diabolical resentment in a most dreadful persecution against the Jews, who were at length delivered by the immediate interference of Divine Providence*. B. C. On the decease of Philopator, his two competitors, Antiochus the Great and 204. Philip of Macedon, united their forces to dispossess the young Epiphanes of his whole kingdom. On this occasion, the Jews departed from their wonted loyalty, and submitted to Antiochus, who made a quick progress into Judea, and rewarded the voluntary services of the inhabitants with many extraordinary favours. Three years after this event, the high-priest Simon died; and was succeeded by Onias the hird, a man of great piety, clemency, and prulence. In the eighth year of this pontiff, the ews were deprived of a powerful friend, by the ssassination of Antiochus; but his son Seleucus ontinued to patronise them for some time, and arnished all the expences of their diurnal offergs out of his own treasury. Judea flourished i peace and plenty; the Mosaic laws were duly enerated; and the generality of the people enyed the incomparable blessings of content, till a unfortunate breach between Onias, and Simon: he governor of the temple, introduced a series. f vexations and calamities. The cause of this misunderstanding does not apear; but the contest, whatever it was, grew to chaheight, that Simon resolved to revenge himIf by the most unlawful means, and accordingly. astened to inform Apollonius, the governor of lo-Syria and Palestine, that the temple of * Vide vol. I, page 252. Jerusalem Jerusalem contained immense treasures, which might be seized at pleasure for the king's use. Seleucus was immediately apprised; and Heliodorus was commissioned to fetch the valuables from the high-priest. B. C. Heliodorus was received at Jerusalem 176. with every mark of respect; and received for answer to his inquiries, that there was indeed a considerable treasure in the temple, consisting of the sacred utensils, and certain sums of money which had been deposited there for the widows and orphans of the Jewish community; but when the messenger insisted upon removing this property in obedience to the royal command, Onias resolutely declared, he would never comi sent to its alienation from the right owners, to the disgrace of himself and of that holy place, which was reverenced by all the world. This remont strance proving ineffectual, and the ministers the temple having exerted themselves in vain oppose the execution of his design, the whole city was thrown into consternation, and the gate were ordered to be broken down for the entranc of the Syrians; but God, at this critical moment, vouchsafed to defend his habitation from defilej ment, and smote the presumptuous strangers with such a panic, that they fell down half dead. When Simon perceived the ill success of hi treacherous design, he' endeavoured to enflam the minds of the Jews against their pontiff, whom he impudently charged with having invited He liodorus to Jerusalem. This iniquitous assertion occasioned much party prejudice, and some effusion of blood; till, at length, Onias weat to Antioch, and laid his complaint before the king, who pronounced the sentence of banishment against his rival. Antiochus Antiochus Epiphanes was scarcely seated on the throne before Jason, the brother of Onias, went to court, and procured the high-priesthood, at the price of three hundred and fifty talents. Finding how acceptable this money was to the king, whose treasury was exhausted by the large tribute paid to Rome, he offered him another sum of one hundred and fifty talents for the iberty of erecting a gymnasium at Jerusalem, with an academy for instructing youth after the Grecian manner; and for the power of making uch Jews as he thought fit, free of the city of Antioch. These indulgences were readily grantd; and Jason, on his return, procured a poweril party in opposition to that of his rival Ônias. Having erected the academies according to his lesign, he was joined by a number of persons, tho, through a wanton inconstancy, became enahoured of the Grecian customs, and readily bined in the most indecent exercises. The freeom of Antioch was also considered as a valuable rivilege, and rapidly augmented the number of is partisans. Expecting to ingratiate himself more effectually with Antiochus, he sent, next year, a considerble sum to be expended in sacrifices to the Ty-ian Hercules; and, soon after, received the king Jerusalem with a magnificence proportionable n his ambition. His ill-acquired dignity was, owever, soon wrested from him by his brother Menelaus. This man having obtained the high- B. C. riesthood by the most servile flatteries, 172. and an addition of three hundred talents "the price paid by Jason, returned exultingly to rudea, and raised a considerable number of adherents. The opposite party resolutely oppose VOL. II. S 3 and compelled him to retire to Antioch; but, on his informing the king that he designed to abolish the Jewish religion, and conform entirely to that of his country, Antiochus furnished him with a body of troops, who soon compelled his enemies to quit Judea, and take sanctuary in the land of the Ammonites. But, while Menelaus was exerting himself to bring about a general apostacy from the true re ligion, he neglected the payment of the money promised Antiochus, notwithstanding the press ing importunities of Sostratus, receiver of the customs in Palestine. Being at length commanded to repair to Antioch, and finding that nothing but ready money could recover the royal favour, he caused the temple to be pillaged of the golden vessels, and sold them at Tyre, to supply his pre sent exigence and future extravagance. Onias who had been confined to the capital of Antioch ever since his deposition, received intelligence of this abominable sacrilege, and made such bitter complaints on the occasion, that Menelaus deem ed it advisable to provide for his own safety by the murder of the good old high-priest, who was accordingly, sacrificed to his resentment, near the asylum of Daphne, in the vicinage of Antioch. This inhuman cruelty, exercised on a person so venerable both for his age and piety, drew the public indignation on the assassin; and even the king was so deeply affected, that he could not for bear weeping at the relation of the murder. An dronicus was, therefore, doomed to expiate his crime by death; but Menelaus, his iniquitous * * Such was the power of corruption in the court of Antiochy that Andronicus, one of the prime nobles, consented to mur der a pious and venerable man, for a certain pecuniary reward riven by the traitor Menelaus. employer, employer, found means to avoid punishment, and to maintain his credit some time longer, by the large sums which Lysimachus, his brother, and vicegerent, transmitted from Jerusalem. The unparalleled violences that were used to raise money, excited a popular tumult, in which the guards of Lysimachus were put to flight, and himself massacred at the treasury of the temple: a deputation was then sent to Antiochus to justify the people's revenge, and to accuse Menelaus of the crimes that had occasioned so much trouble both in Antioch and Judea; but the accused party, having recourse to bribery, contrived to avert the impending storm, and to procure an order for the death of the deputies, whose powerful pleadings might have melted the hearts of barbarians. This infamous sentence was so displeasing to the Tyrians, that they honoured the bodies with a decent sepulture, though they durst not openly disapprove of the tyrannical proceedings of the court. Jason, being informed that Antiochus had been killed in Egypt, resolved to attempt the recovery of his dignity; and, accordingly, made his appearance before the walls of Jerusalem, at the bead of a thousand men. Having obtained admittance into the city, he revenged himself in the most sanguinary manner upon all whom he supposed to have been of the adverse party; but the news of the king's approach soon compelled him fly the country. Antiochus was indeed adSancing against the Jews, who had made some rejoicings at the report of his death; and on his arrival, he executed his cruel intentions so effecally, that within three days forty thouand persons were massacred, and as many 170. Bold for slaves. Not content with this S 2 B. C. dreadfu' |