Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
Ptolemy Philometor takes from Alexander his own daughter Cleopatra, whom he had given to him as wife, together with the kingdom. Alexander flees into Arabia, and there is killed by King Zabdiel, who sends the head of the slain man to Philometor. Philometor, having received it, dies on the third day after. Then, at verse 19, Demetrius, having secured the kingdom, enters into a treaty with Jonathan, who delivers him from death by slaying a hundred thousand of the enemy; but Demetrius, now secure in his kingdom, at verse 53, treacherously breaks the treaty made with Jonathan. Therefore Jonathan transfers his allegiance to Antiochus, the son of the slain Alexander, by whom he is honored with great distinctions. Whence, fighting on his behalf, he occupies several cities of Demetrius, and routs and puts to flight his forces.
Vulgate Text: 1 Maccabees 11:1-74
1. And the king of Egypt gathered an army, like the sand that is about the seashore, and many ships: and he sought to obtain the kingdom of Alexander by deceit, and to add it to his own kingdom. 2. And he went out into Syria with peaceful words, and they opened to him the cities, and went to meet him: because Alexander the king had commanded them to go out to meet him, since he was his father-in-law. 3. But when Ptolemy entered a city, he stationed garrisons of soldiers in each city. 4. And when he drew near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon burnt with fire, and Azotus and its surroundings demolished, and bodies cast about, and the burial mounds of those who had been slain in the war, which they had made along the road. 5. And they told the king that Jonathan had done these things, to stir up ill will against him: and the king was silent. 6. And Jonathan met the king at Joppa with glory, and they greeted one another, and they slept there. 7. And Jonathan went with the king as far as the river called Eleutherus: and he returned to Jerusalem. 8. But king Ptolemy obtained dominion over the cities as far as Seleucia on the sea, and he was devising evil designs against Alexander. 9. And he sent ambassadors to Demetrius, saying: Come, let us make a covenant between us, and I will give you my daughter, whom Alexander has, and you shall reign in the kingdom of your father; 10. for I regret that I gave him my daughter: for he sought to kill me. 11. And he reviled him, because he had coveted his kingdom. 12. And he took away his daughter, and gave her to Demetrius, and alienated himself from Alexander, and his enmity was made manifest. 13. And Ptolemy entered Antioch, and placed two diadems upon his head, that of Egypt and that of Asia. 14. But King Alexander was in Cilicia at that time: because those who were in those regions were rebelling. 15. And Alexander heard of it, and came against him in battle: and King Ptolemy led out his army, and met him with a strong force, and put him to flight. 16. And Alexander fled into Arabia, to find protection there; but King Ptolemy was exalted. 17. And Zabdiel the Arab cut off Alexander's head, and sent it to Ptolemy. 18. And King Ptolemy died on the third day: and those who were in the fortresses perished at the hands of those who were within the camp. 19. And Demetrius reigned in the one hundred and sixty-seventh year. 20. In those days Jonathan gathered those who were in Judea to storm the citadel that is in Jerusalem: and they made many siege engines against it. 21. And certain wicked men who hated their own nation went to King Demetrius, and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel. 22. And when he heard this, he was angry; and he came immediately to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan not to besiege the citadel, but to come to meet him for a conference with all speed. 23. But when Jonathan heard this, he ordered the siege to continue: and he chose some of the elders of Israel and of the priests, and put himself in danger. 24. And he took gold, and silver, and garments, and many other gifts, and went to the king at Ptolemais, and found favor in his sight. 25. And certain wicked men of his own nation brought accusations against him. 26. And the king treated him as those before him had treated him: and he exalted him in the sight of all his friends. 27. And he confirmed him in the high priesthood, and in whatever other honors he had held before, and made him chief of his friends. 28. And Jonathan asked the king to make Judea free from tribute, along with the three toparchies, and Samaria and its borders: and he promised him three hundred talents. 29. And the king consented; and he wrote letters to Jonathan about all these matters, in the following form: 30. King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan, greeting, and to the nation of the Jews. 31. We have sent you a copy of the letter which we wrote to Lasthenes our kinsman concerning you, that you might know it: 32. King Demetrius to Lasthenes our kinsman, greeting. 33. To the nation of the Jews, our friends, who observe what is just toward us, we have decreed to do good, on account of their good will which they bear toward us. 34. We have therefore established for them all the borders of Judea, and three cities, Lydda and Ramathem, which have been added to Judea from Samaria, and all their borders, to be set apart for all who sacrifice in Jerusalem, in place of what the king formerly received from them each year, and for the fruits of the land and of the trees. 35. And the other things that pertained to us of the tithes and tributes, from this time we remit to them: and the salt pits, and the crowns that were brought to us, 36. all these we concede to them: and nothing of these things shall be annulled from this time forth, and forever. 