AHI – ALE

Volume I, pages 79–97 of the 1732 edition, from AHI to ALE: everything printed on these pages, in order.

Continued from Ahira

was the twelfth Person that made his offering when the Tabernacle was erected in the Num. vii. 78. In the Year of the World 2514, before J.C. 1486, before the vulgar Æra 1490.Desart; and he offer’d a silver bason, weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, and a silver bowl of seventy shekels, both of them full of fine flower, mingled with oil, for a Meat-offering; a golden Spoon of ten shekels, full of Incense; a young bullock, a ram, and a lamb of the first year, for a Burnt-offering; a kid for a Sin-offering; two oxen, five rams, five he goats, and five lambs of the first year, for a Peace-offering.

AHISAMACH, the Father of Aholiab, the famous artificer imployed by Moses in Ex. xxxi. 6.building the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, in the year of the World 2514, before J.C. 1486, before the vulgar Æra 1490.

AHISHAHAR, the Son of Bilham, of the Tribe of Benjamin, 1 Chr. vii. 10.

AHISHAR, High-steward of Solomon’s Houshold, 1 Kings iv. 6.

AHITOPHEL, was a native of Gillo. The Jews¹ make him to be Grandfather to Bathsheba, the Wife of Uriah, and afterwards 1 Chr. iii. 5. collatum cum 2 Sam. xi. 4.of David, by his Son Ammiel, the Father of Bathsheba. If this be so, Ahitophel must have been very old at the time of Absalom’s Rebellion, since his Grand-daughter Bathsheba had already for some time been married to Uriah before she became Wife to David. There are some² who conjecture that the reason of Ahitophel’s embracing Absalom’s Interest with so much warmth, was a desire of revenging the dishonour which David had brought upon his Grand-daughter. However this may be, as soon as Absalom was acknowledged to be King by the greatest part of the Israelites, he sent for Ahitophel from Gillo, to assist him with his advice in the present 2 Sam. xv. 12. Ch. xvi. 23.juncture of his affairs; for at that time Ahitophel’s Councils were received as the Oracles of God himself. Nothing gave David more uneasiness than the hearing that this great Statesman was of Absalom’s party; and when Hushai his friend came to wait on him, and attend him in his flight, he intreated him to return rather to Jerusalem, make a shew of offering his services to Absalom, and endeavour to disappoint the good advice which should be given by Ahitophel.

When Absalom was come to Jerusalem, he desired Ahitophel to deliberate with his other Counsellors upon the measures which Ch. xv. 31, 32, 33.were proper for him to take. Ahitophel advis’d him in the first place to abuse his Father’s Concubines, that so when all Israel should understand that he had dishonour’d his Father in this manner, they might espouse his Interests more resolutely: A tent therefore was prepared for this purpose upon the terrass of the King’s Palace, and Absalom, in the sight of all Israel, enter’d the place where David’s Concubines were. At another time Ahitophel Ch. xvii. 1, 2.said to Absalom, If you please I will take twelve thousand chosen Men, and pursue David this very night, and so falling upon him while he is weary, and not upon his guard, I shall easily defeat him, disperse those who are about him, and when he is thus abandoned by his People, kill him; after which I will bring the army back to you, and all things will be peaceably settled. This advice was very agreeable to Absalom, and all the Elders of Israel. However, says Absalom, call Hushai, that we may know his opinion.

Hushai being come, and hearing what advice Ahitophel had given, said, The Counsel that Ahitophel hath given is not good at this time; what for the present, in my opinion, may do better, is this; Let all Israel be gather’d unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand is by the Sea for multitude, and put thyself in the midst of them, and wherever David is we shall fall upon him, and overwhelm him with our numbers, as the dew falleth upon the ground. This advice was agreeable to Absalom, and all the Elders of Israel, and the Lord permitted that of Ahitophel, which was the best, to be rejected, that so Absalom’s ruin might be hasten’d. Now Ahitophel seeing his counsel neglected, saddled his ass, went to his house at Gillo, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulchre of his Fathers. He foresaw without doubt all that would happen to Absalom, and was determin’d to prevent the death which he had deserved, and which David had not failed to have inflicted on him as soon as he had been resettled on his Throne. All this fell out in the year of the World 2981, before J.C. 1019, before the vulgar Æra 1023.

1. AHITUB, the Son of Phinehas, and Grandson to the High-priest Eli. His Father Phinehas having been slain in that unhappy engagement wherein the Ark was 1 Sam. iv. 11.taken by the Philistines, he succeeded his Grandfather Eli, in the year of the World 2888. His Successor was his Son Ahiah, about the year of the World 2911, before J.C. 1089, before the vulgar Æra 1093.

2. AHITUB, the Son of Amariah, and 1 Chr. vi. 8.Father of the High-priest Zadok. It is not very certain whether this Ahitub ever exercised the office of High-priest, but we know he was Father to the High-priest Zadok, who enjoyed this dignity under David and Solomon.

AHIUD, the Son of Shelomi, of the Tribe of Asher. He was appointed by

Moses to be one of the Commissioners for making a partition of the land of Canaan.

AHLAB, a City in the Tribe of Asher the situation whereof is not known, Judg. i. 31.

1. AHLAI, the Son of Shehan, 1 Chr. xi. 31.

2. AHLAI, one of those gallant Men who commanded in David’s Army, 1 Chr. xi. 41.

AHOBAN, or Abban, the Son of Abishur and Abihail, 1 Chr. xi. 29.

AHOHE, or Ahoah, the third Son of Bela, and Grandson of Benjamin, 1 Chr. viii. 2 Sam. xxiii. 9. 18. 1 Chr. xi. 11, 29. xxvii. 4.4. His descendants are called Ahohites.

AHOLIAB, the Son of Ahisamach, of the Tribe of Dan, was appointed, together with Bezaleel, to undertake the building of the Tabernacle, Exod. xxxv. 34.

AHOLIBAH, and Aholah, are two Ezek. xxiii. 4.feigned names made use of by Ezekiel in his Prophecy to denote the two Kingdoms of Judah and Samaria. Aholah and Aholibah are represented as two Sisters of Egyptian extraction. Aholah stands for Samaria, and Aholibah for Jerusalem. The first signifies a Tent, and the second my Tent is in her. They both prostituted themselves to the Egyptians and Assyrians, in imitating their Abominations and Idolatries; for which reason the Lord abandoned them to those very People, for whom they had shewn so passionate and so impure an affection. They were carried into Captivity, and reduced to the severest servitude.

AHUMAI, the Son of Jahath, of the Tribe of Judah, 1 Chr. iv. 2.

AHUZAM, the Son of Naarah, of the Tribe of Judah, 1 Chr. iv. 5.

AHUZZATH, the Friend of Abimelech, King of Gerar, who came with this Prince and Phichol the General of his Army, in order to make an alliance with Genes. xxiv. 26. In the Year of the World 2200. before J. C. 1800. before the vulg. Æra 1804.Isaac. Several Interpreters, following the Chaldee and St. Jerom °, take Ahuzzath in an appellative sense, for a company of Friends which attended Abimelech. The Septuagint call him Ahuzzath the Brideman.

AI, a City situated near Bethel, to the westward of it. The Septuagint call it Josh. vii. 2. Gen. xii. 8.Agai, and Josephus Aina; others Aiath. Joshua having sent a detachment of three thousand Men against Ai, God permitted them to be repulsed, for the sake of Achan’s Josh. vii. 1, 4, &c. In the Year of the World 2553, before J. C. 1447. before the vulgar Æra 1451. Josh. viii. 1.sin, who had violated the Anathema pronounced against the City of Jericho, by taking to himself something of the spoil: But after the expiation of this offence, the Lord commanded Joshua to march with the whole Army of the Israelites against Ai, and treat this City and the King thereof as he had treated Jericho, with this difference, that he gave the plunder of the Town to the People. According to God’s order, Joshua sent by night thirty thousand Men to lie in ambush behind Ai, having first well instructed those who had the command of them in what they were to do, and the next day, early in the morning, he marched against the City with all the remainder of his army. The King of Ai perceiving them, sallied hastily out of the Town with all his troops and all his People, and fell upon the Forces of the Israelites, who, upon the first onset, fled as if they had been under some great terror; but this was only a feint to draw the Enemy into the open plain.

As soon as Joshua saw them all out of the gates, he rais’d his shield upon the top of a pike, which was the signal given to the Ambuscade; whereupon they immediately enter’d the place which they found without defence, and set fire to it. The People of Ai perceiving the smoke ascending, were willing to return, but discover’d those who had set fire to the City in their rear, while Joshua and they who were with him turning about, fell upon them, and cut them in pieces, without suffering so much as one single Person to escape him. The King was taken alive, and brought to Joshua. The Israelites enter’d the place, carried fire and sword every where with them, and killed in this day’s action twelve thousand of their Enemies, Men, Women, and Children. The King of Ai was put to death, and hung upon a gibbet, where he continued till Sun-set; after which he was taken down, thrown in the entrance of the City, and a great heap of Stones raised over him. The Israelites divided afterwards among themselves the whole spoil of the place, as the Lord had permitted them.

☞ Joshua’s enterprize on Ai, excepting in some particulars of military art, is very like Observations on Joshua’s feigned retreat, and the surprizing Ai. Josh. viii.that of Gibeah, which is scarce any thing more than the copy of it. We see many instances of this sort in ancient and modern History: Polybius³ relates one much resembling it; but the original may be said to be in Joshua, for we cannot have recourse to any Historians of more antiquity, to see if no Stratagem like it is to be met with in them. The sacred Writers are not the most ancient; there were Historians without doubt before Moses, and perhaps all the arts of War had been exhausted before this Legislator of the Jewish People: I am persuaded they were, and I believe War to be almost as ancient as the World, that is to say, from the time of its beginning to be inhabited, and Ambition’s engaging Men in disputes about Meum and Tuum. If any one asks when these passions had their first rise, I answer ever since Abel’s being killed by⁴

his elder Brother Cain, because he was accepted by God; this is the first original and Epoch of them. But let us return to the suprize of Ai.

