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 u 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 this. (±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 fellow Persians to the Greeks who were taken over by the fourth viz. The Romans. Why not read the book of Daniel in the Bible? The events of the MACCABEES take place after Alexander the Great died, and his four Generals divided the world among them as rulers.
P.J.C.Schutte
CHAPTER II.
The prayer of Simon. Ptolemy is baffled. His cruel edicts
B.C.211
b Thereupon the high priest Simonc bowing his knees before the holy place, and spreading out his hands in reverent form,
made the following prayer: ” O Lord, Lord, king of heaven, and “ruler of all creation. Holy in the holiesd, the only Governor, the “Almighty; give ear unto us who are afflicted by this wicked “and profane man, puffed up with insolence and strength. For “thou, who hast created all things, and rulest all things, thou “art the righteous Governor, and judgest those who do any “thing in insolence and pride. Thou didst destroy them who in “former times worked wickedness, among whom were the “giantse, trusting in their strength and courage, by bringing “upon them an immense mass of water. Thou didst burn up “with fire and brimstone the Sodomites, workers of “wickedness, who were infamous for their iniquities; and “maddest them an examplef to those who should come “afterward. Thou shewedst thy dominion by trying the “vaunting bold Pharaoh, (who had enslaved thy people the holy “Israel,) with many and various kinds of punishment, whereby “thou madest known thy great ‘ strength. And when he “pursued them with his chariots and the multitude of his “troops, thou didst drown him in the depth of the sea: and “didst carry through unhurt those who trusted on thee, the “Lord of the whole creation. Who ‘ also, after they had “experienced the works of thy hands, praised theeg, the Almighty. Thou,
“O King, when thou hadst created the boundless ‘and “immeasurable earth, didst chuse this city, ‘and sanctify this “place for thy nameg, who standest in need of nothingh: and “hast glorified it by thy magnificent presence, and compacted “it for the glory of thy great and honourable name. And out of “love to the house of Israel, thou promisedsti truly that if we “should fall off from thee, and distressj should overtake us, “and we should come to this place and pray; thou wouldest “hear our supplication. And indeed, thou art faithful and true. “And since, when our fathers were often in affliction, thou hast “afforded them assistance in their low “estate, and “hast “delivered them out of ‘great dangers : —Lo now, O holy King, “we are afflicted on account of our many and great sins: “we “are also become subject to our enemies, and are fainting “in “our infirmities. Now in our calamityk this insolent and “profane man endea vours to dishonour this holy place, which “has been set apart upon earth for thy glorious name. Thy “habitation indeed is the heaven of heavenl, unapproachablem “by men. But becausethou hast been pleased to place thy “glory among thy people Israel, thou hast “sanctified
” this place. Do not thou take vengeancen on us by the pollution “of these men : neither do thou punish us by their profanation: “that the transgressors may not gloryo in their fury, nor rejoice “in the pride of their tongue; saying, We have trodden downp “the house of sanctification, as the houses of abominationsq are “trodden down.’ Blot out our sins, and disperse our errors, and “send the light of thy mercy upon us at this hour. Let thy “mercies prevent usr quickly: and put praises into the mouth of “us who are fallen down and become contrite in our ” souls, by “giving us peace.
“Here the all-seeing God, who is before all things. Holy in the “holies, heard our righteous supplication ;and chastised him “who was greatly exalted with insolence and boldness: shaking “him this way and that way, as a reed is shaken by the wind; “so that he lay upon the floor without the powers of exertion, “and paralysed in his limbs, and not even able to speak, being “overtaken with a just judgment. Whereupon his friends and “body-guards, when they saw that speedy and sharp “punishment which had overtaken him, be ing afraid lest he “should even die ; struck with overwhelming fear they quickly “drew him out of the place.
B.C.210
“But when after some time he had recovered himself, his “punishment did not bring him to repentance: but he departed “with bitter threatenings. So that when he came into Egypt, he “both grew worse in wickedness, and upon conversing with his “drinking companions and such friends as were estranged from “all which was good, of whom we have already spokent; he not “only persevered in countless instances of debaucheryu, but pro- “ceeded farther to that degree of insolence, that he raised “reproaches against us in those places ; and that many of our “friends, carefully watching the king’s purpose, did themselves “also follow his will.
“Now he proposed to bring forward publicly an accusation “against our nation : and raising up a pillar at the door of his “court, he engraved on it an inscription: That none who did “not sacrifice in their temples should enter; and that all the “Jews should be brought to the lowest registryx, and to the “condition of slaves: and that those who refuse to comply “should be seized upon by ” force and put to death. That those “also who are registered shall have a mark “imprinted by fire “upon their body, namely, an ivy-leafy, the emblem of Bacchus : and that those thus markedz shall be inscribed in a separate register with inferior and diminished rights.” But, that he might not appear an enemy to them all, he wrote underneath thus: “that if any of them chuse to ” be joined with those who are initiated into our ” mysteries, and to live accordingly, they shall ” have equal privilegesa with the citizens of Alexandriab.
Then indeed a few of those who dwelt in the city, who hated the advancesc of the religion of the city, easily resigned themselves to his will: as expecting to be made partakers of some great glory, from the familiarity which they would have with the king. But the greatest part persevered with a generous spirit, and did not depart from their religion: and redeeming their lives with money, did fearlessly endeavour to escape from the registries, and stood in good hope of obtain-
B.C. 210.
ing assistance. They also abhorred those of them selves who had apostatized; and deemed them the enemies of their nation; and excluded them from common intercourse and the advantages of social life.
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