MAASEIAH

MAASEIAH. — 1. A priest, of the sons of Jeshua, who had married a foreign wife (Ezr 10" [1 Es 9>» Mathelas]). 2, A priest, of the sons of Harim, who had committed the same offence (Ezr lO^i [1 Es 9" Manes]). Foreign wives had been taken also by 3. and 4. — A priest, of the sons of Pashhur (Ezr 10^2 [1 Es 922 Massias]), and a layman, of the sons of Pahath-raoab (v.'" [1 Es 9" Moossias]). 5. A wall-builder (Neh 3^). 6. One of those who stood upon the right hand of Ezra at the reading of the Law (Neh 8*) ; called in 1 Es 9" Baalsamus. 7. One of those who ex-pounded the Law to the people (Neh 8') ; called in 1 Es 9" maiannas. He is perhaps the same as the preceding. 8. One of those who sealed the coyenant (Neh 10^'). 9. A Judahite (Neh ll'); in 1 Ch 9' Asaiah. 10. A Benja-mite (Neh 11'). 11. 12. Two priests (Neh 12"'). 13. A priest in the time of Zedeklah (Jer 21' 29^ 35' 37'). 14. The father of the false prophet Zedekiah (Jer 2921). 15. A Levitical singer (1 Ch IS"- 20). 16. One of the captains who assisted Jehoiada in the overthrow of Athaliah (2 Ch 23>). 17. An officer of Uzziah (2 Ch 26")- 18. A son of Ahaz slain by Ziehri the Ephraimite (2 Ch 28'). 19. Governor of Jerusalem under Josiah (2 Ch 34'). 20. In 1 Ch 6*» Baaselah appears to be a textual error tor Maaseiah.

lUAASMAS (1 Es 8") = Shemaiah. Ezi 8".

MAATH.— An ancestor of Jesus (Lk 3™).

MAAZ.— A Jerahmeelite (1 Ch 2").

MAAZIAH. — A priestly family which constituted the 24th course (Neh 10*, 1 Ch 24i8).

MACALON (1 Es S^'). — The same as Michmash; of. Ezr 2".

MACCABEES. — The name commonly given to the Jewish family othervrise known as Hasmonseans, who led the revolt against Syria under Antiochus iv., and furnished the dynasty of leaders and rulers in the State thus formed. The family is said to have derived its name from a more or less mythical ancestor Hasmonmus. The chief members of the house were:

1. Mattathias (b.c. 167-166), a citizen of Modin, and of priestly descent. When, in accordance with the poUcy of Antiochus iv., the royal officer attempted to establish heathen sacrifices in that town, Mattathias refused to conform, killed the officer and a Jew about to offer sacrifices, levelled the heathen altar to the ground, and fled with his five sons to the mountains. There he was joined by a number of other patriots and by 'the Pious' (see Hasid.eans). After a few months of vigorous fighting in behalf of the Torah, Mattathias died, leaving the conduct of the revolt to his five sons. Of these, Eleazar and John were killed in the succeeding struggle without having attained official standing. The other three were his successors (1 Mac 2).

2. Judas (B.C. 166-161), called Maccabee, or 'the Hammerer,' from which surname the entire farnlly came to be known. Judas was essentially a warrior, whose plans involved not only the re-estabUshment of the Torah, but also, in all probability, the re-establishment of the Jewish State in at least a semi-independent position. He defeated successively the Syrian generals ApoUonius and Seron. Antiochus iv. then sent Lysias, the imperial chancellor, to put down the revolt, and he in turn sent a large body of troops against Judas, under three generals — Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias. Judas called the fighting men of Galilee together at Mizpah, organized them, and at Bmmaus surprised and utterly defeated the forces of Gorgias (b.c. 166-165). In the autumn of 165, Lysias himself came against Judas at the head of a great army, but was defeated at Bethzur. Thereupon, in December 165, Judas cleansed the Temple of the Syrian pollutions and inaugurated the re-estabUshed worship with a great feast. For a year and a half he waged war on his enemies on the east of the Jordan, while his brother Simon brought the Jews scattered throughout Galilee back to Judsea for