37. Now therefore take care to make a copy of these things, and let it be given to Jonathan, and let it be placed on the holy mountain, in a prominent place. 38. And King Demetrius, seeing that the land was quiet before him, and nothing resisted him, dismissed his entire army, each man to his own place, except the foreign army which he had recruited from the islands of the Gentiles; and all the armies of his fathers were hostile to him. 39. Now Tryphon had formerly been of the party of Alexander; and he saw that all the army was murmuring against Demetrius, and he went to Emalchuel the Arab, who was raising Antiochus the son of Alexander: 40. and he pressed him to hand the boy over to him, that he might reign in his father's place; and he told him what Demetrius had done, and the hostility of his armies against him; and he remained there many days. 41. And Jonathan sent to King Demetrius, to have those who were in the citadel in Jerusalem expelled, and those who were in the garrisons: because they were attacking Israel. 42. And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, saying: Not only will I do these things for you and your nation; but I will honor you and your nation with glory, when the opportunity arises. 43. Now therefore you will do well if you send men to my aid: for my whole army has deserted me. 44. And Jonathan sent him three thousand valiant men to Antioch: and they came to the king, and the king was delighted at their arrival. 45. And those who were of the city assembled, one hundred and twenty thousand men, and they wanted to kill the king. 46. And the king fled to the palace: and those who were of the city seized the streets of the city, and began to fight. 47. And the king called the Jews to his aid, and they all gathered together to him, and spread out through the whole city: 48. and they killed in that day a hundred thousand men, and set fire to the city, and took much spoil on that day, and delivered the king. 49. And those who were of the city saw that the Jews had taken the city as they wished: and their courage failed them, and they cried out to the king with entreaties, saying: 50. Grant us peace, and let the Jews cease attacking us and the city. 51. And they threw down their weapons, and made peace, and the Jews were glorified in the sight of the king, and in the sight of all who were in his kingdom, and they became renowned in the kingdom: and they returned to Jerusalem bearing much spoil. 52. And King Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom, and the land was quiet before him. 53. And he broke all his promises, and alienated himself from Jonathan, and did not repay him according to the benefits that had been bestowed upon him, and harassed him greatly. 54. After these things Tryphon returned, and with him the young boy Antiochus, and he began to reign and placed the diadem upon his head. 55. And all the armies that Demetrius had disbanded gathered to him, and they fought against Demetrius: and he fled and turned his back. 56. And Tryphon took the elephants, and captured Antioch: 57. and the young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying: I confirm you in the high priesthood, and I appoint you over four cities, that you may be among the friends of the king. 58. And he sent him golden vessels for service, and gave him permission to drink from gold, and to wear the purple, and to have a golden brooch: 59. and he appointed his brother Simon as commander from the borders of Tyre to the frontiers of Egypt. 60. And Jonathan went out, and marched through the cities across the river: and the whole army of Syria gathered to him as allies, and he came to Ascalon, and they came out of the city to meet him with honor. 61. And he went from there to Gaza, and those who were in Gaza shut themselves in: and he besieged it, and set fire to what was around the city, and plundered it. 62. And the Gazites asked Jonathan for peace, and he granted it to them: and he took their sons as hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem; and he marched through the region as far as Damascus. 63. And Jonathan heard that the princes of Demetrius had rebelled at Kedesh, which is in Galilee, with a great army, intending to remove him from the affairs of the kingdom: 64. and he went to meet them; but he left his brother Simon within the province. 65. And Simon encamped against Bethsura, and attacked it for many days, and shut them in. 66. And they asked him for terms of peace, and he granted them: and he expelled them from there, and took the city, and placed a garrison in it. 67. And Jonathan and his camp drew near to the waters of Gennesaret, and before daylight they kept watch in the plain of Hazor. 68. And behold, the camp of the foreigners was coming to meet them in the plain, and they were laying an ambush against him in the mountains; but he advanced against them from the front. 69. And those lying in ambush rose up from their positions, and joined the battle. 70. And all those who were on Jonathan's side fled, and not one of them was left except Mattathias the son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Calphi, a commander of the army. 71. And Jonathan tore his garments, and put earth upon his head, and prayed. 72. And Jonathan returned against them in battle, and put them to flight, and they fought. 73. And those of his side who had been fleeing saw this, and returned to him, and they all pursued them together as far as Kedesh to their camp, and they reached that place. 74. And there fell of the foreigners on that day three thousand men: and Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.
