2SM-A-ºn ... ANNALs THE JE wish NAT I on IDURING: THE PERIO D . * - - OF T H E S E CON D T E M P L E, * * * * * - - - - * * * * * --- - - > ** ** * * > - 2” - - - * - … • w - > * - f - - - > º - * * * * * * . * * * - - - a * - - - # - - - - - * . ; * j * ** *: * * * ' ', - ". - . º . * * * * * , . \ , A. , , , , , , ... * * * * * * * - * * * * NEw-York: J O N A T H A N L E A V ITT, BOSTON : c Ro C K E R & B R E W S T ER, THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRAR frnoy AND NDAriass 4. Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1833, by WILLAM D'HART, in the Clerk's office of the District of New-Jersey. r * * * - * º - - - * - r * * * * x - - - - • *-* * - - - - - - * * * * * * * - - * ~ * * - - - - - º • * - - - º * . ---------------------------— . ):HART & Cossotix, PRINTERs, Princeton, JW. J. 333 . 4' àes . Ovvº. * . P R E FA Cº. THERE never has existed, upon earth, a nation 3, whose history is so deserving of our attention, as 3 that of the Jews. From their origin, until this Cºy day, an extraordinary Providence has been exer - cised towards them. For more than two thousand ºr years, they continued to be the peculiar and cho sen people of God; and although they were often rebellious, and sometimes severely chastised, yet, during this long period, they were never entirely cast off. But after their enormous impiety, in the rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah, they, as a nation, were utterly rejected of God; exiled from the promised land; dispersed among all the nations of the earth, and abandoned to every species of persecution and cruel oppression. This has been s their miserable condition for nearly eighteen cen turies. But still, an extraordinary Providence attends them; not only in the awful dispensations of Divine displeasure in the fulfilment of the pro phecies, but also in their preservation as a distinct people, in the midst of so many hot fires of per secution, and during so long a period of cruel oppression, such as no other people ever endured. Their remaining unamalgamated with the various nations of the earth among whom they have had their residence, is itself a prodigy, and has been iv. PREFACE, denominated, “a standing miracle,” in confirma tion of the truth of God. Certainly eit is not too much to assert, that it is a most remarkable verification of the diviné predictić's delivered by Moses, almost four thousand years ago; and as a dispensation of Providence, it is unique, and can only be accounted for, by referring it to the Divine Will. Every impartial observer must admit, that there is something truly wonderful in the history of this people; and it is not easy to see how any candid mind can evade the conviction, that the history of the Jews alone, is sufficient to establish the divine origin of the Bible. The history of this people, until after their return from the Babylonish captivity, is contained in the sacred books of the Old Testament. These are accessible to all, and it is hoped will become more and more an object of general attention. During this whole period, no other writers arose whose works have reached our times. On them alone, therefore, should we depend for information respecting the early history of the Hebrew nation; and it may better be read there, than in any nar rative of human composition. But from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, until the commencement of the Evangelical history, a period of nearly five centuries, ho inspired writer has recorded the revolutions, and extraordinary events, which occurred, in the Jewish nation; and yet, the history of this period contains the fulfilment of many important prophecies recorded in the Old Testament; and the origin of that political, moral, and ecclesiastical, state of things, which we find in * . ...º.º. t ºf . º . ºr PREFACE. W. existence, at the time of the advent of Christ. Without the knowledge of the events which occur red in this period, the intelligent reader must be utterly at a loss to account for what he reads in the New Testament. Here, he finds a king in Judea, while the nation is in fact subject to the Romans. Various sects and religious institutions are familiarly spoken of, concerning which we read nothing in the Old Testmanent. It is ex ceedingly important to have this chasm filled up; and this has been attempted by several; but has been accomplished by none so satisfactorily, as by the learned Doctor Prideaux, whose Con NExion, is a work of great research and inestimable value to the Biblical student; but is at once, too learned and too voluminous, for the common reader; and, indeed, the style is so involved and obscure, and so little regard is paid to lucid order in the arrange ment, that the work is far less read, even by the learned, than it deserves to be. The object of the compiler, of the little volume which is now pre sented to the public, has