It seems by the Scripture account as if Joshua was not the author of the Stratagem made use of by him; but we very well know that the Lord is the God of Hosts, and every thing ought to be referr’d to him. When he directs himself to Joshua, and says, Go up against Ai, lay in ambuscade behind the Town; I have deliver’d the King and People of it into thine hands. He might notwithstanding this leave the whole glory of the Invention and Execution to him as to a great General; otherwise I don’t know how we can reckon Joshua in the number of extraordinary Men, if God had always wrought Miracles in favour of his People, and had left nothing for him to perform; but he is not obliged to be continually doing Prodigies, in order to punish the injustice and wickedness of Men; and it is certain that he frequently makes use of them in the execution of his Decrees.

I shall not stay to discourse on these words, Lay thee an ambush for the City behind it; Dom Calmet has made so fine a remark on this place, that I shall content myself with laying it here before you, “ Some think it strange, says he, “ that God, who could so easily oppress “ Ai and its inhabitants, should chuse to “ employ artifice and stratagem, in order “ to give the victory to the Hebrews; “ means which appear to be below the “ greatness of the Almighty, and which “ particular People, and some Generals “ have rejected, as unworthy of brave “ Men, and such as might rather tarnish “ their glory than augment the lustre of “ it. It was an expression of Alexander “ the Great, that he would not steal a victory⁵. The ancient Greeks and Tibarenians gave notice to their Enemies when “ and where they would engage them: “ The old Romans knew not what cunning meant and subtle wiles in carrying “ on their Wars: Non fraude neque occultè*, sed palam & armatum Populum Romanum, hostes suos ulcisci*. They “ fought victory with only open force and “ honest fighting; they desir’d their Enemies might be convinced of their valour, “ and submit to them without regret, as “ to the strongest of the two.

Here is a great deal of learning; and the Commentator might have farther added the old Gauls, the Switzers, and other People, who are frank and open in this point. It would notwithstanding very much perplex any one to prove that the old Romans made no use of artifice and cunning, since War is nothing else but the art of doubling with very great and well concerted method. If the Romans fell often into the snares which were laid for them, it was because they had unskilful Generals, who made war without Genius and Art, and to excuse their ignorance alledged, that they made war like honest Men, without deceit or artifice; we see however in History that the Romans did generally practise them. If Alexander and so many other great Captains would not use all their malice⁶, it was because they knew that they should easily get the better of their Enemies without it. Alexander understood perfectly well whom he had to do with. If he had been to attack any other People besides the effeminate Persians, he would have taken Parmenio’s advice, to fall on the Enemy under cover of the night: For this reason he replied,⁷ that he would begin the battle in broad day-light, and that he had rather complain of Fortune than blush at a victory.

They who are surprized that God, who could so easily oppress Ai and its inhabitants, by one single act of his Will, did not chuse to do so, rather than make use of artifice and cunning, may consider whether he could not as well have overthrown the walls of Jericho in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, and so have excused his People from marching round the Town seven times, in order to see the fall of it on the seventh day. Could he not likewise heve extirpated so many Enemies as his People had to fight with, and put them at once, without striking one blow, in possession of the promised Land! But why should we desire to search into the secrets of God! If he had perform’d all this, he had not displayed his power so eminently by that great number of Miracles which he wrought in the sight of the whole Universe, nor would there have been any merit on his People’s side.

Joshua arose, says the sacred Author, and all the People of War, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty Men of valour, and sent them away by night. There is a manifest contradiction between this verse and the twelfth, wherein it is said that Joshua chose five thousand Men out, whom he sent to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai. How is this to be reconciled? Dom Calmet says, “ That Masius⁸ allows but five “ thousand Men for the Ambuscade, and “ five and twenty for the attack of the “ City, being persuaded that an army of “ six hundred thousand Men could only “ create confusion upon this occasion, without any necessity for, or advantage in “ such

“ such numbers.” Masius seems to argue right, and to think like a Soldier. “ But “ the generality of Interpreters, continues “ Dom Calmet, acknowledge two bodies “ to be placed in ambuscade, both between “ Bethel and Ai, one of five and twenty, “ the other of five thousand Men.

Joshua therefore sent at first thirty thousand Men, who marched in the night-time, and to prevent discovery, passed without doubt behind the eminences of Bethel, and posted themselves towards the West between those two Cities, at the place appointed for the ambuscade. He who was at the head of them then detach’d five thousand Men, who lay close in cover’d places directly opposite, and as near as possible to the Town, in order to throw themselves into it immediately upon the first opportunity.

Dom Calmet says⁹ that there are Interpreters who will not allow the Hebrew word Akeb to signify an Ambuscade, and that literally it denotes the Heel; if so, then by a metaphor, I say, it must signify Ambuscade, since the property of an Ambuscade is to fall upon the Enemy behind. It is an expression in daily use with us, that the Enemy is at our heels, that he is continually close up with us, at our backs, and it is generally behind that an ambuscade discovers itself.

Joshua spent the night in his camp at Gilgal, and the next day rising before it was light, he reviewed his troops, put himself at the head of them, with the Elders, and order’d the main body of the Army to march towards Ai. When they were come in sight of the Town, Joshua put his Army in order of battle upon the hill, and afterwards descended into the valley; which the King of Ai observing, he marched his whole Army with the utmost expedition out of the Town, by break of day, and led his troops in order of battle on the side of the Wilderness¹⁰, where Joshua, as if he had been under some great terror, made a shew of flying, in order to decoy his Enemy, and draw him to a greater distance from the Town.

The Men of Ai thought they were to improve such an happy opportunity, and had hopes of turning it so much the more to their advantage, in that the Hebrews were engaged in a narrow pass, where there being no possibility of drawing up in a large front, great numbers are of no consideration, and the lesser cannot be flank’d, nor consequently hemm’d in: But they had no distrust of People’s lying in ambuscade behind them, or that the others would turn about and face them; while these, at the first signal, should rise, and make themselves masters of the City, which was forsaken and left destitute of Soldiers for its defence.

The Hebrew General seeing his design succeeded, and that the Men of Ai were at a sufficient distance from their City, commanded his Army to face about, and gave the signal agreed upon to inform those who lay in the Ambuscade that it was time to suprize the Town. The learned Commentator makes a remark on this place which shews his great Reading; herein he reports the different opinions of the Interpreters concerning the nature of this signal; but he does not make the matter absolutely clear to us. Some pretend, he says, that the Hebrew word Cidon signifies a Shield; the Septuagint and Aquila suppose it to mean a Javelin all of iron, which is called Gæsos; but a Javelin is too small to serve for a signal, and be seen at such a distance, nor is a Shield more easily to be distinguish’d.

For my part, I embrace very readily the opinion of the Rabbins, who, tho’ they are a parcel of old Dreamers, have yet sometimes good intervals; they believe it was the staff belonging to some of their Colours, which Joshua set up to give his People the signal: From hence I conclude the whole colours were used on this occasion, and that in the Asiatick style, which is very near the Poetical, the part is to be here taken for the whole. It was therefore one of the Colours that Joshua lifted up, and was perceiv’d by those in ambuscade, who thereupon immediately rose, marched towards the City, and took and burnt it; not all at once, but in some places only, to answer the signal, and give notice to Joshua that they were masters of the Town; for it was not destroyed and reduced to ashes till after it was pillaged. The Men of Ai who pursued Joshua, looking behind them, and seeing the smoke of the City ascending up to Heaven, had not power to fly one way or other, particularly after that the Israelites, who had made a shew of flying, and marched on the side of the Wilderness, turned back upon them, and briskly attacked those who had before pursued them: For they in the Ambuscade, who composed a small army, did not remain in the Town, but sallied out of it, and fell upon the Men of Ai in their rear, while the Hebrews were beginning to do execution upon them; so that they found themselves between two Armies attacked on every side, and so pressed before and behind, that not one of all this great number were saved; that is to say, that none of them could fly, and that they who were not killed in the battle were taken alive, together with their King, and put to death after the action.

1. AIAH, the Mother of Rizpah. This Rizpah was Saul’s Concubine. David deliver’d her Children to the 2 Sam. xxi. 8. Levit. xi. 14. איהAiah.Gibeonites, to be hanged before the Lord.

¹¹ 2. AIAH, is a Hebrew term, which St. Jerom translates Vulture, Bochart believes it to signify the Merlin; the Syriac renders it Raven, and the Arabic Owl.

AJAH, the Daughter¹² of Zibeon, of the race of Esau, Genes. xxxvi. 24.

Josh. xix. 24. Ch. xxi. 24.AJALON, a City of the Tribe of Dan. It was assigned over to the Levites of Kohath’s Family. We find it sometimes under the name of Elom or Ailom. Eusebius says, that in his time there was shewn a place called Ajalon, three miles Eastward from Bethel: but this cannot be the Ch. x. 12.famous Ajalon mentioned in Joshua, where he speaks to the moon to stand still in the Valley of Ajalon; for this did not belong to the Tribe of Dan; and Bethel was too remote from this Tribe. There must be still another Ajalon, which St. Jerom takes notice of¹³; this was two miles from Shechem, in the way to Jerusalem. He says elsewhere¹⁴, that S. Paula going from Shechem to Bethoron, saw on her left hand 2 Chr. xxviii. 18.Ajalon and Gibeon. In the Chronicles Ajalon is placed between Bethshemesh and Timnah. Lastly, there was a City called Ajalon in the Tribe of Zebulun, Judges xii. 12.

Thus there were four Cities of this name. The first in the Tribe of Dan, between See 2 Chr. xxviii. 18, &c.Timnah and Bethshemesh, which is that probably spoken of by Joshua, when he said to the Moon, Thou Moon stand still in the valley of Ajalon.

The second Ajalon, was in the Tribe of Benjamin, three miles Eastward from Bethel. See 2 Chron. xi. 10.

The third Ajalon, was in the Tribe of Ephraim, two miles from Shechem, as you go to Jerusalem, and to the East of Αἰχμαλωτάρχης.Bethoron.

The fourth was in the Tribe of Zebulun, the situation whereof is not exactly known.

AICHMALOTARCHA, a Greek term signifying the Prince of the Captivity , or Chief of the Captives. Thus they are called who, as the Jews pretend, had the command or government of the people, during the captivity of Babylon¹⁵. They believe these Princes or Governours to have been taken constantly out of the Tribe of Judah, and family of David. But they would be very much puzzled to prove the real existence of their supposed Aichmalotarchs.

