Antiquities of the Jews - Book 12

BOOK XII

Containing the Period of One Hundred and Seventy Years

From the Death of Alexander the Great to the Death of Judas Maccabeus

CHAPTER 1

How Ptolemy, Son of Lagus, Took Jerusalem and Judea by Deceit, Carried Many Away, and Settled Them in Egypt

After Alexander, king of Macedon, brought the Persian Empire to an end and arranged affairs in Judea as described above, he died. His empire was divided among several rulers. Antigonus gained control of Asia, Seleucus of Babylon, Lysimachus of the Hellespont, and Cassander of Macedonia. Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, took Egypt.

These rulers struggled for power, each seeking to secure his own territory. War followed war, and the cities suffered greatly, losing many of their people. During this troubled period, all Syria experienced the opposite of the title "Savior" that Ptolemy, son of Lagus, then bore.

Ptolemy also seized Jerusalem by deceit. He entered the city on the Sabbath, pretending that he had come to offer sacrifices. The Jews did not resist, since they did not suspect him of being an enemy and were resting that day. Once he had taken the city, he ruled it harshly.

Agatharchides of Cnidus, who wrote about the successors of Alexander, accused us of superstition and claimed that it had cost us our freedom. He wrote:

"There is a people called the Jews, who live in a strong and great city named Jerusalem. They did nothing to prevent Ptolemy from taking the city. They refused to take up arms and so submitted to a harsh master because of their untimely superstition."

This is what Agatharchides says about our people.

Ptolemy took many captives from the hill country of Judea, from the areas around Jerusalem and Samaria, and from the region near Mount Gerizim. He brought them all to Egypt and settled them there. He knew that the people of Jerusalem were faithful to their oaths and agreements. He had learned this from the answer they gave Alexander when Alexander sent messengers to them after defeating Darius in battle. Ptolemy therefore placed many Jews in garrisons. In Alexandria, he granted them the same rights as the Macedonians and required them to swear loyalty to the descendants of those who had entrusted these places to their care.

Many other Jews went to Egypt willingly, attracted by its fertile land and Ptolemy's generosity. But later generations fell into disputes with the Samaritans because each group insisted on keeping the practices handed down by its ancestors. The Jews of Jerusalem said their temple was holy and that sacrifices should be sent there. The Samaritans insisted that the sacrifices belonged at Mount Gerizim.

CHAPTER 2

How Ptolemy Philadelphus Had the Jewish Laws Translated into Greek, Freed Many Captives, and Dedicated Gifts to God

Alexander reigned for twelve years, and Ptolemy Soter ruled for forty years after him. Then Philadelphus took the throne of Egypt and ruled for thirty-nine years. He arranged for the Jewish Law to be translated, and freed the Jews who had been brought from Jerusalem to Egypt and enslaved there. They numbered 120,000.

This is how it came about. Demetrius of Phalerum, keeper of the king's library, was trying to gather all the books in the known world. He bought every valuable work he could find, especially those that suited the king's interests, for Ptolemy was eager to collect books and Demetrius devoted himself to helping him. One day the king asked how many tens of thousands of books he had gathered. Demetrius answered that he had about 200,000, and expected to have 500,000 before long.

He added that he had heard the Jews possessed many books of law that deserved the king's attention and a place in his library. Since they were written in the Jews' own letters and language, however, translating them into Greek would be difficult. Their script seemed like that of the Syrians, and their spoken language sounded much the same, though it was distinctively their own. Demetrius said there was no reason not to have those books translated too. Since the library had everything needed for the work, it could also hold the Jewish books.

The king saw that Demetrius was eager to gather books for him and had offered sound advice. So he wrote to the Jewish high priest and asked him to arrange the translation.

One of the king's closest friends was a man named Aristeus, who was especially dear to him because of his modest character. Aristeus had often considered asking the king to free all the captive Jews in his kingdom, and he decided this was the right moment to make his request. First, he spoke with the captains of the king's guard, Sosibius of Tarentum and Andreas, and persuaded them to support his appeal.

Aristeus agreed with the proposal Demetrius had made and went to the king. He spoke to him in these words:

"King, we shouldn't make hasty decisions or deceive ourselves. We should bring the truth into the open. We have decided to have the Jewish laws copied and translated for you. How can we do that while so many Jews remain enslaved in your kingdom? Act in keeping with your generous nature and kind heart, and free them from their miserable condition. As I have learned through careful inquiry, the God who sustains your kingdom gave the Jews their laws. They and we worship the same God, the creator of all things. We call him, rightly, by a Greek name meaning 'life' or 'Jupiter,' because he gives life to all people.

"Send these people back to their own country, and do it to honor God, whom they worship with special devotion. You should also know that, although I am not related to them and do not come from their country, I ask this favor on their behalf because all people are God's work. I know that he is pleased with those who do good. So I ask you to do them this kindness."

As Aristeus spoke, the king looked at him with a warm, happy expression and asked, "How many tens of thousands do you think there are who need to be freed?"

Andreas, who was standing nearby, answered, "A little more than ten times ten thousand."

The king replied, "Aristeus, is that a small favor you ask of me?"

Sosibius and the others standing there said the king should offer a gift worthy of his generosity to the God who had given him his kingdom. The king was pleased by their answer. He ordered that, when the soldiers received their pay, 120 drachmas should be paid for each enslaved person. He promised to issue a magnificent decree confirming Aristeus's proposal and carrying out what God desired. He said he would free not only those captured by his father and his army, but also those who had been in the kingdom before then, along with anyone brought there more recently. When he was told that the cost of their redemption would exceed 400 talents, he approved the payment.

I have decided to preserve a copy of the decree so the king's generosity will be known. It read:

"Let all Jews who were taken captive and enslaved by the soldiers serving under our father be set free. When those soldiers invaded Syria and Phoenicia, laid waste to Judea, seized the Jews, brought them to our cities and our country, and sold them, they acted unjustly. The same order applies to Jews who were already in my kingdom, and to any who have been brought here recently. Their owners shall receive 120 drachmas for every enslaved person.

"The soldiers shall receive this redemption payment along with their wages. The others shall be paid from the royal treasury. I believe these people were taken captive without our father's consent and against the law, and that the soldiers abused their power and profited by bringing them to Egypt. In the interest of justice, and out of pity for those who have been treated unfairly, I order everyone who has Jews in their service to set them free in exchange for the payment stated above. No one is to deceive them or disobey this order.

"Within three days of the publication of this decree, everyone must submit the names of the Jews in their possession to the officials appointed to carry out this order and bring the enslaved people before them. I believe this will serve the interests of my kingdom. Anyone may report a person who disobeys the decree, and the offender's property will be confiscated for the royal treasury."

When the decree was first presented to the king, it contained the rest of the provisions but did not clearly include Jews who had been brought to Egypt earlier or those who might arrive later. The king added those clauses out of kindness and with great generosity. He also ordered that the payment, which had to be made quickly, be divided among his ministers and treasury officials.

The order was carried out without delay. In just seven days, more than 460 talents had been paid for the captives. Their owners also demanded 120 drachmas for the children, and the king's decree had effectively ordered payment for them too, since it required the stated sum for every enslaved person.

After the king had acted so generously, he asked Demetrius to put in writing his thoughts about copying the Jewish books. These kings did not handle matters of government carelessly. They considered them with great attention.

For that reason, I have included a copy of the letters and listed the number of vessels sent as gifts to Jerusalem, along with their construction. This will show the skill of the craftsmen who made them and the quality of the work, as seen by those who examined the vessels.

Demetrius's letter read as follows:

"Demetrius to the great king. When you ordered me to collect the books missing from your library and to take care of those that were incomplete, I gave the work my full attention. I must report that we still need the books of Jewish law, along with some others. They are written in Hebrew letters and in the language of that people, which we do not understand. Their books have also been copied less carefully than they should have been, since no king has yet taken responsibility for them. You should have accurate copies.

"Their laws contain great wisdom and are without fault, since they are the laws of God. For this reason, as Hecataeus of Abdera says, poets and historians make no mention of them or of the people who live by them. The law is holy and should not be spoken of by those who have no right to treat it.

"If you approve, king, you may write to the Jewish high priest and ask him to send six elders from each tribe, men who are especially learned in the laws. Through them, we can learn the clear and consistent meaning of these books and obtain an accurate translation of their contents. In this way, your library will receive a collection worthy of your wishes."

When the king received this letter, he ordered a letter to be written to Eleazar, the Jewish high priest, about the translation. He also asked that Eleazar be told the Jews enslaved in the kingdom had been freed.

The king sent fifty talents of gold to make large basins, bowls, and cups, as well as a great quantity of precious stones. He told the keepers of the chest containing the stones to let the craftsmen choose whichever ones they wanted. He also ordered 100 talents in money sent to the Temple for sacrifices and other needs.

I will describe these vessels and explain how they were made, but first I will give a copy of the letter sent to Eleazar, the high priest. Eleazar had received that office under these circumstances. After the high priest Onias died, his son Simon succeeded him. Simon was called the Just because of his devotion to God and his kindness to his people. When Simon died, he left a young son named Onias. Simon's brother Eleazar, the man we are discussing, then became high priest. Ptolemy wrote to him as follows:

"King Ptolemy sends greetings to Eleazar the high priest. Many Jews now live in my kingdom. The Persians brought them here as captives while they held power. My father honored them. He placed some in the army and paid them more than the usual amount. Others came with him to Egypt, where he entrusted them with garrisons and the defense of those places, so that they might keep the Egyptians in check.

"When I took power, I treated everyone with kindness, especially your countrymen. I have freed more than 100,000 of them from slavery and paid their owners the price of their release from my own revenues. Those of a suitable age have been admitted into my army. I have also given positions at court to those I consider loyal and capable. I regard this kindness as a great and welcome gift, which I offer to God in gratitude for his care of me.

"I want to do what will please these Jews and all the others throughout the known world. I have decided to arrange for your Law to be translated from Hebrew into Greek and placed in my library. Choose men of good character, elders who are advanced in age, six from each tribe. Their age should have made them learned in the Law, and they should be able to produce an accurate translation. When the work is finished, I will consider it a great honor.

"I have sent Andreas, captain of my guard, and Aristeus, both men I greatly respect. They are bringing firstfruits dedicated to the Temple, for sacrifices and other uses, worth 100 talents. If you wish to ask me for anything more, send word. I will be glad to provide it."

When Eleazar received the king's letter, he sent a respectful reply:

"Eleazar the high priest sends greetings to King Ptolemy. If you, your queen Arsinoe, and your children are well, we are fully satisfied. We were delighted when we received your letter and learned what you intend to do. When the people gathered, we read it aloud and made them understand your devotion to God.

"We also showed them the twenty gold bowls, the thirty silver bowls, the five large basins, and the table for the bread of the Presence. We showed them the 100 talents for sacrifices and for whatever else the Temple may need. Andreas and Aristeus, your highly respected friends, brought these gifts to us. They are men of excellent character and great learning, worthy of your own goodness.

