of

their riches, he pretended to every one of them to be grieved that he

was not able to bring so large a present; for that he had no more than

five talents. And when the servants heard what he said, they told their

masters; and they rejoiced in the prospect that Joseph would be

disapproved, and would make the king angry, by the smallness of his

present. When the day came, the others, even those that brought the

most, offered the king not above twenty talents; but Hyrcanus gave to

every one of the hundred boys and hundred maidens that he had bought a

talent apiece, for them to carry, and introduced them, the boys to the

king, and the maidens to Cleopatra; every body wondering at the

unexpected richness of the presents, even the king and queen themselves.

He also presented those that attended about the king with gifts to the

value of a great number of talents, that he might escape the danger he

was in from them; for to these it was that Hyrcanus's brethren had

written to destroy him. Now Ptolemy admired at the young man's

magnanimity, and commanded him to ask what gift he pleased. But he

desired nothing else to be done for him by the king than to write to his

father and brethren about him. So when the king had paid him very great

respects, and had given him very large gifts, and had written to his

father and his brethren, and all his commanders and officers, about him,

he sent him away. But when his brethren heard that Hyrcanus had received

such favors from the king, and was returning home with great honor, they

went out to meet him, and to destroy him, and that with the privity of

their father; for he was angry at him for the [large] sum of money that

he bestowed for presents, and so had no concern for his preservation.

However, Joseph concealed the anger he had at his son, out of fear of

the king. And when Hyrcanus's brethren came to fight him, he slew many

others of those that were with them, as also two of his brethren

themselves; but the rest of them escaped to Jerusalem to their father.

But when Hyrcanus came to the city, where nobody would receive him, he

was afraid for himself, and retired beyond the river Jordan, and there

abode, but obliging the barbarians to pay their taxes.

10. At this time Seleucus, who was called Soter, reigned over Asia,

being the son of Antiochus the Great. And [now] Hyrcanus's father,

Joseph, died. He was a good man, and of great magnanimity; and brought

the Jews out of a state of poverty and meanness, to one that was more

splendid. He retained the farm of the taxes of Syria, and Phoenicia, and

Samaria twenty-two years. His uncle also, Onias, died [about this time],

and left the high priesthood to his son Simeon. And when he was dead,

Onias his son succeeded him in that dignity. To him it was that Areus,

king of the Lacedemonians, sent an embassage, with an epistle; the copy

whereof here follows:

"Areus, King Of The Lacedemonians, To Onias, Sendeth Greeting.

"We have met with a certain writing, whereby we have discovered that

both the Jews and the Lacedemonians are of one stock, and are derived

from the kindred of Abraham 14 It is but just therefore that you, who

are our brethren, should send to us about any of your concerns as you

please. We will also do the same thing, and esteem your concerns as our

own, and will look upon our concerns as in common with yours. Demoteles,

who brings you this letter, will bring your answer back to us. This

letter is four-square; and the seal is an eagle, with a dragon in his

claws."

11. And these were the contents of the epistle which was sent from the

king of the Lacedemonians. But, upon the death of Joseph, the people

grew seditious, on account of his sons. For whereas the elders made war

against Hyrcanus, who was the youngest of Joseph's sons, the multitude

was divided, but the greater part joined with the elders in this war; as

did Simon the high priest, by reason he was of kin to them. However,

Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any more, but seated

himself beyond Jordan, and was at perpetual war with the Arabians, and

slew many of them, and took many of them captives. He also erected a

strong castle, and built it entirely of white stone to the very roof,

and had animals of a prodigious magnitude engraven upon it. He also drew

round it a great and deep canal of water. He also made caves of many

furlongs in length, by hollowing a rock that was over against him; and

then he made large rooms in it, some for feasting, and some for sleeping

and living in. He introduced also a vast quantity of waters which ran

along it, and which were very delightful and ornamental in the court.

But still he made the entrances at the mouth of the caves so narrow,

that no more than one person could enter by them at once. And the reason

why he built them after that manner was a good one; it was for his own

preservation, lest he should be besieged by his brethren, and run the

hazard of being caught by them. Moreover, he built courts of greater

magnitude than ordinary, which he adorned with vastly large gardens. And

when he had brought the place to this state, he named it Tyre. This

place is between Arabia and Judea, beyond Jordan, not far from the

country of Heshbon. And he ruled over those parts for seven years, even

all the time that Seleucus was king of Syria. But when he was dead, his

brother Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, took the kingdom. Ptolemy

also, the king of Egypt, died, who was besides called Epiphanes. He left

two sons, and both young in age; the elder of which was called

Philometer, and the youngest Physcon. As for Hyrcanus, when he saw that

Antiochus had a great army, and feared lest he should be caught by him,

and brought to punishment for what he had done to the Arabians, he ended

his life, and slew himself with his own hand; while Antiochus seized

upon all his substance.

CHAPTER 5. How, Upon The Quarrels One Against Another About The High

Priesthood Antiochus Made An Expedition Against Jerusalem, Took The City

And Pillaged The Temples. And Distressed The Jews' As Also How Many Of

The Jews Forsook The Laws Of Their Country; And How The Samaritans

Followed The Customs Of The Greeks And Named Their Temple At Mount

Gerizzim The Temple Of Jupiter Hellenius.

1. About this time, upon the death of Onias the high priest, they gave

the high priesthood to Jesus his brother; for that son which Onias left

[or Onias IV.] was yet but an infant; and, in its proper place, we will

inform the reader of all the circumstances that befell this child. But

this Jesus, who was the brother of Onias, was deprived of the high

priesthood by the king, who was angry with him, and gave it to his

younger brother, whose name also was Onias; for Simon had these three

sons, to each of which the priesthood came, as we have already informed

the reader. This Jesus changed his name to Jason, but Onias was called

Menelaus. Now as the former high priest, Jesus, raised a sedition

against Menelaus, who was ordained after him, the multitude were divided

between them both. And the sons of Tobias took the part of Menelaus, but

the greater part of the people assisted Jason; and by that means

Menelaus and the sons of Tobias were distressed, and retired to

Antiochus, and informed him that they were desirous to leave the laws of

their country, and the Jewish way of living according to them, and to

follow the king's laws, and the Grecian way of living. Wherefore they

desired his permission to build them a Gymnasium at Jerusalem. 15 And

when he had given them leave, they also hid the circumcision of their

genitals, that even when they were naked they might appear to be Greeks.

Accordingly, they left off all the customs that belonged to their own

country, and imitated the practices of the other nations.

2. Now Antiochus, upon the agreeable situation of the affairs of his

kingdom, resolved to make an expedition against Egypt, both because he

had a desire to gain it, and because he contemned the son of Ptolemy, as

now weak, and not yet of abilities to manage affairs of such

consequence; so he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented

Ptolemy Philometor by treachery, and seized upon Egypt. He then came to

the places about Memphis; and when he had taken them, he made haste to

Alexandria, in hopes of taking it by siege, and of subduing Ptolemy, who

reigned there. But he was driven not only from Alexandria, but out of

all Egypt, by the declaration of the Romans, who charged him to let that

country alone; according as I have elsewhere formerly declared. I will

now give a particular account of what concerns this king, how he subdued

Judea and the temple; for in my former work I mentioned those things

very briefly, and have therefore now thought it necessary to go over

that history again, and that with great accuracy.

3. King Antiochus returning out of Egypt 16 for fear of the Romans, made

an expedition against the city Jerusalem; and when he was there, in the

hundred and forty-third year of the kingdom of the Seleucidse, he took

the city without fighting, those of his own party opening the gates to

him. And when he had gotten possession of Jerusalem, he slew many of the

opposite party; and when he had plundered it of a great deal of money,

he returned to Antioch.

4. Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred forty and fifth

year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called

Chasleu, and by the Macedonians Apelleus, in the hundred and fifty-third

olympiad, that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he

got possession of the city by treachery; at which time he spared not so

much as those that admitted him into it, on account of the riches that

lay in the temple; but, led by his covetous inclination, [for he saw

there was in it a great deal of gold, and many ornaments that had been

dedicated to it of very great value,] and in order to plunder its

wealth, he ventured to break the league he had made. So he left the

temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar

[of incense], and table [of shew-bread], and the altar [of burnt-

offering]; and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of

fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and

left nothing at all remaining; and by this means cast the Jews into

great lamentation, for he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices

which they used to offer to God, according to the law. And when he had

pillaged the whole city, some of the inhabitants he slew, and some he

carried captive, together with their wives and children, so that the

multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to about ten

thousand. He also burnt down the finest buildings; and when he had

overthrown the city walls, he built a citadel in the lower part of the

city, 17 for the place was high, and overlooked the temple; on which

account he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into it a

garrison of Macedonians. However, in that citadel dwelt the impious and

wicked part of the [Jewish] multitude, from whom it proved that the

citizens suffered many and sore calamities. And when the king had built

an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a

sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship

in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which

they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and

made them build temples, and raise idol altars in every city and

village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not

to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be

found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers,

who should compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many Jews

there were who complied with the king's commands, either voluntarily, or

out of fear of the penalty that was denounced. But the best men, and

those of the noblest souls, did not regard him, but did pay a greater

respect to the customs of their country than concern as to the

punishment which he threatened to the disobedient; on which account they

every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were

whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were

crucified, while they were still alive, and breathed. They also

strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the

king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were

upon the crosses. And if there were any sacred book of the law found, it

was destroyed, and those with whom they were found miserably perished

also.

5. When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no

longer confessed that they were of their kindred, nor that the temple on

Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God. This was according to their

nature, as we have already shown. And they now said that they were a

colony of Medes and Persians; and indeed they were a colony of theirs.

So they sent ambassadors to Antiochus, and an epistle, whose contents

are these: "To king Antiochus the god, Epiphanes, a memorial from the

Sidonians, who live at Shechem. Our forefathers, upon certain frequent

plagues, and as following a certain ancient superstition, had a custom

of observing that day which by the Jews is called the Sabbath. 18 And

when they had erected a temple at the mountain called Gerrizzim, though

without a name, they offered upon it the proper sacrifices. Now, upon

the just treatment of these wicked Jews, those that manage their

affairs, supposing that we were of kin to them, and practiced as they

do, make us liable to the same accusations, although we be originally

Sidonians, as is evident from the public records. We therefore beseech

thee, our benefactor and Savior, to give order to Apollonius, the

governor of this part of the country, and to Nicanor, the procurator of

thy affairs, to give us no disturbance, nor to lay to our charge what

the Jews are accused for, since we are aliens from their nation, and

from their customs; but let our temple, which at present hath no name at

all be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius. If this were once done, we

should be no longer disturbed, but should be more intent on our own

occupation with quietness, and so bring in a greater revenue to thee."

When the Samaritans had petitioned for this, the king sent them back the

following answer, in an epistle: "King Antiochus to Nicanor. The

Sidonians, who live at Shechem, have sent me the memorial enclosed. When

therefore we were advising with our friends about it, the messengers

sent by them represented to us that they are no way concerned with

accusations which belong to the Jews, but choose to live after the

customs of the Greeks. Accordingly, we declare them free from such

accusations, and order that, agreeable to their petition, their temple

be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius." He also sent the like epistle

to Apollonius, the governor of that part of the country, in the forty-

sixth year, and the eighteenth day of the month Hecatorabeom.

CHAPTER 6. How, Upon Antiochus's Prohibition To The Jews To Make Use Of

The Laws Of Their Country Mattathias, The Son Of Asamoneus, Alone

Despised The King, And Overcame The Generals Of Antiochus's Army; As

Also Concerning The Death Of Mattathias, And The Succession Of Judas.

1. Now at this time there was one whose name was Mattathias, who dwelt

at Modin, the son of John, the son of Simeon, the son of Asamoneus, a

priest of the order of Joarib, and a citizen of Jerusalem. He had five

sons; John, who was called Gaddis, and Simon, who was called Matthes,

and Judas, who was called Maccabeus, 19 and Eleazar, who was called

Auran, and Jonathan, who was called Apphus. Now this Mattathias lamented

to his children the sad state of their affairs, and the ravage made in

the city, and the plundering of the temple, and the calamities the

multitude were under; and he told them that it was better for them to

die for the laws of their country, than to live so ingloriously as they

then did.

2. But when those that were appointed by the king were come to Modin,

that they might compel the Jews to do what they were commanded, and to

enjoin those that were there to offer sacrifice, as the king had

commanded, they desired that Mattathias, a person of the greatest

character among them, both on other accounts, and particularly on

account of such a numerous and so deserving a family of children, would

begin the sacrifice, because his fellow citizens would follow his

example, and because such a procedure would make him honored by the

king. But Mattathias said he would not do it; and that if all the other

nations would obey the commands of Antiochus, either out of fear, or to

please him, yet would not he nor his sons leave the religious worship of

their country. But as soon as he had ended his speech, there came one of

the Jews into the midst of them, and sacrificed, as Antiochus had

commanded. At which Mattathias had great indignation, and ran upon him

violently, with his sons, who had swords with them, and slew both the

man himself that sacrificed, and Apelles the king's general, who

compelled them to sacrifice, with a few of his soldiers. He also

overthrew the idol altar, and cried out, "If," said he, "any one be

zealous for the laws of his country, and for the worship of God, let him

follow me." And when he had said this, he made haste into the desert

with his sons, and left all his substance in the village. Many others

did the same also, and fled with their children and wives into the

desert, and dwelt in caves. But when the king's generals heard this,

they took all the forces they then had in the citadel at Jerusalem, and

pursued the Jews into the desert; and when they had overtaken them, they

in the first place endeavored to persuade them to repent, and to choose

what was most for their advantage, and not put them to the necessity of

using them according to the law of war. But when they would not comply

with their persuasions, but continued to be of a different mind, they

fought against them on the sabbath day, and they burnt them as they were

in the caves, without resistance, and without so much as stopping up the

entrances of the caves. And they avoided to defend themselves on that

day, because they were not willing to break in upon the honor they owed

the sabbath, even in such distresses; for our law requires that we rest

upon that day. There were about a thousand, with their wives and

children, who were smothered and died in these caves; but many of those

that escaped joined themselves to Mattathias, and appointed him to be

their ruler, who taught them to fight, even on the sabbath day; and told

them that unless they would do so, they would become their own enemies,

by observing the law [so rigorously], while their adversaries would

still assault them on this day, and they would not then defend

themselves, and that nothing could then hinder but they must all perish

without fighting. This speech persuaded them. And this rule continues

among us to this day, that if there be a necessity, we may fight on

sabbath days. So Mattathias got a great army about him, and overthrew

their idol altars, and slew those that broke the laws, even all that he

could get under his power; for many of them were dispersed among the

nations round about them for fear of him. He also commanded that those

boys which were not yet circumcised should be circumcised now; and he

drove those away that were appointed to hinder such their circumcision.

3. But when he had ruled one year, and was fallen into a distemper, he

called for his sons, and set them round about him, and said, "O my sons,

I am going the way of all the earth; and I recommend to you my

resolution, and beseech you not to be negligent in keeping it, but to be

mindful of the desires of him who begat you, and brought you up, and to

preserve the customs of your country, and to recover your ancient form

of government, which is in danger of being overturned, and not to be

carried away with those that, either by their own inclination, or out of

necessity, betray it, but to become such sons as are worthy of me; to be

above all force and necessity, and so to dispose your souls, as to be

ready, when it shall be necessary, to die for your laws; as sensible of

this, by just reasoning, that if God see that you are so disposed he

will not overlook you, but will have a great value for your virtue, and

will restore to you again what you have lost, and will return to you

that freedom in which you shall live quietly, and enjoy your own

customs. Your bodies are mortal, and subject to fate; but they receive a

sort of immortality, by the remembrance of what actions they have done.

And I would have you so in love with this immortality, that you may

pursue after glory, and that, when you have undergone the greatest

difficulties, you may not scruple, for such things, to lose your lives.

