afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof." Daniel, some verses after, is more minute in his prophecy of this event. *“ And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him," Ptolemy is here hinted at," and the king of the north," Antiochus, "shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” ↑ "He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon." + : "He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape." § "But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt," &c. If we compare the relation given by the author of the Maccabees with Daniel's prophecy, we find a perfect resemblance, except that the prophet is more clear and particular than the historian. || Diodorus relates, that Antiochus, after this victory, conquered all Egypt, or at least the greatest part of it: for all the cities, Alexandria excepted, opened their gates to the conqueror. He subdued Egypt with an astonishing rapidity, and did that T" which his forefathers had not done, nor his fathers' fathers." Ptolemy either surrendered himself, or fell into the hands of Antiochus, who at first treated him with kindness, had but one table with him, seemed to be greatly concerned for his welfare, and left him the peaceable possession of his kingdom, reserving to himself Pelusium, which was the key of it; for Antiochus assumed this appearance of friendship with no other view but to have the better opportunity of ruining him.—** “ They that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him." Antiochus did not make a long stay in Egypt at that time; the news which was brought of the general revolt of the Jews obliging him to march against them. Dan. xi. 40. § Ver. 43. Dan, xi. 24. † Ver. 41. + Ver. 42. In Excerpt. Vales. p. 310. ** Ver. 26. In the mean time, the inhabitants of Alexandria, offended at Philometer for having concluded an alliance with Antiochus, raised Evergetes his younger brother to the throne in his stead. Antiochus, who had advice of what had passed in Alexandria, took this opportunity to return into Egypt, upon pretext of restoring the dethroned monarch, but, in reality, to make himself absolute master of the kingdom. Antiochus' third Expedition into Egypt. "And* both these kings hearts shall be to do mischief; and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed." "Then shall he," Antiochus, "return into his land with great riches." Antiochus' third expedition could scarce be pointed out more clearly. That prince, hearing that the Alexandrians had raised Evergetes to the throne, returned to Egypt upon the specious pretence of restoring Philometer: Per honestam speciem majoris Ptolemai reducendi in regnum. After having overcome the Alexandrians in a sea-fight at Pelusium, he laid siege to Alexandria: but finding the inhabitants made a strong opposition, he was contented with making himself master of Egypt again in the name of his nephew, in whose defence he pretended to have drawn the sword: §Cui regnum quæri suis viribus simulabat. They were then at Memphis, ate at the same table, and behaved towards one another with all the outward marks of a sincere friendship. The uncle seemed to have his nephew's interest at heart, and the nephew to repose -the highest confidence in his uncle; but all this was mere show and outside, both dissembling their real sentiments. The uncle endeavoured to crush his nephew: Cui regnum quæri suis viribus simulabat, ut mox victorem aggrederetur; and the nephew, who saw through bis design, voluntatis ejus non ignarus, strove immediately to be reconciled to his brother. Thus neither succeeded in deceiving the other: nothing was yet determined, and Antiochus returned into Syria. Antiochus' fourth Expedition into Egypt. "At the time appointed he shall return, and come to * Dan. xi. 27. + Liv. l. xliv. n. 19. Liv. ibid. VOL. IX. † Ver. 28. Liv. 1. xiv. n. 11. Hieron, in Dan. 4 ward the south, but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter." *For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant.” Advice being brought Antiochus that the two brothers were reconciled, he threw off the mask, and declared publicly, that he intended to conquer Egypt, for himself; and, to support his pretensions, "he returned towards the south," that is, into Egypt, but was not so successful in this expedition as before. †As he was advancing forward to besiege Alexandria, Popilius, and the other Roman ambassadors, who were on board a fleet composed of Macedonian or Greek ships (for this the Hebrew word Chittim signifies,) which they found at Delos, obliged him to lay down his arms, and leave Egypt. He obeyed, but "with the utmost reluctance, and made the city and temple of Jerusalem feel the dire effects of his indignation," as will be presently seen. Had the prophet been eye-witness to this event, would it have been possible for him to point it out in a clearer and more exact manner? II. Cruel Persecution exercised by Antiochus against the Jews, and foretold by the Prophet Daniel. I have mentioned and explained in another place the account which Daniel the prophet gives of Alexander the Great's reign, and those of his four successors. Behold, an he-goat came from the west, on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground," "Could it have been possible to denote more plainly the rapidity of Alexander's conquests? The She-goat waxed very great, and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones towards the four winds of heaven." These are Alexander's four successors. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." This is Antiochus Epiphanes, who gained several victories towards the south and the east, and who strongly opposed the army of the Lord and the Jewish people, of whom God was the strength and the protector. The prophet afterwards points out the war which Epiphanes Liv. 1. xlv. n. 10. + Dan. viii. 5. 1 Ver. 9. * Dan. xi. 30. § Ver. 8. proclaimed against the people of God, the priests of the Lord,. his laws and his temple. . *And it waxed great," the horn, "even to the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host, and of the stars, to the ground, and stamped upon them.-† Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host," to God; "and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice, by reason of transgression; and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practised and prospered." Daniel gives still greater extent to the same prophecy, in his 11th chapter. "His heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits. He shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant." During the siege of Alexandria, a report had prevailed, that Antiochus was dead, and the Jews had been accused of expressing great joy at it. He thereupon marched to their city, stormed it, and exercised all the barbarity that his fury could suggest. About 40,000 ¶ men were killed, and the same num ber sold as slaves, in the compass of three days. Antiochus went into the temple, polluted it, and carried off all the ves sels, treasures, and rich ornaments. ** After Popilius had forced him to leave Egypt, he turned the fury he conceived upon that occasion, against the Jews. He sent Apollonius into Judæa, with orders to kill all the men capable of bearing arms, and to sell the women and children. Accordingly, Apollonius made dreadful havoc in Jerusalem, set fire to the city, beat down the walls, and carried the women and children into captivity. ttoo "He shall return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.-And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.-And such as do wickedly against the eovenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries," &c. Dan. viii. 10. Dan. viii. 12. † Ver. 11. § Dan. xi. 28, 30. 1 Maccab. i. 21-24, et ii. 5. 21. Joseph. Lib. de Maccab. &c. We are told in the Maccabees, that it was twice this number. ** 1 Maccab. i. 30-34. Dan. xi. 30, 31, 32. * Antiochus declared openly for all those who should renounce the law. Having published an ordinance, by which all the Jews in general were commanded, upon pain of death, to change their religion, he sent some officers to Jerusalem, ordering them to pollute the temple, and abolish the worship of the Most High. They accordingly dedicated this temple to Jupiter Olympius, and placed his statue in it. They raised in every part of the city profane temples and altars, where they forced the Jews to offer sacrifices, and eat of meat sacrificed to idols. Many, from the dread of the torture, seemed to comply in all things required from them, and even prompted others to countenance their base apostacy. "And such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he' (Antiochus) "corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God, shall be strong, and do exploits." This manifestly points at old Eleazar, the seven Maccabees and their mother, and a great number of other Jews, who courageously opposed the impious orders of the king. "And they that understand among the people, shall instruct many yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days." This relates chiefly to Mattathias and his sons. "Now, when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help; but many shall cleave to them with flatteries." Mattathias and Judas Maccabeus supported the distressed nation, and the almost universally abandoned religion, with so small a number of forces, that we can consider the success which the Almighty gave their arms no otherwise than as a miracle. Their troops grew more numerous by degrees, and. afterwards formed a considerable body. "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for a time appointed. The sufferings and death of those who steadfastly refused to obey the king's decree, was their glory and triumph. "And the king shall doaccording to his will, and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that is determined shall be done." ** Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the * 1 Maccab. 1. xliii. &c. 2 Maccab. iv. 7, &c. vi. 1, &c. + Dan. xi. 32. Ver. 36. + Ver. 33. ** Ver. 37. § Ver. 34. | Ver. 35 |