Exposition of the Whole Bible

to be about three hundred thoufand men; but Dr.’ Prideaux *, from Herodotus and others, com that putting all his forces together by fea and land by the time he. came to the fireights ot Thermopylae, the number of them were two millions, fix hundred forty-one thoufand, fix hundred and ten men; and Grotius, from the fame writer,’ reckons them) five millions, two hundred and eighty-three thou= fand, to which others add two hundred and twenty" hei with thefe he marched into Greece, where after hav ing done much mifchief, he was fhamefully defeat- " ed, and obliged to retire, and was murdered’ by Artabanus the captain of his guards. The words may be rendered ", be hall hur up all, even ‘the realm of Grecia; by the preparation he made, and the vaft army he brought into the field, he raited all the cities and flates of Greece to combine together to withftand him; and this ftep of his, is what irritated the Grecians, and put them upon after-attempts, to avenge themfelves on the Perfians for thi is attack upon them; and which they never defifted from, tilk they had ruined the Perfian empire, which they did under Alexander 5 and fo he, in his letter to Darius, fays", ** your anceftors *< entered into Macedonia, and the other parts of ‘“* Greece, and did us damage, when they had re- ‘© ceived no affront from us as the caufe of its - and now I, created general of the Grecians, pro- ’ voked by you, and defirous of avenging the in- “* jury done by the Perfians, have paficd over into “ Afia.’ And it is for the fake of this, the deftruction ef the Perfian empire by Alexander, that this expedition of Xerxes is here hinted at; and to pave the way for the account of Alexander and his fucceffors, in the following part of this pros

¥. 3. And-a mizhty king fhall Rand up, 8c.) Not. in Perf, a, but in Greece '; sdlexander the Great, who rofe up a hundred years after the above expedition of Xerxes, and ftood and flourifhed, and conquered all he attacked, none being able to refift him; and is rightly called a mighty king, a very powertul one: this is the notable horn in the he-goat, whieh tbeing exafperated by the ram, the Perfians, and their invafion of Greece, pufhed at them, and) deftroyed them, ch. viii. 5;°6, 7: that fhall rule with great dominion; not in Greece only, but in the whole world, at leaft as he thought, and really did: over a very great part of it; for, as Ferom fays, having conquered the Tbrians, Thracians, Greece, and Thebes, he pafled into Afa, and having put to flight the generals of Darius, he took di city of Sardis, and afterwards India. And do according to his will, not only in his own army, facrificing his beft faeridls at his pleafure; but-with his enemies, conquering whom he would, none being able; to. withftand him; all things fucceeded to’ his wifhs whatever he attempted he performed. His hifto-. rian ° fays of him, ‘*:that it muft be owned; he: “© owed much to virtue, but more: to fortune, ‘*¢ which alone of all mortals he had in his powers fince, by the benefit of it, he feemed to do nations whatever he pleafed; he was fovereign 1