been, to furnish what he believed to be a desideratum, to aid the Biblical studies of young persons, and common readers. And, after examining other authors, on this period of Jewish history, he was of opinion, that all that was needful could be extracted from the above mentioned work of Dr. Prideaux, as far as his history extends. But as this learned writer brings down his account of the Jews no lower than the Advent, it was necessary to derive the narrative of the remaining interesting period, from other sources; especially from the history of Josephus and the Collections of Lardner, have been the vi. PR.EFACE. principal. And this is the reason why this work has not been entitled, an abridgment of Dr. Pri deaux’s Connexion; and, also, because, in some instances, the opinions and statements of others have been preferred; but it is desired that it may be understood, that the materials for by far the largest part of this volume, have been derived from this learned author. A. A. Princeton, N. J. C O N T E N T S. CHAPTER I. History of the Jews, from the edict of Cyrus permitting their return to their own land, to the finishing of the second Temple. CHAPTER II. The history of the Jews, from the completion of the building of the Temple, to the mission of Nehemiah. 23 CHAPTER III. The history of the Jews, from the arrival of Nehemiah, to the invasion of Asia by Alexander the Great. 39. CHAPTER IV. The history of the Jews during the reign of Alexander the Great—The invasion of Asia by Alexander—The conquest of the Persian Empire–Siege and capture of Tyre—Alexander's visit to Jerusalem, to punish the Jews—ls met by Jaddua and the other priests in their pontificial robes—His strange behavior, said to have been occasioned by a dream, which he had in Greece— His kind treatment of the Jews–Conduct towards the Samaritans—Death of Darius—Invasion of India— Voyage of Nearchus—Capricious and violent charac ter of Alexander—His death. 61 CHAPTER W. The history of the Jews, during the time of the imme diate successors of Alexander the Great, to the death of Onias the high priest. CHAPTER VI. The history of the Jews, from the accession of Simon the Just—Megasthenes, historian of India—The building viii. CONTENTS. of Seleucia—Destruction and desolation of Babylon, as predicted by Isaiah and Jeremiah—The death of Simon. CHAPTER VII. Retrospect of the succession of kings and high priests who had authority over Judea, until the death of Simon the Just—Simon succeeded by Eleazar in the priesthood—By Antigonus as president of the Sanhe drim—Mishnical doctors—Sanhedrim—How conduct ed—Changes in the Jewish worship. 88. CHAPTER VIII. The history of the Jews, during the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus--Tower of Pharos—Septuagint Version —Library of Alexandria. 92 CHAPTER IX. Origin of the Sadducees—Berosus, the Chaldean histo rian—Riches and commerce of Tyre—Alexandria— Arsinoe, her death and monument—Character of Ptolemy. 102. CHAPTER X. The history of the Jews, from the death of Ptolemy Philadelphus—-Ptolemy Euergetes—Berenice—Pro phecies fulfilled—The Arundelian marbles. 107. CHAPTER XI. Ptolemy Euergetes an encourager of learning—Seleucus defeated and taken prisoner—Origin of the kingdom of the Parthians—Remarkable history of Joseph— Great earthquake in the east. 112. CHAPTER XII. Accession of Ptolemy Philopater to the throne of Egypt— His contest with Antiochus—IIis cruelty—Visits Je rusalem and attempts to enter the sanctuary; but is prevented—Resolves to exterminate the Jews—Their providential deliverance—He dies and leaves the king dom to his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, only five years of age. Antiochus endeavors to conquer Egypt—En CONTENTS. ix. gages in war with the Romans—Marches an army to the east to collect tribute—Robs the temple of Belus of its treasures, but is slain by the enraged populace— Remarkable story of Joseph and his son Hyrcanus. 118 CHAPTER XIII. Judea falls under the power of Antiochus—Predictions respecting Seleucus—Good character of Onias the high priest—Jason's wicked conduct—And the more wicked of Menelaus—Death of Onias–Robbery of the Temple by Lysimachus—Strange sights seen at Jerusalem—Temple desecrated by Antiochus-— Wretched end of Menelaus—Antiochus invades Egypt, but is met by an embassy from Rome—Dreadful per secution of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes. 133 CHAPTER XIV. Asmonean family of Modin–Constancy of Matthias— He and his friends take refuge in the mountains—Mar tyrdom of Eleazar—Of the mother and her seven song —Assideans—Antiochus aims to destroy all copies of the Law—19eath of Matthias—-Judas Maccabaeus-- Books of the Maccabees——Victories of Judas——Antio chus resolves to destroy the whole Jewish nation— Wonderful success of Judas--Occupies Jerusalem– Cleanses and dedicates anew the Temple—Prophecies respecting Antiochus Epiphanes.