"Know that we will do what you ask for your benefit, though it is something we have not done before. We owe you a response for the many kindnesses you have shown our people. We have already offered sacrifices for you, your sister, your children, and your friends. The people have prayed that your affairs may prosper, that your kingdom may remain at peace, and that the translation of our Law may be completed as you wish and prove beneficial to you.

"We have chosen six elders from each tribe and sent them to you with the Law. In keeping with your devotion and sense of justice, you should send the translated Law back to us and return the men who brought it, safe and sound. Farewell."

That was the high priest's reply. I do not think it necessary to list the names of the seventy-two elders Eleazar sent with the Law, though their names were added at the end of the letter. I do, however, think it proper to describe the remarkable vessels the king sent as gifts to God. Their value shows how much respect he had for God.

The king spent a great deal on the vessels. He often visited the craftsmen to inspect their work and made sure that no carelessness or neglect interfered with their efforts. I will describe their richness as well as I can. This level of detail may not be required by the history, but it will show the king's refined taste and generous spirit to those who read it.

I will begin with the table. The king first wanted it to be much larger than the one in Jerusalem. He ordered his officials to find out its measurements and whether it was possible to make a larger one. When he learned its size and was told that a larger table could be made, he said he was willing to have one built five times as large. Then he worried that such a table might be too big to use in sacred services. He wanted his gifts to be useful in worship, not merely impressive to look at.

Since the original table had been made to a suitable size for use, rather than because gold was scarce, the king decided not to make his table larger. Instead, he would surpass the original in the variety and beauty of its materials. He had a keen eye for the nature of things and a clear sense of what was new and striking. Where there were no designs, he invented suitable patterns himself and showed them to the craftsmen. He ordered them to reproduce those designs with exact care.

The craftsmen agreed to make the table two and a half cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. The entire table was made of gold. Around it they placed a border one handbreadth wide, decorated with a wave pattern and an engraving like a twisted cord. The engraving was arranged with great skill on all three sides. Since the table was triangular in form, each angle had the same design, so that when the table was turned, the pattern remained unchanged.

The carved work beneath the table was beautiful, while the outer border was more richly decorated because it could be seen. The three projecting sides were shaped so that none appeared shorter than the others when the table was turned.

Precious stones were set in rows along the twisted-cord pattern. They were held in golden settings with small loops. The sides of the border that faced outward were decorated with a row of oval stones, set at an angle. These resembled rods laid close together and ran all the way around the table. Beneath the ovals, the craftsmen added a band showing different kinds of fruit. Bunches of grapes hung from it. The stones were made in the colors of the fruits they represented, and gold fastened them around the entire table.

The same arrangement of oval figures and carved rods appeared beneath the border, giving both sides of the table the same varied and elegant appearance. The wave pattern and border remained unchanged when the table was turned over, and the same workmanship continued down to the feet.

A gold plate, four fingers wide, ran across the full width of the table. The feet were set into it and fastened with buttons and loops where the border joined the table. This made the workmanship and expense look the same from every side.

On the tabletop, the craftsmen engraved a meander pattern and set valuable stones into it like stars. The stones included carbuncles and emeralds, which sent out a pleasant gleam, along with other rare and highly prized gems. Beside the meander ran a net-like design with a diamond-shaped center. Rock crystal and amber were set into it, and their similar appearance delighted those who saw them.

The tops of the feet resembled the first buds of lilies. Their leaves curved beneath the table, with the stamens rising upright between them. The bases were made of carbuncle. Each base was one palm deep and eight fingers wide. The craftsmen engraved ivy branches and grapevines on them with fine tools and great care. The vines carried clusters of grapes so lifelike that they seemed to be real. Their stems were thin and stretched far out at the tips. A breeze could move them, making them look like the work of nature rather than art.

The whole table looked as though it had been made in three parts, but the joints were joined so closely that no one could see where they met. The table was at least half a cubit thick.

The king's generosity, the great value of the materials, the many different designs, and the craftsmen's skill in imitating nature all brought the table to completion. The king wanted it to match the table already dedicated to God in size, but to surpass it in workmanship, new designs, and splendor.

There were also two gold basins decorated with a scale pattern from the base to the band around the middle. Different kinds of stones were set into their spiral patterns. Above this was a cubit-high meander made of stones in many colors. Next came an engraved rod pattern, followed by a diamond-shaped net design that reached to the rim. Small shields made of beautiful stones, each four fingers deep, filled the spaces in the middle. Around the top were circular patterns of lily leaves, bindweed, and grapevines.

Each gold basin held two firkins. The silver basins were brighter and shinier than mirrors, and they reflected images more clearly than the gold ones.

The king also ordered thirty cups. The gold parts were set with precious stones and shaded with finely engraved ivy leaves and grapevines. These vessels were completed with extraordinary skill. The craftsmen were excellent at delicate work, but the king's care and generosity mattered even more. He supplied everything they needed in abundance, held no public audiences while the work was underway, and stood beside them to watch every stage. The craftsmen worked so carefully because they knew how much the king valued the vessels and how closely he followed their work.

These were the gifts Ptolemy sent to Jerusalem and dedicated to God. Eleazar the high priest consecrated them, honored the men who had brought them, gave them gifts to take back to the king, and then sent them on their way.

When they reached Alexandria, Ptolemy heard that they had arrived, along with the seventy elders. He immediately summoned his ambassadors, Andreas and Aristeus. They came to him, delivered the high priest's letter, and answered his questions in person.

The king hurried to meet the elders who had come from Jerusalem to translate the Law. He ordered everyone who had come on other business to leave. This was unusual, since people seeking an audience with him usually met him on the fifth day, while ambassadors waited until the end of the month. After sending the others away, he waited for Eleazar's envoys.

The elders arrived with the gifts the high priest had sent and with the parchment rolls on which the Law was written in golden letters. The king asked them about the books. They unwrapped them and showed him the parchment. Ptolemy marveled at how thin it was and how carefully the sheets had been joined, with no seams visible. He examined it for a long time.

Then he thanked the elders for coming, the high priest who had sent them, and, above all, the God whose laws they appeared to be. The elders and those with them called out together, wishing the king every blessing. The king was so overcome with joy that he began to weep. People often show the same signs in moments of great happiness as they do in times of grief.

He told them to give the books to the officials appointed to receive them. Then he welcomed the elders and said it was right to discuss the purpose of their visit before turning to them personally. He promised to celebrate the day of their arrival every year for the rest of his life. Their arrival had fallen on the same day as his naval victory over Antigonus. He also ordered a supper for them and fine lodgings in the upper part of the city.

Nicanor, who was responsible for receiving visitors, called for Dorotheus, the official in charge of their meals, and told him to provide everything the elders needed. The king had given these instructions: when visitors came from cities with different customs, their meals should be prepared according to the customs of their own people. That way, they would enjoy their welcome and would not be troubled by things they disliked.

Dorotheus was given this task because he knew how to manage such matters. He arranged the elders' reception and set out two groups of seats, as the king had ordered. Half were placed on the king's right, and the other half behind his table. The king made sure that no courtesy was left undone.

Once the men were seated, he told Dorotheus to serve the guests from Judea according to their own customs. He sent away the royal attendants who recited prayers and prepared sacrifices, then called on one of the visitors, a priest named Eleazar, to say the blessing. Eleazar stood among them and prayed for prosperity for the king and his subjects. The whole company answered with a joyful shout. Then they ate and enjoyed the food set before them.

After a suitable pause, the king began a philosophical discussion. He asked each man a question on a point of philosophy, choosing questions that could shed light on the subjects under discussion. The elders answered every problem he put to them, and the king was pleased with their replies. Their stay lasted twelve days. Anyone who wishes to read the questions in full can find them in the book Aristeus wrote about this occasion.

The king admired the elders, and so did the philosopher Menedemus. Menedemus said that Providence governed all things, and that this must be why the men's words had such force and beauty. The questioning then came to an end.

The king said their visit had greatly benefited him because they had taught him how he should rule his subjects. He ordered that each man receive three talents and that guides be appointed to take them back to their lodging.

After three days, Demetrius took the elders across a causeway seven furlongs long, built as a bank through the sea to an island. Once they had crossed the bridge, he led them north and showed them where they would meet. It was a quiet house near the shore, a suitable place to work together.

When he had brought them there, Demetrius asked them to begin their task without interruption. Everything they needed for the translation had been provided. They worked carefully and with great effort until the ninth hour of the day. After that, they rested and took care of their bodies. Their meals were plentiful, and Dorotheus, on the king's order, brought them much of the food prepared for the king himself.

Each morning they went to court, greeted Ptolemy, and returned to their work. They washed their hands and purified themselves before translating the Law. The translation was completed in seventy-two days. When the work was done, Demetrius gathered the Jews at the place where the Law had been translated and read it aloud.

The people approved of the elders who had translated the Law. They praised Demetrius for proposing the work, which had brought them great happiness, and asked him to let their leaders read the Law too. The priests, the oldest elders, and the leading men of their community all asked that the translation remain unchanged now that it had been completed successfully.

Everyone agreed with this decision. They also ruled that if anyone found something added or left out, the translation should be reviewed, brought before them, and corrected. Their decision was wise: once the work had been judged sound, it should be preserved.

The king was pleased that his plan had been completed so successfully and to such great advantage. He especially enjoyed hearing the Laws read aloud and marveled at the legislator's wisdom and the depth of the text.

He asked Demetrius, "How is it that none of the poets or historians has mentioned this remarkable Law?"

Demetrius replied, "No one has dared to describe these laws because they are divine and sacred. God punished some people who tried to do so. Theopompus wanted to write about them, but his mind became disturbed for more than thirty days. When his illness eased for a short time, he prayed and made peace with God, suspecting that his madness had come from this cause.

"He also saw in a dream that his illness had come upon him because he had been too curious about divine matters and wanted to make them known to ordinary people. When he gave up the attempt, his mind recovered.

"There is also the tragic poet Theodectes. It is said that, while writing a play, he tried to mention things found in the sacred books and was struck with blindness. When he understood what had caused his illness and prayed to God, the affliction left him."

As I have already said, the king received the books from Demetrius, honored them, and ordered that they be carefully preserved without damage. He also asked the interpreters to visit him often from Judea, both so he could show them respect and so he could give them gifts. He said that it was only right to send them home for now, but if they chose to return later, they would receive whatever their wisdom deserved and whatever his generosity could provide.

He then sent each of them three fine garments, two talents of gold, a cup worth one talent, and furnishings for the room where they had been entertained.

For Eleazar the high priest, he sent ten beds with silver feet and their furnishings, along with a cup worth thirty talents. He also sent ten garments, purple cloth, a beautiful crown, 100 pieces of the finest woven linen, bowls, dishes, pouring vessels, and two gold basins to be dedicated to God.