Y ineet ast Shier ay ¥. 4) ind “when bevhall pond email all be farnsn ek When Alexander w to his higheft pitch of grandeur, was fole monarch of the world, in the height of his ambition, in the prime of his days, he was cut off by death; his kingdom remained no more one, but became many, was feized by different perfons, his generals, and fo broke to pieces: and fhall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, which feem to have refpeéct to the four horns or kings, which came up in his room, ch. viii. 8. and among whom his kingdom _was parted; Ptolemy reigned in Egypt to the fouth; Antigonus in Afia to the north; Seleucus in Babylon and Syria to the eaft; and Caffander in Macedonia to the weft: and not to his. pofterity; for tho’ he had two fons, one by Bar/fine, whofe name was Hercules, who was living at his death; and another by Roxane, born after his death, whofe name was Alexander, yet they were both deftroyed by Caffander, or his means, that he might enjoy Macedonia ®: nor according to bis dominion, which he ruled; their dominion was not fo large and powerful as dlexander’s was, being divided into feveral parts; fee ch. viii. 22: for'his kingdom fhall be plucked up, even for others befides thofe, either befides his pofterity, who had no fhare in it, and fo with refpect to his family, was like a tree plucked up by the roots, and as to their concern in it, withered away at once; or befides the feur governors before-mentioned, there were others that had, at leaft: for a while, fome leffer fhares in the kingdom, as Eumenes, Philotas, Leonnatus, and others; but, at length, all were reduced to the:kings of Egypt and Syria, the Legide and Seleucide, which the following part of the prophecy chiefly concerns; and befides thefe, for the Romans alfo, to whom this kingdom came. ¥. 5. And the king’ of the fouth fhall be ftrong, &c.] That is, the king of Egypt, which lay fouth to Syria, as Syria lay north to Egypt; and therefore the king of the one is called the king of the fouth, and the other the king of the north, throughout this prophecy; and by the king of the fouth or Egypt, is here meant Ptolemy Lagus, one of Alexander’s generals, who had Egypt for his fhare; and a very powerful king he was; for he reigned over Egypt, Lybia, Cyrene, Ethiopia, Arabia, Phenicia, Celefyria, Cyprus, and feveral ifles in the Agean fea, and many cities in Greece: and one of bis princes; not of Ptolemy ‘king of Egypt, but of Alexander the Great; and this is Seleucus Nicator, afterwards called king of the north, having Syria for his part, which lay to the north of Egypt, as before obferved: and be fhall be firong above him, and have dominion, that is, be a greater and more powerful prince than Ptolemy king of Egypt: bis dominion shall be a great dominion, even greater than the other’s; for he reigned over Macedopja, Greece, Thrace, Afia, Syria, Babylonia, Media, and all the eaftern countries as far as India; even from Taurus to the river Indus, and fo likewife from Taurus to the Agean fea: thefe two are only mentioned, who fhared the Perfian monarchy, becaufe the ews were only affected by them, for the fake of whom this prophecy is delivered.

y. 6. And in the end of years they fhall join them- Selves together, 8c.) The two kings of Egypt and Syria not the two former kings, but their fucceffors: the king of Egypt was Ptolemy Philadelpbus, the fecond king of Agypt, the fon of Ptolemy Laguss this is the king of Egypt, who collected ‘fuch a vaft number of books into his library at Alexandria, and got the law of Mo/es tranflated into.

LE &. 339 Greek: the king of Syria was Antiochus; farnarned Theos; this name was firft given him by the Milefiens, upon his delivering them from the tyranny of Timarchus governor of Caria; he was the third king of Syria; Seleucus Nicator the firlt, Antiochus Soter the fecond, and this the third: there had been very great wars between thefe kings for many years; and now being weary of them, they entered into confederacies and alliances with each other, and which were defigned to be {trengthened by a marriage next mentioned; this is thought to be about feventy years after the death of Mexander*: for the king’s daughter of the fouth fhall come to the king of the north to make an agreement; this was Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus king of Egypt, who carried her to Pelufium, and from thence failed with her to S¢leucia in Syria; where he met with Antiochus king of Syria; to whom he gave her in marriage, with a vaft dowry of gold and filver; hence fhe was called QegveDopG; and the marriage was celebrated with great folemnity «: and this was to make agreement, or to make things right or firait*; that were wrong and crooked before; to put an end to wars and difcords; to make peace, and cultivate friendfhip; to ftrengthen alliances, and confirm each other in their kingdoms: but fhe fhall not retain the power of the arm; unite the two kingdoms, and fecure the peace of them, which was the thing in view; nor retain her intereft in her hufband, nor her power! at court; for as foon as her father was dead, Antiochus difmiffed Berenice from his bed, and took Laodice his former wife again, by whom he had had two fons, Seleucus Callinicus, and Autiochus Hierax*: neither foall be ftand, nor his arm; neither Antiochus, for Laodice knowing that by the late treaty, the crown was fettled upon the children of Berenice, who already had a fon by him, and fenfible of his ficklenefs, and fearing he might divorce her again, and take to Berenice, got him poifoned by his jervants: nor Berenice his queen, called his arm; who fleeing to Daphne for fhelter, on hearing what was done, was there flain; or it may be his fon he’had by her, fo it follows: but fhe fhail be given up into the hands of Seleucus Callinicus, the fon of Laodice; whom fhe placed on the throne after the death of his father; and who fent to Daphne to flay Berenice,.which was accordingly done": and they that brought her; into Syria; that attended her from Egypt at her marriage, and continued with her in the court of Syria, and fied with her to Daphne: end he that begat ber; or, whom fee brought forth, as in the margin; her little fon, who was murdered at the fame time with her; for her father died before: and be that ftrengthened ber in thefe times; either her hufband, or her father, who were both dead before, and fo ftood not, and could not help her; unlefs this is to be underftood of her brother, and the cities of the leffer 4fa, who hearing of her diftrefs at Daphne, fet out for her relief, but came too late; fhe and her fon were both flain firft », y. 7. But out of a branch of ber roots fhall one ftand up in bis eftate, &c.| Or, out of a branch of her roots a fhoot thereof fhall fiand or rife up*; by her roots are meant her anceftors, particularly Prolemy Lagus, by a branch from thence, Ptolemy Philadelphus her father; and by the /hoot out of that, or its plantation, as the Vulgate Latin verfion, is defigned her brother, Ptolemy Euergetes,; who fucceeded her father in the kingdom, and ftood firm

