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Judas and his brethren were so successful by their valour and conduct in asserting the liberty of their country, that in a short time they not only recovered its independence, but re-gained almost all the possessions of the twelve Tribes; destroying at the same time the Temple on Mount Gerizim, in Samaria:1 but they and their successors were continually engaged in wars, in which, though generally victorious, they were sometimes defeated, and their country as often oppressed. Aristobulus was the first of the Maccabees who assumed the name of King, which he did, A. C. 107. His reign, however, was but of short continuance, leaving only sufficient time to mark the cruelty of his disposition, by starving his mother to death, murdering the eldest, and imprisoning the three younger of his brethren. At his decease he was succeeded by his

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"reduced to a profane and common use, after three years' time; for so it was that the Temple was made desolate by Antiochus and continued so "for that space of time." Antiq. 12, vii. 6.

The Jewish Altar, if not the Temple, were by Judas Maccabæus dedicated anew, and an annual festival instituted in commemoration of the event. This is the Feast of Dedication mentioned by St. John (x. 22) instituted in remembrance of this circumstance, and consequently could not (as intimated by some writers) relate to that of either of the former temples; which indeed were celebrated at different seasons of the year.

(1) The Samaritans differed in many points of their religion from the Jews, in consequence of which they obtained permission from Alexander the Great to build a Temple for the service of the God of Israel on Mount Gerizim; and pretended that it was the only place in which God was pleased to be worshipped; because from thence had been pronounced the blessings annexed to the observance of the Law of Moses. This temple was built by Manasseh 400 A. C.-Vide Prideaux's Connection.

The Samaritans espoused the cause of Antiochus Epiphanes, and carried their apostacy so far, as to petition him to cause this temple, which they pretended had never been dedicated to any particular Deity; to be from that time consecrated to the worship of Jupiter Hellenius. Antiq. 12, v. 5.

(*) Antiq. 13, xi. 1.

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his second brother Alexander Jannæus, whose reign of twenty-seven years was characterised by many acts of wanton barbarity; when, at length, falling a sacrifice to intemperance, he left the government to his wife Alexandra; a woman of great abilities, but whose declining age was harassed by the revolt of her youngest son Aristobulus, who took up arms to exclude his brother Hyrcanus from the succession. Unable finally to arrange the succession to the Crown, both parties, after their mother's death, applied to the Romans for their powerful support: it happened also at the same time that Pompey was returning from the East into Syria, when both these brothers applied to him, by their Delegates, for his protection and patronage. Pompey conceiving this to be a favourable opportunity for reducing Palestine, in common with the neighbouring nations, under the Roman power; ordered the brothers to appear in person before him, promising, upon an investigation of the circumstances, to determine with candour on the side of justice. On his arrival at Damascus the cause was brought to a hearing before him: Hyrcanus urged his claim by virtue of his birthright, and Aristobulus answered it by endeavouring to prove him unable, from deficiency in intellect as well as activity, to govern or direct the State. The Jews also pleaded their dissatisfaction to be governed by any but the High Priest of the God they worshipped; and avowed their dislike to the exercise of a Regal power. Pompey perceiving the unjust and violent designs of Aristobulus, postponed his decision till after his return from Arabia; in the mean time Aristobulus suspecting his intentions, availed himself of this opportunity to collect an army to establish himself in the government; Pompey, apprised of these measures, hastened the exe

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cution of his plans, and marching towards Jerusalem, laid Aristobulus in chains, who had now advanced against him, and leading his army to the walls, besieged, and in a short time was admitted within the City.' In this he was assisted by Hyrcanus and his adherents, while those of the opposite party retreated to the Temple, which from its fortifications and situation was cal culated to afford them the greatest security. After three months, however, it yielded to the besiegers, who would have found it difficult to have effected an entrance in double that space of time, had they not availed themselves of the superstitious rigour with which the Jews observed their Sabbaths, when no inducement whatever could prevail upon them to become assailants, and as such to oppose their operations: accordingly the enemy employed themselves undisturbed in raising their mounds and bringing up those machines which they were to use on the morrow, while the Priests, though in the midst of the horrours of a city taken by storm, did not suspend their ministry.*

(1) This took place A. C. 63.

(2) Antiq. 14, v. 4.