In a letter, he asked Eleazar to let any of the interpreters who wished to visit him come to Alexandria. He valued the company of learned men and was willing to spend his wealth on them. These were the gifts Ptolemy Philadelphus gave the Jews, bringing them great honor and glory.

CHAPTER 3

How the Kings of Asia Honored the Jewish Nation and Made the Jews Citizens of the Cities They Built

The Jews also received honors from the kings of Asia after serving as their allies. Seleucus Nicator made them citizens in the cities he founded in Asia and Coele-Syria, including Antioch, the capital. He granted them the same privileges enjoyed by the Macedonians and Greeks who lived there, and those privileges remained in force down to our own time.

One proof of this is the payment they received in place of oil. The Jews did not use oil prepared by foreigners, so the officials responsible for their training gave them money equal to its value. During the last war, the people of Antioch tried to take this payment away from them. Mucianus, then governor of Syria, protected their right to it.

Later, during the reign of Vespasian and his son Titus, the people of Alexandria and Antioch asked that the Jews lose their citizenship privileges. Their request was refused. In this decision we can see the fairness and generosity of the Romans, especially Vespasian and Titus. They had fought a long war against the Jews and were angry with them because they had refused to surrender their weapons and had continued fighting to the end. Even so, they did not take away the Jews' rights as citizens. They restrained their anger and rejected the appeals of the Alexandrians and Antiochians, who were powerful peoples.

They did not give in because they favored those cities, nor because they still resented the Jews, whose resistance they had defeated in war. They made no change to the old privileges granted to the Jews. They said that those who had taken up arms against Rome had already been punished, and that it would be unjust to strip those who had done no wrong of the rights they enjoyed.

Marcus Agrippa showed the Jews the same kind of fairness. The people of Ionia were angry with them and asked Agrippa to grant citizenship privileges only to the Ionians. Those privileges had been given to them by Antiochus, the grandson of Seleucus, whom the Greeks called "The God." The Ionians also demanded that, if the Jews were to share those rights, they should be required to worship the same gods as the Ionians.

When the matter came before Agrippa, the Jews prevailed. They were allowed to follow their own customs, with Nicolaus of Damascus speaking on their behalf. Agrippa ruled that he could not change the existing arrangement. Anyone who wants to learn the details can read books 123 and 124 of Nicolaus's history.

Agrippa's decision is not so surprising, since our nation had not yet gone to war against Rome. But the restraint shown by Vespasian and Titus deserves our admiration. They had fought many hard battles against us, yet treated us with such moderation. I will now return to the point in my history from which I digressed.

During the reign of Antiochus the Great, who ruled over all Asia, the Jews and the people of Coele-Syria suffered greatly, and their lands were ravaged. Antiochus was at war with Ptolemy Philopator and his son, who was called Epiphanes. These peoples suffered whenever either side won or lost. They were like a ship tossed by a storm, battered by waves from both directions. Their position lay between the victories of Antiochus and his later reversals.

At last Antiochus defeated Ptolemy and took Judea. After Philopator died, his son sent a large army under Scopas, his general, against the people of Coele-Syria. Scopas captured many cities, including those of our nation, which surrendered to him. But before long, Antiochus defeated Scopas in a battle near the sources of the Jordan and destroyed much of his army.

Antiochus then took back the cities of Coele-Syria that Scopas had occupied, along with Samaria. The Jews willingly joined Antiochus, welcomed him into Jerusalem, and supplied food in abundance for his army and elephants. They also readily helped him besiege the Egyptian garrison stationed in the citadel of Jerusalem.

Antiochus believed that the Jews' loyalty and eagerness to help him deserved a reward. He wrote to his generals and friends, praising the Jews' conduct and telling them what rewards he had decided to grant. I will give the letters he sent to his generals shortly. First, I will quote the testimony of Polybius of Megalopolis. In book 16 of his history, he writes:

"Scopas, the general of Ptolemy's army, hurried into the upper parts of the country and, during the winter, defeated the Jewish nation."

In the same book, Polybius also says:

"After Antiochus defeated Scopas, he took Batanea, Samaria, Abila, and Gadara. A short time later, the Jews who lived near the temple called Jerusalem came over to him. I have more to say about this, especially about the presence of God at that temple, but I will leave that history for another time."

That is what Polybius records. We will now return to the course of the history, after first giving the letters of King Antiochus.

King Antiochus to Ptolemy, greetings.

"From the moment we entered their country, the Jews showed their friendship toward us. When we came to their city, Jerusalem, they welcomed us with great honor. Their senate came out to meet us, and they supplied our soldiers and elephants with abundant provisions. They also joined us in driving out the Egyptian garrison that occupied the citadel.

"For these reasons, we have decided to reward them and restore their city, which has lost many inhabitants through the troubles that have befallen its people. We will bring back those who have been scattered.

"First, because of their devotion to God, we have decided to grant them an annual payment of 20,000 pieces of silver for animal sacrifices, wine, oil, and frankincense. We will also provide six sacred artabae of fine flour, 1,460 medimni of wheat, and 375 medimni of salt. I have ordered you to pay them the full amount.

"I also want the work on the temple, its cloisters, and any other structures that need rebuilding to be completed. The timber must be supplied from Judea itself, from other regions, and from Lebanon, all free of taxes. The same rule will apply to any other materials needed to make the temple more splendid.

"Let the people live according to the laws of their own country. The senate, the priests, the temple scribes, and the sacred singers are to be exempt from the poll tax, the crown tax, and all other taxes.

"To help the city regain its population more quickly, I grant its present inhabitants and those who settle there a tax exemption for three years, through the month of Hyperberetus. After that, they will pay only two-thirds of their taxes until their losses have been made good.

"All citizens who have been taken away and enslaved are to receive their freedom, along with their children. Their property must also be restored to them."

These were the terms of the letter. Antiochus also issued a decree throughout his kingdom in honor of the temple. It read:

"No foreigner may enter the area surrounding the temple. This rule also applies to Jews, except those who have purified themselves according to their custom.

"No horse, mule, or donkey, whether wild or tame, may be brought into the city. The same applies to leopards, foxes, hares, and any other animal that the Jews are forbidden to eat. The skins of these animals may not be brought into the city, and none of them may be raised there.

"The people may offer only the sacrifices handed down from their ancestors, which they are required to present in order to make acceptable atonement to God. Anyone who breaks these orders must pay the priests 3,000 silver drachmae."

Antiochus also testified to the Jews' devotion and loyalty in another letter. He wrote it after hearing of a revolt in Phrygia and Lydia, while he was in the upper provinces. In it, he ordered Zeuxis, the general of his army and his closest friend, to send Jewish families from Babylon into Phrygia. The letter read:

King Antiochus to Zeuxis, his father, greetings.

"If you are well, that is good. I am well, too.

"I have learned that a revolt has broken out in Lydia and Phrygia, and I believe the matter requires careful attention. After discussing what should be done with my friends, we decided to move 2,000 Jewish families, with their property, from Mesopotamia and Babylon to the forts and other places best suited to receive them.

"I am convinced that they will guard our possessions faithfully because of their devotion to God. My predecessors have also testified that they are loyal and eager to carry out the duties assigned to them.

"Although this will be difficult, I want you to move these Jews, on the condition that they may continue to follow their own laws. When you have brought them to the places mentioned, give each family land on which to build a house, along with a portion of land for farming and planting vines. Exempt them from taxes on the produce of the land for ten years.

"Provide enough wheat to support their servants until they can harvest their own grain. Also give them a suitable share of the necessities of life, so that they may respond to our kindness by serving our interests with greater willingness and readiness.

"Take care of these people as far as you can, and see that no one disturbs them."

The documents I have presented are enough to show the friendship Antiochus the Great felt toward the Jews.

CHAPTER 4

How Antiochus Made a League with Ptolemy, How Onias Angered Ptolemy Euergetes, and How Joseph Restored Their Friendship; Also, What Joseph and His Son Hyrcanus Did

Afterward, Antiochus formed an alliance with Ptolemy and gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage. As her dowry, he handed over Coele-Syria, Samaria, Judea, and Phoenicia. When the two kings divided the taxes between them, the leading men in each region set the amount to be collected in their own districts. They gathered the agreed sums and paid them to the kings.

At that time the Samaritans were prosperous and greatly troubled the Jews. They seized parts of their land and took people captive. This happened while Onias was high priest. After Eleazar died, his uncle Manasseh became high priest; when Manasseh died, Onias took his place. Onias was the son of Simon, called the Just. Simon was Eleazar's brother, as I have said before.

Onias was a weak man and a lover of money. Because he refused to pay the twenty talents of silver that his ancestors had paid from their own property, he angered King Ptolemy Euergetes, the father of Philopater. Euergetes sent an ambassador to Jerusalem to complain that Onias had withheld the taxes. The king threatened that, unless he received the money, he would take possession of their land and send soldiers to live there. When the Jews heard the king's message, they were alarmed. But Onias was so greedy that nothing could make him feel shame.

There was then a young man named Joseph, held in high regard by the people of Jerusalem for his dignity, good judgment, and fairness. His father's name was Tobias, and his mother was the sister of Onias the high priest. She told Joseph that the ambassador had arrived. Joseph was then staying in the village of Phicol, where he had been born.

He came to Jerusalem and rebuked Onias for failing to protect his people and putting the nation in danger by refusing to pay the money. Joseph reminded him that he had been given authority over the people and appointed high priest to preserve them. If Onias loved money so much that he could watch his country face danger and his people suffer great harm, Joseph advised him to go to the king and ask him to forgive all or part of the debt.

Onias replied that he did not care about his office and would gladly give up the high priesthood if he could. He would not go to the king, he said, because he had no interest in such matters. Joseph asked whether Onias would let him go as an ambassador on behalf of the nation. Onias agreed.

Joseph went up to the temple, gathered the people, and urged them not to be troubled or afraid because of his uncle's negligence. He told them to remain calm and not give in to fear, because he would go to the king as their ambassador and convince him that they had done him no wrong. The people thanked Joseph when they heard this.

He then left the temple and welcomed Ptolemy's ambassador. He gave him rich gifts and entertained him lavishly for several days. Then he sent the ambassador ahead to the king and said he would follow soon. The ambassador strongly encouraged Joseph to come to Egypt, promising to help him obtain whatever he asked of Ptolemy. He had been impressed by Joseph's open and generous nature and by his dignified manner.

When Ptolemy's ambassador reached Egypt, he told the king how careless Onias was. He also praised Joseph's character and explained that Joseph was coming to excuse the people, who had done the king no wrong. Joseph, he said, was their protector. The ambassador spoke so highly of the young man that the king and his wife Cleopatra came to feel kindly toward Joseph before they had even met him.

Joseph borrowed money from friends in Samaria and prepared for the journey. He gathered clothes, drinking cups, and pack animals, spending about twenty thousand drachmas in all, then set out for Alexandria.