AIR. The Air is often meant by the word Heaven; the birds of the Heaven, for the birds of the Air. God rained fire Gen. xix. 24. 1 Kings i. 10.and brimstone upon Sodom from Heaven; that is to say, from the Air. Let fire come down from Heaven; that is, from the Air. Moses menaces the Israelites with the effects of God’s wrath to destroy them Deut. xxviii. 22. the Hebrew שרפוןLXX. ‘Ανεμοφθορία.with a pestilential Air. Percutiat te Dominus aëre corrupto; or perhaps with a scorching wind, which produces mortal diseases, or with a drought which blasts the crops of corn.

Vide 1 Kings viii. 37. 1 Cor. ix. 26. Ch. xiv. 9.To beat the Air, to speak in the Air, are ways of expressing things which are in use even in our own tongue, and signify to speak without judgment or understanding, to fatigue ourselves in vain. The Powers of the Air, Eph. ii. 2. are the Devils, who exercise their power principally in the Air, by exciting winds, storms and tempests.

Judg. iv. 7.AKIBA, a famous Rabbin, who lived about the year of J C. 130. and was as it were the Prophet and Fore-runner of the celebrated Impostor Barchochebas. The Jews, who very much extol his merit,¹⁶ inform us, that Akiba was descended from Sisera the General of Jabin the King of Canaan’s army. He spent forty years in the country, employed in keeping the flocks belonging to one Calba Cuva, a rich citizen of Jerusalem. His Master’s Daughter made an offer of marrying him, if he would quit the business of a Shepherd, and apply himself to study. Akiba promised he would, whereupon they were clandestinely married, and he went to the University, where he spent twelve years with so much reputation that he came from thence with twelve thousand scholars. His Wife advised him to return thither; he continued therefore twelve years longer there; and his reputation still perpetually increasing, he brought from thence four and twenty thousand Disciples. It may be easily perceived that this prodigious number of Scholars is a Rabbinical Hyperbole.

Mechilta.that all these Scholars died between Easter and Whitsuntide, for not behaving themselves with a suitable respect to one another. They were all buried at the foot of a hill near Tiberias.

Akiba continued teaching, and composed two works, one called Mechilta, or Mechiltin, the other Jetzira, very different from another work with the same title attributed ספר .יצירה Sepher Jezira.to the Patriarch Abraham, and printed by Rittangelius. The Jews say Akiba was a Man of so much learning that he could give a reason for the minutest letter of the law; and that what God had concealed from Moses, he revealed to him. There are a thousand opinions in the Mishna whereof he is thought to be the Author, and which are esteemed as so many maxims and decisions.

He was in the height of his reputation, and Prince of the Sanhedrin, when Barcochebas, or the Son of Cochebas, appeared. They say¹⁷ the name of this Impostor was Cozeb, or Bar-Cozebas, the Lyar, or the Son of a Lyar; and that Akiba having observed it, said with a sort of exclamation, Behold the Star which is to come out of Jacob! alluding to these words in the book of Numb. xxiv. 17.Numbers, A Star shall come out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, &c. It is certain Akiba was attached to Barcochebas, and served him as an Usher or Fore-runner, in the same quality almost as S. John Baptist served our Saviour. But these two Men were governed by quite a different Spirit from that which animated our Saviour and S. John. They kindled a war in Judea, inspired the Jews with the spirit of rebellion, committed infinite disorders in Judea and Syria, killed thousands of Christians and Romans, and caused the entire destruction of their Country. See the articles ADRIAN and BARCOCHEBAS.

After the taking of Bether, a fortress wherein Barcochebas shut himself up, together with his best troops, Akiba was made a prisoner, and continued some time in fetters, expressing so great a fondness for the ceremonies of his forefathers, that he chose rather to go without drinking, and make use of the water which was given him, in washing himself, than omit this practice. The Emperor Adrian severely punished his imposture, and ordered his skin to be tore off with an iron comb. And with him, say the Rabbins¹⁸, vanished the honour of the Law. They add that Judas the Holy, another celebrated that is to say, in the year 135. for Bether was taken on the 10th of August this year.

ALABARCHA. This term is not to be met with in the Text of Scripture; but Josephus makes use of it in several places¹⁹ to signify the Chief of the Jews in Alexandria. Philo²⁰ calls this Magistrate Genarkes; and Josephus²¹ in some places Ethnarches. These two last terms signify the Prince or Chief of a Nation. But concerning the signification of Alabarcha, there are some disputes. There are some²² who believe, that this name was given in raillery to the principal Magistrate, or Head of the Jews at Alexandria, by the Gentiles of the same City, who hated and despised the Jews. Others²³ derive Alabarcha from Alaba, which signifies ink to write with; accordingly, Alabarcha would signify properly the Chief Secretary, or Collector of the customs and duties upon Cattle carried out of the Country.

Fuller²⁴ derives it from the Hebrew or Syriac Halaph and Arcin²⁵, as if we should say, the Intendant, or the Sovereign’s Delegate: for in places where the Jews were numerous, they had one of the principal of their own Nation over them, or some other to whom they addressed themselves, particularly in all affairs relating to themselves, without any dependence on the President or Governour sent by the Sovereign to rule his other subjects. But this last etymology pleases me no better than the others which I have mentioned. It is certain that the dignity of Alabarch was common in Egypt, as we see in Juvenal²⁶; and that the Emperors Valens, Gratian and Theodosius, speak of the Customs or Imposts called Alabarchia²⁷ in Egypt. It is probable, that originally the word Alabarcha signified the person who had the custom of Salt, and that afterwards it was given in the way of contempt to the Head or Governour of the Jews at Alexandria. In this sense the etymology of the word Alabarcha will come from the Greek Hals, Halos, Salt, and Archon the Chief.

Matt. xxv. 6, 7.ALABASTER. It is said in the Gospel, that Jesus Christ being at table in Bethany, in the House of Simon the Leper, Mary the Sister of Lazarus, and Martha, came thither, and poured an alabaster box full of precious ointment on his head. This alabaster box was made of a sort of white marble, wherein precious liquors were generally preserved. Pliny says²⁸, that this kind of stone or marble was found in the neighbourhood

Mark xiv. 3.of Thebes in Egypt, and about Damascus in Syria. It was brought into any form or figure with great ease, this stone being neither hard nor brittle. All vessels to put liquors in had likewise in general the name of alabaster, of whatever matter they were composed. There are some Authors²⁹ who are of opinion that the box here mentioned was of glass; and this opinion they confirm by what S. Mark says, that the Women who poured out the perfume upon our Saviour, broke the box of Alabaster. A vessel of glass was given to Constantine the Great³⁰, said to be that wherein the liquor was contained which was poured upon the head of Jesus Christ. But Theodosius ordered it to be removed from the Forum of Constantinople, and put into a safer and more proper place. Some will have it that the name of Alabaster denotes the form rather than the matter of this box. Alabastrum may signify a vessel without an handle. It is certain that this term stands in general for a box to put perfumes in.

ALAMETH, the ninth Son of Becher, the Son of Benjamin, 1 Chron. vii. 8.

ALCIMUS, or Jacimus, or Joachim, High Priest of the Jews, was established in this office in 3842. and died in 3844. before J. C. 156. before the vulgar Æra 160. He was of the race of the Priests, but not of a family of the first rank, nor of any, the ancestors whereof had enjoyed the High-Priesthood³¹. Besides, he had been polluted with acts of Idolatry, during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, 2 Macc. xiv. 3. and obtained this supreme dignity by very irregular methods. He was confirmed in this office by King Antiochus Eupator, after the death of Menelaus. Alcimus did not perform the functions of it till after the death of Judas Maccabæus. He therefore seeing that it was not in his power to enter upon the exercise of his dignity as High-Priest, no sooner had intelligence that Demetrius the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes, had stolen privately from Rome, and was arrived in Syria, but he went to wait on him, and putting himself at the head of the apostate Jews, who were at Antioch, he threw himself at the feet of this new King, and besought him to defend them from the violences of Judas Maccabæus, whom he accused as one that oppressed those who adhered to the King’s Party, and had dispersed and driven them out of their country. At the same time he intreated him to send somebody into Judæa to examine into the mischiefs and disorders committed by Judas Maccabæus, and to chastize his insolence.

In the Year of the World 3843.Demetrius immediately sent Bacchides thither at the head of an army, and confirming Alcimus in his office of High-Priest, he commanded him to accompany Bacchides, and charged them both jointly with the care of carrying on this war. As soon therefore as they came into Judæa, they endeavoured in the first place to surprize Judas and his brethren; and believed that under the pretence of treating with them, they might be able with fair words to persuade them to an interview; and this opportunity they proposed to take of seizing on their persons. But Judas and his brethren discovered or suspected that a snare was laid for them, and so happily avoided it. Others who were not so prudent fell into it, and perished; among the rest, sixty Assideans, and many Scribes and Doctors of the Law, who not imagining that a Priest of Aaron’s race was capable of so deceiving them, were satisfied with his swearing to them that no injury should be offer’d, and went to him; but as soon as he had them in his power, he gave directions that they should be all murdered. After which instance of his perfidiousness no one would ever trust him.

2 Macc. xiv. 3, 4. 1 Macc. xxv. 26, &c. 1 Macc. vii. 19, 20.Bacchides having thus established Alcimus by force in Judæa, marched out of Jerusalem with his army, and incamped at Bezeth, with a design of returning into Syria. From thence he sent and apprehended several of those who had deserted his party, and certain of the people likewise whom he commanded to be killed, and thrown into a great pit. After which having once more committed the whole province to the care of Alcimus, and left troops sufficient to support him, he returned to King Demetrius. Alcimus for some time kept his ground with good success; deserters came over to him in great numbers, with whom he made terrible havock throughout the country. But Judas soon recovered a superiority over him, and restrained Alcimus and his people from continuing their incursions; who thereupon finding himself to be in no condition to resist Judas, returned to Court, with a present to the King of a gold Crown, a palm-tree and golden branches; which in all probability he had taken out of the Temple; and watching his opportunity renewed his complaints against Judas, and represented to the King, that as long as this Man lived his authority would never be well settled in Judæa. All who had the King’s ear were continually insinuating the same thing; and at last so wrought upon him, that he sent a new army against Judas, under the command of Nicanor his old enemy, with particular orders to kill him, disperse his party, and establish Alcimus in the full possession of his dignity.