340 yO es Me" in it; upon his bafis’, as fome render it: which forall come with an army; Or, to an army”; as foon as he heard of his fifter’s cafe, he put himfelf at the head of an army, and marched to her relief;. but coming too late, he, and the forces of the leffer Afia, which came for the fame purpofe, joining him, refolved to revenge the death of his fifter and her fon, went with his’army into Syria, as next foretold: and fhall enter into the fortre/s of the king of the north, the king of Syria, Seleucus Callimicus: Ptolemy entered into Syria itfelf, as Polybius * fays, into the fortified cities of it, and took them, the fingular being put for the plural; unlefs Seleucia itfelf is particularly defigned, which Prolemy feized, and put a garrifon of Egypéians in it, which held it twenty feven years>: and fball deal againft them, befiege and take them at his pleafure; the king of Syria not being able to ftand againft him and defend them: and jhall prevail, over the king of Syria, and conquer great part of his dominions, as he did: he took Syria and Cilicia, and the fuperior parts beyond Euphrates, and almoft all Afa, as ‘ferom relates; and had it not been for a fedition in his own kingdom, which called him home, he had made himfelf mafter of the whole kingdom of Seleucus, as Fuftin * fays. ¥. 8. And fhall alfo carry captive into Egypt their gods, with their princes, 8cc.] Ferom relates, from the hiftorians he converfed with, that Ptolemy carried captive with him into Egypt two thoufand five hundred images; among which were many of the idols which Camébyfes, when he conquered Egypt, carried from thence; and Ptolemy replacing them in their proper temples, gained him the affeétion of his people the Egyptians, who were much addicted to idolatry; hence they gave him the name of Euergetes, that is, the benefatior: and with their precious veffels of filver and of gold; the fame writer reports, that he brought with him out of Syria, and the places he conquered, forty thoufand talents of filver, and precious vefiels; veflels of gold and filver, a prodigious number: and he fhall continue more years than the king of the north, according to the canon of Ptolemy, this king of Egypr reigned twenty-five years; and, as Dr.. Prideaux 4 obferves, out-lived Seleucus king of Syria four ears.: y. 9. So the king of the fouth hall come into bis kingdom, &c.] Into his own kingdom, the kingdom of Lgypt; or into the kingdom of Syria, the kingdom of Selewcus, and conquer great part of it,- and ravage and fpoil it: and fhall return into bis own land; the land of Egypt; he fhall go and come with eafe, and as he pleafes, none to hinder him; and come back with a great fpoil, as before related: Cocceius renders it, and fomething hall come in the kingdom of the king of the fouth, and be foall return to his own land; and thinks’ this refers to the fedition raifed there, before-mentioned, which obliged him to return fooner than he intended. The Septuagint and Arabic verfions render it, and he fhall center into the kingdom of the king of the Jouth, and he feall return to his own land, that is, Seleucus fhould attempt to enter into the kingdom of Péolemy king of Egypt, in revenge of his having entered into his country and fpoiled it; but fhall be obliged to return to his own land without any fuccefs:° and fo Fuftin + fays, that he fitted out a great fleet, which was deftroyed by a violent ftorm; and after this he raifed a great army to recover his domi> nion, but was defeated by Ptolemy, and fled in great terror and trembling to Antioch; and this fuits well with what follows. ow ‘ y. 10. But bis fons foall be flirred up, of the king of the fouth or Egypt, but of the kir of the north or Syria; the fons of Seleucus Callinicus, who died, as Fuftin ‘ fays, by a fall from his horfe; thefe were Seleucus Ceraunus. and Antiochus, who was afterwards called the Great: thefe being irritated and provoked by what Ptolemy Euergetes’ had done in revenge of his fifter, taking pare of — their father’s: kingdom from him, and carrying off fo rich a booty, joined together, and exerted themfelves to recover their dominions from him: end Jhall affemble a multitude of great forces; of, a mul titude of men, even large armies ®; which they put themfelves at the head of, in order to make war with the king of Egypt: and one foall certainly come, and overflow, and pafs thro’;-this is to be underftood of Antiochus; for Seleucus dying in the third year of his reign, being flain in Phrygia, thro’ the treachery of Nicator and Apaturius, as Ferom relates; or, as others, poifoned; Antiochus fucceeded him, and alone headed the armies they had colleéted; and with which, like an inundation of. water, to which armies are fometimes compared, he attacked © Seleucia, and took it; and entered into Celefria,’ and over-ran it, being delivered into his hands by ° the treachery of Theodotus, who governed there for Ptolemy, whom he had offended: after this he came to Berytus, entered the province by a place which the countrymen called the face of God; and which Grotius, not improbably, takes to be Phanuel; took the town of Botris, and fet fire to T7ieres and Calamus, or Calene: - he next invaded Pa- | leftine, and took feveral places in it; went as far as Rabata Maffane, or Rabatamena, a city in Arabia, the fame with Radlath Ammon, which furrendered to him*: then fhall be return, and be ftirs red up even to bis fortre/s; the {pring following he returned with a numerous army; and came to Raphia, a fortified city in Egypt, which lay between that and Paleftine, where, as Strabo ' Jays, Ptolemy the fourth (i. e. Philopator) fought with Antiochus the Great. GP steye y. 11, And the king of the fouth fhall be moved with choler, &c.] «This is Ptolemy Philepator, who fucceeded Ptolemy Euergetes in the kingdom of Egypt; fo called ironically, becaufe of his murder of his father and mather,-as Fu/tia * relates 5 the fame, tho’ naturally fluggifh and flothful, was provoked and exafperated at the proceedings of Antiachus, retaking Calefyria, invading Paleftine, and coming up to the borders of his kingdom: an foall come forth and fight with him, even king of the north, he th im mh marched with them, from the interior part of his kingdom, to the border of it, to Raphia, a ci between Rbinocorura and Gaza; where he met with Antiochus, and a battel was fought, as | ferved.: end he foall fet forth a great multitudes is true of both kings, their armies were very large; that of Ptolemy king of Egypt confifted, to Polybius*, of feventy thoufand. fo fand horfe, and feventy-three el of Antiochus king of ‘Syria confif horfe, and a hundred and two eleph Ss PY mer army, that of the king of Egypt, feems rather defigned, if the preceding claufe is confulted; tho’ battel, as Dr. Prideaux » obferves; and according to Bifhop Ujber’s annals, the latter, that of Antiochus, beft agrees with what follows: but the multitude fhall be given into bis band that is, the multitude of the army of 4ntiochus fhould be delivered into the hands of Ptolemy Philopator, and fo it was; for Autiochus. lott ten thoufand foot, and three hundred horfe; four thoufand. foot were taken, three elephants flain, and two wounded, which afterwards died, and moft of the reft were taken “: this victory is afcribed to Arfince the fifter and wife of Ptolemy, who ran about the army with her hair difhevelled, and by intreaties and promifes greatly encouraged the foldiers to fight; of which fee 3 Maccad. i. and with which Polybius ' agrees.