Verse 2: With Peaceful Words
2. WITH PEACEFUL WORDS — as if he were going to visit his son-in-law Alexander, and to confirm him in his kingdom, and to defend him with so great an army against Demetrius and other enemies.
Verse 3: He Stationed Garrisons Of Soldiers
3. HE STATIONED GARRISONS OF SOLDIERS — that is, military garrisons by which he subjugated each city to himself, taking them away from his son-in-law Alexander.
Verse 4: And The King Of Egypt
4. AND THE KING OF EGYPT (Ptolemy Philometor) GATHERED AN ARMY (very great and numerous) LIKE THE SAND THAT IS ABOUT THE SEASHORE — to wrest Syria from his son-in-law Alexander, and to add it to his own kingdom, namely Egypt. See here how inhuman and cruel is the ambition for dominion, since it does not even spare a son-in-law.
Verse 10: For He Sought To Kill Me
10. FOR HE SOUGHT TO KILL ME — Philometor alleged this as a pretext for his treachery, pretending that his son-in-law Alexander was plotting his father-in-law's death through assassins or poison. But the true cause of his hatred and war was that he wished to wrest the kingdom of Syria from Alexander and to add it to his own kingdom of Egypt: whence he also placed the diadem of both kingdoms upon his own head, verse 13. Therefore although he himself, at verse 9, promised the kingdom to Demetrius, Alexander's rival, he did not really intend to confer it upon him, but only to use him as a sort of administrator, prefect, or viceroy. Josephus, however, asserts that Alexander had truly plotted against Philometor. 'After he arrived at Ptolemais,' he says, 'Ptolemy very nearly was overwhelmed beyond all expectation by Alexander's plots, being attacked through Ammonius, his friend. When these were discovered, he wrote to Alexander demanding Ammonius for punishment, saying it was deserved on account of the plots laid against him. When he was not handed over, he understood that Alexander himself had been the author of them; and he began to pursue him with great hatred. Moreover, the Antiochenes were already hostile to Alexander, on account of the same Ammonius, by whom they had been subjected to many injuries. Yet Ammonius did not escape punishment, being shamefully killed like a woman, while seeking to hide in women's clothing, as we have said in another commentary.'
Let the credibility of these things rest with Josephus, who often disagrees with Sacred Scripture, as he does here also, while he tries to exonerate Philometor from the ambition for the kingdom of Syria which Scripture attributes to him, on the ground that Philometor was a friend and supporter of the Jews.
Verse 14: And He Reviled Him
14. And he reviled him — Philometor heaped great shame and reproach upon his son-in-law Alexander, snatching from him his own daughter whom he had given as wife, handing her over to the enemy Demetrius, and at the same time stripping him of his kingdom.
Verse 17: And Zabdiel The Arab Cut Off Alexander's Head
17. And Zabdiel the Arab (king or dynast of Arabia) CUT OFF THE HEAD OF ALEXANDER, AND SENT IT TO PTOLEMY — to Philometor, in order to gain his favor, lest Ptolemy snatch Arabia from him, as he had snatched Syria from Alexander. For he already saw that Ptolemy, augmented by a new kingdom and equipped with great forces, was threatening him, and that he could not resist him.
Verse 18: And King Ptolemy Died On The Third Day
18. AND KING PTOLEMY DIED ON THE THIRD DAY. — See here the swift vengeance of God upon the treacherous Philometor. He sought, invaded, and occupied the kingdom of his son-in-law; but he possessed it for only three days after the death of Alexander, being immediately stripped of life, kingdom, and all goods by the just Judge and Avenger, God. For it was just that Philometor, invading the foreign kingdom of Syria, should lose his own kingdom of Egypt, and that he who rejoiced over the severed head of his enemy Alexander should in turn make his own enemies rejoice over his own demise.