I exhort you, especially, to agree one with another; and in what

excellency any one of you exceeds another, to yield to him so far, and

by that means to reap the advantage of every one's own virtues. Do you

then esteem Simon as your father, because he is a man of extraordinary

prudence, and be governed by him in what counsels be gives you. Take

Maccabeus for the general of your army, because of his courage and

strength, for he will avenge your nation, and will bring vengeance on

your enemies. Admit among you the righteous and religious, and augment

their power."

4. When Mattathias had thus discoursed to his sons, and had prayed to

God to be their assistant, and to recover to the people their former

constitution, he died a little afterward, and was buried at Modin; all

the people making great lamentation for him. Whereupon his son Judas

took upon him the administration of public affairs, in the hundred forty

and sixth year; and thus, by the ready assistance of his brethren, and

of others, Judas cast their enemies out of the country, and put those of

their own country to death who had transgressed its laws, and purified

the land of all the pollutions that were in it.

CHAPTER 7. How Judas Overthrew The Forces Of Apollonius And Seron And

Killed The Generals Of Their Armies Themselves; And How When, A Little

While Afterwards Lysias And Gorgias Were Beaten He Went Up To Jerusalem

And Purified The Temple.

1. When Apollonius, the general of the Samaritan forces, heard this, he

took his army, and made haste to go against Judas, who met him, and

joined battle with him, and beat him, and slew many of his men, and

among them Apollonius himself, their general, whose sword being that

which he happened then to wear, he seized upon, and kept for himself;

but he wounded more than he slew, and took a great deal of prey from the

enemy's camp, and went his way. But when Seron, who was general of the

army of Celesyria, heard that many had joined themselves to Judas, and

that he had about him an army sufficient for fighting, and for making

war, he determined to make an expedition against him, as thinking it

became him to endeavor to punish those that transgressed the king's

injunctions. He then got together an army, as large as he was able, and

joined to it the runagate and wicked Jews, and came against Judas. He

came as far as Bethhoron, a village of Judea, and there pitched his

camp; upon which Judas met him; and when he intended to give him battle,

he saw that his soldiers were backward to fight, because their number

was small, and because they wanted food, for they were fasting, he

encouraged them, and said to them, that victory and conquest of enemies

are not derived from the multitude in armies, but in the exercise of

piety towards God; and that they had the plainest instances in their

forefathers, who, by their righteousness, exerting themselves on behalf

of their own laws, and their own children, had frequently conquered many

ten thousands,—for innocence is the strongest army. By this speech he

induced his men to condemn the multitude of the enemy, and to fall upon

Seron. And upon joining battle with him, he beat the Syrians; and when

their general fell among the rest, they all ran away with speed, as

thinking that to be their best way of escaping. So he pursued them unto

the plain, and slew about eight hundred of the enemy; but the rest

escaped to the region which lay near to the sea.

2. When king Antiochus heard of these things, he was very angry at what

had happened; so he got together all his own army, with many

mercenaries, whom he had hired from the islands, and took them with him,

and prepared to break into Judea about the beginning of the spring. But

when, upon his mustering his soldiers, he perceived that his treasures

were deficient, and there was a want of money in them, for all the taxes

were not paid, by reason of the seditions there had been among the

nations he having been so magnanimous and so liberal, that what he had

was not sufficient for him, he therefore resolved first to go into

Persia, and collect the taxes of that country. Hereupon he left one

whose name was Lysias, who was in great repute with him governor of the

kingdom, as far as the bounds of Egypt, and of the Lower Asia, and

reaching from the river Euphrates, and committed to him a certain part

of his forces, and of his elephants, and charged him to bring up his son

Antiochus with all possible care, until he came back; and that he should

conquer Judea, and take its inhabitants for slaves, and utterly destroy

Jerusalem, and abolish the whole nation. And when king Antiochus had

given these things in charge to Lysias, he went into Persia; and in the

hundred and forty-seventh year he passed over Euphrates, and went to the

superior provinces.

3. Upon this Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor,

and Gorgias, very potent men among the king's friends, and delivered to

them forty thousand foot soldiers, and seven thousand horsemen, and sent

them against Judea, who came as far as the city Emmaus, and pitched

their camp in the plain country. There came also to them auxiliaries out

of Syria, and the country round about; as also many of the runagate

Jews. And besides these came some merchants to buy those that should be

carried captives, [having bonds with them to bind those that should be

made prisoners,] with that silver and gold which they were to pay for

their price. And when Judas saw their camp, and how numerous their

enemies were, he persuaded his own soldiers to be of good courage, and

exhorted them to place their hopes of victory in God, and to make

supplication to him, according to the custom of their country, clothed

in sackcloth; and to show what was their usual habit of supplication in

the greatest dangers, and thereby to prevail with God to grant you the

victory over your enemies. So he set them in their ancient order of

battle used by their forefathers, under their captains of thousands, and

other officers, and dismissed such as were newly married, as well as

those that had newly gained possessions, that they might not fight in a

cowardly manner, out of an inordinate love of life, in order to enjoy

those blessings. When he had thus disposed his soldiers, he encouraged

them to fight by the following speech, which he made to them: "O my

fellow soldiers, no other time remains more opportune than the present

for courage and contempt of dangers; for if you now fight manfully, you

may recover your liberty, which, as it is a thing of itself agreeable to

all men, so it proves to be to us much more desirable, by its affording

us the liberty of worshipping God. Since therefore you are in such

circumstances at present, you must either recover that liberty, and so

regain a happy and blessed way of living, which is that according to our

laws, and the customs of our country, or to submit to the most

opprobrious sufferings; nor will any seed of your nation remain if you

be beat in this battle. Fight therefore manfully; and suppose that you

must die, though you do not fight; but believe, that besides such

glorious rewards as those of the liberty of your country, of your laws,

of your religion, you shall then obtain everlasting glory. Prepare

yourselves, therefore, and put yourselves into such an agreeable

posture, that you may be ready to fight with the enemy as soon as it is

day tomorrow morning."

4. And this was the speech which Judas made to encourage them. But when

the enemy sent Gorgias, with five thousand foot and one thousand horse,

that he might fall upon Judas by night, and had for that purpose certain

of the runagate Jews as guides, the son of Mattathias perceived it, and

resolved to fall upon those enemies that were in their camp, now their

forces were divided. When they had therefore supped in good time, and

had left many fires in their camp, he marched all night to those enemies

that were at Emmaus. So that when Gorgias found no enemy in their camp,

but suspected that they were retired, and had hidden themselves among

the mountains, he resolved to go and seek them wheresoever they were.

But about break of day Judas appeared to those enemies that were at

Emmaus, with only three thousand men, and those ill armed, by reason of

their poverty; and when he saw the enemy very well and skillfully

fortified in their camp, he encouraged the Jews, and told them that they

ought to fight, though it were with their naked bodies, for that God had

sometimes of old given such men strength, and that against such as were

more in number, and were armed also, out of regard to their great

courage. So he commanded the trumpeters to sound for the battle; and by

thus falling upon the enemies when they did not expect it, and thereby

astonishing and disturbing their minds, he slew many of those that

resisted him, and went on pursuing the rest as far as Gadara, and the

plains of Idumea, and Ashdod, and Jamnia; and of these there fell about

three thousand. Yet did Judas exhort his soldiers not to be too desirous

of the spoils, for that still they must have a contest and battle with

Gorgias, and the forces that were with him; but that when they had once

overcome them, then they might securely plunder the camp, because they

were the only enemies remaining, and they expected no others. And just

as he was speaking to his soldiers, Gorgias's men looked down into that

army which they left in their camp, and saw that it was overthrown, and

the camp burnt; for the smoke that arose from it showed them, even when

they were a great way off, what had happened. When therefore those that

were with Gorgias understood that things were in this posture, and

perceived that those that were with Judas were ready to fight them, they

also were affrighted, and put to flight; but then Judas, as though he

had already beaten Gorgias's soldiers without fighting, returned and

seized on the spoils. He took a great quantity of gold, and silver, and

purple, and blue, and then returned home with joy, and singing hymns to

God for their good success; for this victory greatly contributed to the

recovery of their liberty.

