Ishmael Ii (IV)

IV. ISHMAEL II. brother to the former, succeeded Ananias the son of Nebedæus by the favour of king Agrippa, The deposed High Priests joining with him¹, pretended to make themselves masters of the tythes and oblations, which were designed for the maintenance of the common Priests. These being supported by the principal of the people, rebell’d against the High Priests; and there was a kind of war between them in the Temple. Ishmael was obliged to go to Rome with Chelcias, and ten of the chief inhabitants of Jerusalem, to desire of Nero that they might be permitted to rebuild the wall which Festus Governor of Judea had caused to be demolished; because it hindred the Roman troops from seeing the Temple, and confined the view from Antiq. l. xx. c. 7. p. 697. Idem de vita sua, p. 998, 999.Agrippa’s palace. It was upon their account that Josephus the Historian made a journey to Rome, in order to defend them. They procured what they desired by the credit of Poppæa, who favoured the Jews. Ishmael returned no more to Jerusalem; and Agrippa deprived him of the High Priesthood, with a design of giving it to Joseph the son of Simon, firnamed Cabei.

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