Josephus adds that Philometor died from the wounds he received in the recent battle with Alexander, in about the thirty-fifth year of his reign, which was the year 167 of the kingdom of the Greeks. Hear him in book XIII, chapter 20: 'It happened that Ptolemy's horse, frightened by the trumpeting of an elephant, threw him off, and the enemy, attacking him as he lay on the ground, inflicted wounds on his head and brought him to the point of death, had he not been rescued by the intervention of his bodyguard. Yet for a full four days, with his senses dulled, he could neither speak nor understand those speaking to him. But the head of Alexander, cut off by Zabelus the Arab dynast, was sent to Ptolemy, who on the fifth day, finally reviving from his wounds and coming to himself, fed his mind and eyes on the most welcome news and the very sight of Alexander's head and death. Not long afterward, sated with the joy received from the death of his enemy, he himself also ended his life.'
And Livy: 'Ptolemy,' he says, 'gravely wounded in the head, expired during the treatment, while the physicians were trying to bore through the bone.'
Furthermore, when Philometor died, his soldiers, whom he had stationed in the fortifications (that is, in the citadels and cities of Syria), perished (and were killed) BY THOSE WHO WERE WITHIN THE CAMP — that is, by the soldiers whom Demetrius had in his camps, who accordingly, with Alexander his cousin and rival killed, and Philometor the invader also dead, peacefully assumed the kingdom of Syria, and quietly possessed it all in the year 167 of the kingdom of the Greeks.
Finally Genebrardus, in book II of the Chronology: Philometor, that is, 'lover of his mother,' he says, was so called by antiphrasis, because he himself killed his mother, just as his grandfather was called Philopator, that is, 'lover of his father,' by antiphrasis, because he killed his father Ptolemy Euergetes. This about Philopator is written by Appian, Justin and others throughout; but about Philometor none of the ancients narrates any such thing; indeed Pausanias in the Attica asserts that the mother of Philometor was killed by his brother Alexander, whom he had raised to the kingdom after excluding Philometor.
Verse 20: Jonathan Besieges The Citadel In Jerusalem
20. IN THOSE DAYS JONATHAN GATHERED THOSE WHO WERE IN JUDEA TO STORM THE CITADEL THAT IS IN JERUSALEM — for this was still held by Syrian soldiers who had long ago been stationed there by Antiochus. For although Demetrius had promised Jonathan to hand over the citadel of Zion, if he would enter into a treaty with him against Alexander, as we heard in chapter X, verses 6 and 32; yet he did not fulfill this promise, because Jonathan had preferred Alexander to Demetrius, and had entered into a treaty with him. Jonathan therefore, seeing Demetrius entangled in war against Alexander, seized this opportunity and besieged the citadel of Zion.
Verse 23: And He Put Himself In Danger
23. And he put himself in danger — for there was danger that King Demetrius might receive Jonathan badly, because he had not obeyed his command to lift the siege of the citadel of Zion; but Jonathan, trusting in God, dispelled this danger through the great gifts he brought to the king: for by these he won his favor, to such a degree that he was made chief of the courtiers and princes, as appears from verses 26 and 27.
Verse 28: Jonathan Asked The King To Make Judea Exempt
28. And Jonathan asked the king to make Judea exempt (from Syrian and foreign soldiers, from tribute and from every other burden) AND THE THREE TOPARCHIES (that is, prefectures, or as Josephus calls them, satrapies, which are named in verse 34, likewise to be made exempt, since they had been added to and subjected to Judea, promising the king, if he would consent,) THREE HUNDRED TALENTS.
Verse 29: And The King Consented
29. AND THE KING CONSENTED — enticed by so great a price.
Verse 31: A Copy Of The Letter Which We Wrote To Lasthenes Our Kinsman
31. A COPY OF THE LETTER WHICH WE WROTE TO LASTHENES OUR KINSMAN. — This Lasthenes was that Gnidian, or Cretan, host to whom Demetrius the elder, about to fight with Alexander Balas, had entrusted this younger Demetrius his son, as I said from Justin at chapter X. Therefore, when Demetrius the elder was killed in battle, this Lasthenes brought his son Demetrius back from Crete with an army to Syria, and restored to him his father's kingdom, as Josephus testifies, book XIII, chapter 8, and others. For this reason Demetrius honored Lasthenes as a father, made him his deputy, and appointed him governor of Syria and other provinces. To him therefore King Demetrius here writes, that he may make Judea exempt from tributes and burdens, as Jonathan was requesting, and he sends a copy of his letters given to Lasthenes to Jonathan, so that he might demand from Lasthenes that the king's grant be put into execution.
