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16:1 Et ascendit Joannes de Gazaris, et nuntiavit Simoni patri suo quae fecit Cendebaeus in populo ipsorum.
* Footnotes
*H Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon, his father, what Cendebeus had done against their people.
Ver. 1. John. He was afterwards surnamed Hircanus, and succeeded his father in both his dignities of high priest and prince. He conquered the Edomites, and obliged them to a conformity with the Jews in religion; and destroyed the schismatical temple of the Samaritans. Ch. — He was the eldest son and successor of Simon. W. — Gazara, the same with Gaza, (M.) or Gadara, where John resided. He came to announce the ravages of the enemy.
Καὶ ἀνέβη Ἰωάννης ἐκ Γαζάρων, καὶ ἀπήγγειλε Σιμωνι τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ ἃ συνετέλει Κενδεβαῖος.
16:2 Et vocavit Simon duos filios seniores, Judam et Joannem, et ait illis : Ego, et fratres mei, et domus patris mei expugnavimus hostes Israel ab adolescentia usque in hunc diem : et prosperatum est in manibus nostris liberare Israel aliquoties.
And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands, that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
Καὶ ἐκάλεσε Σίμων τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους Ἰούδαν καὶ Ἰωάννην, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἐγὼ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός μου, ἐπολεμήσαμεν τοὺς πολεμίους Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ νεότητος ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, καὶ εὐωδώθη ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἡμῶν ῥύσασθαι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ πλεονάκις.
16:3 Nunc autem senui : sed estote loco meo, et fratres mei, et egressi pugnate pro gente nostra : auxilium vero de caelo vobiscum sit.
*H And now I am old, but be you instead of me, and my brethren, and go out, and fight for our nation: and the help from heaven be with you.
Ver. 3. Be you. Gr. and Syr. "you, by mercy of God, are of a proper age. Be you instead of me and my brother; (Jonathas, with whom Simon had governed. C.) and going out, fight valiantly for," &c. H.
Νῦν δὲ γεγήρακα, καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐλέει ἱκανοί ἐστε ἐν τοῖς ἔτεσι· γίνεσθε ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου, καὶ ἐξελθόντες ὑπερμαχεῖτε ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους ἡμῶν, ἡ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ βοήθεια ἔστω μεθʼ ὑμῶν.
16:4 Et elegit de regione viginti millia virorum belligeratorum, et equites : et profecti sunt ad Cendebaeum, et dormierunt in Modin.
*H Then he chose out of the country twenty thousand fighting men, and horsemen, and they went forth against Cendebeus: and they rested in Modin.
Ver. 4. Horsemen. This is the first time we find them in the army. Judas had only infantry, as more conformable to the law; (Deut. xvii. Tournem.) or he had not been able to procure any. H.
Καὶ ἐπέλεξεν ἐκ τῆς χώρας εἴκοσι χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν, καὶ ἱππεῖς, καὶ ἐπορεύθωσαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κενδεβαῖον, καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν ἐν Μωδεΐν.
16:5 Et surrexerunt mane, et abierunt in campum : et ecce exercitus copiosus in obviam illis peditum et equitum : et fluvius torrens erat inter medium ipsorum.
And they arose in the morning, and went into the plain: and behold a very great army of footmen and horsemen came against them, and there was a running river between them.
Καὶ ἀναστάντες τοπρωῒ ἐπορεύοντο εἰς τὸ πεδίον, καὶ ἰδοὺ δύναμις πολλὴ εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς πεζικὴ, καὶ ἱππεῖς, καὶ ἦν χειμάῤῥους ἀναμέσον αὐτῶν.
16:6 Et admovit castra contra faciem eorum ipse et populus ejus, et vidit populum trepidantem ad transfretandum torrentem : et transfretavit primus, et viderunt eum viri, et transierunt post eum.
*H And he and his people pitched their camp over against them, and he saw that the people were afraid to go over the river, so he went over first: then the men seeing him, passed over after him.
Ver. 6. He, John. Ch. — A leader must be ever ready to set his men a pattern, which they will be ashamed not to follow. H.
Καὶ παρενέβαλε κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶδε τὸν λαὸν δειλούμενον διαπερᾶσαι τὸν χειμάῤῥουν, καὶ διεπέρασε πρῶτος, καὶ ἴδον αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες, καὶ διεπέρασαν κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ·
16:7 Et divisit populum et equites in medio peditum : erat autem equitatus adversariorum copiosus nimis.
And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the horsemen of the enemies were very numerous.
Καὶ διεῖλε τὸν λαὸν, καὶ τοὺς ἱππεῖς ἐν μέσῳ τῶν πέζῶν· ἡ δὲ ἵππος τῶν ὑπεναντίων πολλὴ σφόδρα.
16:8 Et exclamaverunt sacris tubis, et in fugam conversus est Cendebaeus et castra ejus : et ceciderunt ex eis multi vulnerati : residui autem in munitionem fugerunt.
*H And they sounded the holy trumpets: and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight: and there fell many of them wounded, and the rest fled into the strong hold.
Ver. 8. Holy. Rom. edit. expresses this word, (C.) which Grabe supplies. H. — The priests sounded, (C.) and God fulfilled his promise of victory. Num. x. 9. M. — Hold: Gedor. C.
Καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς ἱεραῖς σάλπιγξι, καὶ ἐτροπώθη Κενδεβαῖος καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ αὐτῶν τραυματίαι πολλοί· οἱ δὲ καταλειφθέντες ἔφυγον εἰς τὸ ὀχύρωμα.
16:9 Tunc vulneratus est Judas frater Joannis : Joannes autem insecutus est eos, donec venit Cedronem, quam aedificavit :
*H At that time, Judas, John's brother, was wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came to Cedron, which he had built:
Ver. 9. Cedron, otherwise called Gedor, the city that Cendebeus was fortifying. Ch. — The same mistake, (C.) if it be one, (H.) is made in Greek, C. xv. 39.
Τότε ἐτραυματίσθη Ἰούδας ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ἰωάννου· Ἰωάννης δὲ κατεδίωξεν αὐτοὺς ἕως ἦλθεν εἰς Κεδρών, ἣν ᾠκοδόμησεν
16:10 et fugerunt usque ad turres, quae erant in agris Azoti, et succendit eas igni. Et ceciderunt ex illis duo millia virorum, et reversus est in Judaeam in pace.
*H And they fled even to the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and he burnt them with fire. And there fell of them two thousand men, and he returned into Judea in peace.
Ver. 10. Towers of wood, (C.) erected for sentinels. Grot.
Καὶ ἔφυγον ἕως εἰς τοὺς πύργους τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς Ἀζώτου, καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς ἄνδρας δισχιλίους· καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς γῆν Ἰούδα μετʼ εἰρήνης.
16:11 Et Ptolemaeus filius Abobi constitutus erat dux in campo Jericho, et habebat argentum et aurum multum :
Now Ptolemee, the son of Abobus, was appointed captain in the plain of Jericho, and he had abundance of silver and gold.
Καὶ Πτολεμαῖος ὁ τοῦ Ἀβούβου ἦν καθεσταμένος στρατηγὸς εἰς τὸ πεδίον Ἱεριχὼ, καὶ ἔσχεν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον πολύ·
16:12 erat enim gener summi sacerdotis.
For he was son in law of the high priest.
ἦν γὰρ γαμβρὸς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως.
16:13 Et exaltatum est cor ejus, et volebat obtinere regionem, et cogitabat dolum adversus Simonem et filios ejus, ut tolleret eos.
And his heart was lifted up, and he designed to make himself master of the country, and he purposed treachery against Simon and his sons, to destroy them.
Καὶ ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἠβουλήθη κατακρατῆσαι τῆς χώρας, καὶ ἐβουλεύετο δόλῳ κατὰ Σίμωνος, καὶ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, ἆραι αὐτούς.
16:14 Simon autem, perambulans civitates quae erant in regione Judaeae, et sollicitudinem gerens earum, descendit in Jericho ipse, et Mathathias filius ejus, et Judas, anno centesimo septuagesimo septimo, mense undecimo : hic est mensis Sabath.
* Footnotes
*H Now Simon, as he was going through the cities that were in the country of Judea, and taking care for the good ordering of them, went down to Jericho, he and Mathathias and Judas, his sons, in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, the eleventh month: the same is the month Sabath.
Ver. 14. Sabath, now called Sebeth, corresponding to January and February. C.
