498 Á SHORT VIEW OP SCRIPTURE HISTORY. the third century, pretends that it is mere history, and that it was written after the event. 23. Q. What became of the garrison of the Syrians in the tower of Aura, which so much molested the Jews in Jerusalem? A. Judas Maccabees besieged them, whereupon Antiochus Eupator, the son and successor of Epiphanes, brought a vast army againstJudas, consisting of a hundred thousand foot, twenty thousand horse, thirty two elephats, and three hundred armedchariots of war . 2t. Q. What could the Jews do against so great an army ? A. Judas having given this watch- word, " Victory is of the Lord," fell upon them in the night, and having slain four thou- sand immediately, and six hundred the next morning, made a safe retreat to Jerusalem. 25. Q. What remarkable instance of courage was given by Eleazarthe brother of Judas in this battle ? A. When he saw one elephanthigher, and more adorned than the rest, he supposed the king himself was on it, therefore he run furiously through the troops, and made his way to the beast, he thrust up his spear under his belly, and the beast with the tower that was upon hiin falling down crushed him to death. 28. Q. Had Antiochus Eupator's army any success after- ward against the Jews ? A. They marched to Jerusalem under the command of Lysias, they besieged the sanctuary, and when the Jews were near surrendering for want of provision, they were strangely relieved by the providence of God. 27. Q. In what manner did this relief come ? A. Lysias hearing that the city of Antioch was seized by one Philip, a fa- vourite of the late king, who had taken upon him the govern- ment of Syria, persuaded the present king to grant peace to the Jews, which he slid : yet contrary to his own promise, he pulled down the fortifications of the temple, when he came and saw how strong they were. 28. Q. What became of Menelaus the wicked high-priest ? A. He had attended the king's army in this expedition' against Jerusalem, in hopes to recover his office, and to be made gover- nor there: but Lysias finding this war exceeding troublesome, accused Menelaus to theking as the authorof all this mischief ; whereupon he was condemned to a miserable death, being cast headlong into a tower of ashesfifty cubits high. 29. Q. Who was his successor to the priesthood ? A. Onias the son of Onias the third, and nephew to Menelaus, was the more rightful successor, but the king rejected him ; and being disappointed of it, he fled into Egypt ; while Alcinous or Jacimus, one of the familyof Aaron, though not in the right line of Josedek to which the priesthood belonged, was made high- priest by Antiochus Eupator the king. Note, It was .Joshua the son of Josedech or Jozadak, was
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