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"Eam (Palæstinam) regebant Hyrcanus et Aristobulus fratres: ac tum forte propter Pontificatum (regi enim nomen summi Pontificis apud eos est) sui Dei (quicunque is tandem est) dissidentes urbes seditionibus agitabant. Hyrcanum igitur Pompeius sine prælio (neque enim is copias quibus resisteret habebat) statim in potestatem suam redegit. Aristobulum autem in arce quadam circumcessum ad conditiones pacis accipiendas compulit, quumque is neque pecunias neque arcem traderet, in vincula conjecit: itaque etiam reliquos haud difficulter subegit. Hierosylymorum autem oppugnatio haud parvo ei labore stetit. Urbem quidem ipsam a fautoribus Hyrcani receptus, facile obtinuit: templum autem, quod alterius partis homines præoccupaverant, haud absque labore cepit. Situm erat loco edito. suis mænibus munitum: nec si ex equo omnibus diebus id defendissent expugnatum esset: verum, quod Saturni, quos vocant, diebus, propugnationem intermittentes (et

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As soon as the Romans had made themselves masters of the place, Pompey, attended by several of his Officers, went up to survey the sacred recesses of the Temple; an indignity considered by the Jews of so gross a nature, as brought upon him their bitter resentment,' Here were deposited money to a vast amount, and utensils of the richest and most costly description; but both were left by the Conqueror entire and untouched for the sacred purposes to which they were devoted.* Not," says Cicero, who was Consul at that time," that " he held in veneration the God adored in that Temple, for, in his opinion, no religion was more contemptible, more unworthy the greatness of the Romans, or more opposite to their Institutions, than that of the Jews;

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his quidem ab omni opere vacant) Romanis eo libero spatio occasionem muri subruendi dederunt. Quippe ubi hunc hostium morem animadverterunt, nihil serio egerunt reliquis diebus: quum vero circumacta septimana Saturni dies rediisset, denuo aggræssi summa vi templum oppugnarunt. Atque ita tandem Judæi, nihil quicquam propugnantes, in potestatem hostium venerunt." Dio Cassius, Lib. xxxvi. p. 36. Ed. Hanoviæ, A. D. 1606.

Mattathias after the siege of Antiochus represented to the Jews the necessity of no longer adhering to that rigid observance of the Sabbath, which prohibited their engaging in offensive warfare from a scrupulous fear of breaking it: (for it should be understood that though they held it unlawful to oppose the operations of their enemies, on this day in common with others, yet they considered it justifiable to fight if attacked themselves,) upon which they came to a resolution of making it obligatory upon the people to stand up in arms and to fight in defence of themselves, their city, and their religion upon that, as upon any other day. Vide Antiq. 12, vi. 2. Their Saturday is entirely devoted to religion, and on this day they rest from all labour and business.

Diem, quæ Saturni vocatur, religioni habent, eamque ab omni opere actioneque seria vacantes ducunt. Dio. Cass. xxvi.

(1) Romanorum primus Cn. Pompeius Judæos domuit templumque jure victoræ ingressus est. Tacit. Hist. v. 9.

(2) The walls of the city were levelled to the ground, but the temple was left entire.-Muri Hierosolymorum diruti, delubrum mansit.

Ibid. v. 9.

"Jews; but he was actuated to this disinterestedness "by his wish to put it beyond the reach of either "malice or calumny to attack his reputation." Having gratified the curiosity with which the report of the awful magnificence and beauty of the Temple had inspired him, he proceeded to demolish the walls of the City, and to restore Hyrcanus to the Office of High Priest; after which, carrying Aristobulus, with his two sons and daughters, as captives to grace his Triumph, he pursued his way to the Roman Capital. In this manner, and from this time it was, that the Kingdom of the Jews became tributary to the Romans.

Hyrcanus being now established in his sacred office, adopted Antipater as his friend and adviser in all matters relative to his government; to this he was led from motives of gratitude as well as of personal regard; for Antipater, educated in the courts of Alexander Jannæus and of Alexandra, had gained the good opinion of the High Priest, and acquired such an ascendancy over him as compelled him to resist the claims of Aris

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(1) Cn. Pompeius, captis Hierosolymis, victor ex illo fano nihil attigit. In primis hoc, ut multa alia sapienter, quod in tam suspiciosa ac maledica civitate locum sermoni obstrectatorem non reliquit. Non enim credo religionem et Judæorum et hostium impedimento præstantissimo imperatori, sed pudorem fuisse istorum religio sacrorum a splendore hujus imperii, gravitate nominis vestri, majorum institutis abhorrebat.

Cicero pro Flacco.

Cn. Pompeius Judæos subegit fanum eorum Hierosolymæ inviolatum ante id tempus cepit.

Compare this with Jos. Antiq. 14, iv. 3.

Livy Epit. lib. cii..

(2) Forthwith the treasures were seized, the kingdom given to Hyrcanus,

and Aristobulus carried away.

est.

Ibi tum pecuniis direptis, regnum Hyrcano datum, Aristobulus abductus

Dio. Cass. Lib. xxxvi.

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