¥..12. And when he hath taken away the multitude, &c.| That is, when Ptolemy king of Egypt had defeated the large army of Antiochus, killed great numbers of them, and taken many: bys heart foall be lifted up, with pride, thro’ the victory he obtained; and fo he gave himfelf up to fenfuality and luxury, judging himfelf now fafe and fecure in the pofleffion of his kingdom: or this may re-

‘fer to his infolence, when he entered into Fudea, went to ‘Ferufalem, and forced his way into the

-holieft of -all to offer facrifice upon his victory; of which fee 3 Maccab. i: sand he fhall caft down many ten thoufands or, many thoufands, as the Vulgate

| Latin verfion; or rather ten thoufand ™, either of the Fews, when he went into their country; or of the army of Antiochus the king of the north, as Facchiades: and it may be rendered, tho’ he /hall caft down many thoufands" that is, caft them down _to the earth, flay them, as he did, even ten thoufand of them, the number here mentioned: yet be fhall not be firengthened by it, for Antiochus efcaped out of his hands, nor did he purfue his victory, and take all the advantages of it as he might have done; for, as the hiftorian ° fays, had he added valour to his fortune, he might have fpoiled Antiochus of his kingdom; but, content with the

- recovery of the cities he left, made peace, and greedily took the advantage of eafe, and rolled himfelf, in. luxury,. uncleannefs and. intemperance. } y. 13. For the king of the north fhall return, &c.]

~ As Antiochus king of Syria did, upon the death of

Ptolemy Philopator, who was.fucceded by his fon Ptolemy Epiphanes, a minor of:five years of age:

~ Antiochus took the advantage of. this minority, and - entered into.a league with Philip king of Macedon, to divide the kingdom of gypt. between them; _ and marched. an army into Cele/yria and Paleftine, - and made. himfelf mafter of. thofe countries: and - foall fet: forth a multitude greater than the former,. bring a larger army into the field than he had ~ done before; which Ferom fays he. brought out of the upper ‘parts of Badylon'; fome fay it confifted of three hundred thoufand» toot, befides horfe and elephants: and fhall certainly come. (after: certain years) swithva great army, and with much riches;

with all, manner of provilions to fupply his nu-. merous army, and all proper accommodations. for _ its: money, to. pay his foldiers, and beafts of bur-