5. Hereupon Lysias was confounded at the defeat of the army which he had

sent, and the next year he got together sixty thousand chosen men. He

also took five thousand horsemen, and fell upon Judea; and he went up to

the hill country of Bethsur, a village of Judea, and pitched his camp

there, where Judas met him with ten thousand men; and when he saw the

great number of his enemies, he prayed to God that he would assist him,

and joined battle with the first of the enemy that appeared, and beat

them, and slew about five thousand of them, and thereby became terrible

to the rest of them. Nay, indeed, Lysias observing the great spirit of

the Jews, how they were prepared to die rather than lose their liberty,

and being afraid of their desperate way of fighting, as if it were real

strength, he took the rest of the army back with him, and returned to

Antioch, where he listed foreigners into the service, and prepared to

fall upon Judea with a greater army.

6. When therefore the generals of Antiochus's armies had been beaten so

often, Judas assembled the people together, and told them, that after

these many victories which God had given them, they ought to go up to

Jerusalem, and purify the temple, and offer the appointed sacrifices.

But as soon as he, with the whole multitude, was come to Jerusalem, and

found the temple deserted, and its gates burnt down, and plants growing

in the temple of their own accord, on account of its desertion, he and

those that were with him began to lament, and were quite confounded at

the sight of the temple; so he chose out some of his soldiers, and gave

them order to fight against those guards that were in the citadel, until

he should have purified the temple. When therefore he had carefully

purged it, and had brought in new vessels, the candlestick, the table

[of shew-bread], and the altar [of incense], which were made of gold, he

hung up the veils at the gates, and added doors to them. He also took

down the altar [of burnt-offering], and built a new one of stones that

he gathered together, and not of such as were hewn with iron tools. So

on the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, which the Macedonians

call Apeliens, they lighted the lamps that were on the candlestick, and

offered incense upon the altar [of incense], and laid the loaves upon

the table [of shew-bread], and offered burnt-offerings upon the new

altar [of burnt-offering]. Now it so fell out, that these things were

done on the very same day on which their Divine worship had fallen off,

and was reduced to a profane and common use, after three years' time;

for so it was, that the temple was made desolate by Antiochus, and so

continued for three years. This desolation happened to the temple in the

hundred forty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of the month

Apeliens, and on the hundred fifty and third olympiad: but it was

dedicated anew, on the same day, the twenty-fifth of the month Apeliens,

on the hundred and forty-eighth year, and on the hundred and fifty-

fourth olympiad. And this desolation came to pass according to the

prophecy of Daniel, which was given four hundred and eight years before;

for he declared that the Macedonians would dissolve that worship [for

some time].

7. Now Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of the

sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of

pleasures thereon; but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid

sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them by hymns and psalms.

Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after

a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom

of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they

should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple

worship, for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this

festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this

liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name

given to that festival. Judas also rebuilt the walls round about the

city, and reared towers of great height against the incursions of

enemies, and set guards therein. He also fortified the city Bethsura,

that it might serve as a citadel against any distresses that might come

from our enemies.

CHAPTER 8. How Judas Subdued The Nations Round About; And How Simon Beat

The People Of Tyre And Ptolemais; And How Judas Overcame Timotheus, And

Forced Him To Fly Away, And Did Many Other Things After Joseph And

Azarias Had Been Beaten.

1. When these things were over, the nations round about the Jews were

very uneasy at the revival of their power, and rose up together, and

destroyed many of them, as gaining advantage over them by laying snares

for them, and making secret conspiracies against them. Judas made

perpetual expeditions against these men, and endeavored to restrain them

from those incursions, and to prevent the mischiefs they did to the

Jews. So he fell upon the Idumeans, the posterity of Esau, at

Acrabattene, and slew a great many of them, and took their spoils. He

also shut up the sons of Bean, that laid wait for the Jews; and he sat

down about them, and besieged them, and burnt their towers, and

destroyed the men [that were in them]. After this he went thence in

haste against the Ammonites, who had a great and a numerous army, of

which Timotheus was the commander. And when he had subdued them, he

seized on the city Jazer, and took their wives and their children

captives, and burnt the city, and then returned into Judea. But when the

neighboring nations understood that he was returned, they got together

in great numbers in the land of Gilead, and came against those Jews that

were at their borders, who then fled to the garrison of Dathema; and

sent to Judas, to inform him that Timotheus was endeavoring to take the

place whither they were fled. And as these epistles were reading, there

came other messengers out of Galilee, who informed him that the

inhabitants of Ptolemais, and of Tyre and Sidon, and strangers of

Galilee, were gotten together.

2. Accordingly Judas, upon considering what was fit to be done, with

relation to the necessity both these cases required, gave order that

Simon his brother should take three thousand chosen men, and go to the

assistance of the Jews in Galilee, while he and another of his brothers,

Jonathan, made haste into the land of Gilead, with eight thousand

soldiers. And he left Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, to be

over the rest of the forces; and charged them to keep Judea very

carefully, and to fight no battles with any persons whomsoever until his

return. Accordingly, Simon went into Galilee, and fought the enemy, and

put them to flight, and pursued them to the very gates of Ptolemais, and

slew about three thousand of them, and took the spoils of those that

were slain, and those Jews whom they had made captives, with their

baggage, and then returned home.

3. Now as for Judas Maccabeus, and his brother Jonathan, they passed

over the river Jordan; and when they had gone three days journey, they

lighted upon the Nabateans, who came to meet them peaceably, and who

told them how the affairs of those in the land of Gilead stood; and how

many of them were in distress, and driven into garrisons, and into the

cities of Galilee; and exhorted him to make haste to go against the

foreigners, and to endeavor to save his own countrymen out of their

hands. To this exhortation Judas hearkened, and returned to the

wilderness; and in the first place fell upon the inhabitants of Bosor,

and took the city, and beat the inhabitants, and destroyed all the

males, and all that were able to fight, and burnt the city. Nor did he

stop even when night came on, but he journeyed in it to the garrison

where the Jews happened to be then shut up, and where Timotheus lay

round the place with his army. And Judas came upon the city in the

morning; and when he found that the enemy were making an assault upon

the walls, and that some of them brought ladders, on which they might

get upon those walls, and that others brought engines [to batter them],

he bid the trumpeter to sound his trumpet, and he encouraged his

soldiers cheerfully to undergo dangers for the sake of their brethren

and kindred; he also parted his army into three bodies, and fell upon

the backs of their enemies. But when Timotheus's men perceived that it

was Maccabeus that was upon them, of both whose courage and good success

in war they had formerly had sufficient experience, they were put to

flight; but Judas followed them with his army, and slew about eight

thousand of them. He then turned aside to a city of the foreigners

called Malle, and took it, and slew all the males, and burnt the city

itself. He then removed from thence, and overthrew Casphom and Bosor,

and many other cities of the land of Gilead.

4. But not long after this, Timotheus prepared a great army, and took

many others as auxiliaries; and induced some of the Arabians, by the

promise of rewards, to go with him in this expedition, and came with his

army beyond the brook, over against the city Raphon; and he encouraged

his soldiers, if it came to a battle with the Jews, to fight

courageously, and to hinder their passing over the brook; for he said to

them beforehand, that "if they come over it, we shall be beaten." And

when Judas heard that Timotheus prepared himself to fight, he took all

his own army, and went in haste against Timotheus his enemy; and when he

had passed over the brook, he fell upon his enemies, and some of them

met him, whom he slew, and others of them he so terrified, that he

compelled them to throw down their arms and fly; and some of them

escaped, but some of them fled to what was called the Temple of Camaim,

and hoped thereby to preserve themselves; but Judas took the city, and

slew them, and burnt the temple, and so used several ways of destroying

his enemies.

