III. ARISTOBULUS, otherwise called Judas and Philellen, or a Lover of the Greeks, Son of Hircanus, and Grandson of Simon Maccabæus, High-Priest and Prince of the Jews, gave several proofs of his valour in his Father’s life time, during the siege of Samaria, which he directed together with his Brother Antigonus1. After that the City was taken2, Hircanus intirely demolished it, and cast the materials into the brooks which run along by the foot of the mountain, upon which Samaria was built. Three years after, that is to say, in the year of the world 3898, Hircanus died and Aristobulus succeeded him3: but he reigned one year only. He put his Mother and three of his Brothers into prison; he was so cruel as to starve his Mother in her confinement, but gave his Brother Antigonus a large share of the Government.
He made war with the Itureans4, people descended from Jethur one of Ishmael’s Sons, who dwelt in Arabia beyond Jordan between the country of Damascus to the North, and the half tribe of Manasseh to the South. He subdued them, and forced them to Genes. xxv. 15.receive Circumcision by offering the alternative either of embracing Judaism or of departing out of their country, and going to seek a settlement in some other place. They chose rather to remain there, and perform what was required of them. Some time after he procured the death of his Brother Antigonus, by a very tragical accident. Aristobulus being indisposed sent his Brother Antigonus upon a military expedition, from which he returned successful. They who envied him, represented to the King, his Brother, that he had designs upon the Crown, that he was gone to the Temple in an equipage not becoming a private man, and that he would come very soon with a troop of armied Soldiers and kill him. The King at first could not imagine, that there was any thing in what they told him, and sent a message to his Brother, desiring him to come unarmed to him; and commanded his guards, if he came with arms, to dispatch him in a dark subterraneous place, thro’ which he was to pass, in his way from the Temple to the King’s Apartment.
The persons whom Aristobulus sent on this errand, instead of telling Antigonus that he should make his visit without arms, on the contrary informed him that the King was very desirous of seeing him in that beautiful suit of armour, which he was reported to have brought back with him from the war. Antigonus went immediately, and the guards who had orders to kill him if he came armed, massacred him as he was pressing to go forward. No sooner had Aristobulus committed this crime, but a fit of severe repentance seized him, which contributed not a little to the increase of his indisposition, and to the shortning of his life. Upon a certain day, as one of his servants was carrying out some blood which this Prince had vomited, he by chance let it fall, in that very spot where the marks of Antigonus’s blood were still visible. They who were present made a great Outcry, which was heard by the King, who desiring to know the cause of it, and understanding what it was, he was so sensibly touched with it, that with many tears and sighs he broke out into this exclamation, Great God! thou dost revenge very justly the parricide which I have committed! How long will my guilty soul be thus confined within my body? As soon as he had pronounced these words, he expired; in the year of the World 3899. He was succeeded by his Brother Alexander Jannæus, whom Salome, or Alexandra, the Wife of Aristobulus, took out of prison immediately after the King’s death.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages