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when he saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold, and silver plate, and his great attendance, he was astonished, and told him the king's message. Then answered Simon, and said unto him, 33 We have neither taken other men's land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others, but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had wrongfully in possession a certain time. Where- 34 fore we, having the opportunity, hold the inheritance of our fathers. But as for Joppe and Gazara 35 which thou demandest, although they did great harm unto the people in our country, yet will we give an hundred talents for them. Hereunto Athenobius answered him not a word. But re- 36 turned in a rage to the king, and made a report unto him of these speeches, and of the glory of Simon, and of all which he had seen: whereupon the king was exceeding wroth. In the mean time 37 fled Tryphon by ship unto Orthosias".

Then the king made Cendebæus captain of the 38 sea-coast, and gave him an host of footmen and horsemen, and commanded him to remove his 39 host toward Judæa: also he commanded him to build up Cedron, and to fortify the gates, and to war against the people: but as for the king himself, he pursued Tryphon. So Cendebæus came 40 to Jamnia, and began to annoy the people, and to

n A maritime town of Phoenicia seated on or near the river Eleutherus. It was of sufficient importance to coin money in the days of the emperor Adrian. Josephus adds, that Tryphon fled thence to his native place Apamea, where he was taken and slain,

having usurped the crown for three years.

o Grotius (from the Latin) corrects this to Gedor, or Gedora; which is a town in the south of the Holy Land, bordering on the territory of the Philistines and Idumæa.

invade Judæa, and to take the people prisoners, 41 and slay them. And when he had built up Cedron, he set horsemen there, and an host of footmen, to the end that issuing out they might make outroads upon the ways of Judæa, as the king had commanded him.

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CHAPTER XVI.

John defeats Cendebaus. Simon and his sons are slain treacherously by Ptolemy son of Abubus.

THEN came up John from Gazara, and told Simon his father, what Cendebæus had

B. C. 138.

2 done. Wherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said unto them; I and my brethren, and my father's house, have ever from our youth unto this day fought against the enemies of Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel 3 oftentimes. But now I am old, and ye, by God's mercy, are of a sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go out and fight for our na4 tion, and the help from Heaven be with you. So he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war with horsemen, who went out against Cen5 debæus, and rested that night at Modin. And when as they rose in the morning, and went into the plain, behold, a mighty great host both of footmen and horsemen came against them: how beit 6 there was a water-brook betwixt them. So he and his people pitched over against them: and when he saw that the people were afraid to go over the water-brook, he went over first himself, and then the men seeing him, passed through after 7 him. That done, he divided his men, and set the

horsemen in the midst of the footmen: for the enemy's horsemen were very many. Then sounded 8 they with the holy trumpets: whereupon Cendebæus and his host were put to flight, so that many of them were slain, and the remnant fled to the strong hold. At that time was Judas, John's 9 brother, wounded: but John still followed after them, until he came to Cedrona, which Cendebæus had built up. (And they fled even unto the 10 towers in the fields of Azotus ;) wherefore he burnt it with fire: so that there were slain of them about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into the land of Judah in peace.

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Moreover, Ptolemæus the son of Abubus was 11 B. C. made captain over the plain of Jericho, 135. and he had abundance of silver and gold. For he was the high priest's son-in-law. Where- 12 fore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the country to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against Simon and his sons to destroy them. Now Simon was visiting the cities which 14 were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them: at which time he came down himself to Jericho, with his sons Mattathias and Judas, in the hundred threescore and seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month Sabat: where the son of Abubus receiving them deceit- 15 fully into a little hold, called Docus", which he had built, made them a great banquet: howbeit he had hidden men there. So when Simon and 16

39.

a See the note at ch. xv.

b This is said to have been a strong tower situate near "Jericho, the ruins whereof

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may be seen to this day." It was also called Dagon; and is mentioned again at 5 Macc. ch. xx.

his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon into the banqueting-place, and slew him, 17 and his two sons, and certain of his servants.

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In

which doing he committed a great treachery, and recompensed evil for good.

Then Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him the country and 19 cities. He sent others also to Gazara to take John and unto the captains of thousands he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give them 20 silver and gold, and rewards. And others he sent

to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple. 21 Now one had run afore to Gazara, and told John that his father and brethren were slain; and (said 22 he) Ptolemy hath sent to slay thee also. Hereof

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when he heard, he was sore astonished so he laid hands on them which were come to destroy him, and slew them; for he knew that they sought to make him away.

As concerning the rest of the accounts of John, and his wars and worthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he made, and his 24 doings; behold, these are written in the chronicles of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.

c Archbishop Ussher remarks, that from allusions in one or two historians there is reason to think that this treacherous act of Ptolemy was not without the privity of

Antiochus.

d From which, in all probability, Josephus drew the whole of that information which he has given us concerning these things. See also Macc. book V. ch. xx.-xxvi.

END OF BOOK II.

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