Bible Commentaries
13

Verse 1

Simon, the fourth high priest and prince of his family, who was judged by his father to be the most prudent, chap. ii. 65. He endeavoured to defend the nation. (Worthington)

Verse 11

Jonathan, his friend, (Josephus) brother of Mathathias, mentioned [in] chap. xi. 70.

Verse 12

Custody: tied to a soldier, like St. Paul, Acts xviii. 16.

Verse 13

Plain; Sephala, (chap. xii. 38.) above Eleutheropolis, by which road Jerusalem wa most easily attacked, chap. vi. 31. (Calmet)

Verse 19

Talents. If he had refused, he might have been suspected of avarice or of ambition. (Menochius) --- Jonathan would most probably have been slain, and the people would have revolted. (St. Thomas Aquinas) (Worthington)

Verse 20

Ador, called Adoraim, (2 Paralipomenon ii. 9.) near Marissa; or perhaps Eder, a southern city of Juda, may be meant. Tryphon attempted in vain to cross the mountains. (Calmet)

Verse 22

But. Greek, "and that very night there was very much snow; and he came not on account of the snow; and he rose, and went into," &c. (Haydock) --- He gave this out, or intended to go, but went back along the Jordan [River].

Verse 23

Bascama; perhaps Besech, 1 Kings xi. 8. (Calmet)

Verse 28

Pyramids. In such the kings of Egypt were buried. (Lucan viii. 998.) --- Simon enclosed the pyramids with porticoes, supported by pillars all of one piece of marble. Josephus and St. Jerome saw the sepulchres. (Calmet) --- One was probably designed by Simon for himself. (Haydock)

Verse 29

Arms, to denote their victories or solicitude for the people’s welfare both by sea and land. The Machabees had repaired the port of Joppe, by which they traded with the Mediterranean, chap. x. 75., and xiv. 5. Trophies of arms, in reality or in sculpture, were commonly placed on the tombs of great generals, Ezechiel xxxii. 27. (Virgil) (Calmet) -- Simon promoted not vain but true glory, exciting others to imitate the virtuous. (Worthington) --- The humble desire honour in God; proud men will be honoured more than God. (St. Augustine, contra Secund. xvii.) --- How many epitaphs record the ambition and vices of men! Those which praise real virtues extend the glory of God, who is the author of them all. (Worthington)

Verse 31

Slew him. He hired surgeons to cut him, pretending it was for the stone. (Epit.; Livy lv.; Just. xxxvi.) --- Antiochus was only ten years old, the year [of the world] 3861.

Verse 32

Crown. The soldiers declared for him, in hopes of great rewards which he had promised. He assumed the name of Tryphon, "wearing a helmet," or "addicted to pleasure." His medals have always a helmet; and the tyrant styles himself, (Calmet) "king Tryphon, the autocrat," (Haydock) or generalissimo. He sent a golden statue of victory to Rome, but the senate inscribed the name of the young Antiochus upon it. The first conquest of Tryphon was Apamea, where he was born.

Verse 34

Demetrius, who still possessed a great part of Syria. Jonathas adhered to his competitor. But Simon preferred him before Tryphon, on condition that he granted the immunities which Soter had promised, chap. x. 29.

Verse 37

Palm; bahem, "a precious chain." (Worthington) --- Greek bainen, which Grotius thinks is derived from bais, a palm branch. (Calmet) (John xii. 13.) --- It was probably of gold, (Menochius) like that offered by Alcimus, 2 Machabees xiv. 4. Some suppose that a collar or garment, adorned with gold and representations of palm branches, may be meant; such as that which was presented by the Romans to Masinissa. (Livy iii. B. x.) --- Syriac translates, "a robe."

Verse 38

Force. He grants all Simon’s requests, which he had offered to do at the beginning of his reign, chap. xi. 37.

Verse 39

Oversight. All sins in some sense proceed from ignorance.

Verse 41

Israel, the year [of the world] 3861, [the year] before Christ 143. (Calmet) --- Thus, after a hard struggle, the independence of the Jews was acknowledged. (Haydock)

Verse 42

Public. Greek, "contracts." (Menochius) --- This became a new era. (Haydock)

Verse 43

Gaza. It had revolted, chap. xi. 61. --- Engines. Greek, elepo leis, denoting engines of a great size, invented by Demetrius at the siege of Rhodes, who was thence styled "the city taker." (Calmet) --- Its top was covered with mortar, (Marcellin xxiii. 9.) and the sides with raw hides and iron bars, so that fire or stones made no impression upon it, while people within moved it to batter the walls by means of wheels. When a breach was made, they jumped into the city, ver. 44. See Vitruvius x. 22.

Verse 47

Idols, of a domestic kind. The city had been assigned to Juda, and must be purified, Josue xv. 47., and Deuteronomy vii. 25. (Calmet) --- Mercy is most pleasing to God and men, provided justice and religion be not injured. (Worthington)

Verse 48

Habitation sometimes, to guard against Egypt.

Verse 50

CHAPTER XIII.

Castle. It had been occupied by the Syrians, from the year [of the world] 3836 to 3861.

Verse 52

Days; the octave, or the 23rd of the second month, annually. (Haydock) --- This was like one of the days appointed, chap. x. 34. The festival was observed perhaps only during his reign. Josephus takes no notice of it: but informs us (Calmet) that Simon reflecting on the miseries inflicted on the city by this castle, and fearing lest it should fall again into the hands of the enemy, advised the people to level it to the ground; which they did in the space of three years. (Antiquities xiii. 11.) They did not commence immediately, as Sidetes reclaimed it three years hence. (Calmet)

Verse 53

Fortified. This work employed them six years. (Josephus)

Verse 54

John. Hyrcan, who defended the country, (chap. xvi.; Worthington) and succeeded Simon. --- Gazara; perhaps Gadara, (Calmet) which the Jews seized, (Strabo xvi.) or Gaza. (Menochius)