He was aptly called 'Lasthenes,' in Greek Laosthenes, that is, 'the strength of a stone,' says Pagninus, or rather Laosthenes, and by crasis Lasthenes: for Laosthenes in Greek means the same as Demosthenes, that is, 'the strength and fortitude of the people.' For such should a prince be, as was this Lasthenes, who by his bravery restored to Demetrius the kingdom of Syria, and to the Syrians their king.
Verse 32: King Demetrius To Lasthenes
32. KING DEMETRIUS TO LASTHENES. — This is the copy of Demetrius's letter to Lasthenes.
Verse 34: And Three Cities
34. And three cities. — Greek nomous, which word signifies not so much buildings as communities of citizens using the same laws. So Serarius, Salianus and others. Demetrius grants Jonathan exemption not only of Judea, but also of three cities, or toparchies of Samaria, which Demetrius his father had assigned to Judea, chapter X, verse 30; and therefore Jonathan had demanded the same from Demetrius the son, verse 28; and Demetrius the son, following his father's decree, conceded and assigned them to the Jews. But what are these three cities? For in the Latin text only two are named, namely Lydda, or Diospolis, and Ramatha, which was the homeland of Samuel. Sanchez replies that the third is the city of Samaria itself, which was the capital of the entire province of Samaria; for that these three cities were situated in the province of Samaria is clear from the text of this verse, and chapter X, verse 28.
But the Septuagint, Josephus, Pagninus, Vatablus and others from the Greek assign as the third city Aphaerema, which Adrichomius places in the tribe of Ephraim near Lydda. For thus the Septuagint reads: We have therefore established for them the borders of Judea and three cities, Aphaerema and Lydda and Ramatha, which have been added to Judea from Samaria, and all things pertaining to them for all who sacrifice in Jerusalem in place of the royal dues, which the King formerly received from them each year from the fruits of the land and the fruits of the trees.
But our translator took the Greek anairema not as a proper name but as a common noun, meaning 'sequestration' or 'separation.' Whence he translated it as 'to be set apart.' The meaning therefore of the Vulgate edition is this: the annual revenues and income of the three cities already mentioned, namely Lydda, Ramatha and Samaria, and their environs, that is, of those places which are under their jurisdiction, are to be sequestered, that is, separated from the royal tributes, and deposited with some treasurer for Judea, to be applied to the expenses of the temple and priests, so that by this means the losses might be compensated which the king and the royal treasurers inflicted on them each year, when they diverted to their own, that is, profane uses, both the tributes of those cities and the fruits of the trees, which had previously been assigned to the expenses of the temple and served them.
Moreover, it is remarkable that Josephus adds three other cities to these three cities or toparchies, namely Gaddaea, Joppa and Samaria.
Verse 35: And The Salt Pits
35. And the salt pits. — Greek limnous, that is, 'pools' of the salt works, which word, says Sanchez, teaches how saline water, whether derived from the sea or drawn from flowing wells, is hardened and solidified. For it does not harden in its natural place, but when collected in basins and pools. There it evaporates, and solidifies into salt by the heat of the sun. Indeed in Rome the Via Salaria took its name from salt, which name still endures, because salt used to be carried along it to the Sabines, says Pliny, book XXXI, chapter 7; and military pay, and indeed any wage, was called a 'salary' from salt, because it was distributed to soldiers and workers as pay, as Pliny testifies in the same passage.
Verse 38: Demetrius Dismisses His Army
38. AND KING DEMETRIUS, SEEING THAT THE LAND WAS QUIET BEFORE HIM. — For with Alexander killed and Philometor dead, there was no one who dared invade Syria; but the whole land submitted to Demetrius, as to its legitimate heir and king. Whence he then gave himself up to leisure and pleasures. Seeing this, Tryphon raised up Antiochus, son of Alexander, who invaded the indolent and pleasure-loving Demetrius and expelled him from the kingdom, just as the luxuries of Capua weakened and destroyed Hannibal, and Greek pleasures did the same to the Romans. Whence that old saying: Conquered Greece conquered its conqueror. Hear Justin, book XXVI: 'Having recovered the kingdom, Demetrius himself, corrupted by success in the vices of his youth, slipped into indolence; and he incurred as much contempt among all men for his sloth as his father had incurred hatred for his arrogance.'
