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 THE HISTORY OF ABOUT FORTY YEARS, VIZ. FROM 175 TO 135 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.
THE
SECOND BOOK
OF
MACCABEES:
CONTAINING
THE HISTORY OF ABOUT FORTY YEARS, VIZ. FROM 175 TO 135 BEFORE CHRIST
CHAPTER VII.
B.C.162
The wars of Judas with Bacchides, Alcimus, and Nicanor. Nicanor’s deaths
In the hundred and one and fiftieth year, Demetrius a the son of Seleucus departed b fromRome, and came up with a few men unto a city c of the sea-coast, and reigned there. And as he entered into the palace d of his ancestors, so it
was that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias to bring them unto him. And the thing was made known to him, and he said, ” Shew me not their faces.” So, his host slew them: and Demetrius was set upon the throne of his kingdom. And there came unto him all the wicked and ungodly men of Israel, having Alcimus (who was desirous to be high priest) for their captain. And they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and his brethren have slain all thy friends and have driven us out of our own land. Now therefore send some man whom thou trusted and let him go and see the entire destruction which he hath made amongst us, and in the king’s land, and let him punish them and all of them who aid them.
Then the king chose Bacchides a friend of the king, who rulede in the country beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king. And him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high priest, and commanded him that he should take vengeance on the children of Israel. So, they departed and came with a great power into the land of Judah; and he sent messengers to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully. But they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they had come with a great power. Then did there assemble unto Alcimus and Bacchides, a company of scribes to require justice. Now the Assidaeans were the first among the children of Israel who sought peace of them. For said they. One who
e Josephus styles him ” Governor of Mesopotamia.”
is a priest of the seed of Aaron comes with this army, and he will do us no wrong. So, he spoke unto them peaceably, and swore into them, saying, We will procure the harm neither of you nor your friends. Whereupon they believed him: howbeit, he took of them threescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the words which he wrote f, “The flesh of thy saints have ” they cast out, and their blood have they shed ” round about Jerusalem, and there was none to ” bury them.” Wherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, who said. There is neither truth nor justice in them; for they have broken the covenant and oath which they made. After this removed Bacchides from Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in Bezeth g, where he sent and took many of the men who had forsaken him, and certain of the people also; and when he had slain them, he cast them into the great pit.
Then committed he the country to Alcimus and left with him a power to aid him: so, Bacchides went to the king. And Alcimus contended for the high priesthood. And unto him resorted all such as troubled the people, who, after they had gotten the land of Judah into their power, did much hurt in Israel. Now when Judas saw all the mischief which Alcimus and his company had done among the Israelites, even above the he went out into all the coasts of Judaea round about, and took vengeance on those who had deserted from him, so that they were restrained from going forth into the country. But
f Namely, the author of Psalm Ixxix. g Or Bethzetho, a village.
when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company had grown strong and knew that he was not able to withstand them, he went again to the king and said all the evil of them that he could. Then the king sent Nicanor h, one of his honourable princes, a man who bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to destroy the people. So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great force and sent unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with peaceable words, saying, let there be no battle between me and you: I will come with a few men that I may see your faces in peace. He came therefore to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. Howbeit, the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by violence. Which thing, after it was known to Judas, to wit, that he came unto him with deceit, he was sore afraid of him and would see his face no more. Nicanor also, when he saw that his counsel was dis covered, went out to meet Judas in battle beside Capharsalamai : where there were slain of Nicanor’s side about five thousand men, and the rest fled into the city of David. After this went Nicanor up to mount Sion, and there came out of the sanctuary certain of the priests, and certain of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the burnt sacrifice which was offered for the king k. But he mocked them, and laughed at them, and abused l
them shamefully, and spoke proudly: and swore in his wrath, saying. Unless Judas and his host be now delivered into my hands, if ever I come again in peace, I will burn up this house: and with that he went out in a great rage. Then the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple, weeping, and saying. Thou, O Lord, didst choose m this house to be called by thy name, and to be a house of prayer and petition for thy people: be avenged on this man and his host, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer. So Nicanor went out of Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in Beth-horon, where a host out of Syria met him. But Judas pitched in Adasa n, with three thousand men, and there he prayed, saying, O Lord, when they which were sent from the king of the Assyrians” blasphemed, thine angel went out and smote an hundred fourscore and five thousand of them: even so destroy thou this host before us this day, that the rest may know that he hath spoken wickedly against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness. So, the thirteenth day of the month Adar p the host joined battle: and Nicanor’s host was discomfited, and he himself was first slain in the battle. Now when Nicanor’s host saw that he was slain, they cast away their weapons, and fled.
Then they pursued after them a day’s journey, from Adasa until thou come to Gazera, sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets. Where upon, they came forth out of the towns of Judaea, round about, and outflanked them; so that they, turning back upon those who pursued them, were all slain with the sword, and not one of them was left. Afterwards they took the spoils, and the prey, and smote off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so proudly; and brought them away and hanged them up towards Jerusalem. For this cause the people rejoiced greatly, and they kept that day a day of great gladness. Moreover, they ordained to keep yearlythis day, being the thirteenth of Adar. Thus, the land of Judah was in rest a little while.
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