. den to-carry their baggage from _ this was, about fourteen years a ae to place: ter the tormer thirteen years. ¥. 14. And in thofe times there fhall many ftand up againft the king of the fouth, &c.] - The king of Egypt, Ptolemy Epiphanes being a minor, and while he was fuch, Antiochus king of Syria, and Philip king of Macedon, joined in alliance together, as before obferved, to {tize upon his kingdom, and’ divide it between them; and accordingly Artiochus began the war in Celefyria and Phwnicia, and Philip went againft Egypt and Samos, or Caria, according to Polybius*. Agathocles and Agathoclea, favourites of the former king of Egypt, laid a fcheme of taking the regency into their hands during the minority of the young king; and thefe being perfons of diffolute lives, were hated by the Egyptians, which caufed infurrections and feditions among themfelves; and Scopas, a principal general in the army of the king of Egypt, formed a defign of taking the government’to himfelf: ade the robbers of thy people hall exalt themfelves'to eftablijh the vifion; this is directed to the prophet Danie, and refpects the Fews his countrymen, at leaft fome of them, refractory perfons that broke thro’ all laws of God and men; feditious men, difturbers of the public peace, and who’ lived upon the fpoil and plunder of others; thefe either took the advantage of the difturbances in Egypt, and went thither, and plundered what they could, in a bold and au dacious manner, ‘and fo helped to fulfil this prophecy; or during the troubles in their own land, thro’ the kings of Egypt and Syria, took: the opportunity of committing thefts and robberies in a very daring manner, whereby they brought 2 them thofe evils threatened in the law to fuch perfons; ahd particularly when the Egyptians prevailed, they fided with them againtt Antiochus, efpecially fuch who apoftatized from their religion to pleafe the king of Egypt; but were aftewards punifhed by Autiochus,as it follows: dut.they hail fall; be cut off and deftroyed, as thofe apoftates that were of Prolemy’s party were by Antiochus, when he invaded Fudea, and became matter of 7erufalem,; fee 3 Maccab. i.. Some underftand this of the apoftate Fews, who fled with Ovias the high-prieft to Egypt, and were there honourably received by Ptolemy,°and obtained leave to build a temple there, under pretence of fulfilling: the vifion or prophecy in-J/ xix. 19. which continued many years to the times of the Romans, by whom it was deftroyed; but this does not agree with the reign of this. king» of Egypt; for it was-in the times of Ptolemy Philometor that this affair happened, as Fofephus * relates. Sir [/aac Newton interprets it, of the Samaritans *. ‘ ¥. 15. So the king of the north fhall come, and caft up a mount, and take the moft fenced cities, &ec.

That is, Antiochus the Great, king of Syria, fhould come into Calefyria and Phenicia, which was the part of the kingdom of Egypt he was to have by the league with Philip king of Macedon; and this is a prophecy of his expedition into’ thofe: parts, and ‘the fuccefs of it. Scopas a general of Ptolemy being fent by him into Celefyria, had took many of the cities of it, and the land of “Yudea; but’ Antiochus coming into thofe parts with his army, beat Scopas at the fountains of Fordan, and deftroyed o™ PANO decem millia, Pagninus, Mentanus, quamvis ‘proftraverit, Michaelis. 4 Hit, 1. 3. in initio.

ftroyed gteat part of his forces, and retook the cities of Calefyria, Scopas had made himfelf mafter of, and fubdued Samaria; upon which the ews voluntarily fubmitted to him, and received him into their city, as Fo/epbus * relates; and Polybius *, as quoted by him, fays, that Scopes being conquered by Antiochus, he took Batanea, Samaria, Abila and Gadara, and that the Fews in a little time furrendered to him; and fo Livy fays”, that Antiochus reduced all the cities that Ptolemy had in Calefyria into fubjection to him; and thefe are the moit fenced cities pointed at in this prophecy, againft which the king of Syria caft up mounts, in order to take them; or placed battering engines before them, as the word alfo fignifies, as Kimchi obferves *, by which ftones were caft into the be-| fieged cities: and the arms of the fouth fhall not withftand, neither bis chofen people, neither foall there be any firength to withjtand; all the forces of the king of Egypt muftered together would not be able to withftand the power of Antiochus, who would, as he did, carry all before him; not their moft powerful armies, nor moft courageous generals, nor valiant foldiers, the choiceft of them, nor any auxiliaries called in to their affiftance; for when Scopas was beat by Antiochus at Fordan, he fled to Sidon with ten thoufand foldiers, where he was fhut up ina clofe fiege; and tho’ Ptolemy fent his famous and choiceft commanders to his relief, Ero- yet they were not able to raife the fiege, but by) famine were forced to furrender; and he and his’ men were difmiffed naked.

