A FEW years after the accession of Alexander Balas (B.C. 148), Demetrius, the son of the late Demetrius Soter, attempted to regain possession of his father’s dominions. His first attack upon Jonathan as an upholder of the usurper Balas was unsuccessful. Ptolemy of Egypt came into Palestine to his son-in-law’s, Alexander’s, assistance. There he learned of a plot against his life, laid by one of Alexander’s officers. As Alexander refused to deliver up the offender, Ptolemy concluded, (and rightly so) that the plot had his relative’s sanction. So he made common cause with Demetrius against Alexander, and taking back his daughter from the latter, he betrothed her to the new claimant.
In a subsequent battle Alexander was defeated, and fled into Arabia, where he was slain, and his head was sent to Ptolemy. That prince died three days later, and (B.C. 146) Demetrius took undisputed succession to the Syrian throne. He assumed the surname of “Nicator,” the Conqueror.
Although at the first some sort of friendship existed between Jonathan and Demetrius, it was of a very slender kind. Demetrius broke faith with Jonathan, and when, in 44, Antiochus, the son of Alexander Balas, came into Syria, claiming the kingdom as being his father’s, Jonathan, as well as many of Demetrius’s soldiers, espoused his cause. Demetrius was forced to retire before the new arrival, and Antiochus was crowned. The latter confirmed the priesthood to Jonathan, sent him golden vessels for his ministrations, and gave him leave to be clothed in purple, and to wear a golden buckle― (the symbol of royal blood) ―as his father had done. Jonathan defeated the forces of Demetrius, and, in the exercise of the leadership of his own people, sent ambassadors to Rome, to renew the treaty of the time of Judas, and in other ways placed the Jews upon a satisfactory footing with the neighboring powers. Altogether, he played his part with great ability, and with honor to himself and his country.
Unfortunately, this able prince fell by the treachery of false allies. Trypho, one of the late Alexander’s commanders, and the man who had been mainly instrumental in putting Antiochus upon the throne, now coveted the kingdom for himself. Jonathan by his fidelity to the king was an obstacle to the attainment by Trypho of his ambition. The latter shrank from the decision of a fairly-fought battle, but craftily prevailed upon Jonathan to enter Ptolemais when accompanied by a force of only about one thousand men. Jonathan was seized, and his men slain.
The tidings quickly spread; the surrounding nations hailed the news with joy, and prepared to attack the Jews now that their leader was lost to them. Trypho set out to invade the land, and the hearts of the people failed them, till Simon, Jonathan’s brother, rallied them by rehearsing the deeds of the past, and they heartily appointed him as their leader. Trypho, hearing this, sent word to Simon that Jonathan was kept in prison on account of certain moneys owing to the king’s treasury, and demanded a hundred talents of silver, and the surrender of two of Jonathan’s sons as hostages. On these conditions alone should Jonathan be released. Although Simon had no faith in Trypho’s word, he nevertheless complied with this demand, so as to remove all room for excuse on the part of the Syrians. But Trypho still held his captive, and, finding himself checked in his operations against the Jews, he cruelly murdered Jonathan. This Maccabean prince had governed his people with much success for seventeen years, his death occurring B.C. 144). Simon afterward recovered his body, and buried it with great honors at Modin, the home of the Maccabees.
Trypho also secretly dispatched the youthful king, Antiochus, and seizing the crown, he reigned over Syria, and much distressed Israel. Demetrius Nicator, who had been compelled to flee before the forces of Antiochus, was still living, and had not abandoned his claim to the Syrian throne. Bad as he was, he seemed preferable to Trypho, and to him Simon sent a crown of gold and a scarlet robe, seeking an immunity from hostilities as between themselves. Demetrius, under his title of “King Demetrius,” granted it, and forgave all oversights and faults committed, as well as taxes due, remission forever of all tribute, and a cession of all strongholds which the Jews had built. It was, in fact, a surrender of all hold upon Palestine; the land was thus freed from “the yoke of the heathen,” and peace was confirmed between Israel and Syria. This event was celebrated by a yearly feast on the 27th Ijar, or Yiar. Israel had been for 170 years subject to the Syrian power. From this time (B.C. 143), as possessing an independent state, the Jews dated their documents “in such and such a year of Simon, the high priest, governor and leader of the Jews.” The Romans also confirmed on tables of brass the league which had been made with Judas and Jonathan, and the Lacedemonians again avowed their friendship, so that peace and quiet existed in relation to other powers. At home, Simon had good success in putting down disaffection at Gaza and elsewhere. Better still, the tower in Jerusalem, which for many days had been a thorn in the side of the people, and a constant menace, was captured from its foreign garrison, and ceremonially cleansed. So great was this event considered, that it was celebrated by a special thanksgiving, and its anniversary on the 23rd Ijar was appointed to be kept. Jerusalem and other cities were fortified and victualed; the people dwelt in peace, and tilled their lands; every man sat under his vine and fig tree and there was none to fray them.” So grateful were the people, that a general assembly was held in the third year of Simon (B.C. 141), and the priesthood and government which had been conferred upon Simon personally were confirmed to him forever―(that is, it was made hereditary)―by the will of the people. This decision was engraved in brass and affixed to pillars in Mount Zion.
In this same year (141) Demetrius Nicator (the nominal king of Syria, though Trypho was really in power) was captured by the king of Persia, and kept in captivity. Antiochus Pius, son of Demetrius Soter, and brother of the captive Demetrius, took upon himself the kingly title, and addressing Simon, sought and obtained permission to go through his lands on the way to recover his father’s kingdom from Trypho. Still claiming some sort of sovereignty over the land of Israel, he nevertheless confirmed all the promises and gifts of former kings, and to these he added permission to Simon to coin money with his own stamp. Simon assisted Antiochus in his war against the usurper Trypho, and with much success, but the Syrian king becoming envious of Simon’s prosperity and power, sent forces to invade Judaea, and to take the people captive. Simon (now an old man) bestirred himself with remarkable vigor, and putting his army under the command of his sons Judas and John, gave fight to the foe, who was defeated. Simon was slain at last, with two of his sons, at a banquet, by the treachery of his own son-in-law, Ptolemy.
The government and the high-priesthood were then (B.C. 135) placed in the hands of Simon’s son, John Hyrcanus. The mother of John was held a captive by Ptolemy, and John’s first operations were an attempt to release her, but it was in vain—she was treacherously slain. Antiochus Pius invaded the land, and the war dragged itself along till the Feast of the Tabernacles, when a truce was concluded (though with rather hard terms to the Jews), and Antiochus sent “a magnificent sacrifice” to the Temple. Jr.