MACCABEES

safety. His vigorous campaign, however, seems to have alienated 'the Pious,' who had seen their ambition realized in the re-estabUshment of the Temple worship. Lysias returned with a great army, and atBeth-zacharias completely defeated Judas. He then laid siege to Jerusalem, where the citadel was still in Syrian hands. Jerusalem surrendered, but Lysias did not attempt again to disestablish the Jewish faith. He appointed Alcimus as high priest, who was received by ' the Pious ' as legitimate, although he favoured the Greeks. Judas and his party, however, remained in revolt, and when Lysias returned to Syria, undertook war against Alcimus himself. Demetrius i., who had succeeded Antiochus iv., sent Nicanor to put an end to the rebellion. He was defeated by Judas at Capharsalama, and retreated to Jerusalem, where he threatened to burn the Temple if Judas were not delivered up. This once more brought 'the Pious' to the support of Judas, who decisively defeated the Syrians at Adasa, Nicanor himself being killed. Josephus states that at this time Alcimus died and Judas was made high priest. Although this is probably an error, Judas was now at the head of the State. He sent ambassadors to Rome asking for assistance, which was granted to the extent that the Senate sent word to Demetrius i. to desist from fighting the Jews, the allies of the Romans. This international policy of Judas displeased 'the Pious,' however, and they deserted him; and before the message of the Senate could reach Demetrius, Judas had been defeated by the Syrian general Bacchides, at Elasa, and killed (1 Mac 3-9^2).

3. Jonathan (b.c. 161-143) undertook the leadership of the revolt, only to suffer serious defeat east of the Jordan, where he had gone to avenge the killing of his brother John by the 'sons of Jambri.' For a time it looked as if Syria would again estabUsh its complete control over the country. The high priest Alcimus died, and Bacchides, beUeving the subjection of Judsa complete, returned to Syria (b.c. 160). The land, however, was not at peace, and in the interests of order Bacchides gave Jonathan the right to maintain an armed force at Michmash. The fortunes of the Maccabsan house now rose steadily. As a sort of licensed revolu-tionist, Jonathan was sought as an ally by the two rivals for the Syrian throne, Alexander Balas and Demetrius i. Each made him extravagant offers, but Jonathan preferred Alexander Balas; and when the latter defeated his rival, Jonathan found himself a high priest, a prince of Syria, and military and civil governor of Judsea (b.c. 150). When Alexander Balas was con-quered by Demetrius 11., Jonathan laid siege to the citadel of Jerusalem, which was still in the hands of the Syrians. Demetrius did not find himself strong enough to punish the Jews, but apparently bought off the siege by adding to Judaea three sections of Samaria, and granting remission of tribute. Jonathan thereupon became a supporter of Demetrius 11., and furnished him auxiliary troops at critical times. Thanks to the dis-turbance in the Syrian Empire, Jonathan conquered various cities in the Maritime Plain and to the south of Judaea, re-established treaties with Rome and Sparta, and strengthened the fortifications of Jerusalem, cutting off the Syrian garrison with a high wall. Joppa was garrisoned and various strategic points throughout Judaea fortified. This steady advance towards inde-pendence was checked, however, by the treacherous seizure of Jonathan by Trypho, the guardian and commanding general of the young Antiochus v., by whom he was subsequently (b.c. 142) executed (1 Mac 92'-12).

4. Simon (b.c. 143-135), another son of Mattathias, succeeded Jonathan when the affairs of the State were in a critical position. A man of extraordinary abiUty, he was so successful in diplomacy as seldom to be com-pelled to carry on war. It was greatly to his advantage that the Syrian State was torn by the struggles between the aspirants to the throne, Simon's first step was to

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