CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
CONTAINING OCCURRENCES WHICH TOOK PLACE AT JERUSALEM AND ALEXANDRIA, DURING PART OF THE REIGN OF PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR, KING OF EGYPT, BETWEEN THE YEARS 217 AND 209 BEFORE CHRIST.
WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, BY
HENRY COTTON, D.C.L.
ARCHDEACON OF CASHEL,
AND DECEASED STUDENT AT CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD
OXFORD, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. MDCCCXXXII.
TO
THE PROVOST, FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS, VAN TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, TO WHOSE VALUABLE LIBRARY I HAD THE MOST GENEROUS ACCESS, THE PRESENT PUBLICATION IS ENGRAVED, IN TESTIMONY OF RESPECT AND REGARD.
Note from Webmaster
The books of the MACCABEES tell us about the happenings between Malachi in the OLD TESTAMENT to the birth of Jesus in the New Testament. There is nothing in the Bible about these 450 years. These books tell us about Judah and Benjamin, two of the tribes of Israel that remained and are now known to us as Jews, to the other 10 tribes known as Israel in exile carried off through Syria to this day. We must never forget that after the sin of Solomon for marrying heathen women, God divided as punishment the old Israel which consisted of 12 tribes, 10 Northern tribes known as Israel and the two southern tribes confessed as Judah, now also called Jews. Read the Bible from 1 Kings 11 from verse 1 to Malachi.
The events described in the five books took place under the rule of Greek leaders as the third world rulers as described in the Dream of Nebuchadnezzar. First there was Babylon, then follow the Persians to the Greeks who were taken over by the fourth. The Romans. Why not read the book of Daniel in the Bible? The events of the MACCABEES took place after Alexander the Great died, and his four Generals divided the world among them as rulers.
P.J.C.Schutte
Book 1
CHAPTER IV
B.C.210
The king’s edict is executed with great severity.
Now wheresoever this decree came to hand
there was made a general festival among the heathen, with shouting and joy: that hatred, which had been hardened over a in their mind of old, now shewing itself outwardly in open discourse. But among the Jews there was intolerable lament-
ation, and a most doleful cry with tears; as if their hearts were set on fire on every side with their while they bewailed that unexpected destruction which was suddenly decreed against them.
What district b or city, or indeed what habitable
place or what streets were there, which were not filled with lamentations and mourning over them? For they were sent away unanimously with such
bitter and merciless feeling by the commanders in every city, that at their extraordinaryc punishment some of their very enemies, having common pity before their eyes, and considering the uncertain catastrophe of human life, wept at their most miserable expulsion. For there was led along a multitude of aged
men decked with hoary heads, stooping by reason
of the slowness of their feet d through old age and the hurry of a forcible removal, obliged, without any regard to shame, to walk at a quick pace.
Nay, the young women, who had lately entered into the marriage-chamber in order to enjoy matrimonial society, were made to partake of groans instead of pleasure ; and being defiled with dust sprinkled on their hair, which was moist with ointment, and led along unveiled, with one accord they sang lamentations instead of wedding-songs, as being torn to pieces with vexations unknown e
in the country. And, like public captives f, they were dragged by force to an embarkation on board ship.
Their husbands also, wearing halters, instead of garlands, about their necks, in their flourishing and youthful vigour, instead of feasting and juvenile relaxation, passed the rest
open immediately beneath their feet. And they were conveyed like beasts, led in the confinement of iron bonds: some of them fastened by the neck to the benches of the ships; others having their feet made fast in indissoluble fetters. And besides all this, they were shut out from the light by the thick planks g which lay above them; that their
eyes might be wholly in the dark; and that they might receive the treatment of traitors during their whole voyage. When these men therefore had been carried
thus unto the port called Schedia h, and the journey by water was ended, according to the king’s former decree; he gave further orders to put them into the Hippodrome i, which was before the city, a place of vast circuit, and very fit for exposing them to the view of all who entered into the city, or who went out thence into the country to sojourn: that they might hold no communication with his forces, nor might have the favour of walls j to enclose them. But as soon as this was done, the king, hearing
that those of their nation who lived in the city went out privately and frequently to bewail that opprobrious misery of their brethren, —fell into a
passion; and gave command to treat those also exactly in the same way as the others ; and not at all to abate to them the punishment which the others suffered. And that the entire race should
be enrolled by name: not now with a view of forcing them to that painful way of worship which we briefly explained before k: but in order to have them tortured miserably according to his edict, and at last to destroy them utterly in the space of
one day. The registering of them therefore was made with bitter diligence and zealous perseverance from sun-rising to sun-setting, not being
completely ended l for forty days. But the king was greatly and continually filled with joy ; ordaining festivals in the temples of all his idols with a mind far erring from the truth, and a pro- fane mouth, praising such gods as were deaf, and could neither speak to nor assist them ; and uttering unbecoming expressions against the Most High God.
Now after the aforesaid space of time, the scribes addressed themselves to the king, informing him that they could no longer make the enrolment of the Jews by reason of their immense number there being still a great number throughout the
country, some of them abiding quietly at home, others being scattered here and there ; so that the business was impracticable, even for all the com-
manders in Egypt. But after he had threatened them severely as having been bribed in order to procure their escape, it turned out that he became
fully satisfied on that point: when they said, and proved, that both the paper m and pens which they used had failed them. This was the powerful operation of that invincible Providence which gave help to the Jews from heaven.
MeWe join our group at Friends in Jesus
You may also want to join Creation Ministries International.
Read all about it : Creation.com
Find more Study topics at Quo Vadis World
We give thanks and acknowledgement to Rick Meyers for e-Sword.
P.O. Box 1626
Franklin, TN 37065
United States of America
www.e-sword.net