5. When he had done this, he gathered the Jews together, with their

children and wives, and the substance that belonged to them, and was

going to bring them back into Judea; but as soon as he was come to a

certain city, whose name was Ephron, that lay upon the road, [and it was

not possible for him to go any other way, so he was not willing to go

back again,] he then sent to the inhabitants, and desired that they

would open their gates, and permit them to go on their way through the

city; for they had stopped up the gates with stones, and cut off their

passage through it. And when the inhabitants of Ephron would not agree

to this proposal, he encouraged those that were with him, and

encompassed the city round, and besieged it, and, lying round it by day

and night, took the city, and slew every male in it, and burnt it all

down, and so obtained a way through it; and the multitude of those that

were slain was so great, that they went over the dead bodies. So they

came over Jordan, and arrived at the great plain, over against which is

situate the city Bethshah, which is called by the Greeks Scythopolis. 20

And going away hastily from thence, they came into Judea, singing psalms

and hymns as they went, and indulging such tokens of mirth as are usual

in triumphs upon victory. They also offered thank-offerings, both for

their good success, and for the preservation of their army, for not one

of the Jews was slain in these battles.21

6. But as to Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, whom Judas left

generals [of the rest of his forces] at the same time when Simon was in

Galilee, fighting against the people of Ptolemais, and Judas himself,

and his brother Jonathan, were in the land of Gilead, did these men also

affect the glory of being courageous generals in war, in order whereto

they took the army that was under their command, and came to Jamnia.

There Gorgias, the general of the forces of Jamnia, met them; and upon

joining battle with him, they lost two thousand of their army, 22 and

fled away, and were pursued to the very borders of Judea. And this

misfortune befell them by their disobedience to what injunctions Judas

had given them, not to fight with any one before his return. For besides

the rest of Judas's sagacious counsels, one may well wonder at this

concerning the misfortune that befell the forces commanded by Joseph and

Azarias, which he understood would happen, if they broke any of the

injunctions he had given them. But Judas and his brethren did not leave

off fighting with the Idumeans, but pressed upon them on all sides, and

took from them the city of Hebron, and demolished all its

fortifications, and set all its towers on fire, and burnt the country of

the foreigners, and the city Marissa. They came also to Ashdod, and took

it, and laid it waste, and took away a great deal of the spoils and prey

that were in it, and returned to Judea.

CHAPTER 9. Concerning The Death Of Antiochus Epiphane. How Antiochus

Eupator Fought Against Juda And Besieged Him In The Temple And

Afterwards Made Peace With Him And Departed; Of Alcimus And Onias.

1. About this time it was that king Antiochus, as he was going over the

upper countries, heard that there was a very rich city in Persia, called

Elymais; and therein a very rich temple of Diana, and that it was full

of all sorts of donations dedicated to it; as also weapons and

breastplates, which, upon inquiry, he found had been left there by

Alexander, the son of Philip, king of Macedonia. And being incited by

these motives, he went in haste to Elymais, and assaulted it, and

besieged it. But as those that were in it were not terrified at his

assault, nor at his siege, but opposed him very courageously, he was

beaten off his hopes; for they drove him away from the city, and went

out and pursued after him, insomuch that he fled away as far as Babylon,

and lost a great many of his army. And when he was grieving for this

disappointment, some persons told him of the defeat of his commanders

whom he had left behind him to fight against Judea, and what strength

the Jews had already gotten. When this concern about these affairs was

added to the former, he was confounded, and by the anxiety he was in

fell into a distemper, which, as it lasted a great while, and as his

pains increased upon him, so he at length perceived he should die in a

little time; so he called his friends to him, and told them that his

distemper was severe upon him; and confessed withal, that this calamity

was sent upon him for the miseries he had brought upon the Jewish

nation, while he plundered their temple, and contemned their God; and

when he had said this, he gave up the ghost. Whence one may wonder at

Polybius of Megalopolis, who, though otherwise a good man, yet saith

that "Antiochus died because he had a purpose to plunder the temple of

Diana in Persia;" for the purposing to do a thing, 23 but not actually

doing it, is not worthy of punishment. But if Polybius could think that

Antiochus thus lost his life on that account, it is much more probable

that this king died on account of his sacrilegious plundering of the

temple at Jerusalem. But we will not contend about this matter with

those who may think that the cause assigned by this Polybius of

Megalopolis is nearer the truth than that assigned by us.

2. However, Antiochus, before he died, called for Philip, who was one of

his companions, and made him the guardian of his kingdom; and gave him

his diadem, and his garment, and his ring, and charged him to carry

them, and deliver them to his son Antiochus; and desired him to take

care of his education, and to preserve the kingdom for him. 24 This

Antiochus died in the hundred forty and ninth year; but it was Lysias

that declared his death to the multitude, and appointed his son

Antiochus to be king, [of whom at present he had the care,] and called

him Eupator.

3. At this time it was that the garrison in the citadel of Jerusalem,

with the Jewish runagates, did a great deal of harm to the Jews; for the

soldiers that were in that garrison rushed out upon the sudden, and

destroyed such as were going up to the temple in order to offer their

sacrifices, for this citadel adjoined to and overlooked the temple. When

these misfortunes had often happened to them, Judas resolved to destroy

that garrison; whereupon he got all the people together, and vigorously

besieged those that were in the citadel. This was in the hundred and

fiftieth year of the dominion of the Seleucidse. So he made engines of

war, and erected bulwarks, and very zealously pressed on to take the

citadel. But there were not a few of the runagates who were in the place

that went out by night into the country, and got together some other

wicked men like themselves, and went to Antiochus the king, and desired

of him that he would not suffer them to be neglected, under the great

hardships that lay upon them from those of their own nation; and this

because their sufferings were occasioned on his father's account, while

they left the religious worship of their fathers, and preferred that

which he had commanded them to follow: that there was danger lest the

citadel, and those appointed to garrison it by the king, should be taken

by Judas, and those that were with him, unless he would send them

succors. When Antiochus, who was but a child, heard this, he was angry,

and sent for his captains and his friends, and gave order that they

should get an army of mercenaries together, with such men also of his

own kingdom as were of an age fit for war. Accordingly, an army was

collected of about a hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand

horsemen, and thirty-two elephants.

4. So the king took this army, and marched hastily out of Antioch, with

Lysias, who had the command of the whole, and came to Idumea, and thence

went up to the city Bethsura, a city that was strong, and not to be

taken without great difficulty. He set about this city, and besieged it.

And while the inhabitants of Bethsura courageously opposed him, and

sallied out upon him, and burnt his engines of war, a great deal of time

was spent in the siege. But when Judas heard of the king's coming, he

raised the siege of the citadel, and met the king, and pitched his camp

in certain straits, at a place called Bethzachriah, at the distance of

seventy furlongs from the enemy; but the king soon drew his forces from

Bethsura, and brought them to those straits. And as soon as it was day,

he put his men in battle-array, and made his elephants follow one

another through the narrow passes, because they could not be set

sideways by one another. Now round about every elephant there were a

thousand footmen, and five hundred horsemen. The elephants also had high

towers [upon their backs], and archers [in them]. And he also made the

rest of his army to go up the mountains, and put his friends before the

rest; and gave orders for the army to shout aloud, and so he attacked

the enemy. He also exposed to sight their golden and brazen shields, so

that a glorious splendor was sent from them; and when they shouted the

mountains echoed again. When Judas saw this, he was not terrified, but

received the enemy with great courage, and slew about six hundred of the

first ranks. But when his brother Eleazar, whom they called Auran, saw

the tallest of all the elephants armed with royal breastplates, and

supposed that the king was upon him, he attacked him with great

quickness and bravery. He also slew many of those that were about the

elephant, and scattered the rest, and then went under the belly of the

elephant, and smote him, and slew him; so the elephant fell upon

Eleazar, and by his weight crushed him to death. And thus did this man

come to his end, when he had first courageously destroyed many of his

enemies.

