They were not becoming rich, nor were they adopting the ways of the sophisticated, cosmopolitan Jerusalemites. This socio-economic divide would play a decisive role in the following events. Wanting to outdo his father and capture Egypt, and unite the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms into one superpower, Antiochus needed money. Why not? But this created a dangerous precedent.
Three years later, another rich priest, Menelaus, offered even more money and was appointed high priest by Antiochus. Jason went into exile. Menelaus however was not from the line of high priests and his appointment upset the conservative Judeans. Worse, he took treasures from the Temple to pay Antiochus, which was sacrilege — and on top of all that, he was a radical Hellenizer. His appointment was not popular, and had to be enforced by force. Meanwhile in Antioch, Antiochus decided it was time to make history.
He led his army to Egypt to achieve what his father had not. Upon rumors of his death in battle there, civil war erupted among the Jews in Jerusalem as Jason reappeared from exile, and led a popular revolt against Menelaus. But Antiochus was not dead. He had been humiliated by the Romans and forced out of Egypt. Yet while retreating, he heard of the struggle in Jerusalem - and reinstated Menelaus.
Once back in power, Menelaus led a reign of terror and set out to Hellenize the Jews. A statue of Zeus was placed in the Holy of Holies, among other violations of Jewish law. Many pious Jews resisted Menelaus' measures, some by martyrdom, others by escaping into the wilderness, and still others by active revolt. Most prominent of these rebels was the group led by Mattathias of Modiin and his five sons — of whom Judas Maccabeus proved to be the most able and drew the rest of the Jewish rebels into his camp.
Judas and his band of rebels staged guerrilla warfare against Hellenized Jews; Menelaus in response summoned the Greek armies from neighboring Seleucid provinces.
The first army to arrive, from Samaria in the north, was led by Apollonius. Judas was tipped off, and crushed the small army on the road to Jerusalem. Next came a larger force, led by Seron, from Palestine in the west.
Once again Judas ambushed them, and enemy soldiers were killed. Alarmed, the Seleucids dispatched a real army, from Antioch, led by two generals, Nicanor and Gorgias. But once again, Judas proved his military prowess: he routed the army and seized its weapons.
Even after this defeat, the Seleucid army remained bigger and badder than the small rebel force. There was real danger that it would press on and crush the rebellion. But at this point, the rebels caught a lucky break. Antiochus had to concentrate his forces on the Parthians. With the Seleucid army thus preoccupied, the rebels captured Jerusalem in BCE, though the Akra Fortress overlooking the Temple Mount remained loyal to Antioch within it, Assyrian soldiers and Hellenized Jews would remain steadfast.
Liberation of Galilean Jews. But they fled to the stronghold of Dathema, 10and sent to Judas and his brothers a letter that said, "The Gentiles around us have gathered together to destroy us. Judas and Jonathan in Gilead. As many as eight thousand of them fell that day. All the Gentiles were defeated before him, and they threw away their arms and fled into the sacred precincts at Carnaim. Thus Carnaim was conquered; they could stand before Judas no longer.
The Return to Jerusalem. This was a large and very strong town on the road, and they could not go around it to the right or to the left; they had to go through it. No one will do you harm; we will simply pass by on foot. Then he passed through the town over the bodies of the dead.
Joseph and Azariah Defeated. Success at Hebron and Philistia. He struck Hebron and its villages and tore down its strongholds and burned its towers on all sides. See verse 9 h Gk and they were attacking them i Other ancient authorities read Alema j Or scribes k Gk his l Other ancient authorities read Samaria. The Last Days of Antiochus Epiphanes.
So he fled and in great disappointment left there to return to Babylon. He took to his bed and became sick from disappointment, because things had not turned out for him as he had planned. And into what a great flood I now am plunged! For I was kind and beloved in my power. I seized all its vessels of silver and gold, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without good reason. Lysias e had brought him up from boyhood; he named him Eupator.
Renewed Attacks from Syria. They were trying in every way to harm them and strengthen the Gentiles. He assembled all his Friends, the commanders of his forces and those in authority. The Battle at Beth-zechariah. It was taller than all the others, and he supposed that the king was on it. The Siege of the Temple. He set up siege towers, engines of war to throw fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults. Syria Offers Terms. On these conditions the Jews q evacuated the stronghold.
He found Philip in control of the city, but he fought against him, and took the city by force. Expedition of Bacchides and Alcimus. And he sent and seized many of the men who had deserted to him, d and some of the people, and killed them and threw them into a great pit.
They gained control of the land of Judah and did great damage in Israel. Nicanor in Judea. Nicanor Threatens the Temple. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king. The Death of Nicanor. Then Judas prayed and said, 41"When the messengers from the king spoke blasphemy, your angel went out and struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians.
The army of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. A Eulogy of the Romans. He had been told of their wars and of the brave deeds that they were doing among the Gauls, how they had defeated them and forced them to pay tribute, 3and what they had done in the land of Spain to get control of the silver and gold mines there, 4and how they had gained control of the whole region by their planning and patience, even though the place was far distant from them.