y. 16. But he that cometh againft him fhail do according to his own will, and none fhall fland before bim, &c.] Antiochus the Great, who came againft Ptolemy king of Egypt, would do in thofe parts where he came as he pleafed; take cities, and difpofe of them at his pleafure; the army of the king of Egypt not being able to oppofe him, and ftop his conquefts in Ca/e/yria and Phenicia; nor fhould they hinder his entrance into Fudea: and he: fhall Jtand in the glorious land, Fudea fo called, not only becaufe of its fertility, but chiefly becaufe of the worfhip of God in it; here Antiochus ftood as +a victorious conqueror; the ews readily fubmitting to him, and received him into their city, and-affifted him in reducing the caftle where Scopas bad-placed a garrifon of foldiers: which by bis hand fhall be confumed; by his numerous army, and the foraging of his foldiers, eating up and. deftroying the fruits of the earth wherever they came; otherwife the land of Yudea, and the inhabitants ‘of \it!were-not confurned and deftroyed »by him at this time; ~but rather brought into more flourifhing circumftances, having many favours and) privileges ~beftowed on them by him, on account of the refpect they fhowed him; for on his coming to Yeru/alem, the priefts and elders went out to meet him, ‘and>gladly: received ‘him and his army, ‘and furnifhed: himwith horfes and elephants, and helped him: in: reducing the garrifon Scopas had left ¥,' as before obferved: hence forme render the words, ‘which~ by his ‘band dwas perfected *; reftored to: perfect peace andn profperity, which ‘had been'for fome years harraffed and diftrefied by the Egyptians and’ Syrians, in their turns being mafters of it; the elders,» priéfts sand

' Levites he freed from tribute, gave theny leave to live according to their own laws, granted them cattel and other things for. facrifice, and wood for the repairing and perfecting of their temple. The letters he wrote on this account are to be feen in Fofephus *.

¥. 17. He fhail alfo fet his face to enter with the Jtrength of his whole kingdom, &c.] Antiochus hav ing conquered Celefjria, Phanicia and Judea, fhould. fet his face towards the land of Egypt, having a greedy defire after it, and bend his mind and forces. that way; form a defign of invading. it, and for that purpofe determine to bring all the forces he could mufter together throughout his dominions! So Fuftin ® fays, that upon the death of Ptolemy Philopator, Antiochus king of Syria determined to feize on Egypt. The Vulgate Latin verfionis, that he might come to lay bold on bis whole kingdom; to feize the whole kingdom of the king of Egypt: and upright ones with him, meaning, as many think, the Fews fo'called, to diftinguifh them from the heathens, and even from thole Fews who had took on the fide of Ptolemy, and had changed their religion; but thefe perfevered in it, which Aatiochus approved of; and had now a great opinion of them, and had beftowed many favours upon them, as before obferved; wherefore he might take fome of them, and they might ‘choofe to go with him’ on this expedition, and efpecially to affift in shis intended agreement with the ‘king of Egypt, and the marriage of his daughter to him; in bringing about which they were to havea concern, ‘as*being: reckoned men of probity’and uprightnefs: orrather the fenfe is according ‘to the Vulgate Latin verfion, and he shall do right things, indhow and appearance: or, be fball make agreement, ov peace,. as Aben Ezra, enter into covenants. of alliance and marriage, upon feeming juft conditions, with+a great fhow of fincerity and uprightnefs: thus fball be do; in the following manner: or, and. be sfhall do*; that is, fucceed in’ his propofals: aud ' befball give him the daughter of women corrupting»ber.; this was the f{tratagem he ‘ufed, finding he couldenot obtain ‘the “kingdom of Egypt by force of arms, for fear of the Romans, who were the guardians of the king of Egypt, he propofed to givechis daughter Cleopatra\to him in marriage, a*beautiful virgin; and therefore called the daughter oftwomen; or rather’ becaufe fhe was as yet under the care of the women fhe was firft committed to, as. Guffetius * obferves; and fo he did marry her, and. gave for herdowry Calefyria, Samaria, Fudea and Phamicia*: this was done at Raphia ‘, a fortified city of Egypt, where the’ famous battel had been: fought ‘between him and ‘Ptolemy Philopator'; fee y.°10.:and ifethe former ‘claufe is rendered, \as\I think itsmay, be foall alfo fet bis face to enter into*the fortrefs-ofithe whole ‘kingdom; this’ isthe) place intended, swhere he was’ defirous of going to meet the king: of Egypt, and execute this fcheme of ‘his; which, tho* done under’a plaufible pretence of ‘peace, and\ of;put-. ting‘ an end‘ to their quarrels, \was»with:a view"to daughter to betray the counfels of her hufband; ‘or to put him to death ‘by poifon,' or ‘otherwife, that’ he might ‘feize the kingdom’ on her behalf: __ or‘it may be rendered, to corruptvor defray it ®, the kingdom; he married his dauglier to the kirig of Egypt with this view, to obtain the kingdom from him: dut fhe fhall not fiand on his fide, neither be for him; being married, fhe forgot her own ple, and her father’s houfe, and cleaved to her ufband; took his part, and not her father’s, yea took part with her hufband againft her father; for embaffadors were fent out of Egypt by both her hufband and herfelf, congratulating the Romans on the victory Acilius gained over Antiochus her father, and that he had drove him out of Greece, exhorting them to carry their army into 4fa"; and thus he was difappointed of his defign in this marriage: and this may be the meaning of the expreffion here; for it may be rendered, it /hall not fiand', his counfel fhall not ftand, his fcheme {hall not take place, but fall to the ground, and come to nothing: and it fhall not be for him the kingdom fhall not be his, he fhall never poffefs it, as he did not..