5. But Judas, seeing the strength of the enemy, retired to Jerusalem,

and prepared to endure a siege. As for Antiochus, he sent part of his

army to Bethsura, to besiege it, and with the rest of his army he came

against Jerusalem; but the inhabitants of Bethsura were terrified at his

strength; and seeing that their provisions grew scarce, they delivered

themselves up on the security of oaths that they should suffer no hard

treatment from the king. And when Antiochus had thus taken the city, he

did them no other harm than sending them out naked. He also placed a

garrison of his own in the city. But as for the temple of Jerusalem, he

lay at its siege a long time, while they within bravely defended it; for

what engines soever the king set against them, they set other engines

again to oppose them. But then their provisions failed them; what fruits

of the ground they had laid up were spent and the land being not

ploughed that year, continued unsowed, because it was the seventh year,

on which, by our laws, we are obliged to let it lay uncultivated. And

withal, so many of the besieged ran away for want of necessaries, that

but a few only were left in the temple.

6. And these happened to be the circumstances of such as were besieged

in the temple. But then, because Lysias, the general of the army, and

Antiochus the king, were informed that Philip was coming upon them out

of Persia, and was endeavoring to get the management of public affairs

to himself, they came into these sentiments, to leave the siege, and to

make haste to go against Philip; yet did they resolve not to let this be

known to the soldiers or to the officers: but the king commanded Lysias

to speak openly to the soldiers and the officers, without saying a word

about the business of Philip; and to intimate to them that the siege

would be very long; that the place was very strong; that they were

already in want of provisions; that many affairs of the kingdom wanted

regulation; and that it was much better to make a league with the

besieged, and to become friends to their whole nation, by permitting

them to observe the laws of their fathers, while they broke out into

this war only because they were deprived of them, and so to depart home.

When Lysias had discoursed thus to them, both the army and the officers

were pleased with this resolution.

7. Accordingly the king sent to Judas, and to those that were besieged

with them, and promised to give them peace, and to permit them to make

use of, and live according to, the laws of their fathers; and they

gladly received his proposals; and when they had gained security upon

oath for their performance, they went out of the temple. But when

Antiochus came into it, and saw how strong the place was, he broke his

oaths, and ordered his army that was there to pluck down the walls to

the ground; and when he had so done, he returned to Antioch. He also

carried with him Onias the high priest, who was also called Menelaus;

for Lysias advised the king to slay Menelaus, if he would have the Jews

be quiet, and cause him no further disturbance, for that this man was

the origin of all the mischief the Jews had done them, by persuading his

father to compel the Jews to leave the religion of their fathers. So the

king sent Menelaus to Berea, a city of Syria, and there had him put to

death, when he had been high priest ten years. He had been a wicked and

an impious man; and, in order to get the government to himself, had

compelled his nation to transgress their own laws. After the death of

Menelaus, Alcimus, who was also called Jacimus, was made high priest.

But when king Antiochus found that Philip had already possessed himself

of the government, he made war against him, and subdued him, and took

him, and slew him. Now as to Onias, the son of the high priest, who, as

we before informed you, was left a child when his father died, when he

saw that the king had slain his uncle Menelaus, and given the high

priesthood to Alcimus, who was not of the high priest stock, but was

induced by Lysias to translate that dignity from his family to another

house, he fled to Ptolemy, king of Egypt; and when he found he was in

great esteem with him, and with his wife Cleopatra, he desired and

obtained a place in the Nomus of Heliopolis, wherein he built a temple

like to that at Jerusalem; of which therefore we shall hereafter give an

account, in a place more proper for it.

CHAPTER 10. How Bacchides, The General Of Demetrius's Army, Made An

Expedition Against Judea, And Returned Without Success; And How Nicanor

Was Sent A Little Afterward Against Judas And Perished, Together With

His Army; As Also Concerning The Death Of Alcimus And The Succession Of

Judas.

1. About the same time Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, fled away from

Rome, and took Tripoli, a city of Syria, and set the diadem on his own

head. He also gathered certain mercenary soldiers together, and entered

into his kingdom, and was joyfully received by all, who delivered

themselves up to him. And when they had taken Autiochus the king, and

Lysias, they brought them to him alive; both which were immediately put

to death by the command of Demetrius, when Antiochus had reigned two

years, as we have already elsewhere related. But there were now many of

the wicked Jewish runagates that came together to him, and with them

Alcimus the high priest, who accused the whole nation, and particularly

Judas and his brethren; and said that they had slain all his friends,

and that those in his kingdom that were of his party, and waited for his

return, were by them put to death; that these men had ejected them out

of their own country, and caused them to be sojourners in a foreign

land; and they desired that he would send some one of his own friends,

and know from him what mischief Judas's party had done.

2. At this Demetrius was very angry, and sent Bacchides, a friend of

Antiochus Epiphanes, 25 a good man, and one that had been intrusted with

all Mesopotamia, and gave him an army, and committed Alcimus the high

priest to his care; and gave him charge to slay Judas, and those that

were with him. So Bacchides made haste, and went out of Antioch with his

army; and when he was come into Judea, he sent to Judas and his

brethren, to discourse with them about a league of friendship and peace,

for he had a mind to take him by treachery. But Judas did not give

credit to him, for he saw that he came with so great an army as men do

not bring when they come to make peace, but to make war. However, some

of the people acquiesced in what Bacchides caused to be proclaimed; and

supposing they should undergo no considerable harm from Alcimus, who was

their countryman, they went over to them; and when they had received

oaths from both of them, that neither they themselves, nor those of the

same sentiments, should come to any harm, they intrusted themselves with

them. But Bacchides troubled not himself about the oaths he had taken,

but slew threescore of them, although, by not keeping his faith with

those that first went over, he deterred all the rest, who had intentions

to go over to him, from doing it. But as he was gone out of Jerusalem,

and was at the village called Bethzetho, he sent out, and caught many of

the deserters, and some of the people also, and slew them all; and

enjoined all that lived in the country to submit to Alcimus. So he left

him there, with some part of the army, that he might have wherewith to

keep the country in obedience and returned to Antioch to king Demetrius.

3. But Alcimus was desirous to have the dominion more firmly assured to

him; and understanding that, if he could bring it about that the

multitude should be his friends, he should govern with greater security,

he spake kind words to them all, and discoursed to each of them after an

agreeable and pleasant manner; by which means he quickly had a great

body of men and an army about him, although the greater part of them

were of the wicked, and the deserters. With these, whom he used as his

servants and soldiers, he went all over the country, and slew all that

he could find of Judas's party. But when Judas saw that Alcimus was

already become great, and had destroyed many of the good and holy men of

the country, he also went all over the country, and destroyed those that

were of the other party. But when Alcimus saw that he was not able to

oppose Judas, nor was equal to him in strength, he resolved to apply

himself to king Demetrius for his assistance; so he came to Antioch, and

irritated him against Judas, and accused him, alleging that he had

undergone a great many miseries by his means, and that he would do more

mischief unless he were prevented, and brought to punishment, which must

be done by sending a powerful force against him.

4. So Demetrius, being already of opinion that it would be a thing

pernicious to his own affairs to overlook Judas, now he was becoming so

great, sent against him Nicanor, the most kind and most faithful of all

his friends; for he it was who fled away with him from the city of Rome.

He also gave him as many forces as he thought sufficient for him to

conquer Judas withal, and bid him not to spare the nation at all. When

Nicanor was come to Jerusalem, he did not resolve to fight Judas

immediately, but judged it better to get him into his power by

treachery; so he sent him a message of peace, and said there was no

manner of necessity for them to fight and hazard themselves; and that he

would give him his oath that he would do him no harm, for that he only

came with some friends, in order to let him know what king Demetrius's

intentions were, and what opinion he had of their nation. When Nicanor

had delivered this message, Judas and his brethren complied with him,

and suspecting no deceit, they gave him assurances of friendship, and

received Nicanor and his army; but while he was saluting Judas, and they

were talking together, he gave a certain signal to his own soldiers,

upon which they were to seize upon Judas; but he perceived the

treachery, and ran back to his own soldiers, and fled away with them. So

upon this discovery of his purpose, and of the snares laid for Judas,

Nicanor determined to make open war with him, and gathered his army

together, and prepared for fighting him; and upon joining battle with

him at a certain village called Capharsalama, he beat Judas, 26 and

forced him to fly to that citadel which was at Jerusalem.

