“Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,”
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)
“Also he sent Jonathan the son of Absolom, and with him a great power, to Joppa: who casting out them that were therein remained there in it.”
Jonathan, his friend, (Josephus) brother of Mathathias, mentioned [in] chap. xi. 70.
“So Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to invade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.”
Custody: tied to a soldier, like St. Paul, Acts xviii. 16.
“But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.”
Plain; Sephala, (chap. xii. 38.) above Eleutheropolis, by which road Jerusalem wa most easily attacked, chap. vi. 31. (Calmet)
“So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit Tryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go.”
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)
“And after this came Tryphon to invade the land, and destroy it, going round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: but Simon and his host marched against him in every place, wheresoever he went.”
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)
“Wherefore Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, by reason whereof he came not. So he departed, and came into the country of Galaad.”
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].
“And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan, who was buried there.”
Bascama; perhaps Besech, 1 Kings xi. 8. (Calmet)
“Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren.”
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)
“And in these he made cunning devices, about the which he set great pillars, and upon the pillars he made all their armour for a perpetual memory, and by the armour ships carved, that they might be seen of all that sail on the sea.”
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)
“Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew him.”
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.
“And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.”
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.
“Moreover Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the land an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to spoil.”
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.
“The golden crown, and the scarlet robe, which ye sent unto us, we have received: and we are ready to make a stedfast peace with you, yea, and to write unto our officers, to confirm the immunities which we have granted.”
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.”
“And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.”
Force. He grants all Simon’s requests, which he had offered to do at the beginning of his reign, chap. xi. 37.
“As for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown tax also, which ye owe us: and if there were any other tribute paid in Jerusalem, it shall no more be paid.”
Oversight. All sins in some sense proceed from ignorance.
“Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year.”
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)
“Then the people of Israel began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon the high priest, the governor and leader of the Jews.”
Public. Greek, “contracts.” (Menochius) — This became a new era. (Haydock)
“In those days Simon camped against Gaza and besieged it round about; he made also an engine of war, and set it by the city, and battered a certain tower, and took it.”
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.
“So Simon was appeased toward them, and fought no more against them, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and thanksgiving.”
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)
“Yea, he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed such men there as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwellingplace for himself.”
Habitation sometimes, to guard against Egypt.
“Then cried they to Simon, beseeching him to be at one with them: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out from thence, he cleansed the tower from pollutions:”
Castle. It had been occupied by the Syrians, from the year [of the world] 3836 to 3861.
“He ordained also that that day should be kept every year with gladness. Moreover the hill of the temple that was by the tower he made stronger than it was, and there he dwelt himself with his company.”
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)
“And when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he made him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazera.”
Fortified. This work employed them six years. (Josephus)
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)