HE DISMISSED HIS ENTIRE ARMY (the native army, which namely his father Demetrius had assembled from Syrians and Asians subject to him), EXCEPT THE FOREIGN ARMY WHICH HE HAD RECRUITED — from the islands of the Gentiles, namely from Crete, Cyprus, and other nearby islands. He did this because these men had brought him into the kingdom. For Lasthenes had brought him back from Crete into the kingdom with Cretan forces. But in doing so he offended the native soldiers, namely his own Syrians and Asians, because they resented being stripped by their own king of military service and military pay: he also offended his own subjects, who did not want foreign soldiers, and were indignant that he trusted foreigners more than his own subjects, and that he maintained foreigners at great expense, when he could employ his own domestic subjects at small cost. THEREFORE ALL THE ARMIES OF HIS FATHERS WERE HOSTILE TO HIM, and they consequently went over to Antiochus his rival, and fighting on his behalf, expelled Demetrius from the kingdom. For they detested the foreign soldiery, who were for that reason often insolent.
Let princes learn from this to honor their own subjects, and to trust them rather than foreigners. For in this way they will win the affection, love, loyalty and obedience of their subjects. So did Alexander the Great, who in order to conciliate the Persians he had conquered and subdued, adopted Persian dress; enrolled Persians in his army, gave Persian wives to his generals, and honored Darius's mother, wife and daughters with wonderful honors and benefits, as Curtius testifies.
Verse 39: Now Tryphon Had Formerly Been Of The Party Of Alexander
39. NOW TRYPHON HAD FORMERLY BEEN OF THE PARTY OF ALEXANDER. — This Tryphon is called Diodorus by Appian and others, and is said to have been by birth or upbringing from Apamea, a powerful, shrewd and ambitious man. Seeing that the Syrian and Asian army had been disbanded by Demetrius, he won them over to himself, so that through them he might ostensibly restore the kingdom to Antiochus, the son of Alexander Balas, who had been the rival and enemy of Demetrius and was killed by Philometor, but in reality to seize it for himself; and so it happened. Moreover, Appian and others likewise call this Antiochus, son of Alexander, by the name Alexander. Finally, Tryphon, who was the guardian of this Antiochus as a 'ward' (for so it should be read in Justin, book XXXVI, instead of 'stepson'), shortly afterward became his torturer, in order to seize his kingdom, but he enjoyed it for only a short time; for he too was killed in the third year afterward by Antiochus Sidetes, the brother and successor of Demetrius. So Josephus.
Verse 41: And Jonathan Sent To King Demetrius To Have Those Expelled
41. AND JONATHAN SENT TO KING DEMETRIUS TO HAVE THOSE EXPELLED (Demetrius's soldiers) WHO WERE IN THE CITADEL IN JERUSALEM — who occupied the citadel of Zion. From this it is clear that Jonathan had not yet captured the citadel of Zion; indeed he had lifted its siege. Yet Demetrius conceded, or rather promised, to hand over the citadel to Jonathan, if he would send his soldiers to protect him. For his subjects, the Antiochenes, had risen against him to the number of 120 thousand, of whom the three thousand Jewish soldiers sent by Jonathan killed a hundred thousand, and delivered Demetrius, as follows. Great was this bravery, fame, and glory of the Jews.
Verse 46: The King Fled To The Court
46. THE COURT — namely the palace, or the citadel to which Demetrius had fled.
Verse 53: And He Broke All His Promises
53. And he broke all his promises — that is, Demetrius, seeing, or rather thinking, that he and his possessions were safe, betrayed the pledge given to Jonathan, and began to harass and persecute him. Great was this ingratitude and treachery of Demetrius, on account of which shortly afterward he was defeated in battle by Tryphon, the tutor of Antiochus, and expelled from the kingdom, since he had been deserted by Jonathan and the Jews, and indeed was routed and cut down by them, as is said in verse 56. For Antiochus entered into a treaty with Jonathan against Demetrius, and honored him with great distinctions. Therefore the Syrian soldiers who had been dismissed by Demetrius went over to Jonathan, and with these troops Jonathan captured Ascalon, Gaza and other cities.