In the Year of the World 3843. 1 Macc. vii. 1--- 20. In the Year 3842Nicanor, who was very well acquainted with

think it convenient to attack him by the way of arms, but proposed a treaty to him; whereupon articles were agreed on. But 1 Macc. vii. 26, &c. 2 Macc. xiv. 26—29.Alcimus, who thought sufficient care was not taken of his interests in these conferences, went to the King, and prejudiced him so strongly against the treaty, that he refused to ratify it, and sent Nicanor positive orders to continue the war till he had killed Judas, or taken him, and sent him prisoner to Antioch. Nicanor therefore was obliged, against his inclination, to begin hostilities again against Judas and his brethren.

Nicanor attempted to secure the person of his enemy at an interview which passed 2 Macc. vii. 27—32.between them at Jerusalem; but Judas perceiving there was treachery intended, withdrew, and re-commenced the war. Nicanor was beaten at Capharsalama; and in a second battle which he fought with Judas he was killed, and his army routed. 1 Macc. ix. 1—22.Demetrius being informed of this, sent Bacchides again, and Alcimus, into Judæa, with a powerful army, composed of the choice of all his troops. Judas had no more than three thousand men; and this little body was much lessened by the terror which had seized them, and the effect of it, desertion, so that he had not above eight hundred remaining with him. With this small force he ventured to attack the enemy, killed abundance of them, and after having performed prodigies of valour, died overwhelmed with numbers.

In the Year of the World 3843.By his death Alcimus and his party were delivered from a formidable enemy. The apostates and male-contents began to raise their heads, and became the strongest. They had the advantage every where throughout the country; Alcimus began to exercise the sacrilegious offices of the High-Priesthood, which he had purchased with a sum of money. But having undertaken to pull down the wall of the inner court, which had been built formerly by the Prophets³², that probably 1 Macc. vii. 9. ix. 54.which separated the altar of burnt-offerings from the Priest’s court, God punished him for it, by striking him with a palsy, whereof he died, after having enjoyed the Pontificate three or four years; in the year of the World 3844. See our Dissertation on the High-Priests of the Hebrews, prefixed to our Comment on the book of Judith.

ALEMA, a City in the Country of 1 Macc. v. 26. Is. xv. 8.Gilead, beyond Jordan. Isaiah speaks of Elim, in the Country of Moab. Helmonknown to be in the same Country: and this may perhaps be the same with Alema, mentioned in the Maccabees.

I. ALEMETH, the Son of Jehoadah, of the Tribe of Benjamin, 1 Chr. viii. 36.

II. ALEMETH, a City in the Tribe of Benjamin. It joins to Anathoth. Both were Cities of refuge in the Tribe abovementioned.

ALEPH, is the name of the first letter in the Hebrew Alphabet, from which the Alpha of the Syrians and Greeks was formed. This word signifies Chief, Prince, or Thousand. There are some Psalms, and some other parts of Scripture, which begin with Aleph, and the other verses of them are continued with the following letters of the Alphabet. There is no mystery at all in this; but these pieces are called Acrosticks, because all the verses which compose them begin with a letter of the Alphabet in a grammatical order. Thus in the Psalm Beati immaculati in via, the eight first verses begin with Aleph, the eight following with Beth; and in like manner of others. In the CXth Psalm³³, Confitebor tibi Domine, in toto corde meo, this verse begins with Aleph; what follows, in concilio justorum & congregatione, begins with Beth; and so on. In the Lamentations of Jeremiah, there are two Chapters, the first Strophe whereof only begins with Aleph, the second with Beth; and so of others. In the third chapter there are three verses successively which begin with Aleph; then three others which begin with Beth; and the Hebrews are acquainted with no other sort of acrostick verses besides these.

The Jews at this day make use of their Letters as Cyphers. Aleph stands for one; Beth for two; Gimel for three; and so on. But I do not find that they had of old the same custom. They who wou’d know any thing more of this matter, may consult the Hebrew Grammars. There was one printed in French not long since at Paris, by Colombat, for the use of those who do not understand Latin. Latin Grammars for the Hebrew tongue are very common. The Reader may see farther what we have to say under the Articles, HEBREW TONGUE, GRAMMAR, VOWELPOINTS, LETTERS, &c.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT, the Son and Successor of Philip, King of Macedon, is described in the Prophecies of Daniel, under the image of a Leopard

with four wings, to signify his great strength, and the rapidity of his conquests, Dan. viii. 4, 5, 6, 7.and under the figure of a He-goat, running through all the World with so much swiftness as not to touch the Earth, and attacking a ram with horns, overthrowing and trampling him under foot, without any one’s being able to rescue him out of his power. The He-goat is Alexander, the ram is Darius Codomannus, the last of the Persian Emperors and Successors of Cyrus. In the statue represented in a dream to NebuchadnezzarDan. ii. 39., the belly of brass was an emblem of Alexander, the legs of iron of his Successors. He was appointed by God to destroy the Persian Empire in the East, and establish the Grecian Monarchy in its room.

In the Year of the World 3668. before J. C. 332. before the vulgar Æra 336.After he had performed the last duties to his Father Philip, he was chosen by the Greeks to be General of the Troops which they were to send against the Persians. He marched into Asia at the head of four and thirty thousand Men, in the year of the World 2670, before J. C. 330, before the vulgar Æra 334. He fought with Darius’s Generals, and overcame them in the fields of Adraste. He subdued almost all Asia Minor in one campaign only: He afterwards defeated Orobates, one of Darius’s Generals, and last of all Darius himself and his Army, consisting of four hundred thousand foot, and an hundred thousand horse, in the narrow passes which lead from Syria to Cilicia. Darius preserved himself In the Year of the World 3672, before J. C. 328, before the vulgar Æra 332.by flight, but abandoned his Camp, Baggage, Children, Wife, and Mother.

After he had subdued all Syria, Alexander came to Tyre; and the Tyrians having denied him entrance into their City, he laid siege to it. He wrote at the same time to Jaddus, the High-priest of the Jews, that he expected to be acknowledged by him, and to receive the same submissions from him which he had hitherto paid the King of Persia¹. But Jaddus refusing to comply, In the Year of the World 3672.upon pretence of having sworn fidelity to Darius, Alexander resolved to march against Jerusalem as soon as he had reduced the City of Tyre. This siege lasted a long time, and cost Alexander a great deal of trouble; but at last the City was taken and sacked, and as soon as this was done he enter’d Palestine, and subjected it to his obedience. As he was marching against Jerusalem, with an intention to punish the High-priest for refusing to submit to him, Jaddus fearing his resentment, had recourse to God by Prayers and Sacrifices, and the Lord in a dream commanded him to open the gates to the Conqueror, to meet him at the head of all his People dressed in

¹ Joseph. Antiq. l. ii. c. ult. white, with crowns upon their heads, and attended by the Priests in their formalities, to put on his pontifical ornaments, and so march in order to receive Alexander, as it were in a triumphant manner.

Jaddus obeyed, and Alexander seeing all this company at a distance advancing towards him, was struck with awe, and coming near to the High-priest, he saluted him first, then adored God, whose name was engraved on a thin plate of Gold worn by the High-priest upon his forehead. At the same time all the People surrounded Alexander, and saluted him with great acclamations. The Kings of Syria and all the great Officers about him could not enough admire the conduct of Alexander, and could scarce comprehend that he was in his right senses. Parmenio alone ventur’d to take the liberty of asking him familiarly, why he, to whom all People did homage, and prostrated themselves before him, had thus prostrated himself before the High-priest of the Jews. To this Alexander replied, that he paid this respect to God, not to the High -priest: For, added he, while I was yet in Macedonia, I saw the God of the Jews, who appear’d to me in the same form and dress as the High-priest at present, encouraged me, and commanded me to fear nothing, but march my Army with expedition into Asia, promising me all manner of success, and under his conduct to make me Master of the Persian Empire. For this reason, as soon as I perceiv’d this habit, I remember’d the vision that I had seen, and understood that my Undertaking was favour’d by God, and that under his Protection I might expect all kind of Prosperity; so that I hope very soon to get possession of the Persian Empire, and to accomplish happily all my designs.

Having said this, he embraced Jaddus, and was conducted by the Priests into the City, which he had no sooner enter’d, but he went up to the Temple, where he offered Sacrifices to the Lord, in all things conforming himself to the directions of the Priests, and leaving to the High-priest the honours and particular functions which were annexed peculiarly to his dignity. They shewed him the Prophecies of Daniel, wherein it is said that a Grecian Prince should destroy the Persian Empire. He applied to himself what was pointed out by the Prophet, and was more and more confirmed in his opinion that God had chosen him to execute this great work.

After this he dismiss’d the Multitude, and having convened them the next day, he bad them ask what they would of him. The High-priest desired only the liberty of living under his Government according to C c

to their own laws, and an exemption from the payment of any tribute every seventh year, because in this year the Jews neither tilled their grounds nor reaped. Alexander very readily granted their request; and as they besought him to grant the same favour to the Jews who dwelt beyond the Euphrates in Babylonia and Media, he promised that they should enjoy the same privileges as soon as he made a conquest of those Provinces. After this, having signified to them that if any of them would list in his Troops he would receive them, many offered their services and followed him.

This done, he left Jerusalem, and visited the other Cities of that Province; and as he was every where received with great testimonies of Friendship and Submission, the Samaritans who dwelt at Sichem, at the foot of Mount Gerizim, and were Apostates from the Jewish Religion, observing with how much goodness Alexander treated the Jews, resolved to say that they too were by Religion Jews; for this was commonly their practice: When at any time they saw the affairs of the Jews to be in a prosperous condition, they boasted that they were of their nation, and descended from Manasseh and Ephraim; but when they thought it was their interest to say the contrary, they would not fail to affirm, and even swear that they had no relation to the Jews.

They came therefore with great eagerness, and many demonstrations of joy, to meet Alexander, as far almost as the territories of Jerusalem. Alexander commended their zeal, and the Sichemites humbly intreated him to visit their Temple, and honour their City with his presence. He promised that he would at his return; and as they petitioned him to grant them an exemption from all taxes upon every seventh year, because they, as well as the Jews, neither tilled nor reaped that year, Alexander asked them if they were Jews. They said that they were Hebrews, and that the Phœnicians called them Sichemites. Alexander answer’d that he had granted this favour only to the Jews, but that at his return he would enquire more exactly into this affair, and would do them justice.

This Prince having conquered Egypt, and regulated all things there, and given his orders for the continuation of his new City of Alexandria³⁴, departed thence about spring, to go with the utmost expedition In the Year of the World 2673.into the East, in pursuit of Darius. In his way through Palestine, he was informed that the Samaritans, in a general insurrection, had killed Andromachus, Governor of Syria and Palestine, who coming to Samaria to regulate some affairs, the inhabitants set fire to his house and burnt him. This action was infinitely displeasing to Alexander, who loved Andromachus, and commanded all those to be executed who were concerned in his murder; the rest he banished from Samaria, and settled a colony of Macedonians in their room. What remained of the lands he gave to the Jews, and exempted them from the payment of tribute³⁵. They who escaped this calamity, retired to Sichem at the foot of Mount Gerizim³⁶, which thereby became the Capital of the Samaritans, as it still continues to be at this day; and left the eight thousand Men of this nation who were in his service, and had accompanied him ever since the siege of Tyre, if he should send them back into their country, might renew the spirit of rebellion in their Countrymen, he sent them into Thebais, the most remote Province of Egypt, and there assigned them lands.

1 Macc. i. 3.We shall not enlarge here in making a recital of Alexander’s conquests, for those are foreign to our subject, but shall take notice only, that after he had subdued all Asia and the Indies with incredible good fortune and rapidity, he gave himself up to all manner of Intemperance. Historians relate, that having drunk to excess, he fell sick and died, after he had obliged all the World to be quiet before him. Being sensible that his end was near, he sent for the Grandees of his Court, and declared to them that he gave the Empire to him who was of all the most deserving³⁷. According to other Historians³⁸, he made a Will, wherein he regulated every thing relating to the Succession. The Author of the first Ch. i. 7.book of Maccabees says, that he divided his Kingdom among his Generals while he was yet living. It is certain that a partition was made of Alexander’s Empire among the principal Officers of his Army, and that the Empire which he founded in Asia subsisted many Ages after him. He died in the year of the World 3681, before J. C. 319, before the vulgar Æra 323, at the age of three and thirty, and after a reign of twelve years, viz. six years as King of Macedon, and six as Monarch of Asia.

The spurious Josephus, or Josephus Ben Gorion³⁹⁴⁰, relates that Alexander, as we

have said, having enter’d the Temple of Jerusalem, the High-priest shewed him the Courts, the Treasures, and all the beauties of that holy place, and even the Holy of Holies, which was the most sacred and innermost part of the Temple; that Alexander having admired all these things, and blessed the Lord for them, said to the High -priest, I have a mind to leave here a monument of my Devotion and Respect to the God whom you adore; I will give therefore to the artificers a great quantity of Gold, that they may make a Statue of me as large as the life, and place it between the Altar of Burnt-offerings and the holy place. But the High-priest told him that he might make a better use of the sum which he intended to devote to God, by giving it to be a support to the Priests, and for the service of the People who should worship God in his holy Place; and that as to the monument he had mentioned, he would erect a more excellent one in honour of him. What monument then is this, replied Alexander? It is this, says Jaddus; all the Children of the Priests that shall be born this year in Jerusalem and all Judæa, shall be called by the name of Alexander: These will be so many living monuments, that shall every day revive the memory of your name in the Lord’s Temple.

The Jews⁴¹ tell us, that the Egyptians prosecuted the Hebrews before Alexander, in order to procure the restitution of the gold and silver vessels which their Ancestors had formerly borrowed of the Ex. iii. 22. Dan. viii. 3, 4, 5.Egyptians when they went out of Egypt. The cause was pleaded before Alexander, and the Egyptians set forth their right in the best manner they could; but when they heard the complaints and pretensions of the Hebrews, and understood that they required of them a consideration for their liberty, which for many years had been oppress’d unjustly, their pay for so many years labour, satisfaction for the bad usage they had received from the Egyptians, and vengeance for their Children that had been either drown-ed or expos’d; when the Egyptians heard all this, they retired in confusion, and desisted from their demands⁴². But I mention this law-suit only as an invention of the Rabbins.

Some have been of opinion⁴³, that it was the High-priest Jaddus who told Alexander the Great that the Gods who were worshipped by the Heathens were mortal Men only deified: But this opinion is no more than a conjecture, for which there is no foundation. The Antients⁴⁴, from whom we learn this particularity of Alexander, taken from a letter written to his Mother, have no where told us that this Prince had it from Jaddus, but from one Leo, who was an High-priest, and had the care of the Egyptian mysteries.

The name of this Conqueror is as much celebrated in the Writings of the Eastern People as in those of the Greeks and Romans; but they vary extremely from the accounts which our Historians give of him. They generally call Alexander Escander Dulkarnim⁴⁵, Alexander with two horns, by reason of the two horns of the World, the East and the West, as the People of the East term them, which this Conqueror subdued. Daniel represents him under the idea of a Goat, having a large horn, wherewith he attacks and overthrows a Ram with two horns of an unequal size, one whereof is much larger than the other. The Ram here mentioned is Darius King of Persia, overcome by Alexander, who having overthrown and trampled upon his Adversary, became extremely powerful, and his horn was prodigiously exalted, so that it was divided into four horns, extending towards the four parts of the World. These are the four Monarchies formed out of Alexander’s Empire, viz. Syria, Egypt, Babylonia, and Greece.

The Eastern People do not agree among themselves as to Alexander’s Father and Mother: The Mahometans generally relate his Original after the following manner⁴⁶; Darab King of Persia made war with Philip King of Macedonia, and having defeated him, obliged him afterwards to retreat to a certain place, where he blocked him up so close, that he was forced to sue for peace, to give him his Daughter in marriage, and pay him an annual tribute of a thousand Beizats, or golden Eggs, each forty drams in weight. Darab having thus espoused the Princess, perceiv’d upon the wedding night that her breath was offensive, and resolved to send her back to her Father, tho’ she was with child already by him. Philip received her, and the Son of whom she was deliver’d he named as if he had been his own, and called him Alexander.

Darab at his death left his Kingdom to his Son of his own name: This is the Darius Codomannus of the Greeks, and Dara in the Persian language signifies Sovereign. This Prince extended far the limits of his Territories, settled Posts throughout his Dominions for the more effectual procuring speedy intelligence of what pass’d, and reign’d for some years very happily. But as he govern’d with great pride and severity, he drew upon himself the odium of the great Men and

common people, who rebelled against him. The Grandees wrote to Alexander, inviting him to come and make a conquest of Persia, which belonged to him as Son and Heir to Darab the first. Alexander desiring to take advantage of these dispositions in the men of principal quality, began with a refusal to pay the customary tribute of a thousand Beizats, or golden Eggs; and the King of Persia demanding them by his Ambassador, Alexander replied, The bird which laid these eggs is flown into the other world.

Upon this refusal, and the raillery accompanying it, Darius levied a powerful army, in order to reduce Alexander to obedience; who likewise on his part raised forces, and marched against Darius. The encounter between these two armies was very terrible; but after a bloody combat, the advantage remained intirely on Alexander’s side. Darius retiring from the battle, no sooner came into his tent, but two of his chief officers pierced him thro’ the body with their swords, and fled to Alexander’s camp; who, upon notice of what had happened, ran instantly to Darius, took the head of the expiring Monarch and placed it on his knees, protesting that he was not any way concerned in his death. Darius opening his eyes, desired him to revenge his murder, gave him his daughter Roxana in marriage, and intreated him to leave the Provinces of Persia under the government of Natives of the country. Such, according to the Eastern People, was the death of Darius Codomannus.

Abulfarage, and Said the Son of Batrik, and Josephus Gorionides, are of opinion, that Nectanetus King of Egypt was Alexander’s Father; that he being driven out of his own Country by Artaxerxes Occhus, disguised himself like an Astrologer, came into Macedonia, and having lain with Olympias, Philip’s Wife, begat Alexander the Great. The same Abulfarage says, that Alexander defeated thirty Kings in battle, and built twelve Cities, four whereof he called by his own name. It is related also, that he commanded a bridge of admirable structure to be destroyed, which had been erected by an ancient King of Persia over the Tigris. Afterwards a bridge of boats was made in the same place, which continued there for a long time.

1 Macc. i. 6, 7.We read in the first book of Maccabees, that Alexander perceiving himself to be near his end, sent for his principal officers, who had been brought up with him ever since his youth, and divided his Kingdom among them while he was yet living. It is pretty difficult to reconcile this relation with the Greek and Latin Historians, who have mentioned the circumstances of his death, and the manner wherein he disposed of his dominions. But in this particular the Eastern Historians agree very well with the Sacred Historian; they say he died in the city of Scheherezour in Assyria⁴⁷, or as others will have it, in the Curdistan⁴⁸, after having divided his dominions among ninety of his principal Captains, the chief of whom was Ptolemy the Son of Lague. Eskenderons, otherwise Aridæus his Son, or rather, as Greek Authors say, his Brother, had no share in this succession, being addicted intirely to the study of Philosophy under the direction of Aristotle, who had been Alexander’s Preceptor.

Another Historian informs us⁴⁹, that this Prince, a little before his death, divided the Provinces of Persia among the Sons of those Princes whom he had subdued and dispossessed of their Crowns, they paying fealty and homage to him; with a farther condition, of keeping such a number of troops in his service. But after the death of Alexander, they who had been tributary or feudatary Princes only, made themselves absolute, and Sovereigns, and are distinguished in the Arabian and Persian Histories by the title of Kings of the Nations; who make a particular dynasty in the succession of the Kings of Persia.

Josephus the Son of Gorion, whose history was published in Germany by Sebastian Munster, in the sixteenth Century, and has been since much more correctly printed in Hebrew at Constantinople, has related the History of Alexander the Great, which he learnt, as he says, from the Egyptian Magi, but he has disfigured it in so strange a manner, and blended it with so many fables, and instances of the grossest ignorance, that were I to relate them I shou’d think I made a very ill use of my own leisure, and too severely tried the Reader’s patience. M. Gagnier has translated it into Latin, and joined another Latin Author with it, a Manuscript whereof has been discover’d lately in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. His work is formed upon the same plan as that of Ben Gorion; but there is a dispute among the Learned which of the two is the most ancient⁵⁰. Both are stuffed with childish stories, and both value themselves upon borrowing their history from the Egyptian Magi.

