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THE GUILE OF TRYPHON

759

city and territory of Ekron. But when Ptolemy, his father-in-law, deserted Alexander, the latter's cause became hopeless. He fled to Arabia and was there murdered. Jonathan, however, contrived to maintain his position against Demetrius II. The new king thought it best to make peace with him. He 'confirmed Jonathan in his high priesthood, and all the other honours that he had before, and gave him pre-eminence among his chief friends' (145 B.C.). Jonathan, moreover, secured an extension of Judæan territory. He was rapidly becoming an almost independent prince.

The Syrian kingdom was weak and disorganized. Fresh troubles arose for Demetrius II. Diodotus Tryphon, a former general of Alexander Balas, set up as king a young son of Alexander's called Antiochus. A rebellion broke out in Antioch, and Jonathan sent 3,000 men to the aid of Demetrius, on condition (so we are told) that the Syrian garrison in Jerusalem should be withdrawn. The insurrection in Antioch was subdued with Jonathan's help, but the promise of Demetrius was not fulfilled.

The treachery of Demetrius was Jonathan's justification for deserting him and falling away to Antiochus and Tryphon. Such at least is the plea put forward by the author of the First Book of the Maccabees. As the authorized general of Antiochus, Jonathan fought battles and won territory for the new king, while his brother Simon conquered and garrisoned Bethsura and Joppa (144 B.C.).

After a time Tryphon seems to have become alarmed at the growing Maccabean power. He moved against Jonathan with his army. According to the First Book of the Maccabees this happened because Tryphon wanted to seize the monarchy for himself, and was afraid "lest haply Jonathan should not suffer him." There may be some truth in this, but Jonathan's motives were rather political than moral' (Schürer). The two armies met at Bethshan. Tryphon pretended peace: he sought to get Jonathan into his power. It seems amazing that the tried statesman should have fallen into the trap. This is the tale as the First Book of the Maccabees tells it (143 B. C.).

And Tryphon sought to reign over Asia and to put on himself the diadem, and to stretch forth his hand against Antiochus the king. And he was afraid lest haply Jonathan should not suffer him, and lest he should fight against him; and he sought a way how to take him, that he might destroy him. And he removed, and came to Bethshan. And Jonathan came forth to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for battle, and came to Bethshan.

And Tryphon saw that he came with a great host, and he was afraid to stretch forth his hand against him: and he received him honourably, and commended him unto all his Friends, and gave him gifts, and commanded his forces to be obedient unto him, as unto himself. And he said unto Jonathan, 'Why hast thou put all this people to trouble, seeing there is no war betwixt us? And now send them away to their homes, but choose for thyself a few men who shall be with thee, and come thou with me to Ptolemais, and I will give it up to thee, and the rest of the strongholds and the rest of the forces, and all the king's officers: and I will return and depart; for this is the cause of my coming.'

And he put trust in him, and did even as he said, and sent away his forces, and they departed into the land of Judah. But he reserved to himself three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee, but one thousand went with him.

Now as soon as Jonathan entered into Ptolemais, they of Ptolemais shut the gates, and laid hands on him; and all them that came in with him they slew with the sword. And Tryphon sent forces and horsemen into Galilee, and into the great plain, to destroy all Jonathan's men.

And they perceived that he was taken and had perished, and they that were with him; and they encouraged one another, and went on their way close together, prepared to fight. And they that followed upon them saw that they were ready to fight for their lives, and turned back again. And they all came in peace into the land of Judah, and they mourned for Jonathan, and them that were with him, and they were sore afraid; and all Israel mourned with a great mourning.

And all the Gentiles that were round about them sought to destroy them utterly: for they said, 'They have no ruler, nor any to help them: now therefore let us fight against them, and take away their memorial from among men.'

§ 5. Simon at Jerusalem.- But there was still one son of Mattathias left at large, and he now assumed the leadership. Our historian thus describes the first deeds of Simon after the capture of Jonathan.

And Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty host to come into the land of Judah, and destroy

THE LAST SON OF MATTATHIAS

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it utterly. And he saw that the people trembled and was in great fear; and he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together; and he encouraged them, and said unto them, Ye yourselves know all the things that I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen by reason hereof all my brethren have perished for Israel's sake, and I am left alone. And now be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of affliction; for I am not better than my brethren. Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children; because all the Gentiles are gathered to destroy us of very hatred.'