At that time, the leading men and rulers from the cities of Syria and Phoenicia were also traveling to bid for the taxes. Each year the king sold the right to collect them to the most powerful men in each city. When these men saw Joseph on the road, they laughed at him because he seemed poor and unimportant.

By the time Joseph reached Alexandria, he learned that King Ptolemy was in Memphis, so he went there to meet him. The king was sitting in his chariot with his wife and his friend Athenion, the same man who had served as ambassador to Jerusalem and been entertained by Joseph. As soon as Athenion saw Joseph, he told the king what a generous and worthy young man he was.

Ptolemy greeted Joseph first and invited him to join him in the chariot. As Joseph sat beside him, the king began complaining about Onias's conduct. Joseph answered, "Forgive him because of his age. Surely you know that old men and infants often think alike. But we young men will give you everything you ask, and you will have no cause to complain."

The king was so pleased by Joseph's good humor and wit that he already felt a strong affection for him, as if he had known him for years. He invited Joseph to stay at the palace and dine at his own table every day. When the king returned to Alexandria, the leading men of Syria saw Joseph sitting beside him and were greatly displeased.

When the appointed day came for the king to lease the city taxes, the leading men from each region gathered to bid. The combined taxes for Coele-Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, and Samaria had been set at eight thousand talents.

Joseph accused the bidders of making an agreement to value the taxes too cheaply. He promised to pay twice as much himself. He also said that, if anyone refused to pay, he would send the king all that person's property, since the right to seize it was included in the tax contract.

The king was pleased by Joseph's offer because it would increase his revenue, and he agreed to grant him the tax contract. But he asked whether Joseph had anyone who would guarantee the payment. Joseph answered with a smile, "I will give you sureties who are trustworthy and whom you have no reason to doubt."

When the king asked who they were, Joseph replied, "I offer no one but you, O king, and your wife. You will guarantee both sides."

Ptolemy laughed at this answer and granted Joseph the contract without requiring any sureties. The men who had come to Egypt from the cities were deeply disappointed. They returned home in disgrace.

Joseph took two thousand foot soldiers from the king, asking for help in forcing those who resisted to pay. He also borrowed five hundred talents from the king's friends in Alexandria and hurried back to Syria.

When he reached Askelon and demanded its taxes, the people refused to pay and insulted him. Joseph seized about twenty of their leading men and had them killed. He collected their property and sent it all to the king, then reported what he had done.

Ptolemy admired Joseph's good judgment, praised his actions, and gave him permission to do as he saw fit. When the Syrians heard what had happened, they were astonished. The fate of the men of Askelon served as a warning, so the people in other cities opened their gates, welcomed Joseph, and paid their taxes willingly.

The people of Scythopolis also tried to insult him and refused to pay the taxes they had previously paid without dispute. Joseph killed the leading men there as well and sent their property to the king.

In this way Joseph gathered great wealth and made large profits from the tax contract. He used his fortune to strengthen his position, believing it wise to hold on to the means that had brought him his success. He also sent gifts in secret to the king, Cleopatra, their friends, and all the powerful people at court, winning their favor.

Joseph enjoyed this good fortune for twenty-two years. He had seven sons by one wife, and another son, Hyrcanus, by the daughter of his brother Solymius. He married her under these circumstances.

Once, Joseph came to Alexandria with his brother, who had brought his daughter, then old enough to marry, in hopes of finding her a husband among the most distinguished Jews there. At a feast with the king, Joseph fell in love with a beautiful actress who entered the room. He told his brother and begged him to help conceal his desire, since Jewish law forbade him to approach a foreign woman. Joseph asked his brother to assist him and give him a chance to satisfy his longing.

His brother agreed. He dressed his own daughter in the actress's clothes and brought her to Joseph at night, placing her in his bed. Joseph was drunk and did not recognize her. He slept with his brother's daughter, and this happened several times. He came to love her greatly.

Joseph told his brother that he loved the actress so much he would risk his life rather than be separated from her, though the king might not allow him to take her away. His brother told him not to worry. Joseph could marry the woman he loved, he said, and have her without danger. Then he revealed the truth and explained that he had chosen to let his daughter be wronged rather than leave Joseph to disgrace himself in public.

Joseph praised his brother's affection and married his daughter. Their son was Hyrcanus, as I have already said.

When Hyrcanus was thirteen, he showed courage and wisdom beyond his years. His brothers envied him because he was so much more talented than they were. Joseph wanted to find out which of his sons was most inclined toward virtue. He sent them one by one to the best teachers of the time. The others were too lazy and unwilling to work, so they returned foolish and uneducated.

At last, Joseph sent out Hyrcanus. He gave him three hundred yoke of oxen and told him to travel two days into the wilderness and sow the land there. But Joseph secretly kept back the yokes used to join the oxen in pairs.

When Hyrcanus reached the place and saw that he had no yokes, the ox drivers advised him to send someone back to his father to fetch them. Hyrcanus thought it would be a waste of time to wait for the yokes, so he came up with a plan wiser than his years. He slaughtered ten pairs of oxen, gave their meat to the workers, cut their hides into pieces, and made yokes from them. Then he yoked the remaining oxen together and sowed as much land as his father had ordered.

When Hyrcanus returned, Joseph was delighted by his cleverness and praised his good sense and boldness. He loved him more than ever, as if he were his only true son, and this greatly upset Hyrcanus's brothers.

Someone then told Joseph that Ptolemy had a newborn son and that all the leading men of Syria and the other lands under the king were going to Alexandria to celebrate the child's birthday. Joseph was too old to make the journey himself, but he decided to test whether any of his sons would be willing to go to the king.

The older sons refused, saying they were not suited to court life. They advised their father to send Hyrcanus instead. Joseph gladly accepted their advice. He called Hyrcanus and asked whether he was willing to go to the king. Hyrcanus agreed and said he would need little money for the journey because he planned to live modestly. Ten thousand drachmas, he said, would be enough.

Joseph was pleased by his son's good sense. After a short time, Hyrcanus advised his father not to send the presents to the king from home. Instead, he suggested that Joseph write to his steward in Alexandria and have him provide the money to buy the finest and most valuable gifts.

Joseph thought ten talents would be enough for the presents and praised his son for the advice. He wrote to Arion, his steward in Alexandria, who managed his money there. Joseph had no less than three thousand talents in Arion's care, because he sent the money he collected in Syria to Alexandria. When the day came for the taxes to be paid to the king, Joseph also wrote to Arion to make the payment.

Hyrcanus asked his father for a letter to the steward. When Joseph gave it to him, Hyrcanus set out for Alexandria. After he left, his brothers wrote to all the king's friends, urging them to destroy him.

When Hyrcanus arrived in Alexandria, he gave Arion the letter. The steward asked how many talents he wanted, expecting him to request ten or perhaps a little more. Hyrcanus said he needed one thousand.

Arion grew angry and scolded him for planning to spend so freely. He told Hyrcanus how hard his father had worked to build his fortune and urged him to follow his father's example. Arion said he would give him only ten talents, and those were to be used for a gift to the king.

Hyrcanus was furious and threw Arion into prison. Arion's wife told Cleopatra what had happened and begged her to rebuke the boy, since Arion was highly regarded by the queen. Cleopatra informed the king.

Ptolemy summoned Hyrcanus and said he was surprised that Joseph had sent him to the king, yet he had not come to appear before him and had instead imprisoned the steward. The king ordered Hyrcanus to come and explain his actions.

Hyrcanus gave the king's messenger this reply: "My law forbids a child born into the world to taste of a sacrifice before going to the temple and offering a sacrifice to God. For the same reason, I have not yet come before you, since I am waiting to present the gift I was sent to bring to my father's benefactor. As for the steward, I punished him because he disobeyed my orders. It makes no difference whether a master is great or small. If such people are not punished, even you may expect your subjects to despise you."

When the king heard this answer, he laughed and marveled at the boy's spirit.

When Arion learned that the king favored Hyrcanus and that there was no way to help himself, he gave the boy one thousand talents and was released from prison.

Three days later, Hyrcanus came to greet the king and queen. They welcomed him warmly and treated him to a feast out of respect for his father. Hyrcanus then secretly went to the merchants and bought one hundred boys who were educated and in the prime of life, paying one talent for each. He also bought one hundred young women at the same price.

When the king invited him to dine among the leading men of the country, Hyrcanus sat at the lowest place because he was still a child and the guests were seated according to their rank. The others had eaten the meat from their bones and piled the bones in front of Hyrcanus until they covered his table.

Trypho, the king's jester, was there to entertain the guests. When they asked him to make fun of Hyrcanus, he stood beside the king and said, "My lord, do you see the bones piled up by Hyrcanus? From this you can tell that his father has stripped all Syria bare, just as he has stripped these bones."

The king laughed at Trypho's joke and asked Hyrcanus why he had so many bones before him. Hyrcanus replied, "You are quite right, my lord. Dogs eat both the meat and the bones, as your guests have done." He looked toward the guests as he spoke. "But men eat the meat and leave the bones, as I, who am a man, have done."

The king admired his clever answer and told the company to applaud him for his well-made joke.

The next day, Hyrcanus went to greet each of the king's friends and other powerful men at court. He asked their servants what gifts their masters planned to give the king for his son's birthday. Some planned to give twelve talents, while others of higher rank intended to offer gifts according to their wealth. Hyrcanus pretended to each servant that he was troubled because he could afford only five talents.

When the servants reported this to their masters, they were pleased at the thought that Joseph would be disgraced and the king angered by the small gift. But when the day arrived, the other men, even those who had brought the largest gifts, offered the king no more than twenty talents.

Hyrcanus gave each of the one hundred boys and one hundred young women he had bought a talent to carry. He presented the boys to the king and the young women to Cleopatra. Everyone was astonished by the unexpected value of the gifts, including the king and queen. Hyrcanus also gave gifts worth many talents to the king's attendants, hoping to protect himself from the danger they posed. His brothers had written to them and urged them to kill him.

Ptolemy was impressed by Hyrcanus's generosity and told him to ask for whatever gift he wanted. Hyrcanus asked for nothing except that the king write to his father and brothers on his behalf. The king treated him with great respect, gave him many valuable gifts, and sent letters about him to his father, his brothers, and all his officers and commanders. Then he sent Hyrcanus home.

When his brothers heard that the king had honored Hyrcanus and that he was returning with great distinction, they went out to meet him and kill him. Their father knew of their plan. He was angry about the large sum Hyrcanus had spent on gifts and showed no concern for his safety. Joseph concealed his anger toward his son because he feared the king.

When Hyrcanus's brothers attacked him, he killed many of their companions and two of his brothers. The others escaped to Jerusalem and returned to their father. When Hyrcanus came to the city, no one would receive him. Fearing for his life, he withdrew to the country beyond the Jordan and stayed there, forcing the people of the region to pay their taxes.

At that time Seleucus, called Soter, ruled over Asia. He was the son of Antiochus the Great. Joseph, Hyrcanus's father, died. He was a good man of great courage, and he raised the Jews from poverty and obscurity to a more prosperous condition. He held the tax contract for Syria, Phoenicia, and Samaria for twenty-two years.