The Eastern people agree, that Alexander the Great built a large strong wall, continued from one of the Caspian mountains to another, in order to prevent the Northern people, whom they called Gog

and Magog, from penetrating into Persia, and the other Provinces which lie East and South of this wall, known among the Ancients by the name of the Caspian Gates. See CASPIAN.

During his abode at Babylon, amidst the greatest pleasures and debauches, he resolved upon rebuilding and inlarging the Temple of Belus⁵¹, which Xerxes had demolished at his return from Greece. He began with ordering the place to be cleaned, and observing that the Magi to whom he had committed the care of this work, proceeded very slowly in it, he employed ten thousand of his troops about it. They laboured at it for two months before his death; and after all, the undertaking was so great that it remained unfinished. It was designed that the Jews who were in the army should have their share in this work as well as the rest,⁵² but when their turn came, they represented, that their Religion prohibiting Idolatry, it was not lawful for them to assist in building an Edifice intended for an idolatrous worship. It was resolved however to press them, and correction and other violent means were used to force them to it; but they continued inflexible. Alexander admired their constancy, discharged them, and sent them home.

II. ALEXANDER BALAS, so called from Bala his Mother, was the natural Son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and in Medals is surnamed Theopator Euergetes. Some Historians will not allow him to be even the natural Son of Antiochus Epiphanes. Florus⁵³ calls him an unknown person, and of an uncertain extraction. Justin⁵⁴ says, that the Enemies of Demetrius King of Syria suborned a young Man, who was of the very meanest of the people, to declare himself to be the Son and Heir of Antiochus; and that he having made war with success against the King of Syria, got possession of his Kingdom. Appian⁵⁵ says plainly, that he took upon him to be of the family of the Seleucidæ, without any title to this pretension. And Athenæus affirms⁵⁶, that he was the supposed Son of Antiochus Epiphanes. But let this be as it will, the Roman Senate and the Jews, as well as the Egyptians and Syrians, acknowledged him to be the Son and Heir of this Prince.

Heraclides of Byzantium was the person who undertook to place Alexander Balas on the throne of Syria, and to pull down Demetrius, who was his particular Enemy. He carried Alexander whom we are speaking of, to Rome, and Laodicea the Daughter of Antiochus Epiphanes. He had the address to gain many of the Senators by his presents, and to persuade them that Alexander was the natural Son of Antiochus. When he thought every thing was well enough disposed, he brought young Alexander and his pretended Sister Laodicea, into the Senate-house. They desired assistance from the Senate, that they might be enabled to recover their Father’s Inheritance, and the Kingdom of Syria, which was usurped by Demetrius. Heraclides seconded their petition with a long harangue; and altho’ the Men of best understanding looked upon all this as so much farce, yet those of the Senators, who had been gained by Heraclides, and were the most numerous, carried it; and it was immediately resolved, that Alexander and Laodicea might endeavour to recover the dominions of their Father; that the Senate and Roman People would support them, and furnish them with succours to this purpose. Immediately Heraclides set about the levying of troops; and having conducted Alexander and Laodicea to Ephesus, he made preparations to carry on the war in earnest against Demetrius.

Alexander Balas went into Syria, and upon his first appearance Ptolemaïs, which was in the custody of some Malecontents, belonging to Demetrius’s troops, opened the gates to him. Then he writ to Jonathan Maccabæus, to engage him in his party: The Letter run thus, King Alexander to his Brother Jonathan sendeth greeting. We have heard of thee that thou art a Man of great power, and meet to be our friend; wherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the High-Priest of thy Nation, and to be called the King’s friend, and require thee to take our part, and keep friendship with us. At the same time he sent him a purple Robe, and a Crown of Gold. Jonathan therefore embraced Alexander’s party, notwithstanding all the offers and sollicitations of Demetrius King of Syria. After this Alexander thought of nothing but of going to attack Demetrius. The two Kings engaged in the year 3853. The left wing of Demetrius broke and put to flight Alexander’s right wing, which was placed opposite to it; but the right wing, where Demetrius commanded in person, was obliged to retreat. Demetrius being deserted by his Men, tho’ alone, made resistance, and performed prodigies of valour. At last unhappily plunging into the mire, he fell from his horse, and was pierced through with arrows, fighting valiantly to the last gasp.

In the Year of the World 3854. before J. C. 146. before the vulg. Æra 150.Thus Alexander Balas got full possession of the Kingdom of Syria. When this was accomplished, he considered how to

strengthen himself by an alliance with the King of Egypt. He demanded his Daughter in marriage, and Ptolemy Philometor gave her to him. The two Kings met at Ptolemaïs, where the marriage was concluded. 1 Macc. x. 51, & seq. 1 Macc. x. 69, & seq. 1 Macc. xi. 17.Jonathan Maccabæus was invited to it by King Alexander; he went, and appeared there with great splendor. He brought large presents to Alexander, and was very well received by both Princes. The King of Syria shewed him all the marks of honour, cloathed him in purple, placed him in the number of his principal friends, and made him his Master of the Horse.

In the Year of the World 3856. before J.C. 144. before the vulg. Æra 150.Alexander had not been above two years upon the throne of Syria, when Demetrius Nicator, the eldest Son of Demetrius Soter, put himself at the head of some troops which he had received from Lasthenes of Crete, and passed into Cilicia. Alexander was then in Phœnicia, and as soon as he received news of it, he returned with all speed to Antioch, that he might put his affairs in order before the arrival of Demetrius.

In the mean time Demetrius gave the general command of his troops to Apollonius, who came and bid defiance to Jonathan, challenging him with very insolent language to engage him in a set battle. Jonathan and his Brother Simon marched against him, and came near Joppa; the Enemy’s horse, after having suffered great fatigues all the day, was at last put to flight by Simon’s Infantry: After which the two Brothers took Azothus and Ascalon, and returned loaden with spoil to Jerusalem. King Alexander being informed of this good success, advanced Jonathan to new honours, and sent him the buckle of gold which was given generally to near relations only of the King. Moreover, he gave him Accaron, and the territory belonging to it, to be enjoyed by him as his own property.

While this was transacting, Ptolemy Philometor, the Father-in-law of Alexander Balas, was considering how he might join the Kingdom of Syria to that of Egypt, and took private measures to destroy both Demetrius Nicator and Alexander Balas, that so he might become master of the In the Year of the World 3858, before J. C. 142, before the vulgar Æra 146.Kingdom, which they were both contending for. To this end he levied a powerful army, and under the pretence of going to the assistance of his Son-in-law, he entered Syria, and was received as a friend into all the Cities of the Country; after which having 1 Macc. xi. 1,2, & seq.seized them⁵⁷, he gave out that Balas had prepared several ambuscades for him in Ptolemaïs, with an intention to surprize him. Jonathan Maccabæus came to join him near Joppa; and tho’ the inhabitants of the Country did all they could to render him odious to Ptolemy, by shewing him the heaps of dead bodies which Jonathan had slain in the preceding war, the Temple of Dagon, which he had burnt, and the City of Azotus, which he had destroyed, the King nevertheless received him with great 1 Macc. xi. 4, 5, 6, 7.marks of distinction; and Jonathan having attended him as far as the river Eleutherus, beyond Phœnicia, returned to Jerusalem.

Thus Ptolemy advanced as far as Antioch, without meeting any resistance, seated himself in the throne of Syria, and put the two Diadems upon his head of Egypt and Syria.

Balas, who had retreated into Cilicia, gathered there a numerous army together, marched against Ptolemy and Demetrius Nicator, who were both confederated against him, gave them battle upon the river OEnæparas, was overcome, and obliged to save himself by flight, with five hundred horse that followed him, in Arabia: where Zabdiel Prince of the Arabians had his head cut off, and sent it to Ptolemy. This is what the Author of the first book of Maccabees tells us. But other Historians⁵⁸ relate, that Alexander’s Generals considering their own interests and security, treated privately with Demetrius, treacherously killed their Master, and sent his head to Ptolemy at Antioch. This happened in the year of the world 3859. before J. C. 141. before the vulg. Æra 145. Alexander Balas left a Son very young, called Antiochus Theus, whom Tryphon raised to the Ver. 39.Throne of Syria, as we shall see under the title Antiochus.

ALEXANDER JANNÆUS, the third Son of John Hircanus. John Hircanus left three Sons, or five, according to Josephus⁵⁹. He had a particular affection for Antigonus and Aristobulus, but could not endure his third Son Alexander, because he had dream’d that he would reign after him; which extremely afflicted him, inasmuch as according to the order of nature, he could not come to the Crown till after the death of his two Brothers. The event justified the truth of this dream. Antigonus never reigned, and Aristobulus but for a very short time;⁶⁰ so that after his death, Salome, or Alexandra his Widow, set Alexander at liberty, whom Aristobulus had kept in prison ever since their Father’s death⁶¹, and made him King in his room in 3899. before J. C. 101. before the vulgar Æra 105. As soon as Alexander was seated on the Throne, he put to death one of his Brothers, who had formed a design upon his life, and heaped great honours

on another, called Absalom, who was contented with a private condition, and lived peaceably, and retired from all publick business.

Alexander was of a warlike enterprizing genius; as soon as he had regulated the affairs of his dominions, he marched with an army against Ptolemaïs. The inhabitants of the City gave him battle, but he repulsed them; and compell’d them to shut themselves up in the place where he laid close siege to them. The besieged seeing themselves pressed, had recourse to Ptolemy Lathyrus, who having been forced out of the Kingdom of Egypt by his Mother Cleopatra, continued in the Isle of Cyprus. Lathyrus promised to come to their assistance, and to this end fitted out a strong fleet. In the mean time, Demænetus, who had great credit in Ptolemaïs, persuaded the Inhabitants that it was much more for their advantage to carry on the war against the Jews, and run all the hazards of it, than to receive Ptolemy, and thereby throw themselves into certain and inevitable slavery. The people of the town submitted to these reasons, and ordered thanks to be returned to Ptolemy for the offer of his assistance.

Ptolemy Lathyrus was already at sea, when he received this news; notwithstanding which he advanced as far as Sicaminum, a City situated over-against Ptolemaïs, where he landed his army, which was composed of about thirty thousand horse and foot. They of Ptolemaïs persisted in refusing to receive him into their City; during which time the Deputies of Gaza came to him on the part of Zoilus Tyrant of Dora, and of Strato’s Tower, desiring him to come to their assistance against Alexander Jannæus, King of the Jews, who laid waste all their Country.

