final ruin and destruction. Advancing in this dis position towards Babylonia, which was in his way, fresh expresses came to him with advice of Lysias's defeat, and also that the Jews had retaken the temple, thrown down the altars and idols which he had set up in them, and re-established their ancient worship. At this news his fury increased. Immediately he commands his coachman to drive with the utmost speed, in order that he might have an opportunity of fully satiating his vengeance; threatening to make Jerusalem the burying place of the whole Jewish nation, and not to leave one single inhabitant in it. He had scarce uttered that blasphemous expression, when he was struck by the hand of GOD. He was seized with incredible pains in his bowels, and the most excessive pangs of the cholic. "Thus the murtherer and blasphemer," says the author of the Maccabees, having suffered most grievously, as he treated other men, so died he a miserable death." But still his pride was not abated by this first shock so far from it, that suffering himself to be hurried away by the wild transports of his fury, and breathing nothing but vengeance against the Jews, he gave orders for proceeding with all possible speed in the journey. But as his horses were running forwards impetuously, he fell from his chariot, and thereby bruised, in a grievous manner, every part of his body; so that his attendants were forced to put him into a litter, where he suffered inexpressible torments. Worms crawled from every part of him; his flesh fell away piece-meal, and the stench was so great, that it became intolerable to the whole army. Being himself unable to bear it, "It is meet," says he, "to be subject unto God; and man, who is mortal, should not think of himself as if he were a god." Acknowledging that it was the hand of Maccab. ix. 12. the God of Israel which struck him, because of the calamities he had brought upon Jerusalem, he promises to exert the utmost liberality towards his chosen people; to enrich with precious gifts the holy temple of Jerusalem, which he had plundered, to furnish, from his revenues, the sums necessary for defraying the expence of the sacrifices; to turn Jew himself; and to travel into every part of the world in order to publish the power of the Almighty. He hoped he should calm his wrath by these mighty promises, which the violence of his present affliction, and the fear of future torments extorted from his mouth, but not from his heart. But, adds the author of the Maccabees; " This wicked person vowed unto the LORD, who now no more would have mercy upon him." And indeed this murderer and blasphemer (these are the names which this writer substitutes in the place of illustrious, which men had bestowed on that prince) being struck in a dreadful manner, and treated as he treated others, finished an impious life by a miserable death.* Before he expired he sent for Philip, who had been brought up with him from his infancy; and was his favourite, and bestowed on him the regency of Syria during the minority of his son, then nine years of age. He put into his hands the diadem, the seal of the empire, and all the other ensigns of royalty; exhorting him, especially, to employ his utmost endeavours to give him such an education as would best teach him the art of reigning, and of governing his subjects with justice and moderation. P2 Maccab. ix. 13. * Polybius attests the truth of this, and relates that Antiochus was troubled with a perpetual delirium; imagining that spectres stood continually before him, reproaching him with his crimes. This historian, who was unacquainted with the Scriptures, assigns as the cause of this punishment, the sacrilegious attempt formed by this prince against the temple of Diana in Elymais. POLYB. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 145. Few princes give such instructions to their children till they are near their end: and that, after having set them a quite different example during their whole lives. Philip caused the king's body to be, conveyed to Antioch. This prince had reigned eleven years. SECT. IV. Prophecies of Daniel relating to Antiochus Epiphanes. As Antiochus Epiphanes was a violent persecutor of the people of God, who formed the Jewish Church, and was at the same time, the type of the Antichrist, who in after ages was to afflict the Christian Church; Daniel details much more fully. his prophecy respecting this prince, than those which relate to any other of whom he makes mention. This prophecy consists of two parts; one of which relates to his wars in Egypt, and the other to the persecution carried on by him against the Jews. We shall treat these separately, and unite together the various places where mention is made of them. I. THE WARS OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES AGAINST "And in his," Seleucus Philopator's, " estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries." This verse, which points out the accession of Antiochus to the crown, has been already explained. " And with the arms of a flood shall they," the Svrians, "be overflown before him," Antiochus Epiphanes, " and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant." Heliodorus, the murderer of Seleucus and his adherents, as also those of the Egyptian king, who had formed designs against Syria, were defeated by the forces of Attalus and Eumenes, and dispersed by the arrival of Antiochus, whose presence disconcerted all their projects. By the "prince of the covenant," we may suppose to be meant, either Heliodorus, the ringleader of the conspirators, who had killed Seleucus; or rather Ptolemy Epiphanes, king of Egypt, who lost his life by a conspiracy of his own subjects, at the very time that he was meditating a war against Syria. Thus Providence removed this powerful adversary, to make way for Antiochus, and raise him to the throne. It appears that the prophet, in the following verses, points out clearly enough the four different expeditions of Antiochus into Egypt. ANTIOCHUS's first EXPEDITION into EGYPT. "And after the league made with him," with Ptolemy Philometor his nephew, king of Egypt, " he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. Antiochus, though he was already determined on the war, still assumed a specious appearance of friendship for the king of Egypt. He even sent Apollonius to Memphis, to be present at the banquet given on occasion of that prince's coronation, as a proof that it was agreeable to him. Nevertheless, soon after, on pretence of defending his nephew, he marched into Egypt with a "small army," in comparison of those which he levied afterwards. The battle was fought near Pelusium. Antiochus was "strong," that is victorious: and afterwards returned to Tyre. Such was the end of his first expedition. s Dan. xi. 23. ANTIOCHUS'S second EXPEDITION into EGYPT. "He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province (Egypt) and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them (his troops) the prey and spoil and riches; yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. "And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South (of Egypt) with a great army, and the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall forecast devices against him." "Yea, they that feed of the portion of his (the king of Egypt's) meat, shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain." In these three verses appear the principal characters of Antiochus's second expedition into Egypt; his mighty armies, his rapid conquests, the rich spoils he carried from thence, and the dissimulation and treachery he began to practise with regard to Ptolemy. Antiochus, after employing the whole winter in making preparations for a second expedition into Egypt, invaded it both by sea and land, the instant the season would permit. "Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy. And made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt: But Ptolemy was afraid of him and fled; and many were wounded to death. Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof." t Dan. xi. Ver. 24. * Ver. 26. |