Joseph's uncle Onias also died around this time, leaving the high priesthood to his son Simeon. When Simeon died, his son Onias succeeded him.

Areus, king of the Lacedaemonians, sent an embassy and a letter to this Onias. A copy of the letter follows:

Areus, King of the Lacedaemonians, to Onias, Greetings.

We have found a document that shows that the Jews and Lacedaemonians come from the same people and are descended from Abraham's family. It is right, then, that you, our brothers, should send word to us whenever you have business to discuss. We will do the same and regard your affairs as our own, just as we consider our affairs to be shared with you. Demoteles, who delivers this letter, will bring your reply back to us.

The letter is square, and its seal bears an eagle holding a dragon in its claws.

That was the content of the letter sent by the king of the Lacedaemonians.

After Joseph died, disputes broke out among the people because of his sons. The elders made war against Hyrcanus, the youngest of Joseph's sons. The people were divided, but most sided with the elders. Simon the high priest also supported them because he was related to their family.

Hyrcanus decided never to return to Jerusalem. He settled beyond the Jordan and waged constant war against the Arabians, killing many and taking many prisoners. He built a strong castle of white stone, with walls rising all the way to the roof. He had enormous animals carved into it and dug a wide, deep moat around it. Across from the castle, he hollowed out a rock to make caves several furlongs long. Inside, he built large rooms for feasting, sleeping, and living. He brought in abundant water, which flowed through the place and added beauty to its courtyard.

The entrances to the caves were so narrow that only one person could pass through at a time. He built them this way to protect himself, in case his brothers laid siege to him and tried to capture him. He also constructed unusually large courtyards and decorated them with vast gardens. When the work was finished, he named the place Tyre. It lay between Arabia and Judea, beyond the Jordan and not far from Heshbon.

Hyrcanus ruled that region for seven years, throughout the reign of Seleucus, king of Syria. When Seleucus died, his brother Antiochus, called Epiphanes, took the throne. Ptolemy, king of Egypt, also died. He was also called Epiphanes. He left two young sons, the elder named Philometer and the younger Physcon.

Hyrcanus saw that Antiochus had a large army and feared he would be captured and punished for what he had done to the Arabians. He took his own life, and Antiochus seized all his property.

CHAPTER 5

How Disputes over the High Priesthood Led Antiochus to Jerusalem, Where He Took the City and Plundered the Temple; How the Jews Suffered, and How Many Abandoned Their Laws; and How the Samaritans Adopted Greek Customs and Named Their Temple on Mount Gerizim the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius

Around this time, after Onias the high priest died, the high priesthood was given to his brother Jesus, since the son Onias had left behind (Onias IV) was still an infant. In its proper place, I will tell the reader all that happened to this child. But King Antiochus became angry with Jesus and removed him from the high priesthood. He gave the office to Jesus' younger brother, who was also named Onias. As I have already told the reader, Simon had three sons, and each of them in turn received the priesthood. Jesus changed his name to Jason, while Onias was called Menelaus.

The former high priest, Jesus, stirred up a revolt against Menelaus, who had taken his place, and the people split between them. The sons of Tobias sided with Menelaus, but most of the people supported Jason. Menelaus and the sons of Tobias were driven into difficulty, so they went to Antiochus and told him they wanted to abandon the laws of their country and the Jewish way of life, and instead follow the king's laws and Greek customs. They asked his permission to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem. After he granted it, they also concealed the signs of circumcision so that they would look like Greeks even when naked. In this way, they gave up the customs of their own country and copied those of other nations.

With his kingdom in a favorable position, Antiochus decided to march against Egypt. He wanted to take the country, and he despised Ptolemy's son, who was young and not yet capable of managing affairs of such importance. Antiochus marched with a large army to Pelusium, tricked Ptolemy Philometor, and seized Egypt. He then advanced to the region around Memphis. After taking those places, he hurried toward Alexandria, hoping to capture it by siege and defeat Ptolemy, who ruled there. But the Romans ordered him to leave Egypt alone, and he was driven not only from Alexandria but from the whole country, as I have explained elsewhere.

I will now give a detailed account of how this king conquered Judea and the Temple. In my earlier work, I mentioned these events only briefly, so I think it necessary to tell the story again with greater care.

Antiochus returned from Egypt because he feared the Romans, then marched against Jerusalem. In the 143rd year of the Seleucid kingdom, he took the city without a fight, because those who supported him opened its gates. Once he had gained control of Jerusalem, he killed many of his opponents and plundered a large amount of money from the city. Then he returned to Antioch.

Two years later, in the 145th year, on the twenty-fifth day of the month we call Chislev and the Macedonians call Apelleus, during the 153rd Olympiad, the king came to Jerusalem. He pretended to come in peace, but took the city by treachery. He showed no mercy even to those who had let him enter, because of the riches kept in the Temple. Seeing its great store of gold and the valuable offerings dedicated there, he gave in to greed and broke the agreement he had made.

He stripped the Temple bare, taking the golden lampstands, the golden altar of incense, the table of the bread of the Presence, and the altar of burnt offerings. He even took the curtains, which were made of fine linen and scarlet. He emptied the hidden treasuries and left nothing behind. The Jews mourned greatly, for he forbade them to offer the daily sacrifices they had made to God according to the law.

After plundering the whole city, he killed some of its people and took others captive with their wives and children. About ten thousand people were taken alive. He also burned the finest buildings and tore down the city walls. In the lower part of the city, he built a citadel on high ground overlooking the Temple. He strengthened it with high walls and towers, then placed a Macedonian garrison there. The impious and wicked among the Jews settled in the citadel, and the citizens suffered many grievous hardships because of them.

The king built an altar to an idol on God's altar and sacrificed swine upon it, an offering forbidden by the law and contrary to Jewish worship. He forced the Jews to abandon the worship of their own God and honor the gods he worshiped instead. He ordered them to build temples and raise altars to idols in every city and village, and to sacrifice swine on them each day. He also forbade them to circumcise their sons and threatened punishment for anyone who disobeyed. He appointed overseers to make sure his orders were carried out.

Many Jews obeyed the king, either willingly or out of fear of the punishment he threatened. But the best and noblest among them refused to obey. They honored the customs of their country more than they feared the king's punishment, and they suffered terrible torments every day. They were beaten with rods, their bodies were torn apart, and they were crucified while still alive and breathing. The king's men also strangled women and their circumcised sons, hanging the children around their mothers' necks while the women were on crosses. If they found a sacred book of the law, they destroyed it, and those who had kept the books were put to death in misery.

When the Samaritans saw the Jews suffering, they denied that they were related to them and denied that the Temple on Mount Gerizim belonged to Almighty God. This was typical of them, as I have already shown. They now claimed to be a colony of Medes and Persians, which, in fact, they were. So they sent ambassadors to Antiochus with a letter that read:

"To King Antiochus, the god, Epiphanes: A memorial from the Sidonians who live at Shechem. Our ancestors, after suffering frequent plagues and following an ancient superstition, made a custom of observing the day the Jews call the Sabbath. They built a temple on the mountain called Gerizim, which had no name, and offered the proper sacrifices there.

"Now that you have justly punished these wicked Jews, the men who manage their affairs assume that we are related to them and follow their customs. They accuse us along with them, although we are originally Sidonians, as the public records show. We therefore ask you, our benefactor and savior, to order Apollonius, governor of this region, and Nicanor, the overseer of your affairs, not to trouble us or hold us responsible for the accusations against the Jews. We are foreigners, separate from their people and their customs. Let our temple, which now has no name, be called the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius. If you grant this, we will no longer be troubled. We will be able to attend quietly to our own work and bring you greater revenue."

After the Samaritans made this request, the king sent them the following reply in a letter:

"King Antiochus to Nicanor. The Sidonians who live at Shechem have sent me the enclosed memorial. When I discussed their request with my friends, their messengers explained that they have nothing to do with the accusations against the Jews and choose to live according to Greek customs. We therefore declare them free of those accusations and order that their temple be called the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius, as they have requested."

He sent a similar letter to Apollonius, governor of that region, in the forty-sixth year, on the eighteenth day of the month Hecatombaeon.

CHAPTER 6

Mattathias, Son of Asamoneus, Defies Antiochus's Order Against the Jewish Laws, Defeats the King's Generals, and Dies; Judas Succeeds Him

At that time, a man named Mattathias lived in Modin. He was the son of John, the son of Simeon, the son of Asamoneus. He was a priest of the order of Joarib and a citizen of Jerusalem. He had five sons: John, called Gaddis; Simon, called Matthes; Judas, called Maccabeus; Eleazar, called Auran; and Jonathan, called Apphus.

Mattathias spoke to his sons about the misery they faced, the destruction in the city, the temple's plundering, and the suffering of the people. He told them it was better to die for the laws of their country than to live in disgrace.

The king's officers came to Modin to force the Jews to obey Antiochus's orders. They were instructed to make the people there offer sacrifices, as the king had commanded. The officers asked Mattathias, who was greatly respected and had a large, honorable family, to make the first offering. They believed his fellow citizens would follow his example, and that the king would reward him for doing so.

Mattathias refused. He said that even if every other nation obeyed Antiochus out of fear or to win his favor, he and his sons would not abandon the religious customs of their country.

As soon as he had finished speaking, a Jew stepped forward and made the sacrifice Antiochus had ordered. Mattathias was enraged. He and his sons drew their swords, rushed at the man, and killed him. They also killed Apelles, the king's general who had ordered the sacrifice, along with some of his soldiers. Then Mattathias tore down the idol's altar and cried out, "Let anyone who is zealous for the laws of our country and for the worship of God follow me."

He and his sons quickly fled to the wilderness, leaving all their possessions in the village. Many others followed, taking their wives and children with them and settling in caves. When the king's generals heard what had happened, they gathered the troops stationed at the citadel in Jerusalem and pursued the Jews into the wilderness.

After catching up with them, the generals first tried to persuade them to give in and choose what was best for their own safety. They did not want to force them to fight. But the Jews refused to change their minds. So the king's men attacked them on the Sabbath and set fire to the caves. The Jews made no resistance and did not even block the entrances. They would not defend themselves on that day, because they would not break the Sabbath, even in such danger. Their law required them to rest on that day.

About a thousand people, including women and children, died in the caves. Many of those who escaped joined Mattathias and made him their leader. He taught them that they must fight even on the Sabbath. Otherwise, he said, they would bring about their own destruction by obeying the law so strictly while their enemies attacked them without restraint. They would be unable to defend themselves, and all would perish without a fight. His words persuaded them. To this day, our law allows us to fight on the Sabbath when necessity requires it.

Mattathias gathered a large force, tore down the idol altars, and killed those who had broken the laws, whenever he could capture them. Many of those people fled to the surrounding nations to escape him. Mattathias also ordered that boys who had not yet been circumcised should be circumcised, and he drove away those appointed to prevent it.