Ptolemy was overjoyed at this opportunity of making an honourable retreat from before Ptolemaïs. In the mean while, Alexander, not thinking it advisable to hazard an engagement with Ptolemy, withdrew with his troops into their quarters, and underhand sollicited Cleopatra, Ptolemy’s Mother, to be of his party, making outward professions of a desire to live well with her Son, and offering him four hundred talents to deliver up Zoïlus, with assurances that he would resign to him the several pieces of land which Zoilus was possess’d of in the Country. Ptolemy was not long without perceiving that Alexander played with him; for which reason he began the war In the Year of the World 3900. before J. C. 100. before the Vulg. Æra 104.against him with more vigour than before.

He attacked and took some places in Galilee. Alexander marched against him, and gave him battle near Asophus, which was not far from Jordan⁶². But Ptolemy In the year of the World 3901, before J. C. 99, before the vulgar Æra 103.killed thirty thousand of his Men, or fifty thousand, if Timagenes, who is cited in Josephus, is to be believed. After this victory Ptolemy met with no more resistance in the Country. He made every where great havock, and spread the terror of his name throughout all the Province. After this, his Mother Cleopatra fearing lest so much success should make him too powerful, equipp’d a large Fleet, and sent her Son Alexander into Phœnicia, where he was very well received by the People of that Country, who forsook Ptolemy’s party, but appearing before Ptolemaïs, he was obliged to lay siege to it; and Cleopatra came to his assistance, to hasten the taking of the City.

In the Year of the World 3902, before J. C. 98, before the vulgar Æra 102.Alexander Jannæus, as his affairs then stood, thought it impossible to procure any succour but from Cleopatra. He went therefore to her Camp before Ptolemaïs, carrying great presents with him, and was received there as an unhappy Prince, who was Ptolemy’s Enemy, and had no other refuge but the Queen’s protection. Some of Cleopatra’s friends would have persuaded her to seize upon Judæa; but Ananias, one of her Generals, who was by birth a Jew, diverted her from it, by remonstrating to her, not only the injustice and unworthiness of such a proceeding, in robbing thus a Prince who was her Ally, and came to throw himself into her arms; but likewise that it would make her odious to all the Jews in the world, who would detest such a piece of perfidiousness. Cleopatra being moved with these reasons, made an alliance with Alexander Jannæus, in the City of Scythopolis; and thereupon Alexander marched with his troops into Cœle-Syria, where he took the Town of Gadara, after a siege of ten months, and after that Amathus, which was one of the best fortresses in the Country, where Theodorus the Son of Zeno had lodged every thing most valuable that he had, as in a place of good security. In the Year of the World 3903. before J. C. 97. before the vulg. Æra 101. In the year of the World 3906. before J. C. 94. before the vulg. Æra 98.This Theodorus falling suddenly upon Alexander’s army, killed ten thousand of his men, and plundered all his baggage.

This Misfortune was not sufficient to shake the courage of this Prince, he besieged Raphia and Anthedon, Towns lying upon the Mediterranean, and made himself Master of them. From thence he marched against Gaza, attacked it, and ravaged all the neighbouring Country. But Apollodotus, who commanded in the Town, having made a sally in the night, fell furiously upon Alexander’s Camp, put the Jews into disorder, and had the advantage as long as night lasted; but as soon as it was day, the Jews discovering who they were, (for they thought at first that it was Ptolemy Lathyrus, who was come to the

assistance of Gaza) recovered spirit, and killed near a thousand of the Enemy: notwithstanding which, they did not surrender up the place, but chose rather to expose themselves to the last extremities, than submit to the Hebrews. But after a long resistance, having lost their Captain Apollodotus, the Town was taken and sacked, not however without great loss on the Jews side, for they of Gaza seeing there was no hope of quarter, sold their lives very dearly. Alexander return’d to Jerusalem a year after he began the siege of Gaza.

In the Year of the World 3907, be - fore J. C. 93. before the vulgar Æra 97.When he returned to Jerusalem, he did not find all that peace which he had reason to expect there. The Jews revolted from him⁶³, and upon the feast of Tabernacles, while he was preparing to sacrifice as High-priest, according to custom, the People who were assembled in the Temple had the insolence to throw limons at him; for it is usual with the Jews, during this festival, to carry branches of Palm-trees and Limon-trees in their hands, as tokens of joy. To these insults they added reproaches, telling him, that as he had been a captive, he was not worthy to go up to the holy Altar, and offer solemn Sacrifices. Alexander, provoked with these affronts, put the seditious to the sword, and killed about six thousand of them. Afterwards he caused a partition made of wood to be erected about the Altar and the inner Temple, to prevent the People from coming so far as the Altar where the Priests performed their functions: And farther, to defend himself for the future against any such attempts, he took guards into his pay from Pisidia and Cilicia; for as he was no lover of the Syrians, he would have none of them in his service.

He made war afterwards against the Moabites and Ammonites, and having conquer’d them, obliged them to pay tribute to him. After that he attacked Amathus, the fortress beyond Jordan, which has been above mentioned, and razed it, Theodorus the Son of Zeno not daring in the mean time to encounter him. Upon another occasion, making war with Obeda, King of the Arabians, he fell imprudently into an ambuscade that was laid for him near Gadara, beyond Jordan; and having suffered himself to be inclosed by a troop of Camels in steep places, he had much ado to disengage himself, without any company, and got back to Jerusalem.

There he found the Jews more animated against him than ever, and was obliged to make war against them for six years, and kill above fifty thousand of them. All his endeavours to be reconciled with them were of no other use than to irritate them still more; so that having one day asked them what they would have him do in order to live well with them, and acquire their good-will, they answer’d all with one voice, that he had nothing to do but to kill himself, and at the same time sent deputies to Demetrius Eucærus, to desire succours from him against their King⁶⁴.

Eucærus coming into Judæa⁶⁵, join’d his army with the rebellious Subjects of Alexander, and encamped at Sichem. Alexander marched against him at the head of an Army consisting of six thousand two hundred foreign troops, and twenty thousand Jews, who continued faithful to him. Eucærus had in his Army three thousand horse and forty thousand foot. The two Kings did what they could mutually to weaken one another; Eucærus by debauching the foreign troops which were in Alexander’s pay; and Alexander by taking off those Jews from the party of Eucærus who had joined his Army. But neither of them succeeding in his design, they were obliged to come to a pitch’d battle, in which all the advantage was on the side of Eucærus, the foreign troops belonging to Alexander being defeated so entirely, that not one of them was left; and this Prince was forced to fly for shelter to the Mountains.

This misfortune, which, in all appearance, must have ruined totally the affairs of Alexander, was what most contributed to his re-establishment. Six thousand Jews, who were touched with the unhappy condition of their King, came to join him; and Demetrius, content with the first advantage he had gained, retired into Syria, and left the rebels to make war against their King with their own forces. Alexander had the better of them in all skirmishes, and at last having shut up the briskest of them in a place called Bethom, he forced them, made them prisoners, and carried them to Jerusalem, where he order’d eight hundred of them to be crucified before him, during a great entertainment which he had made for his friends; and before these unhappy wretches expir’d, he commanded their wives and children to be murder’d in their presence. This was an unheard-of and excessive cruelty; and upon this occasion the People of his own party called him Thracides, that is to say, as cruel as a Thracian. A body of eight thousand mutineers, who still kept the field, frighted with this execution, secur’d themselves in places strong by situation, and left the King at peace in his dominions.

Antiochus, sirnamed Dionysius⁶⁶, having conquer’d the Kingdom of Damascus, resolved to make an irruption into Judæa: Alexander Jannæus having intelligence of his design, and being unwilling to run the hazard of a battle, gave orders for the making good intrenchments from Antipatris to Joppa, which was the only place thro’ which they could penetrate into his Country; and having added a wall to these works, with wooden towers at proper distances, for about an hundred and fifty furlongs in length, he put a stop to Antiochus, and his enterprize miscarried. This Prince, having only burnt the wooden towers, thought it convenient to return, and bend his arms against the King of the Arabians, in which war he was killed.

After his death, the people of Damascus made a present of the Crown to Aretas, who came into Judæa, attack’d Alexander, and overcame him near Adida, in the plain call’d Sephala, to the East of Gaza and Anthedon. After this the two Kings made peace upon certain conditions. Aretas return’d In the Year of the World 3918, before J. C. 81, before the vulgar Æra 85. In the Year of the World 3920. before J. C. 80. before the vulgar Æra 84. In the year of the World 3921. before J. C. 79. before the vulgar Æra 83. Deut. iii. 4, 13, 14. In the Year of the World 3923 before J. C. 77. before the vulgar Æra 81.to Damascus, and Alexander went and besieged Dia, or Dium, in Arabia, near Pella, in the region of Decapolis⁶⁷; and having taken it, he led his army to Essa,⁶⁸ where Zeno had lodged all that was most valuable belonging to him. He hemm’d in the place with a triple wall, and having taken it, he march-ed against Gaulan and Seleucia. These he took, and at the same time made himself master of the Valley of Antiochus, and the Fortress of Gamala. He accused Demetrius of several crimes, who was the proprietor of all these parts, and having taken possession of them, he returned in triumph to Judæa, after an absence of three years, which he had employed in these expeditions.

The Jews received him with joy, by reason of his great successes; and under his reign the dominion of the Hebrews was extended over many Cities which had been conquered by him. After this Alexander, having drank to great excess, fell sick, and having for three whole years laboured under a quartan fever, without intermitting however his military exercises; his strength was at last quite exhausted, and he died in the country of Gerasa, while he was besieging the Castle of Ragaba, situated beyond the river Jordan. Ragaba is probably the same with Argob of Bashan, which is mentioned by Moses.

The Queen his Wife observing him to be near his end, and foreseeing all she had to fear from a mutinous people not easily to be governed, her Children not being as yet of age to take upon themselves the conduct of affairs, Alexander told her under these perplexities, that if she had a mind to reign in peace, she should in the first place conceal his death from the Soldiery, till Ragaba was taken; in the next place, that when she returned to Jerusalem, she should give the Pharisees some authority in the State, and some share in the Government; that she should send for the principal of them, and shew them his dead body; that she should tell them they might use it as they pleased, and treat it with all manner of indignities, in revenge for the ill treatment they had received from him; and for the rest, that she would do nothing henceforward in the Government without their advice and participation.

