CHAPTER XIX. 50T it was of divine appointment, the learned reader must judge. See Prideaux's Connexion of the Old and New Testament, Part II. Book fourth, page 351. in octavo, and Lightfoot of the Temple; Chapter 17. If it be, as some have maintained, that the Jews in re- building that temple under Zerubbabel, took a pattern, in a great measure, from the prophetical temple in Ezekiel's vision : then there seems to have been a court large enough for the court of the Gentiles : for chapter xl. 5. and xlii. 20. " There was a wall on the outside of the house round about, of five hundred reeds square, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place." See Lowth on these texts. Perhaps, in these times, this was called the mount of the temple. 40. Q. What became of Alcimus when he practised these things with insolence ? A. He was smitten by the hand of God with a palsy, his speech was taken away, so that he could give no further wicked commands, nor so much as set in order his own house, and he died in great torment ; 1 Maccab. ix. 54, 55; 41. Q. Did the surviving brethren of Judas Maccabeuá make no efforts against these their enemies ? A. Yes, his bro- ther Jonathan being chosen by the people, took on him the government : and though their brother John was slain by the Jambrites, yet Simon remained ; and these two made such a continual resistance, that in some years time, Alcimus being dead, Bacchides grew weary of the war, and he was inclined at last to make a firm peace ; and then he restored the Jews whichhad been his prisoners, and departed from Judea without ever returning. 42. Q. What use did Jonathan make of this peace ? A. He governed Israel according to the law ; he restored the Jewish religion, reformed every thing as far as he could, both in church and state, and rebuilt the walls and fortifica- tions of Sion. 43. Q. Who performed the office of high-priest all this time ? A. There was a vacancy of the office for seven years, after the death of Alcimus ; till Alexander, an impostor, pre. tending to be the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, seized the king- dom of Syria, and made high proposals to engage Jòñathan on his side against Demetrius, who had been their enemy. Among these proposals, one was this, " That he should be constituted and maintained the governor and the high-priest of the' Jews, and be called the king's friend ;" 1 Maccab, x. 18-20. Note, I think Josephus supposes Judas to have been spade high-priest before his death ; but Doctor Prideaux does not seeps to follow him in this matter, nor doth the book of the Mac- çubees give any account of it. Though, upon Judas's rester.
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