Σίμων δὲ ἦν ἐφοδεύων τὰς πόλεις τὰς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ, καὶ φροντίζων τῆς ἐπιμελείας αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέβη εἰς Ἱεριχὼ αὐτὸς, καὶ Ματταθίας καὶ Ἰούδας οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐτους ἑβδόμου καὶ ἑβδομηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ, ἐν μηνὶ ἑνδεκάτῳ, οὗτος ὁ μὴν Σαβάτ.
16:15 Et suscepit eos filius Abobi in munitiunculam, quae vocatur Doch, cum dolo, quam aedificavit : et fecit eis convivium magnum, et abscondit illic viros.
*H And the son of Abobus received them deceitfully into a little fortress, that is called Doch, which he had built: and he made them a great feast, and hid men there.
Ver. 15. Doch or duk, (H.) in Syr. means "a watch tower." Grot. — Josephus styles it Dagon. It was not far from Jericho, over which Ptolemee governed. He wished to rule over all the country, by calling in the Syrians. C.
Καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτοὺς ὁ τοῦ Ἀβούβου εἰς τὸ ὀχυρωμάτιον τὸ καλούμενον Δὼκ, μετὰ δόλου, ὃ ᾠκοδόμησε, καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς πότον μέγαν, καὶ ἐνέκρυψεν ἐκεῖ ἄνδρας.
16:16 Et cum inebriatus esset Simon et filii ejus, surrexit Ptolemaeus cum suis, et sumpserunt arma sua, et intraverunt in convivium : et occiderunt eum, et duos filios ejus, et quosdam pueros ejus :
*H And when Simon and his sons had drunk plentifully, Ptolemee and his men rose up, and took their weapons, and entered into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and some of his servants.
Ver. 16. Plentifully. Lit. "were inebriated." But this expression often denotes no more than taking a moderate sufficiency, (H.) or making good cheer, (Gen. xliii. 34. John ii. 10. Lyr. T. C.) without any excess. Ps. lxiv. 10. S. Aug. q. 144. Gen. — The first and last years of Simon were disturbed; the rest were spent in peace. He began A. 170. C. xiii. 41. W. — Nothing can be added to the praise bestowed upon this great man. C. xiv. 4. &c. Josephus (C.) and the author of 4 Mac. i. (or xx. Arab. H.) give a fabulous account of the siege of Doch. Ant. xiii. 14. and Bel. i. 2. See Salien, A. 3919. and Usher, 3869.
Καὶ ὅτε ἐμεθύσθη Σίμων καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐξανέστη Πτολεμαῖος καὶ οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάβοσαν τὰ ὅπλα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπεισήλθοσαν τῷ Σίμωνι εἰς τὸ συμπόσιον, καὶ ἀπέκτειναν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, καί τινας τῶν παιδαρίων αὐτοῦ.
16:17 et fecit deceptionem magnam in Israel, et reddidit mala pro bonis.
*H And he committed a great treachery in Israel, and rendered evil for good.
Ver. 17. Treachery. Syr. "crime." Gr. also, "revolt." It seems that king Antiochus participated in this murder, and had promised the government of the country for a reward.
Καὶ ἐποίησεν ἀθεσίαν μεγάλην, καὶ ἀπέδωκε κατὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν·
16:18 Et scripsit haec Ptolemaeus, et misit regi ut mitteret ei exercitum in auxilium, et traderet ei regionem, et civitates eorum, et tributa.
And Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king that he should send him an army to aid him, and he would deliver him the country, and their cities, and tributes.
Καὶ ἔγραψε ταῦτα Πτολεμαῖος, καὶ ἀπέστειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ ὅπως ἀποστείλῃ αὐτῷ δυνάμεις εἰς βοήθειαν, καὶ παραδῷ αὐτῷ τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς πόλεις.
16:19 Et misit alios in Gazaram tollere Joannem : et tribunis misit epistolas, ut venirent ad se, et daret eis argentum, et aurum, et dona.
* Footnotes
And he sent others to Gazara to kill John: and to the tribunes he sent letters to come to him, and that he would give them silver, and gold, and gifts.
Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἑτέρους εἰς Γάζαρα ἆραι τὸν Ἰωάννην, καὶ τοῖς χιλιάρχοις ἀπέστειλεν ἐπιστολὰς παραγενέσθαι πρὸς αὐτόν, ὅπως δῷ αὐτοῖς ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον καὶ δόματα.
16:20 Et alios misit occupare Jerusalem et montem templi.
And he sent others to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
Καὶ ἑτέρους ἀπέστειλε καταλαβέσθαι τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦ ἱεροῦ.