Verse 56: And Tryphon Took The Elephants
56. And Tryphon took the elephants — namely the elephants which Demetrius had led out into battle along with the rest of his war machines, and thus stripped him of his camp, AND CAPTURED ANTIOCH, the royal city and capital of the kingdom. He did this with the help of Jonathan, whom he accordingly honored with great distinctions, and with the help of the Syrian army, which, having been dismissed by Demetrius, had gone over to Antiochus his rival. Jonathan, continuing to fight for Antiochus, aided by his Syrian army, captured Ascalon, Gaza and other cities.
Verse 58: He Gave Him Permission To Drink From Gold
58. HE GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO DRINK FROM GOLD — namely from a golden cup, goblet, bowl, or chalice. For the kings of Persia and Asia wished gold to be their exclusive prerogative. Whence Xenophon, in book I of the Expedition of Cyrus, says that it was considered a great favor from the king of Persia if through him anyone was permitted to wear a golden torque on his neck, golden bracelets, or a golden short sword: the same is taught again in book I of the Cyropaedia. Procopius, in book I of the Persian War, says that no one was permitted to use a golden ring, or brooch, or belt, except by the king's permission. Hence also in Esther chapter 6, it was granted to Mordecai by King Ahasuerus to wear a golden torque. Balshazzar promised the same in Daniel chapter 5, to whoever should interpret the writing on the wall, and in III Esdras chapter 3, it is said that by King Darius whoever's speech should be wisest would be permitted to be clothed in purple, to drink from gold, to sleep on gold, to have a chariot with a golden bridle, and to wear a golden torque.
Verse 60: He Marched Through The Cities Across The River
60. HE MARCHED THROUGH THE CITIES ACROSS THE RIVER (of Judea, that is, across the Jordan). 62. AND HE MARCHED THROUGH THE REGION (Jonathan, like a victor and triumphant conqueror, subjugating everything for himself and Antiochus, and taking it away from Demetrius) AS FAR AS DAMASCUS. — For this is what 'he marched through' signifies, as I explained at Zechariah, verse 11.
Verse 63: The Princes Of Demetrius Rebel At Kedesh
63. AND JONATHAN HEARD THAT THE PRINCES OF DEMETRIUS HAD REBELLED AT KEDESH, WHICH IS IN GALILEE (namely that the supporters of Demetrius were inciting the inhabitants of Kedesh and the Galileans to rebel against Jonathan and to subject themselves to Demetrius. They did this with the plan of calling Jonathan back from Syria and Damascus, where he was subjugating everything for himself and Antiochus, into Galilee, lest while pursuing foreign affairs abroad he should lose his own possessions at home), WISHING TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE AFFAIRS OF THE KINGDOM — namely so that he would not manage and promote the affairs of the kingdom of Syria on behalf of Antiochus, but would guard his own interests in Galilee. Whence Josephus: 'When they wished,' he says, 'to draw Jonathan away from Syria, to bring aid to the Galileans who were people under his jurisdiction.'
Note that 'to rebel' (prævaricari) in Scripture means to revolt and to incite rebellion: for this is the Hebrew marad. Thus in 2 Kings 1:1, the king and people of Moab are said to have 'rebelled' against the king of Israel, that is, to have revolted against him to whom they had previously been subject, and to have refused him the customary tribute. Salianus, however, thinks that instead of 'they rebelled' one should read 'they prepared themselves': for this is what the Greek parestēsan means, that is, 'they stood ready'; but it seems our translator read parebēsisan, or parebēsan, that is, 'they rebelled.'
Verse 64: And He Went To Meet Them
64. And he went to meet them (Jonathan, and fought with them, as is said in verse 62); BUT HE LEFT HIS BROTHER WITHIN THE PROVINCE — namely within Judea, to protect it; Simon then captured Bethsura, which was a notable fortress near Jerusalem, verse 66.
Verse 67: Jonathan Drew Near To The Waters Of Gennesaret
67. AND JONATHAN AND HIS CAMP DREW NEAR TO THE WATERS OF GENNESARET — namely to the lake of Gennesaret, which is also called the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias.