5. And when Nicanor came down from the citadel unto the temple, some of

the priests and elders met him, and saluted him; and showed him the

sacrifices which they offered to God for the king: upon which he

blasphemed, and threatened them, that unless the people would deliver up

Judas to him, upon his return he would pull down their temple. And when

he had thus threatened them, he departed from Jerusalem. But the priests

fell into tears out of grief at what he had said, and besought God to

deliver them from their enemies But now for Nicanor, when he was gone

out of Jerusalem, and was at a certain village called Bethoron, he there

pitched his camp, another army out of Syria having joined him. And Judas

pitched his camp at Adasa, another village, which was thirty furlongs

distant from Bethoron, having no more than one thousand soldiers. And

when he had encouraged them not to be dismayed at the multitude of their

enemies, nor to regard how many they were against whom they were going

to fight, but to consider who they themselves were, and for what great

rewards they hazarded themselves, and to attack the enemy courageously,

he led them out to fight, and joining battle with Nicanor, which proved

to be a severe one, he overcame the enemy, and slew many of them; and at

last Nicanor himself, as he was fighting gloriously, fell:—upon whose

fall the army did not stay; but when they had lost their general, they

were put to flight, and threw down their arms. Judas also pursued them

and slew them, and gave notice by the sound of the trumpets to the

neighboring villages that he had conquered the enemy; which, when the

inhabitants heard, they put on their armor hastily, and met their

enemies in the face as they were running away, and slew them, insomuch

that not one of them escaped out of this battle, who were in number nine

thousand This victory happened to fall on the thirteenth day of that

month which by the Jews is called Adar and by the Macedonians Dystrus;

and the Jews thereon celebrate this victory every year, and esteem it as

a festival day. After which the Jewish nation were, for a while, free

from wars, and enjoyed peace; but afterward they returned into their

former state of wars and hazards.

6. But now as the high priest Alcimus, was resolving to pull down the

wall of the sanctuary, which had been there of old time, and had been

built by the holy prophets, he was smitten suddenly by God, and fell

down. 27 This stroke made him fall down speechless upon the ground; and

undergoing torments for many days, he at length died, when he had been

high priest four years. And when he was dead, the people bestowed the

high priesthood on Judas; who hearing of the power of the Romans, and

that they had conquered in war Galatia, and Iberia, and Carthage, and

Libya; and that, besides these, they had subdued Greece, and their

kings, Perseus, and Philip, and Antiochus the Great also; he resolved to

enter into a league of friendship with them. He therefore sent to Rome

some of his friends, Eupolemus the son of John, and Jason the son of

Eleazar, and by them desired the Romans that they would assist them, and

be their friends, and would write to Demetrius that he would not fight

against the Jews. So the senate received the ambassadors that came from

Judas to Rome, and discoursed with them about the errand on which they

came, and then granted them a league of assistance. They also made a

decree concerning it, and sent a copy of it into Judea. It was also laid

up in the capitol, and engraven in brass. The decree itself was this:

"The decree of the senate concerning a league of assistance and

friendship with the nation of the Jews. It shall not be lawful for any

that are subject to the Romans to make war with the nation of the Jews,

nor to assist those that do so, either by sending them corn, or ships,

or money; and if any attack be made upon the Jews, the Romans shall

assist them, as far as they are able; and again, if any attack be made

upon the Romans, the Jews shall assist them. And if the Jews have a mind

to add to, or to take away any thing from, this league of assistance,

that shall be done with the common consent of the Romans. And whatsoever

addition shall thus be made, it shall be of force." This decree was

written by Eupolemus the son of John, and by Jason the son of Eleazar,

28 when Judas was high priest of the nation, and Simon his brother was

general of the army. And this was the first league that the Romans made

with the Jews, and was managed after this manner.

CHAPTER 11. That Bacchides Was Again Sent Out Against Judas; And How

Judas Fell As He Was Courageously Fighting.

1. But when Demetrius was informed of the death of Nicanor, and of the

destruction of the army that was with him, he sent Bacchides again with

an army into Judea, who marched out of Antioch, and came into Judea, and

pitched his camp at Arbela, a city of Galilee; and having besieged and

taken those that were there in caves, [for many of the people fled into

such places,] he removed, and made all the haste he could to Jerusalem.

And when he had learned that Judas had pitched his camp at a certain

village whose name was Bethzetho, he led his army against him: they were

twenty thousand foot-men, and two thousand horsemen. Now Judas had no

more soldiers than one thousand. 29 When these saw the multitude of

Bacchides's men, they were afraid, and left their camp, and fled all

away, excepting eight hundred. Now when Judas was deserted by his own

soldiers, and the enemy pressed upon him, and gave him no time to gather

his army together, he was disposed to fight with Bacchides's army,

though he had but eight hundred men with him; so he exhorted these men

to undergo the danger courageously, and encouraged them to attack the

enemy. And when they said they were not a body sufficient to fight so

great an army, and advised that they should retire now, and save

themselves and that when he had gathered his own men together, then he

should fall upon the enemy afterwards, his answer was this: "Let not the

sun ever see such a thing, that I should show my back to the enemy and

although this be the time that will bring me to my end, and I must die

in this battle, I will rather stand to it courageously, and bear

whatsoever comes upon me, than by now running away bring reproach upon

my former great actions, or tarnish their glory." This was the speech he

made to those that remained with him, whereby he encouraged them to

attack the enemy.

2. But Bacchldes drew his army out of their camp, and put them in array

for the battle. He set the horsemen on both the wings, and the light

soldiers and the archers he placed before the whole army, but he was

himself on the right wing. And when he had thus put his army in order of

battle, and was going to join battle with the enemy, he commanded the

trumpeter to give a signal of battle, and the army to make a shout, and

to fall on the enemy. And when Judas had done the same, he joined battle

with them; and as both sides fought valiantly, and the battle continued

till sun-set, Judas saw that Bacehides and the strongest part of the

army was in the right wing, and thereupon took the most courageous men

with him, and ran upon that part of the army, and fell upon those that

were there, and broke their ranks, and drove them into the middle, and

forced them to run away, and pursued them as far as to a mountain called

Aza: but when those of the left wing saw that the right wing was put to

flight, they encompassed Judas, and pursued him, and came behind him,

and took him into the middle of their army; so being not able to fly,

but encompassed round about with enemies, he stood still, and he and

those that were with him fought; and when he had slain a great many of

those that came against him, he at last was himself wounded, and fell

and gave up the ghost, and died in a way like to his former famous

actions. When Judas was dead, those that were with him had no one whom

they could regard [as their commander]; but when they saw themselves

deprived of such a general, they fled. But Simon and Jonathan, Judas's

brethren, received his dead body by a treaty from the enemy, and carried

it to the village of Modin, where their father had been buried, and

there buried him; while the multitude lamented him many days, and

performed the usual solemn rites of a funeral to him. And this was the

end that Judas came to. He had been a man of valor and a great warrior,

and mindful of the commands of their father Matrathins; and had

undergone all difficulties, both in doing and suffering, for the liberty

of his countrymen. And when his character was so excellent [while he was

alive], he left behind him a glorious reputation and memorial, by

gaining freedom for his nation, and delivering them from slavery under

the Macedonians. And when he had retained the high priesthood three

years, he died.

FOOTNOTES

1 (return) [ Here Josephus uses the very word koinopltagia, "eating

things common," for "eating things unclean;" as does our New Testament,

Acts 10:14, 15, 28; 11:8, 9; Romans 14:14.]