And the spirit of the people revived, as soon as they heard these words. And they answered with a loud voice, saying, 'Thou art our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother. Fight thou our battles, and all that thou shalt say unto us, that will we do.'

And he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about. And he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great host, to Joppa: and he cast out them that were therein, and abode there in it.

§ 6. The death and burial of Jonathan. Meanwhile Tryphon prepared to march against Judæa and secure its complete submission. He took Jonathan with him as a close prisoner. In the events that followed Jonathan was slain, but the Maccabean power emerged stronger than before (142 B. C.).

And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a mighty host to enter into the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him in ward. But Simon encamped at Adida, over against the plain.

And Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, and he sent ambassadors unto him, saying, 'It is for money which Jonathan thy brother owed unto the king's treasure, by reason of the offices which he had, that we hold him fast. And now send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will set him at liberty.'

And Simon knew that they spake unto him deceitfully; and he sendeth the money and the children, lest peradventure he should procure to himself great hatred of the people, and they should say, 'Because I sent him not the money and the children, he perished.' And he sent the children and the hundred talents. And he dealt falsely, and did not set Jonathan at liberty.

And after this Tryphon came to invade the land, and destroy it, and he went round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: and Simon and his army marched over against him to every place, wheresoever he went.

Now they of the citadel sent unto Tryphon ambassadors, hastening him to come unto them through the wilderness, and to send them victuals. And Tryphon made ready all his horse to come: and on that night there fell a very great snow, and he came not by reason of the snow. And he removed, and came into the country of Gilead. But when he came near to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, and he was buried there. And Tryphon returned, and went away into his own land.

And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers. And all Israel made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days. And Simon built a monument upon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with polished stone behind and before. And he set up seven pyramids, one over against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren. And for these he made cunning devices, setting about them great pillars, and upon the pillars he fashioned all manner of arms for a perpetual memory, and beside the arms ships carved, that they should be seen of all that sail on the sea. This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it is there unto this day.

§ 7. The growing power of Simon.-I open this paragraph with a quotation from Professor Schürer. 'Through the successes of Jonathan the Maccabean party were carried far beyond their original aims. At first their object had merely been to restore the Jewish worship, and to obtain freedom for the exercise and practice of the Jewish religion. But even Judas did not rest content with the attainment of this end. He and his party went on to seek their

SUCCESSES OF SIMON

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own supremacy in the internal government of Judæa. In Jonathan's lifetime this too had been secured. By the nomination of Jonathan as high priest the governing power was placed in the hands of the Maccabean party, and the Hellenists were driven out. But now even these results were insufficient. Favourable circumstances and the weakness of the Syrian kingdom induced the party to aim at complete emancipation from Syrian control. The last actions of Jonathan were so many steps in this direction. The significance of the reign of Simon consists in this, that he completed the work of Jonathan, and made the Jewish people wholly independent of the Syrian kingdom.'

Before long the secret intention of Tryphon was clearly revealed. He put Antiochus to death, and set the crown upon his own head. Simon turned to Demetrius II, who granted what he had scarcely power to refuse. Judæa was freed of tribute, and all the acts of Jonathan and Simon were confirmed. Thus, as our authority says, 'the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel.' A new era opened (142 B. C.). And the people began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews.'

§ 8. Simon occupies the citadel of Jerusalem.-The final proof of Simon's power and of the independence of Judæa was the capture of Gazara and of the citadel in Jerusalem. Of the second achievement the First Book of the Maccabees speaks as follows:

But they of the citadel in Jerusalem were hindered from going forth, and from going into the country, and from buying and selling; and they hungered exceedingly, and a great number of them perished through famine. And they cried out to Simon, that he should give them his right hand; and he gave it to them: and he put them out from thence, and he cleansed the citadel from its pollutions.

And he entered into it on the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the hundred and seventy and first year, with praise and palm branches, and with harps, and with cymbals, and with viols, and with hymns, and with songs: because a great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.

And he ordained that they should keep that day every year with gladness. And the hill of the temple that was by the citadel he made stronger than before, and there he dwelt, himself and his men.

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