Verse 68: The Camp Of The Foreigners
68. And behold, the camp of the foreigners (the enemy supporters of Demetrius who were inciting the inhabitants of Kedesh to rebel against Jonathan, verse 63) came to meet them in THE PLAIN — Greek: into the plain.
Verse 70: And Those Who Were On Jonathan's Side Fled
70. AND THOSE WHO WERE ON JONATHAN'S SIDE FLED — since they were surrounded by the enemy emerging from ambushes which they had not foreseen; terrified by these, they fled, fearing they would be caught in the middle and slaughtered, says Josephus. AND NO ONE WAS LEFT OF THEM EXCEPT MATTATHIAS THE SON OF ABSALOM, AND JUDAS THE SON OF CALPHI, COMMANDER (Greek 'commanders': for both were leaders) OF THE ARMY — understand this as meaning they remained with some of their more noble and devoted close followers: whence Josephus says that 50 soldiers remained with them, who, he says, taking courage from desperation, charged the enemy's front line with such force that the terrified enemy gave way to them as if to madmen. For how could two men alone have withstood the entire force of the enemy? So Serarius.
Verse 71: And Jonathan Tore His Garments And Put Earth Upon His Head
71. AND JONATHAN TORE HIS GARMENTS AND PUT EARTH UPON HIS HEAD — he sprinkled dust on his head as a sign of grief and repentance; and so, pierced to the heart, he humbly prayed to God to bring His customary aid in such a desperate and seemingly hopeless situation. Wherefore, charging into the enemy like a lion with his few men, he struck them down and routed them. Seeing this, his companions returned to him from their flight, pursued the enemy, and killed three thousand of them.
St. Ambrose praises, in book I of the Offices, chapter 41, Jonathan's spirit and bravery, because he alone restored a losing battle line and recovered a lost victory. 'Jonathan,' he says, 'fighting with a small band against the royal armies, deserted by his own men and left with only two, renewed the battle, turned back the enemy, and recalled his fleeing men to share in the triumph.'
Learn here morally how much a commander's steadfastness and magnanimity avails in wars and difficult affairs, so much so that he makes his soldiers, already defeated, into victors. Whence the saying: An army of deer led by a lion is stronger than an army of lions led by a deer. For as Vegetius says in book III, On Military Matters, chapter 25: 'If part of the army has fled, one should by no means despair, since in such a crisis, a commander's steadfastness can claim the entire victory for himself. This has happened in innumerable battles, and those who did not despair have been counted among the victors. For in a similar situation, he who is not broken by adversity is considered the braver. Let him therefore first seize the spoils from the slain enemy, and as they say, gather the field; let him be the first to seem to exult with shouts and trumpets. This confidence will terrify the enemy, and will double the confidence of his own men, as though he had departed victorious from every quarter.'
Julius Frontinus gives examples in book II of the Stratagems, chapter 8: 'Furius Agrippa,' he says, 'the consul, when his wing was giving way, snatched the military standard from the standard-bearer and hurled it at the enemy Hernici and Aequi: by this action his battle line was restored. For the Romans applied themselves with the utmost eagerness to recover the standard. T. Quintius Capitolinus the Consul threw the standard at the enemy Falisci, and ordered the soldiers to recover it. M. Furius Camillus, Military Tribune with consular power, when the army was hesitating, seized a standard-bearer by the hand and dragged him toward the enemy Volsci and Latins; the rest were ashamed not to follow. Salvius Pelignus did the same in the Persian war. Q. Furius, meeting his retreating army, declared that he would not receive anyone back into the camp unless he was a victor, and leading them back into battle he gained the victory. Scipio at Numantia, when he saw his army retreating, announced that whoever returned to the camp would be treated as an enemy.'
And immediately, adding greater examples, he continues: 'M. Attilius the consul in the Samnite war, when soldiers were fleeing from the battle line into the camp, arrayed his own line against them, declaring that they would have to fight him and his loyal citizens unless they preferred to fight the enemy; by this means he led them all back into the battle line. L. Sulla, when his legions were already giving way before the Mithridatic army under the command of Archelaus, drew his sword and rushed to the front line, and calling out to the soldiers said: If anyone asks where they left their general, let them answer that he was fighting in Boeotia — shamed by this, they all followed him. Julius Caesar at Munda, when his men were falling back, ordered his horse to be led out of his sight, and sprang on foot into the front line: the soldiers, ashamed to abandon their general, renewed the battle.'