They also subdued the kings who came against them from the ends of the earth, until they crushed them and inflicted great disaster on them; the rest paid them tribute every year. He was crushed by them; 7they took him alive and decreed that he and those who would reign after him should pay a heavy tribute and give hostages and surrender some of their best provinces, 8the countries of India, Media, and Lydia.
These they took from him and gave to King Eumenes. Many of them were wounded and fell, and the Romans c took captive their wives and children; they plundered them, conquered the land, tore down their strongholds, and enslaved them to this day.
They have subdued kings far and near, and as many as have heard of their fame have feared them. An Alliance with Rome. Bacchides Returns to Judea. We may have the strength to fight them. Let us rather save our own lives now, and let us come back with our kindred and fight them; we are too few. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kindred, and leave no cause to question our honor. The Last Battle of Judas. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors.
Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets; and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. All Israel made great lamentation for him; they mourned many days and said,. Jonathan Succeeds Judas. The Campaigns of Jonathan. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled to the mountain; and the Jews d took all their goods.
Bacchides Builds Fortifications. He tore down the work of the prophets! The End of the War. Jonathan and his men are living in quiet and confidence. So now let us bring Bacchides back, and he will capture them all in one night. They pressed him very hard, for his plan and his expedition had been in vain. Then he decided to go back to his own land.
Jonathan settled in Michmash and began to judge the people; and he destroyed the godless out of Israel. Revolt of Alexander Epiphanes. They welcomed him, and there he began to reign. Come now, we will make him our friend and ally. Jonathan Becomes High Priest. Alexander has gotten ahead of us in forming a friendship with the Jews to strengthen himself. A Letter from Demetrius to Jonathan. I will not collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts added to it from Samaria and Galilee, from this day and for all time.
Let their officers and leaders be of their own number, and let them live by their own laws, just as the king has commanded in the land of Judah. Death of Demetrius. Treaty of Ptolemy and Alexander. Apollonius Is Defeated by Jonathan. Then he sent the following message to the high priest Jonathan:. Why do you assume authority against us in the hill country? People will tell you that you cannot stand before us, for your ancestors were twice put to flight in their own land.
He chose ten thousand men and set out from Jerusalem, and his brother Simon met him to help him. At the same time he advanced into the plain, for he had a large troop of cavalry and put confidence in it.
They fled to Azotus and entered Beth-dagon, the temple of their idol, for safety. He also gave him Ekron and all its environs as his possession. Ptolemy Invades Syria. He was estranged from Alexander, and their enmity became manifest. Thus he put two crowns on his head, the crown of Egypt and that of Asia. Ptolemy marched out and met him with a strong force, and put him to flight. Jonathan's Diplomacy. He chose some of the elders of Israel and some of the priests, and put himself in danger, 24for he went to the king at Ptolemais, taking silver and gold and clothing and numerous other gifts.
And he won his favor. To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem we have granted release from h the royal taxes that the king formerly received from them each year, from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees. The Intrigue of Trypho. So all the troops who had served under his predecessors hated him. So he went to Imalkue the Arab, who was bringing up Antiochus, the young son of Alexander, 40and insistently urged him to hand Antiochus i over to him, to become king in place of his father.
He also reported to Imalkue j what Demetrius had done and told of the hatred that the troops of Demetrius k had for him; and he stayed there many days. Then the people of the city seized the main streets of the city and began to fight. So the Jews gained glory in the sight of the king and of all the people in his kingdom, and they returned to Jerusalem with a large amount of spoil.
Trypho Seizes Power. Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon. When he came to Askalon, the people of the city met him and paid him honor. So he besieged it and burned its suburbs with fire and plundered them. And he passed through the country as far as Damascus.
He removed them from there, took possession of the town, and set a garrison over it. Early in the morning they marched to the plain of Hazor, 68and there in the plain the army of the foreigners met him; they had set an ambush against him in the mountains, but they themselves met him face to face. And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem. Alliances with Rome and Sparta. We therefore command that our envoys d report to you accordingly. Further Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon. He turned aside to Joppa and took it by surprise, 34for he had heard that they were ready to hand over the stronghold to those whom Demetrius had sent.
And he stationed a garrison there to guard it. Trypho Captures Jonathan. I will hand it over to you as well as the other strongholds and the remaining troops and all the officials, and will turn around and go home. For that is why I am here. Now therefore let us make war on them and blot out the memory of them from humankind.
Simon Takes Command. So he went up to Jerusalem, and gathering the people together 3he encouraged them, saying to them, "You yourselves know what great things my brothers and I and the house of my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary; you know also the wars and the difficulties that my brothers and I have seen. Deceit and Treachery of Trypho. But Simon and his army kept marching along opposite him to every place he went. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead.
Jonathan's Tomb. Judea Gains Independence. The Capture of Gazara by Simon. He made a siege engine, brought it up to the city, and battered and captured one tower. But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols were located, and then entered it with hymns and praise. He also strengthened its fortifications and built in it a house for himself.
Simon Regains the Citadel at Jerusalem. So they were very hungry, and many of them perished from famine. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the citadel from its pollutions.
He strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill alongside the citadel, and he and his men lived there. Capture of Demetrius.
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