2 (return) [ The great number of these Jews and Samaritans that were

formerly carried into Egypt by Alexander, and now by Ptolemy the son of

Lagus, appear afterwards in the vast multitude who as we shall see

presently, were soon ransomed by Philadelphus, and by him made free,

before he sent for the seventy-two interpreters; in the many garrisons

and other soldiers of that nation in Egypt; in the famous settlement of

Jews, and the number of their synagogues at Alexandria, long afterward;

and in the vehement contention between the Jews and Samatitans under

Philometer, about the place appointed for public worship in the law of

Moses, whether at the Jewish temple of Jerusalem, or at the Samaritan

temple of Gerizzim; of all which our author treats hereafter. And as to

the Samaritans carried into Egypt under the same princes, Scaliger

supposes that those who have a great synagogue at Cairo, as also those

whom the Arabic geographer speaks of as having seized on an island in

the Red Sea, are remains of them at this very day, as the notes here

inform us.]

3 (return) [ Of the translation of the other parts of the Old Testament

by seventy Egyptian Jews, in the reigns of Ptolemy the son of Lagus, and

Philadelphus; as also of the translation of the Pentateuch by seventy-

two Jerusalem Jews, in the seventh year of Philadelphus at Alexandria,

as given us an account of by Aristeus, and thence by Philo and Josephus,

with a vindication of Aristeus's history; see the Appendix to Lit.

Accorap. of Proph. at large, p. 117—152.]

4 (return) [ Although this number one hundred and twenty drachmeae [of

Alexandria, or sixty Jewish shekels] be here three times repeated, and

that in all Josephus's copies, Greek and Latin; yet since all the copies

of Aristeus, whence Josephus took his relation, have this sum several

times, and still as no more than twenty drachmae, or ten Jewish shekels;

and since the sum of the talents, to be set down presently, which is

little above four hundred and sixty, for somewhat more than one hundred

thousand slaves, and is nearly the same in Josephus and Aristeus, does

better agree to twenty than to one hundred and twenty drachmae; and

since the value of a slave of old was at the utmost but thirty shekels,

or sixty drachmae; see Exodus 21:32; while in the present circumstances

of these Jewish slaves, and those so very numerous, Philadelphus would

rather redeem them at a cheaper than at a dearer rate;—there is great

reason to prefer here Aristeus's copies before Josephus's.]

5 (return) [ We have a very great encomium of this Simon the Just, the

son of Onias, in the fiftieth chapter of the Ecclesiasticus, through the

whole chapter. Nor is it improper to consult that chapter itself upon

this occasion.]

6 (return) [ When we have here and presently mention made of

Philadelphus's queen and sister Arsinoe, we are to remember, with

Spanheim, that Arsinoe was both his sister and his wife, according to

the old custom of Persia, and of Egypt at this very time; nay, of the

Assyrians long afterwards. See Antiq. B. XX. ch. 2. sect. 1. Whence we

have, upon the coins of Philadelphus, this known inscription, "The

divine brother and sister."]

7 (return) [ The Talmudists say, that it is not lawful to write the law

in letters of gold, contrary to this certain and very ancient example.

See Hudson's and Reland's notes here.]

8 (return) [ This is the most ancient example I have met with of a

grace, or short prayer, or thanksgiving before meat; which, as it is

used to be said by a heathen priest, was now said by Eleazar, a Jewish

priest, who was one of these seventy-two interpreters. The next example

I have met with, is that of the Essenes, [Of the War, B. II. ch. 8.

sect. 5,] both before and after it; those of our Savior before it, Mark

8:6; John 6:11, 23; and St. Paul, Acts 27:35; and a form of such a grace

or prayer for Christians, at the end of the fifth book of the

Apostolical Constitutions, which seems to have been intended for both

times, both before and after meat.]

9 (return) [ They were rather political questions and answers, tending

to the good and religious government of mankind.]

10 (return) [ This purification of the interpreters, by washing in the

sea, before they prayed to God every morning, and before they set about

translating, may be compared with the like practice of Peter the

apostle, in the Recognitions of Clement, B. IV. ch. 3., and B. V. ch.

36., and with the places of the Proseuchre, or of prayer, which were

sometimes built near the sea or rivers also; of which matter see Antiq.

B. XIV. ch. 10. sect. 9,3; Acts 16:13. 16.]

11 (return) [ The use of oil was much greater, and the donatives of it

much more valuable, in Judea, and the neighboring countries, than it is

amongst us. It was also, in the days of Josephus, thought unlawful for

Jews to make use of any oil that was prepared by heathens, perhaps on

account of some superstitions intermixed with its preparation by those

heathens. When therefore the heathens were to make them a donative of

oil,: they paid them money instead of it. See Of the War, B. II. ch. 21.

sect. 2; the Life of Josephus, sect. 13; and Hudson's note on the place

before us.]

12 (return) [ This, and the like great and just characters, of the

justice, and equity, and generosity of the old Romans, both to the Jews

and other conquered nations, affords us a very good reason why Almighty

God, upon the rejection of the Jews for their wickedness, chose them for

his people, and first established Christianity in that empire; of which

matter see Josephus here, sect. 2; as also Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 10. sect.

22, 23; B. XVI. ch. 2. sect. 4.]

13 (return) [ The name of this place, Phicol, is the very same with that

of the chief captain of Abimelech's host, in the days of Abraham,

Genesis 21:22, and might possibly be the place of that Phicol's nativity

or abode, for it seems to have been in the south part of Palestine, as

that was.]

14 (return) [ Whence it comes that these Lacedemonians declare

themselves here to be of kin to the Jews, as derived from the same

ancestor, Abraham, I cannot tell, unless, as Grotius supposes, they were

derived from Dores, that came of the Pelasgi. These are by Herodotus

called Barbarians, and perhaps were derived from the Syrians and

Arabians, the posterity of Abraham by Keturah. See Antiq. B. XIV. ch.

10. sect. 22; and Of the War, B. I. ch. 26. sect. l; and Grot. on 1

Macc. 12:7. We may further observe from the Recognitions of Clement,

that Eliezer, of Damascus, the servant of Abraham, Genesis 15:2; 24.,

was of old by some taken for his son. So that if the Lacedemonians were

sprung from him, they might think themselves to be of the posterity of

Abraham, as well as the Jews, who were sprung from Isaac. And perhaps

this Eliezer of Damascus is that very Damascus whom Trogus Pompeius, as

abridged by Justin, makes the founder of the Jewish nation itself,

though he afterwards blunders, and makes Azelus, Adores, Abraham, and

Israel kings of Judea, and successors to this Damascus. It may not be

improper to observe further, that Moses Chorenensis, in his history of

the Armenians, informs us, that the nation of the Parthians was also

derived from Abraham by Keturah and her children.]

15 (return) [ This word" Gymnasium" properly denotes a place where the

exercises were performed naked, which because it would naturally

distinguish circumcised Jews from uncircumcised Gentiles, these Jewish

apostates endeavored to appear uncircumcised, by means of a surgical

operation, hinted at by St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 7:18, and described by

Celsus, B. VII. ch. 25., as Dr. Hudson here informs us.]

16 (return) [ Hereabout Josephus begins to follow the First Book of the

Maccabees, a most excellent and most authentic history; and accordingly

it is here, with great fidelity and exactness, abridged by him; between

whose present copies there seem to be fewer variations than in any other

sacred Hebrew book of the Old Testament whatsoever, [for this book also

was originally written in Hebrew,] which is very natural, because it was

written so much nearer to the times of Josephus than the rest were.]

17 (return) [ This citadel, of which we have such frequent mention in

the following history, both in the Maccabees and Josephus, seems to have

been a castle built on a hill, lower than Mount Zion, though upon its

skirts, and higher than Mount Moriah, but between them both; which hill

the enemies of the Jews now got possession of, and built on it this

citadel, and fortified it, till a good while afterwards the Jews

regained it, demolished it, and leveled the hill itself with the common

ground, that their enemies might no more recover it, and might thence

overlook the temple itself, and do them such mischief as they had long

undergone from it, Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 6. sect. 6.]

18 (return) [ This allegation of the Samaritans is remarkable, that

though they were not Jews, yet did they, from ancient times, observe the

Sabbath day, and, as they elsewhere pretend, the Sabbatic year also,

Antiq. B. XI. ch. 8. sect. 6.]