16:21 Et praecurrens quidam, nuntiavit Joanni in Gazara quia periit pater ejus et fratres ejus, et quia misit te quoque interfici.
Now one running before, told John in Gazara, that his father and his brethren were slain, and that he hath sent men to kill thee also.
Καὶ προδραμών τις ἀπήγγειλεν Ἰωάννῃ εἰς Γάζαρα, ὅτι ἀπώλετο ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅτι ἀπέσταλκε καὶ σὲ ἀποκτεῖναι.
16:22 Ut audivit autem, vehementer expavit : et comprehendit viros, qui venerant perdere eum, et occidit eos : cognovit enim quia quaerebant eum perdere.
But when he heard it, he was exceedingly afraid: and he apprehended the men that came to kill him, and he put them to death: for he knew that they sought to make him away.
Καὶ ἀκούσας ἐξέστη σφόδρα· καὶ συνέλαβε τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐλθόντας ἀπολέσαι αὐτόν, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς, ἐπέγνω γὰρ ὅτι ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν ἀπολέσαι.
16:23 Et cetera sermonum Joannis, et bellorum ejus, et bonarum virtutum, quibus fortiter gessit, et aedificii murorum, quos exstruxit, et rerum gestarum ejus :
And as concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and the worthy deeds, which he bravely achieved, and the building of the walls, which he made, and the things that he did:
Καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν λόγων Ἰωάννου, καὶ τῶν πολέμων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἀνδραγαθιῶν αὐτοῦ ὧν ἠνδραγάθησε, καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τῶν τειχέων ὧν ᾠκοδόμησε, καὶ τῶν πράξεων αὐτοῦ,
16:24 ecce haec scripta sunt in libro dierum sacerdotii ejus, ex quo factus est princeps sacerdotum post patrem suum.
*H Behold, these are written in the book of the days of his priesthood, from the time that he was made high priest after his father.
Ver. 24. Father. Such annals were kept; and from these Josephus has collected his account of the latter times. C. — Some think that the Fourth B. of Mac. contains an extract of the work here mentioned. Six. Bib. i. Read 2 B. i. 1. W. — What is preserved in the seven middle chapters in the Arabic version is given by Calmet who omits the 19 first and 32 last chapters. The whole has been published by Desprez. It differs in many points from Josephus, in the history of Hircan. A. 3869, Sidetes besieges the new governor in Jerusalem, and after granting him a truce, during the octave of tabernacles, makes peace on very hard terms. Hircan takes money from the tomb of David, or rather from the secret treasures of the kings of Juda, and attends the king in his expedition into Persia, where Sidetes is slain, and the Macedonian yoke is entirely thrown off. A. 3874. The pontiff obliges the Idumeans to receive circumcision the following year. In 3877, he renews the alliance with the Romans. 4 B. iii. Soon after, the Jews write to their brethren in Alexandria. 2 B. i. 10. In 3894, Hircan undertakes the siege of Samaria, which his two sons continue. They defeat Antiochus of Cizicum, while Hircan puts Lathyrus to flight, and Samaria is razed to the ground. After a reign of twenty-nine years, Hircan dies. A. 3898. Eus. Dem. viii. 2. C. — Aristobulus, Alex. and Hircan, his children, succeed in order. Alexander Janneus, the son of the last, reigns prosperously, and his widow is afterwards regent for nine years. Her eldest son, Hircan, being opposed by Aristobulus, the interference of Pompey is desired. He takes the latter prisoner to Rome, A. 3955, when Augustus came into the world. — Cæsar being made dictator, liberated Aristobulus, who was now pontiff; but Pompey caused him, and Alex. his son, to be slain. Antipater, who had adhered to Hircan, procures Phasael and Herod, his sons, to be made governors of Judea and Galilee. The latter married Mariamne, daughter of Hircan, and the last of the Asmonean family, whom he afterwards put to death. He wrests the kingdom from Aristobolus; and having offended the people by some heathenish structures in compliment to Aug. endeavours to please them by rebuilding the temple, A. 3982. Not long after, Christ appeared; and thus we are brought to the more happy days of the gospel. H.
ἰδοὺ ταῦτα γέγραπται ἐπὶ βιβλίῳ ἡμερῶν ἀρχιερωσύνης αὐτοῦ, ἀφʼ οὗ ἐγενήθη ἀρχιερεὺς μετὰ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ.