504 A SHORT VIEW' OP SCRIPTURE HISTÓRYs the prince, as well as,their high-priest ; and these dignities and offices were settled upon his posterity-for ever. This was engra- ven on tables of brass, together with the good deeds of himself and his family, which had merited such a honour; and these tables were hung up in the sanctuary. 58. Q. What regard was paid to him among the heathen nations? A. Several princes and people, the Lacedemonians, the Romans, and Antiochus, surnamed Sidetes, the son of De- metrics, king of Syria, all sought his friendship, made leagues and covenants with him, and conferredon him special honours; I Mac. xiv. and xv. 59. Q. Did Antiochus keep his covenants With Simon ? . A. By no means; for when he had vanquished Tryphon, his rival, he -broke his league with Simon, and invaded some part of Judea : But his general Cendebeus was routed by Simon and his two eldest sons, Judas and John, whose surname was Hyrcanus. 60. Q. What was the fate of Simon at last ? A. When Si.: mon was visiting the cities, and giving orders for their welfare, one Ptolomeus, who was his son-in-law, invited him and bis sons to a banquet at Jericho, and slew Simon, with two of his sons, in order to get the government of the country into his oWn hands ; and sent privately to kill John also. 61. Q. Did Ptolomeus succeed in this his treacherous and murderous enterprize? A. John having got timely notice of it, slew the assassins, and was invested with the high-priesthood, and the government, after his father. Note. Here ends that excellent history, the first book of the Maccabees. The following part of this account of the .Jews is borrowed chiefly from Josephus, who usuallycalls John by the . surname of Hyrcanus. SECT. V1L Of the Jewish affairs under the conduct of the Posterity and Successors of Simon the Maccabee; and of the' several Sects among the Jews, viz. Pharisees, Saddacees. Essenes, Herodiuns, Karaites. I. Question. Did John Hyrcanus enjoy his office in peace ? Answer. Antiochus Sidetes being informed of the death of Simon, and being invited by Ptolomeus, invaded Judea again, besieged Jerusalem, and reducedHyrcanus, and the Jews, to the lastextre- mity by famine : But when they sued for peace, he granted it, upon condition of paying certain tributes to the king, and demo- lishing the fortifications of Jerusalem. Note, about this time Jesus the son of Sirach, a Jew of Jerusalem, coming intoEgypt, translated the bookof Ecclesias- ticus, written by Jesus his grandfather, out of Hebrew into Greek, for the .use of the hellenistic Jews there. The ancients called it panareton, or the treasury of all virtue.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=