magnificence, notwithstanding which, after the King's return to Antioch, Menelaus, Jafon's Brother, He treacherously treated with Antiochus for the Prieft-hood, and when he was fent to the Court of Syria to pay the annual Tribute Money he offered the King three hundred Talents more for the High Priest-hood, than his Brother Jason had given: Antiochus made no Scruple to accept his Offer, ordered his Secretary to make out a fresh Commiffion, and Menelaus returned with it to Jerufalem, in the third year only, of Jason's Pontificate. A moft infamous and wretched ufe Menelaus made of the Authority and Dignity, he also had fo impiously purchased: Menelaus impoverished all his Country, the Capital became deftitute and unprotected, the Sanhedrim or Grand Council were so terrified they held their peace from neceffity-by degrees he enslaved Judæa, and overturned all that was left of her Religion and her liberties. With all his Art, Oppreffion, and endeavours, Menelaus could not raise the immenfe Sum he had agreed to pay Antiochus, (tho he had fecretly melted down the Golden Veffels of the Temple,) upon which all was Riot, tumult, and Confufion. Jafon animated by these new troubles, availed himself of the times and with a band of refolute and defperate Men, He appeared at the City Gates, with

out

3

out any oppofition entered Jerufalem, and drove Menelaus and his Party into the Citadel, Jafon. was in high fpirits, glutting his revenge on his brother, and executing the moft horrid Barbari- ^ ties on all who opposed him, when in the midst of his triumph, a Meffenger came running to inform him Antiochus, the Syrian Monarch, at the head of a formidable Army, was on the full march and not very far from the City. Upon this intelligence Jafon and his bold and refolute men were immediately forced to quit it. The Citizens and Soldiery alarmed, and apprized of Antiochus's fiercenefs, and intention to flaughter them, attempted at first to shut themselves up, and make all the refiftance in their power, but the Gates were battered and forced open, and the city tạken by ftorm. With the most savage Cruelty Antiochus murdered forty thousand Jews, the reft he took Captive, and ordered them to be fold for Slaves to all the neighbouring Nations around: The Haughty Tyrant then commanded Menelaus to attend him to the Temple, this infamous and abandoned Prieft entered it with him, impioufly polluting that facred Edifice throughout, and even the Holy of Holies: In wanton blasphemy Antiochus, facrilegioufly offered up on the Altar of

Before Chrift 170.

burnt

burnt offerings, a Sow, and scattered its fragments over all the Temple, and the King carried off with him the golden Altar of Incense, the fhew bread table, the golden candlestick, veffels, utenfils and donatives to the value of eighteen hundred talents of gold, together with the plunder of the whole City. On his return to Antioch, He iffued out a Decree for fuppreffing throughout his Dominions every Religion, all worship to the Gods, except the worship of the Idols he himself had set up, and to whom alone he paid his Adoration. Antiochus enraged at the Conduct of the Jews, and in order to humble them, commanded all, and every one of his Subjects to abftain from their Religious Ufages and Cuftoms and the offering up of Sacrifice. Every person was examined by oath, every house searched to acquire poffeffion of all the copies of the Hebrew Canon, and the book of the Laws: Officers and Overseers were appointed to receive them: His Soldiery were dispatched into Judæa, to enforce the heathen worship, and erect Idols and Images in all and every Synagogue throughout the Kingdom and in the Temple of Jerufalem. Athenæus was appointed Overfeer in Judæa, and in the exercife of his Commiffion, he firft put a ftop to all Sacrifices and the Service of the Temple; all Worship to the God of Ifrael ceafed; the VOL. II.

I

the

out any oppofition entered Jerufalem, and drove Menelaus and his Party into the Citadel, Jafon was in high spirits, glutting his revenge on his brother, and executing the moft horrid Barbarities on all who oppofed him, when in the midst of his triumph, a Meffenger came running to inform him Antiochus, the Syrian Monarch, at the head of a formidable Army, was on the full march and not very far from the City. Upon this intelligence Jafon and his bold and resolute men were imme. diately forced to quit it. The Citizens and Soldiery alarmed, and apprized of Antiochus's fiercenefs, and intention to flaughter them, attempted at first to shut themselves up, and make all the resistance in their power, but the Gates were battered and forced open, and the city taken by ftorm. With the moft favage Cruelty Antiochus murdered forty thousand Jews, the reft he took Captive, and ordered them to be fold for Slaves to all the neighbouring Nations around: The Haughty Tyrant then commanded Menelaus to attend him to the Temple, this infamous and abandoned Prieft entered it with him, impioufly polluting that facred Edifice throughout, and even the Holy of Holies: In wanton blafphemy Antiochus, facrilegioufly offered up on the Altar of

Before Christ 170.

burnt

burnt offerings, a Sow, and scattered its fragments over all the Temple, and the King carried off with him the golden Altar of Incenfe, the shew bread table, the golden candlestick, vessels, utenfils and donatives to the value of eighteen hundred talents of gold, together with the plunder of the whole City. On his return to Antioch, He issued out a Decree for fuppreffing throughout his Dominions every Religion, all worship to the Gods, except the worship of the Idols he himself had fet up, and to whom alone he paid his Adoration. Antiochus enraged at the Conduct of the Jews, and in order to humble them, commanded all, and every one of his Subjects to abftain from their Religious Ufages and Cuftoms and the offering up of Sacrifice. Every perfon was examined by oath, every houfe fearched to acquire poffeffion of all the copies of the Hebrew Canon, and the book of the Laws: Officers and Overfeers were appointed to receive them: His Soldiery were difpatched into Judæa, to enforce the heathen worship, and ere& Idols and Images in all and every Synagogue throughout the Kingdom and in the Temple of Jerufalem. Athenæus was appointed Overfeer in Judæa, and in the exercife of his Commiffion, he firft put a ftop to all Sacrifices and the Service of the Temple; all Worship to the God of Ifrael ceased;

the

the