After leading them for a year, Mattathias fell ill. He called his sons to him, gathered them around his bed, and said:

"My sons, I am about to die, as all people must. I leave you my resolve, and I ask you to hold fast to it. Remember the care of the man who fathered and raised you. Keep the customs of your country, and restore its former government, which is in danger of being destroyed. Do not follow those who betray it, whether they do so by choice or under pressure. Be worthy sons of mine. Rise above force and fear, and prepare yourselves to die for your laws when the need comes.

"Think clearly about this: if God sees your courage, he will not overlook you. He will honor your virtue, restore what you have lost, and give you back the freedom to live in peace and follow your own customs. Your bodies are mortal and subject to death, but your deeds can give you a kind of immortality through the memory they leave behind. Love that immortality. Seek glory, and when you face the greatest hardships, do not hesitate to give your lives for such a cause.

"Above all, live in agreement with one another. When one of you has a strength that the others lack, give him the respect he deserves, and you will all benefit from one another's virtues. Treat Simon as your father, for he is a man of great wisdom, and follow his counsel. Make Maccabeus the commander of your army, for he is brave and strong. He will avenge your people and punish your enemies. Welcome the righteous and the devout among you, and increase their influence."

After Mattathias had spoken to his sons, he prayed that God would help them and restore the people's former way of life. Soon afterward, he died and was buried in Modin. All the people mourned him greatly.

His son Judas then took charge of public affairs in the year 146. With the ready help of his brothers and others, Judas drove their enemies out of the country, put to death those among his own people who had broken its laws, and cleansed the land of its defilement.

CHAPTER 7

How Judas Defeated the Forces of Apollonius and Seron and Killed Their Generals; How He Later Defeated Lysias and Gorgias, Went Up to Jerusalem, and Purified the Temple

When Apollonius, commander of the Samaritan forces, heard what had happened, he took his army and hurried out against Judas. Judas met him in battle, defeated him, and killed many of his men, including Apollonius himself. Judas took the sword Apollonius had been carrying and kept it. He wounded more enemy soldiers than he killed, seized a great deal of plunder from their camp, and then went on his way.

When Seron, commander of the army of Celesyria, learned that many people had joined Judas and that he had gathered enough men to fight a war, he decided to march against him. Seron thought it was his duty to punish those who had disobeyed the king's orders. He gathered as large an army as he could, added renegade and wicked Jews to his force, and set out against Judas.

Seron reached Beth-horon, a village in Judea, and camped there. Judas went out to meet him. As he prepared for battle, he saw that his soldiers were reluctant to fight because they were few in number and had no food. They were also fasting. So he encouraged them, saying that victory over an enemy does not come from having a large army, but from serving God faithfully. Their ancestors had shown this clearly: because they were righteous and fought for their laws and their children, they had often defeated armies many times larger than their own. Innocence, he said, was the strongest army.

Judas's words led his men to disregard the enemy's numbers and attack Seron. They joined battle with the Syrians and defeated them. When their commander fell, the rest fled as fast as they could, believing it was their best chance to escape. Judas pursued them into the plain and killed about eight hundred of them. The survivors fled toward the coastal region.

When King Antiochus heard what had happened, he was furious. He gathered his own army and many mercenaries hired from the islands, then prepared to invade Judea at the beginning of spring. But when he counted his soldiers, he discovered that his treasury was short of money. The taxes had not all been paid because of the uprisings among the nations. Antiochus had been so generous and had spent so freely that his funds were no longer enough. He decided to go first to Persia and collect its taxes.

He left Lysias, a man he greatly trusted, as governor of the kingdom from the borders of Egypt and Lower Asia to the Euphrates River. Antiochus gave Lysias part of his army and some elephants, and ordered him to care for his son Antiochus until he returned. He also commanded Lysias to conquer Judea, enslave its people, destroy Jerusalem completely, and wipe out the whole nation.

After giving Lysias these orders, King Antiochus went to Persia. In the 147th year, he crossed the Euphrates and traveled to the eastern provinces.

Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, all powerful men among the king's friends. He gave them forty thousand foot soldiers and seven thousand horsemen, then sent them against Judea. They reached Emmaus and set up camp on the plain.

They were joined by Syrian allies and troops from the surrounding country, along with many renegade Jews. Merchants also came to buy those who would be taken captive. They brought chains for the prisoners and silver and gold to pay for them.

When Judas saw the enemy camp and the size of their army, he urged his soldiers to be brave and put their trust in God for victory. He told them to pray as their people always did in times of great danger, wearing sackcloth and pleading with God to grant them victory over their enemies. Then he arranged his men in the same battle order their ancestors had used, placing them under commanders of thousands and other officers.

He dismissed the newly married men and those who had recently acquired property, so they would not fight timidly out of a desperate desire to stay alive and enjoy what they had gained. After arranging his troops, he encouraged them with this speech:

"My fellow soldiers, no time could be better than this for showing courage and facing danger. If you fight bravely now, you can win back your freedom. Freedom is precious to everyone, but it is even more precious to us because it lets us worship God. You must now either recover that freedom and return to a happy life under our laws and customs, or suffer the most shameful treatment. If you lose this battle, not one of your people will remain. So fight bravely. You may die even if you refuse to fight. But if you stand firm, you will win glorious rewards: freedom for your country, your laws, and your religion, as well as everlasting honor. Prepare yourselves, and be ready to meet the enemy at daybreak."

This was Judas's speech to encourage his men. Meanwhile, the enemy sent Gorgias with five thousand foot soldiers and one thousand horsemen to attack Judas by night. Some renegade Jews were sent along to guide him.

Mattathias's son learned of the plan and decided to attack the enemy camp while their forces were divided. His men ate early, left many fires burning in their camp, and marched through the night toward the enemy at Emmaus.

When Gorgias found no one in Judas's camp, he suspected that the Jews had withdrawn and hidden in the mountains. He set out to search for them. At daybreak, Judas appeared before the enemy camp at Emmaus with only three thousand men, poorly armed because they were so poor. He saw that the enemy had carefully fortified its position, but encouraged his men to fight even if they had to do so with bare bodies. God, he said, had often given men the strength to defeat larger and better-armed forces because of their great courage.

Judas ordered the trumpeters to sound the call to battle. His sudden attack caught the enemy by surprise and threw them into confusion. He killed many of those who resisted and chased the rest as far as Gadara, the plains of Idumea, Ashdod, and Jamnia. About three thousand enemy soldiers fell.

Judas warned his men not to rush for the spoils. They still had to face Gorgias and the soldiers with him. Once they had defeated that force, they could safely plunder the camp, since no other enemy troops remained nearby and none were expected.

As Judas spoke, Gorgias's men looked toward the camp they had left behind. They saw that it had been defeated and burned. Smoke rising in the distance showed them what had happened. When they realized the situation and saw that Judas's men were ready to fight them, they too panicked and fled. Judas returned as though he had already defeated Gorgias's men in battle and took the spoils. He seized a great quantity of gold, silver, purple cloth, and blue cloth. Then he went home rejoicing and singing hymns to God for their success. This victory did much to restore their freedom.

Lysias was shaken by the defeat of the army he had sent. The following year, he gathered sixty thousand chosen soldiers and five thousand horsemen, then marched against Judea. He went up to the hill country of Beth-zur, a village in Judea, and camped there.

Judas met him with ten thousand men. When he saw the size of the enemy army, he prayed to God for help. Then he attacked the first of the enemy troops to appear, defeated them, and killed about five thousand. This made the rest of the army fear him.

Lysias saw the great courage of the Jews and how ready they were to die rather than lose their freedom. He feared their fierce way of fighting, mistaking it for strength beyond their numbers. So he withdrew with the rest of his army and returned to Antioch. There he recruited foreign troops and prepared to attack Judea again with a larger army.

After the generals of Antiochus's armies had been defeated so many times, Judas gathered the people and told them that, after all the victories God had given them, they should go up to Jerusalem, purify the temple, and offer the appointed sacrifices.

Judas and the whole crowd went to Jerusalem. They found the temple deserted, its gates burned, and plants growing there because it had been abandoned. Judas and those with him mourned at the sight and were overcome with grief. He chose some of his soldiers and ordered them to fight the guards stationed in the citadel while he purified the temple.

After cleaning the temple carefully, Judas brought in new sacred vessels: the lampstand, the table of the showbread, and the golden incense altar. He hung curtains at the gates and fitted them with doors. He removed the altar of burnt offerings and built a new one from stones gathered together, not cut with iron tools.

On the twenty-fifth day of the month Casleu, which the Macedonians call Apeliens, they lit the lamps on the lampstand, burned incense on the incense altar, placed the loaves on the table of the showbread, and offered burnt offerings on the new altar.

These acts took place on the same day, three years earlier, that the temple worship had been abandoned and turned to profane use. Antiochus had desecrated the temple, and it remained desolate for three years. This happened in the 145th year, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Apeliens, during the 153rd Olympiad. The temple was dedicated anew on the same date, the twenty-fifth day of Apeliens, in the 148th year and during the 154th Olympiad.

This desecration took place as Daniel had prophesied four hundred and eight years earlier. He had said that the Macedonians would put an end to the worship for a time.

Judas celebrated the restoration of the temple sacrifices for eight days. He spared no expense on the festival, offering rich and splendid sacrifices. He honored God and gave the people joy with hymns and psalms.

The people were overjoyed to see their customs restored and, after a long interruption, to worship freely again. They made a law for future generations to celebrate the temple's restoration for eight days. We still keep this festival today and call it Lights. I think it received that name because the freedom we gained seemed greater than we had ever hoped for.

Judas also rebuilt the walls around the city and raised tall towers against enemy attacks, placing guards in them. He fortified the city of Beth-zur as well, so it could serve as a stronghold in times of danger from their enemies.

CHAPTER 8

How Judas Defeated the Nations Around Judea; How Simon Defeated the People of Tyre and Ptolemais; How Judas Overcame Timotheus and Drove Him Away, and What Happened After Joseph and Azarias Were Defeated

After these events, the surrounding nations grew uneasy as the Jews regained their strength. They joined forces and attacked the Jews, killing many of them. They gained the upper hand by setting traps and plotting against them in secret. Judas repeatedly led campaigns against these enemies, trying to stop their raids and protect the Jews from further harm.

He attacked the Idumeans, descendants of Esau, at Acrabattene. He killed many of them and took their possessions. He also surrounded the sons of Bean, who had been lying in wait for the Jews. Judas laid siege to them, burned their towers, and killed the men inside.

From there, he hurried against the Ammonites, whose large army was commanded by Timotheus. After defeating them, Judas captured the city of Jazer. He took the women and children prisoner, burned the city, and then returned to Judea.

