CHAP. IX. ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. to do a thing, but not actually doing it, I should be taken by Judas and those that were 3. At this time it was that the garrison in the citadel at Jerusalem, with the Jewish runagates, did a great deal of harm to the Jews: for the soldiers that were in that garrison rushed out upon the sudden, and destroyed such as were going up to the temple in order to offer their sacrifices, for this citadel adjoined to and overlooked the temple. When these misfortunes had often happened to them, Judas resolved to destroy that garrison; whereupon he got all the people toge-phant there were a thousand footmen and five ther, and vigorously besieged those that were in the citadel. This was in the hundred and fiftieth year of the dominion of the Seleucida. So he made engines of war, and erected bulwarks, and very zealously pressed on to take the citadel. But there were not a few of the runagates who were in the place, that went out by night into the country, and got together some other wicked men like themselves, and went to Antiochus the king, and desired of him that he would not suffer them to be neglected, under the great hardships that lay upon them from those of their own nation; and this because their sufferings were occasion-But when his brother Eleazar, whom they ed on his father's account, while they left the religious worship of their fathers, and preferred that which he had commanded them to follow: that there was danger lest the citadel, and those appointed to garrison it by the king, Since St. Paul, a Pharisee, confesses that he had not known concupiscence, or desires, to be sinful, had not the tenth commandment said, "Thou shalt not covet." with our Josephus, who was of the same sect, that be had not a deep sense of the greatness of any sins that However, proceeded no farther than the intention. since Josephus speaks properly of the punishment of death, which is not inflicted by any law, either of God or man, for the bare intention, his words need not he strained to mean, that sins intended, but not executed, were no sins at all. + No wonder that Josephus here describes Antiochus Eupator at young, and wanting tuition, when he came to the crown, since Appian informs us (Syriac. p. 177) that he was then but nine years old. called Auran, saw the tallest of all the ele- 5. But Judas, seeing the strength of the enemy, retired to Jerusalem, and prepared to endure a siege. As for Antiochus, he sent and with the rest of his ariny he came against part of his army to Bethsura, to besiege it, CHAP. IX. ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. to do a thing, but not actually doing it, I should be taken by Judas and those that were is not worthy of punishment. But if Polybius could think that Antiochus thus lost his life on that account, it is much more probable that this king died on account of his sacrilegious plundering of the temple at Jerusalem. But we will not contend about this matter with those who may think that the cause assigned by this Polybius of Megalopolis is nearer the truth than that assigned by us. 3. At this time it was that the garrison in the citadel at Jerusalem, with the Jewish runagates, did a great deal of harm to the Jews: for the soldiers that were in that garrison rushed out upon the sudden, and destroyed such as were going up to the temple in order to offer their sacrifices, for this citadel adjoined to and overlooked the temple. When these misfortunes had often happened to them, Judas resolved to destroy that garrison; whereupon he got all the people toge- | ther, and vigorously besieged those that were in the citadel. This was in the hundred and fiftieth year of the dominion of the Seleucida. So he made engines of war, and erected bulwarks, and very zealously pressed on to take the citadel. But there were not a few of the runagates who were in the place, that went out by night into the country, and got together some other wicked men like themselves, and went to Antiochus the king, and desired of him that he would not suffer them to be neglected, under the great hardships that lay upon them from those of their own nation; and this because their sufferings were occasion-But when his brother Eleazar, whom they ed on his father's account, while they left the religious worship of their fathers, and preferred that which he had commanded them to follow: that there was danger lest the citadel, and those appointed to garrison it by the king, Since St. Paul, a Pharisee, confesses that he had not known concupiscence, or desires, to be sinful, had not the tenth commandment said, "Thou shalt not covet." with our Josephus, who was of the same sect, that he had not a deep sense of the greatness of any sins that However, proceeded no farther than the intention. since Josephus speaks properly of the punishment of death, which is not inflicted by any law, either of God or man, for the bare intention, his words need not be strained to mean, that sins intended, but not executed, were no sins at all. called Auran, saw the tallest of all the ele- 5. But Judas, seeing the strength of the enemy, retired to Jerusalem, and prepared to endure a siege. As for Antiochus, he sent part of his army to Bethsura, to besiege it, and with the rest of his ariny he came against |