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exactly observe here； what the remaining part of that book of the
Maccabees informs us of； and what Josephus would never have
omitted； had his copy contained so much； that this Simon the
Great； the Maccabee； made a league with Antiochus Soter； the son
of Demetrius Soter； and brother of the other Demetrius； who was
now a captive in Parthis： that upon his coming to the crown；
about the 140th year before the Christian sets； he granted great
privileges to the Jewish nation； and to Simon their high priest
and ethnarch； which privileges Simon seems to have taken of his
own accord about three years before。 In particular； he gave him
leave to coin money for his country with his own stamp； and as
concerning Jerusalem and the sanctuary； that they should be free；
or； as the vulgar Latin hath it； 〃holy and free；〃 1 Macc。 15：6；
7； which I take to be the truer reading； as being the very words
of his father's concession offered to Jonathan several years
before； ch。 10：31； and Antiq。 B； XIII。 ch。 2。 sect。 3。 Now what
makes this date and these grants greatly remarkable； is the state
of the remaining genuine shekels of the Jews with Samaritan
characters； which seem to have been （most of them at least）
coined in the first four years of this Simon the Asamonean； and
having upon them these words on one side； 〃Jerusalem the Holy ；〃
and on the reverse； 〃In the Year of Freedom；〃 1； or 2； or 3； or
4； which shekels therefore are original monuments of these times；
and undeniable marks of the truth of the history in these
chapters； though it be in great measure omitted by Josephus。 See
Essay on the Old Test。 p。 157； 158。 The reason why I rather
suppose that his copy of the Maccabees wanted these chapters；
than that his own copies are here imperfect； is this； that all
their contents are not here omitted； though much the greatest
part be。
（16） How Trypho killed this Antiochus the epitome of Livy informs
us； ch。 53； viz。 that he corrupted his physicians or surgeons；
who falsely pretending to the people that he was perishing with
the stone； as they cut him for it； killed him； which exactly
agrees with Josephus。
（17） That this Antiochus； the son of Alexader Balas； was called
〃The God；〃 is evident from his coins； which Spanheim assures us
bear this inscription； 〃King Antiochus the God； Epiphanes the
Victorious。〃
（18） Here Josephus begins to follow and to abridge the next
sacred Hebrew book； styled in the end of the First Book of
Maccabees； 〃The Chronicle of John ＇Hyrcanus's＇ high priesthood；〃
but in some of the Greek copies；〃 The Fourth Book of Maccabees。〃
A Greek version of this chronicle was extant not very long ago in
the days of Sautes Pagninus； and Sixtus Senensis； at Lyons；
though it seems to have been there burnt； and to be utterly lost。
See Sixtus Senensis's account of it； of its many Hebraisms； and
its great agreement with Josephus's abridgement； in the Authent。
Rec。 Part I。 p。 206； 207； 208。
（19） Hence we learn； that in the days of this excellent high
priest； John Hyrcanus； the observation of the Sabbatic year； as
Josephus supposed； required a rest from war； as did that of the
weekly sabbath from work； I mean this； unless in the case of
necessity； when the Jews were attacked by their enemies； in which
case indeed； and in which alone； they then allowed defensive
fighting to be lawful； even on the sabbath day； as we see in
several places of Josephus； Antlq。 B。 XII。 ch。 6。 sect。 2； B。
XIII。 ch。 1。 sect。 2； Of。 the War； B。 I。 ch。 7。 sect。 3。 But then
it must be noted； that this rest from war no way appears in the
First Book of Maccabees； ch。 16。； but the direct contrary； though
indeed the Jews； in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes； did not
venture upon fighting on the Sabbath day； even in the defense of
their own lives； till the Asamoneans or Maccabees decreed so to
do； 1 Macc。 2：32…41； Antiq。 B。 XII。 ch。 6。 sect。 2。
（20） Josephus's copies； both Greek and Latin； have here a gross
mistake； when they say that this first year of John Hyrcanus；
which we have just now seen to have been a Sabbatic year； was in
the 162nd olympiad； whereas it was for certain the second year of
the 161st。 See the like before； B。 XII。 ch。 7。 sect。 6。
（21） This heliacal setting of the Pleiades； or seven stars； was；
in the days of Hyrcanus and Josephus； early in the spring； about
February； the time of the latter rain in Judea； and this； so far
as I remember； is the only astronomical character of time；
besides one eclipse of the moon in the reign of Herod； that we
meet with in all Josephus； the Jews being little accustomed to
astronomical observations； any further than for the uses of their
calendar； and utterly forbidden those astrological uses which the
heathens commonly made of them。
（22） Dr。 Hudson tells us here； that this custom of gilding the
horns of those oxen that were to be sacrificed is a known thing
both in the poets and orators。
（23） This account in Josephus； that the present Antiochus was
persuaded； though in vain； not to make peace with the Jews； but
to cut them off utterly； is fully confirmed by Diodorus Siculus；
in Photiua's extracts out of his 34th Book。
（24） The Jews were not to march or journey on the sabbath； or on
such a great festival as was equivalent to the sabbath； any
farther than a sabbath day's journey； or two thousand cubits； see
the note on Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。 8。 sect。 6。
（25） This account of the Idumeans admitting circumcision； and the
entire Jewish law； from this time； or from the days of Hyrcanus；
is confirmed by their entire history afterward。 See Antiq。 B。
XIV。 ch。 8。 sect。 1； B。 XV。 ch。 7。 sect。 9。 Of the War； B。 II。
ch。 3。 sect。 1； B。 IV。 ch。 4。 sect。 5。 This； in the opinion of
Josephus； made them proselytes of justice； or entire Jews； as
here and elsewhere； Antiq。 B。 XIV。 ch。 8。 sect。 1。 However；
Antigonus； the enemy of Herod； though Herod were derived from
such a proselyte of justice for several generations； will allow
him to be no more than a half Jew； B。 XV。 ch。 15。 sect。 2。 。But
still； take out of Dean Prideaux； at the year 129； the words of
Ammouius； a grammarian； which fully confirm this account of the
Idumeans in Josephus： 〃The Jews；〃 says he； are such by nature；
and from the beginning； whilst the Idumeans were not Jews from
the beginning； but Phoenicians and Syrians； but being afterward
subdued by the Jews； and compelled to be circumcised； and to
unite into one nation； and be subject to the same laws； they were
called Jews。〃 Dio also says； as the Dean there quotes him； from
Book XXXVI。 p。 37； 〃That country is called Judea； and the people
Jews； and this name is given also to as many others as embrace
their religion； though of other nations。〃 But then upon what
foundation so good a governor as Hyrcanus took upon him to compel
those Idumeans either to become Jews； or to leave the country；
deserves great consideration。 I suppose it was because they had
long ago been driven out of the land of Edom； and had seized on
and possessed the tribe of Simeon； and all the southern parts of
the tribe of Judah； which was the peculiar inheritance of the
worshippers of the true God without idolatry； as the reader may
learn from R