He added, if you do thus, you may be assured, that they will make a very honourable funeral for me, and that you will reign in peace, supported by the credit and authority which they have acquired among the people. Having said these words, he expired, at the age of eight and forty, and after a reign of seven and twenty years; in the year of the World 3926. before J. C. 74. before the vulgar Æra 78. He left two Sons, Hircanus and Aristobulus, who disputed for the Kingdom and High Priesthood, till the time of Herod the Great; and by their division were the cause of the intire ruin of their family, and of Herod’s elevation.

IV. ALEXANDER, the Son of Aristobulus and Alexandra, and Grandson of Alexander Jannæus, whom we have been speaking of. After Pompey had taken Jerusalem from Aristobulus, this Prince, with Alexander and Antigonus his Sons, and two of his Daughters, were carried in captivity to Rome. Young Alexander found means to escape by the way, and being returned to In the Year of the World 3947. before J. C. 53. before the vulg. Æra 57.Judæa, he raised an army of ten thousand foot, and fifteen hundred horsed, with which he performed many gallant actions, and seized the Fortresses of Alexandrium and Machærus, where he design-ed to fortify himself. But Gabinius, General of the Roman Troops which were in the Country, allow’d him no leisure to do this; for he drove him from the mountains, beat him near Jerusalem, killed three thousand of his Men, and made a great many prisoners. After which Gabinius laid siege to the Fortress of Alexandrium, where Alexandra, the Mother of Alexander, was in person. She went out of this Castle, and accommodated matters between her Son Alexander and Gabinius, upon condition that Alexander should surrender the Castles of Alexandrium, Hircanium, and Machærus, which Gabinius demolished in the year 3947.

Alexander observing Gabinius to be employed in Egypt, while Sisenna, whom he had left in Judea with an Authority to command there in his absence, was not in a condition to make head against the robbers, that ravaged all parts of the province: Alexander, I say, taking the advantage of this opportunity,In the Year of the World 3949.⁶⁹ stirred up new commotions in the Land, had recourse to arms again, and found means to form an army considerable enough to scour all the country. Wheresoever he met with any Romans, he sacrificed them to his resentment. They who escaped from him, fortified themselves on Mount Gerizim, whither he went and besieged them. Here it was that Gabinius found him at his return from Egypt.

Gabinius being apprehensive of engaging with the great number of troops which were with Alexander, sent Antipater to him with offers of a general pardon, provided they laid down their arms. This proposal had the desired success, many of them forsook Alexander, and retired to their own houses. But there were still thirty thousand men remaining with him, and with these he resolved to give Gabinius battel. The two Armies met at the foot of Mount Tabor, where, after a very obstinate action, Alexander was overcome, with the loss of ten thousand men. The rest were dispersed by flight.

Alexander began again under the government In the Year of the World 3952.of Crassus to embroil affairs; but Cassius, after the unhappy expedition against the Parthians, obliged him under certain Conditions to continue quiet,⁷⁰ and marched to the Euphrates to oppose the passage of the Parthians.

In the Year of the World 3955.During the quarrels between Cæsar and Pompey, Alexander and Aristobulus his father took Cæsar’s part, who sent Aristobulus back into Judæa with two legions, in order to support his interests there.⁷¹ But they who were of Pompey’s party found means to poison him by the way. Nevertheless Alexander his son levied troops to join with those of Aristobulus; whereof Pompey having intelligence, sent directions to Scipio, who was then in Syria, to dispatch him. Alexander was therefore apprehended and carried to Antioch, where he was arraigned in form, and condemned to lose his Head; which Sentence was accordingly executed in the year of the World 3935, before J. C. 65, before the vulgar

V. Alexander, the Son of Jason, was sent to Rome to renew the Friendship and Alliance that there was between the Jews and Romans. He is named in the Decree of the Senate which was directed to the Jews in the ninth year of Hircanus’s Pontificate, Æra 69.⁷² in the year of the World 3935, before J. C. 65, before the vulgar Æra 69.

VI. ALEXANDER, the Son of Theodorus, was sent to Rome by Hircanus, to renew his Alliance with the Senate.⁷³ His name is to be met with in the Decree of the Senate addressed to the Magistrates of Ephesus, and made in the Consulship of Dolabella; wherein it is declared, That the Jews shall not be forced into their service, because they cannot bear arms upon the Sabbath-day, nor have at all times such Provisions in their armies as are permitted by their Law.

VII. ALEXANDER, the Son of Herod the Great and Mariamne. His History is scarce to be separated from that of Aristobulus his brother, and the companion of all his misfortunes. These two Princes were the handsomest men of their times. After the tragical death of their mother Mariamne, Herod sent them to Rome, to be educated near Augustus, and instructed in all exercises In the Year of the World 3982, before J. C. 18, before the vulgar Æra 22. In the Year of the World 3988, before J. C. 12, before the vulgar Æra 16.which were suitable to their Quality. Augustus did them the honour to allow them an apartment in his Palace, intending to compliment their father Herod with this mark of his Esteem and Consideration.⁷⁴ Some time after, Herod undertook a journey to Rome, to make his court to Augustus,⁷⁵ and bring home his two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, who had been taught every thing sufficiently becoming persons of their Rank. The people received them in Judæa with great joy and kindness, in consideration of their extreme beauty, and the Asmonæan Race, from which, by their Mother’s side, they were descended. But Salome, Herod’s sister, who had been the principal cause of Mariamne’s Death, apprehending, that if the Authority were ever lodged in their hands, they would make her feel the effects of their resentment, resolved by her calumnies to alienate their father from them.

This she set about with great address, for fear of being discovered; and at first made no shew at all of her ill-will. Herod seeing them of age, married them; Alexander with Glaphyra the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia, and Aristobulus with Berenice the daughter of Salome. Pheroras the King’s brother and Salome having conspired to destroy these two young Princes, observed all their discourses, and themselves oftentimes furnished them with opportunities of speaking their thoughts freely, and with some In the Year of the World 3976, before J. C. 24, before the vulgar Æra 28.sharpness, concerning the manner wherein Herod had put to death their mother Mariamne.⁷⁶ All that they said was immediately reported to the King, in the most odious and aggravating terms, Herod, who knew not how to distrust

his Brother and Sister, and was well acquainted with the humour of his Sons, gave credit very easily to what was told him of their saying very frankly, that they would one day revenge their Mother’s Death. To check in some degree their lofty Spirits, he sent for his eldest son Antipater to Court, whom he had by one Doris, and had brought up at a distance from Jerusalem; because the Quality of his Mother was much inferior to that of Mariamne. He thought that by making Aristobulus and Alexander both sensible, that it was in his power to advance one of their Brothers above them, he should induce them to be more circumspect and tractable: but the quite contrary happened; the presence of Antipater did but exasperate the two young Princes.

Herod having placed his confidence in Antipater, never suspected any thing he said against his two Brothers; because he understood so well how to disguise his thoughts, that he seemed always to excuse and pity them; even while he was forming Accusations against them of the most heinous nature. At last Herod was so far alienated from his two Sons, that he carried them to Rome, In the Year of the World 3993. before J. C. 7. before the vulgar Æra 11.in order to accuse them there before Augustus, of designing to attempt his Life. The young Princes defended themselves so well, and affected the spectators in such a manner with their tears, that Augustus reconciled them with their Father, and sent them back into Judæa, in appearance perfectly united with Antipater, who returned with them, and expressed a great deal of satisfaction to see them restored to Herod’s good Graces. When this Prince came back to Jerusalem, he convened all the people in the Temple, and declared publickly his intentions, that his Sons should reign after him, in the following Order; first Antipater, and after him Alexander and Aristobulus.

This Declaration more and more provoked the two Brothers; they broke out into complaints and murmurs: their discourses were immediately reported to Herod; and Pheroras, Salome and Antipater omitted nothing that might irritate him against his Sons. Pheroras came one day and told Alexander, that his sister Salome had informed him, that Herod was passionately in love with Glaphyra his wife. Alexander hereupon was not able to contain himself, but went directly to Herod, and declared to him what Pheroras had told him. Herod was strangely enraged against Pheroras, and reproached him bitterly with raising an Accusation of so black a nature against him. Pheroras threw the whole blame upon Salome, and she, who was present, defended herself with vehemence, and protested loudly that it was all false. At last the King, tired with their clamours, obliged them to go out of his presence, and highly commended the moderation of his Son, for discovering what so sensibly concerned him.

Herod had three Eunuchs, whom he very much trusted, and employed even in Affairs that were serious and of great importance. These were accused of being corrupted by Alexander with a large sum of money. The King commanded them to be put to the rack, and the extremity of the torture forced them to confess, that they had been often sollicited by Alexander and Aristobulus, to abandon Herod, as one who was now of no farther use, and who in vain endeavoured to disguise artificially his age, by having his beard and hair painted: that they would do much better to adhere to them, who in a little time must ascend the Throne, whether their Father would or no, and would be then in a condition to procure for them the first offices of State: That every thing was disposed in their favour: That their friends, and those of their party, were ready to imbark in any undertaking for the defence of that indisputable right which they had to the Crown. This was enough to make Herod very uneasy, and to render all persons about his Court suspected. All those who were known to be the particular friends of Alexander were by his order seized and put to the rack; the greatest part of whom died under the torture, without declaring any thing, because they had nothing to discover.

There was one however, who being overcome by pain, confessed that he had often heard Alexander say, when any one commended the height of his stature, or his dexterity in drawing the bow, that it wou’d be more for his advantage not to be so tall, and to be less expert in hunting, since the King his Father looked upon these qualities with jealousy; and that when he was walking he was forced to shorten himself as he came near him, lest he should appear too tall; and that when he was hunting, he did not dare to shoot directly at the mark, lest the King should take offence if any should praise his Son’s dexterity before him. During the relaxation of his torture, he added, that the two Brothers had conspired to lay snares for their Father, while he was hunting; and were resolv’d if he should die, to go in all haste to Rome, and beg the Kingdom of Augustus. Letters were produced likewise from Alexander to Aristobulus, wherein he complained that Herod had given some Lands to Antipater, which produced an annual rent of two hundred talents, or about sixty eight thousand four hundred thirty seven pounds ten shillings.

Herod thought this to be sufficient reason for putting Alexander under arrest, and his principal friends to the torture.

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