When the neighboring nations learned that Judas had come back, they gathered in great numbers in Gilead and attacked the Jews living near their borders. The Jews fled to the stronghold of Dathema and sent word to Judas that Timotheus was trying to capture the place where they had taken refuge. While these messages were being read, other messengers arrived from Galilee. They reported that the people of Ptolemais, Tyre, and Sidon, along with foreigners from Galilee, had joined together.

Judas considered what each situation required. He ordered his brother Simon to take 3,000 picked men and go to the aid of the Jews in Galilee. Judas and his other brother, Jonathan, hurried to Gilead with 8,000 soldiers.

He left Joseph, son of Zacharias, and Azarias in charge of the remaining troops. He ordered them to guard Judea carefully and not to fight anyone until he returned.

Simon went to Galilee and attacked the enemy. He routed them and chased them all the way to the gates of Ptolemais. About 3,000 of the enemy were killed. Simon took the possessions of the dead, rescued the Jews who had been captured, gathered their belongings, and then returned home.

Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan River. After traveling for three days, they met the Nabateans, who came to greet them peacefully. The Nabateans told them what was happening in Gilead. Many Jews were in danger, they said, trapped in strongholds and in the cities of Galilee. They urged Judas to hurry and rescue his countrymen from the foreigners.

Judas listened and turned back toward the wilderness. First, he attacked the people of Bosor. He captured the city, defeated its inhabitants, killed all the males and everyone able to fight, and burned the city.

He did not stop when night fell. He traveled through the night to the stronghold where the Jews were trapped and where Timotheus had surrounded them with his army. Judas reached the city in the morning. He saw the enemy attacking its walls. Some carried ladders to climb over them, while others brought machines to batter the defenses.

Judas ordered the trumpeter to sound the alarm. Then he urged his soldiers to face danger gladly for the sake of their brothers and relatives. He divided his army into three groups and attacked the enemy from behind.

When Timotheus's men saw that Maccabeus had come against them, they remembered his courage and his victories in battle, and they fled. Judas pursued them and killed about 8,000. Then he turned aside to Malle, a city of foreigners. He captured it, killed all the males, and burned the city. From there, he went on to defeat Casphom, Bosor, and many other cities in Gilead.

Soon afterward, Timotheus gathered a large army and brought in many allies. He also persuaded some Arabs to join the campaign by promising them rewards. With his army, he crossed the stream and camped opposite the city of Raphon. He urged his soldiers to fight bravely if the Jews came against them, and to stop them from crossing the stream. He told them in advance, "If they cross over, we will be defeated."

When Judas learned that Timotheus was preparing for battle, he took his whole army and hurried to meet him. After crossing the stream, Judas attacked the enemy. Some came out to fight and were killed. Others were so frightened that they threw down their weapons and ran. Some escaped, while others fled to the place called the Temple of Camaim, hoping to find safety there. But Judas captured the city, killed those inside, and burned the temple. He destroyed his enemies in several ways.

Afterward, Judas gathered the Jews, along with their children, wives, and possessions, and set out to bring them back to Judea. On the way, they came to a city named Ephron, which stood across their route. There was no other road, and Judas was unwilling to turn back.

He sent word to the people of Ephron, asking them to open the gates and let the group pass through. The inhabitants had blocked the gates with stones and shut off the road. They refused Judas's request.

So Judas encouraged his companions, surrounded the city, and laid siege to it. He camped around it day and night. In time, he captured the city, killed every male, and burned it to the ground. This opened the way for them to continue. So many people had been killed that the Jews crossed over their bodies.

They crossed the Jordan and reached the great plain opposite Bethshah, a city the Greeks called Scythopolis. They quickly left that place and returned to Judea, singing psalms and hymns along the way and celebrating their victory. They also offered thank offerings for their success and for the safety of their army. Not one Jew had been killed in these battles.

Joseph, son of Zacharias, and Azarias had been left in command of the remaining forces while Simon fought the people of Ptolemais in Galilee and Judas and Jonathan campaigned in Gilead. These two commanders also wanted the honor of proving themselves brave leaders in battle. They took the troops under their command and marched to Jamnia.

There, Gorgias, the commander of the forces at Jamnia, met them. They joined battle, lost 2,000 men, and fled. The enemy pursued them to the borders of Judea. This defeat came because Joseph and Azarias disobeyed Judas's order not to fight anyone before his return.

Judas was wise in many ways, but his warning about the danger of disobedience deserves special attention. He had understood what would happen if the forces under Joseph and Azarias ignored his command.

Judas and his brothers continued their war against the Idumeans, attacking them on every side. They captured Hebron and tore down its fortifications. They set all its towers on fire, burned the foreigners' territory and the city of Marissa, and then marched to Ashdod. They captured and devastated the city, took a great deal of its wealth and plunder, and returned to Judea.

CHAPTER 9

The Death of Antiochus Epiphanes; Antiochus Eupator's War Against Juda and the Siege of the Temple; His Peace with Juda and Departure; Alcimus and Onias

About this time, King Antiochus was traveling through the eastern regions when he heard of a wealthy city in Persia called Elymais. The city contained a rich temple dedicated to Diana, filled with offerings of every kind, as well as weapons and breastplates that, he learned, had been left there by Alexander, son of Philip, king of Macedonia.

Driven by the prospect of such wealth, Antiochus hurried to Elymais and attacked the city. But its people were not frightened by the assault or the siege. They resisted him with great courage, drove him away, and pursued him as he fled toward Babylon. He lost many of his soldiers.

While he grieved over this defeat, some men told him that the commanders he had left to fight against Judea had also been defeated, and that the Jews had grown stronger. The news added to his distress. Overcome with anxiety, he fell ill. His sickness lasted a long time, and his pain grew worse until he understood that he would soon die. He called his friends to him and told them how severe his illness had become. He also admitted that his suffering had come upon him because of the misery he had brought on the Jewish people, when he plundered their temple and showed contempt for their God. After saying this, he died.

This account makes one wonder at Polybius of Megalopolis. Though he was otherwise a good man, he claimed that Antiochus died because he had intended to plunder Diana's temple in Persia. Yet a man is not punished for merely intending to do something he never carried out. If Polybius believed Antiochus died for that reason, it is far more likely that the king died because he had sacrilegiously plundered the temple in Jerusalem. Still, we will not argue with those who think Polybius's explanation is closer to the truth than ours.

Before he died, Antiochus summoned Philip, one of his companions, and appointed him guardian of the kingdom. He gave Philip his diadem, his robe, and his ring, and charged him to take them to his son Antiochus. He also asked Philip to oversee the boy's education and preserve the kingdom for him.

Antiochus died in the 149th year. Lysias announced his death to the people, named his son Antiochus king, and took charge of the young ruler. He gave him the name Eupator.

At this time, the garrison in Jerusalem's citadel, together with the Jewish deserters who had joined them, did great harm to the Jews. The soldiers suddenly rushed out and killed those who were going up to the temple to offer sacrifices. The citadel stood beside the temple and overlooked it.

After these attacks had happened many times, Judas decided to destroy the garrison. He gathered the people and laid siege to the citadel with great determination. This took place in the 150th year of the Seleucid dominion. Judas built siege engines, raised earthworks, and pressed hard to capture the fortress.

Some of the deserters inside the citadel slipped out by night and went into the countryside. There they gathered other lawless men and went to King Antiochus. They begged him not to abandon them to the harsh treatment they faced at the hands of their own people. They said their troubles had begun because of his father: they had forsaken the worship of their ancestors and accepted the religious practices he had ordered them to follow. They warned that Judas and his men would soon capture the citadel and the king's garrison unless he sent help.

Antiochus was still a child, but the report angered him. He summoned his captains and friends and ordered them to gather an army of mercenaries, along with all the men in his kingdom who were old enough to fight. In this way, he assembled about 100,000 infantrymen, 20,000 cavalrymen, and 32 elephants.

The king set out from Antioch in haste with this army, accompanied by Lysias, who commanded all his forces. He came to Idumea and then marched to Bethsura, a strong city that was difficult to capture. He laid siege to it. The people of Bethsura resisted bravely, made sorties against his troops, and burned his siege engines. The siege went on for a long time.

When Judas heard that the king was coming, he lifted his siege of the citadel and went to meet him. He camped in a narrow pass at a place called Bethzachariah, about seventy furlongs from the enemy. The king soon withdrew his forces from Bethsura and brought them to the pass.

At daybreak, Antiochus arranged his troops for battle. He ordered the elephants to advance one after another through the narrow passes, since there was not enough room for them to stand side by side. Around each elephant stood 1,000 infantrymen and 500 cavalrymen. The elephants carried high towers on their backs, where archers were stationed. The king sent the rest of his army up the mountains, placed his friends at the front, and ordered the soldiers to shout as they attacked.

Their golden and bronze shields flashed in the light, and their cries echoed across the mountains. Judas saw all this but was not afraid. He met the enemy bravely and killed about 600 of the men in the front ranks.

When Eleazar, his brother, whom they called Auran, saw the tallest elephant covered with royal armor, he thought the king was riding on it. He charged the animal with great speed and courage. He killed many of the men around it and scattered the rest. Then he went beneath the elephant and struck it, killing it. The animal fell on Eleazar and crushed him under its weight. So Eleazar died after bravely killing many of his enemies.

Seeing how strong the king's army was, Judas withdrew to Jerusalem and prepared for a siege. Antiochus sent part of his army to besiege Bethsura, while he led the rest against Jerusalem.

The people of Bethsura were frightened by the size of the king's force. Their supplies were running low, so they surrendered after receiving an oath that they would not be treated harshly. Antiochus took the city and did them no further harm, except that he sent them away without their clothes. He also placed one of his own garrisons in the city.

The king besieged the temple in Jerusalem for a long time, while those inside defended it bravely. Whenever the king brought siege engines against them, they set up their own engines to oppose them. But their food eventually ran out. They had used up the crops they had stored, and the land had not been plowed or sown that year, because it was the seventh year. According to their law, they had to leave the land uncultivated. Many of the besieged fled because they lacked provisions, and only a few people remained in the temple.

These were the conditions of those trapped in the temple. Then Lysias, the army's commander, and King Antiochus heard that Philip was coming from Persia and trying to take control of the government. They decided to end the siege and hurry off to fight him. They did not want the soldiers or officers to know the real reason for their departure.

The king ordered Lysias to speak openly to the army, but not to mention Philip. Lysias was to tell them that the siege would take a long time, the place was strongly defended, and the army was already short of provisions. He was also to say that many matters in the kingdom needed attention. It would be better, he said, to make peace with the besieged, become friends with the whole Jewish people, and allow them to follow the laws of their ancestors. They had taken up arms only because they had been forbidden to keep those laws. After hearing Lysias, both the army and the officers approved of this plan.

The king sent word to Judas and to the people besieged with him, promising peace and permission to live according to the laws of their ancestors. They gladly accepted his offer. After securing an oath that he would keep his word, they left the temple.

But when Antiochus entered the temple and saw how strong it was, he broke his oath. He ordered his soldiers to tear down the walls, and when they had done so, he returned to Antioch.