y. 18. After this he fhall turn bis face unto the ifles, and fhall take many, &c.] Finding himéfelf difappointed in his defign on the kingdom of Egypt, he turned his face, and fteered his courfe another way, and with a large fleet failed into the Agean fea; and, as Ferom relates, took Rhodes, Samos, Colophon and Phecea, and many other iflands,; and alfo feveral cities of Greece and Afia, which lay on the fea-coafts; it being ufual with the Fews to call fuch maritime places, iflands: but a prince for bis own bebalf fhall caufe the reproach offered by him to ceafe; the reproach that Antiochus cat upon the Romans, by feizirig on their provinces, taking their cities, doing injuries to their allies, and treating their embafladors with contempt: this the Romans wiped off by taking up arms againft him, and gaining victories over him both by fea and land. The prince here may defign the Romans in general, who, on their own behalf, or for their own honour, fent out armies and fleets againft him, to put a-ftop to his infults over them; or fome ‘particular leader and commander of theirs, not a king, but a general or admiral, as Marcus Acilius, who beat him at the ftreights of Thermopylae; alfo Livins Salinater, who got the victory over his fleet about Phocea, where he funk ten of his fhips, and took thirteen; ‘likewife Amilius Regillus, who got -the better of his fleet'at Myonnefus near Epbefus; and efpecially Lucius Scipio, who, ina land-fight, beat him at mount Siphylus, with. an-army of thirty thoufand againft feventy thoufand, killed fifty thoufand foot of Anticchus’s army, and four thoufand horfe, and took fourteen hundred prifoners, with fifteen elephants and their commanders“, and fo drove him out of Lefer Afia: without bis own reproach be fall caufe it’ to turn upon him, without any reproach to the Roman general; the reproach which Antiochus: caft upon the Roman. nation was ‘turned upon his own head,‘ by the many victories obtained over him by fea and land, and efpecially by the aft and total defeat. of him; for no other terms of peace could he obtain,, but to pay all the expences. of the war, quit all Afia_on-that fide ‘Taurus, and give hoftages, and his own fon was sone, 1 Maccad. i. 11. oy19. Then be forall turn bis face towards the fort of bis own land, &c.) After his defeat he. fled with a few to Sardis, and from thence to 4pa- qui tranfire faciet exaétorem per decus regni, Michaelis.