He also took Onias the high priest, who was called Menelaus. Lysias had advised the king to put Menelaus to death if he wanted the Jews to live in peace and cause no further trouble. Lysias said that Menelaus had started all the trouble by persuading Antiochus's father to force the Jews to abandon their ancestral religion.

The king sent Menelaus to Beroea, a city in Syria, and had him put to death there. Menelaus had been high priest for ten years. He was a wicked and impious man who had forced his people to break their own laws in order to seize power for himself.

After Menelaus died, Alcimus, who was also called Jacimus, became high priest. King Antiochus later learned that Philip had already taken control of the government. He made war against him, defeated him, captured him, and killed him.

As for Onias, the son of the high priest, he had been left a child when his father died, as we have already said. When he learned that the king had killed his uncle Menelaus and given the high priesthood to Alcimus, he fled to Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Alcimus did not belong to the high priestly family. Lysias had persuaded the king to transfer the office from Onias's family to another house.

Onias found favor with Ptolemy and his wife Cleopatra. He asked them for a place in the district of Heliopolis, and they granted his request. There he built a temple like the one in Jerusalem. We will give an account of it later, in a more suitable place.

CHAPTER 10

Bacchides, General of Demetrius' Army, Marches Against Judea and Returns Without Success; Nicanor Is Later Sent Against Judas and Is Killed with His Army; Alcimus Dies, and Judas Succeeds Him

About this time, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, escaped from Rome, took Tripoli, a city in Syria, and placed the royal crown on his own head. He gathered a number of mercenary soldiers, entered his kingdom, and was welcomed joyfully by all who surrendered to him. Antiochus the king and Lysias were captured and brought to Demetrius alive. At his command, both were put to death. Antiochus had reigned for two years, as we have related elsewhere.

Many wicked Jewish fugitives now came to Demetrius, along with Alcimus the high priest. Alcimus accused the whole nation, especially Judas and his brothers. He said they had killed all his friends, as well as those in the kingdom who supported Demetrius and had waited for his return. Judas and his followers, he claimed, had driven them from their homeland and forced them to live in a foreign country. They asked Demetrius to send one of his own men to learn what harm Judas and his followers had done.

Demetrius was angered by their words. He sent Bacchides, a friend of Antiochus Epiphanes, a capable man who had been given authority over all Mesopotamia. Demetrius gave him an army, placed Alcimus the high priest in his care, and ordered him to kill Judas and his followers.

Bacchides quickly left Antioch with his army. When he reached Judea, he sent word to Judas and his brothers, inviting them to discuss an alliance and make peace. He intended to capture Judas by deceit. But Judas did not trust him. He saw that Bacchides had brought a large army, the sort of force people bring to make war, not to negotiate peace.

Some of the people, however, accepted Bacchides' invitation. They believed they would come to no serious harm from Alcimus, who was one of their own countrymen. So they joined Bacchides and Alcimus, after both men swore that they and their followers would not harm them. The people trusted them, but Bacchides broke his oath and killed sixty of them. By betraying the first group, he frightened away everyone else who had planned to join him.

Bacchides then left Jerusalem and went to a village called Bethzetho. There he captured many deserters, along with some of the local people, and killed them all. He ordered everyone in the country to submit to Alcimus. Then he left Alcimus with part of the army to keep the country under control and returned to Antioch to King Demetrius.

Alcimus wanted to make his rule more secure. He understood that he would govern more safely if he could win the people over, so he spoke kindly to everyone and treated each person with friendliness and courtesy. In this way, he soon gathered a large following and an army, though most of his supporters were wicked men and deserters.

With these men as his servants and soldiers, Alcimus traveled through the country, killing everyone he could find who belonged to Judas' party. When Judas saw that Alcimus had grown powerful and had killed many of the country's good and holy men, he also went through the country and killed those who supported Alcimus.

Alcimus realized that he could not stand against Judas and was no match for him in strength. He decided to ask King Demetrius for help. So he went to Antioch, stirred up the king against Judas, and accused him of causing Alcimus great suffering. He warned that Judas would do even more harm unless he was stopped and punished, and said this would require sending a powerful army against him.

Demetrius already believed it would be dangerous to ignore Judas, now that he had grown so powerful. He sent Nicanor, the most trusted and loyal of his friends, against him. Nicanor was the man who had fled Rome with Demetrius. The king gave him enough troops to defeat Judas and ordered him to show no mercy to the Jewish people.

When Nicanor reached Jerusalem, he did not immediately choose to fight Judas. Instead, he hoped to capture him by deceit. He sent Judas a message offering peace and said there was no need for them to fight and risk their lives. Nicanor swore that he would do Judas no harm. He claimed he had come with only a few friends to tell him King Demetrius' intentions and what the king thought of the Jewish people.

After Nicanor delivered this message, Judas and his brothers agreed to meet with him. Suspecting no trick, they made a pledge of friendship and welcomed Nicanor and his army. As Nicanor greeted Judas and spoke with him, he gave a signal to his soldiers to seize him. Judas saw the trap, escaped back to his own men, and fled with them.

Once his plan had been exposed, Nicanor decided to wage open war. He assembled his army and prepared to fight Judas. They met near a village called Capharsalama. Nicanor defeated Judas there and drove him back to the fortress in Jerusalem.

Nicanor then came down from the fortress to the temple. Some of the priests and elders met him and greeted him. They showed him the sacrifices they offered to God for the king. Nicanor blasphemed and threatened them, saying that unless the people handed Judas over to him, he would tear down their temple when he returned.

After Nicanor left Jerusalem, the priests wept over his threat and prayed to God to save them from their enemies. Nicanor went to a village called Bethoron and set up camp there. Another army had joined him from Syria. Judas camped at Adasa, another village about thirty furlongs from Bethoron. He had no more than one thousand soldiers.

Judas encouraged his men not to be frightened by the size of the enemy army or to dwell on how many men they would face. Instead, he urged them to remember who they were and the great rewards for which they were risking their lives. Then he led them out to fight.

The battle was fierce, but Judas defeated the enemy and killed many of them. Nicanor himself fought bravely, but he fell in battle. His army did not hold its ground after the death of its general. They fled and threw down their weapons. Judas pursued them and killed them. He also sounded the trumpets to tell the nearby villages that he had won. When the people heard the news, they armed themselves at once, went out to meet the fleeing enemy, and killed them. Not one of the nine thousand men who had taken part in the battle escaped.

The victory took place on the thirteenth day of the month the Jews call Adar and the Macedonians call Dystrus. The Jews celebrate the victory each year as a festival. For a time afterward, the Jewish people were free from war and lived in peace. Later, however, they returned to their former condition of conflict and danger.

Alcimus the high priest was planning to tear down the wall of the sanctuary, which had stood there since ancient times and had been built by the holy prophets. Suddenly, God struck him, and he fell to the ground. The stroke left him speechless. He suffered for many days and finally died, after serving as high priest for four years.

After his death, the people appointed Judas as high priest. Judas had heard of Rome's power and learned that the Romans had defeated Galatia, Iberia, Carthage, and Libya. They had also conquered Greece and its kings, Perseus and Philip, as well as Antiochus the Great. So Judas decided to form an alliance of friendship with Rome.

He sent two of his friends to Rome, Eupolemus, the son of John, and Jason, the son of Eleazar. Through them, he asked the Romans to help the Jewish people and become their friends. He also asked them to write to Demetrius and tell him not to make war against the Jews.

The senate received the ambassadors Judas had sent to Rome and heard why they had come. It granted the Jewish people an alliance of mutual assistance and friendship. The senate passed a decree and sent a copy to Judea. The decree was also placed in the Capitol and engraved on bronze. It read:

"The decree of the senate concerning an alliance of assistance and friendship with the Jewish people:

"No one under Roman rule may make war against the Jewish people or help anyone who does so by sending grain, ships, or money. If anyone attacks the Jews, the Romans shall help them as far as they are able. If anyone attacks the Romans, the Jews shall help them.

"If the Jews wish to add anything to this alliance or remove anything from it, they may do so with the consent of the Romans. Any change made in this way shall be binding."

Eupolemus, the son of John, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, drew up this decree while Judas was high priest of the nation and his brother Simon was general of the army. This was the first alliance Rome made with the Jewish people, and it was arranged in this way.

CHAPTER 11

Bacchides Is Sent Against Judas Again, and Judas Falls While Fighting Bravely

When Demetrius heard that Nicanor had been killed and his army destroyed, he sent Bacchides into Judea again with an army. Bacchides set out from Antioch and camped at Arbela, a city in Galilee. Many people had taken refuge in caves, so he besieged them there and captured them. Then he moved on as quickly as he could toward Jerusalem.

When he learned that Judas had camped near a village called Bethzetho, Bacchides marched against him with twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalrymen. Judas had only one thousand men. When they saw the size of Bacchides's army, they panicked and fled. Only eight hundred stayed with Judas.

Judas had been abandoned by most of his men, and the enemy was closing in before he had time to gather his forces. Still, he decided to fight Bacchides's army with the eight hundred men who remained. He urged them to face the danger bravely and attack the enemy.

They told him their force was too small to fight such a large army. They advised him to withdraw and save himself, then gather his men and attack later. Judas answered, "May the sun never see me turn my back on the enemy. Even if this battle brings my end and I must die, I will stand and face it bravely. I would rather bear whatever comes than run away now and bring shame on my past deeds or stain their glory." With these words, he encouraged the men who remained to attack.

Bacchides brought his army out of camp and arranged it for battle. He placed the cavalry on both wings and stationed the light-armed troops and archers in front. He himself took his position on the right wing. Once his army was in formation, he ordered the trumpeter to sound the signal. His soldiers shouted and charged the enemy.

Judas gave the same signal, and the two armies met in battle. Both sides fought bravely, and the fighting continued until sunset. Judas saw that Bacchides and his strongest troops were on the right wing. He took his bravest men and charged that part of the army. They broke through the ranks, drove the soldiers toward the center, and forced them to flee. Judas pursued them as far as Mount Aza.

When the troops on the left saw that their right wing had fled, they surrounded Judas and came at him from behind. Trapped in the middle of the enemy with no way to escape, Judas stood his ground and fought alongside his men. He killed many of those who attacked him, but at last he was wounded, fell, and died. His death matched the courage he had shown throughout his life.

After Judas died, his men had no commander to follow, and when they saw that they had lost such a leader, they fled. Simon and Jonathan, Judas's brothers, negotiated with the enemy for his body. They carried it to Modin, the village where their father was buried, and laid him to rest there. The people mourned him for many days and held the customary funeral rites.

That was the end of Judas. He was a brave man and a great warrior who kept the commands of their father, Mattathias. He endured every hardship, whether in action or suffering, for the freedom of his people. His character was worthy of honor, and he left behind a glorious name and memory. He won freedom for his nation and rescued it from Macedonian rule. He had held the high priesthood for three years when he died.