Synopsis of Jewish History / From the Return of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity, to the Days of Herod the Great

by H. A. Henry

Of the Government of Herod the Great and his posterity over Israel.

Herod, having received his appointment, returned to Judea. The first thing which engaged his attention, was the releasing of his mother, who had been imprisoned by Antigonus. Herod now declared war against Antigonus, and with the assistance of the Roman legions, he besieged Antigonus in Jerusalem.

While preparations were being made to carry on the siege, Herod went to Samaria, and there married Mariamne, the grand-daughter of Hyrcanus the second, a descendant of the valiant and noble race of the Asmoneans. Mariamne was a lady of exquisite beauty and great virtue, and thus highly calculated to dignify the lofty position she was about to fill as a queen in Israel. She inherited all the piety and goodness of her ancestors, who were justly esteemed ornaments to the Jewish nation. Herod, sensible of this, was the more anxious for the alliance, in the hope of endearing himself to the great body of the people.

Herod, successful in his suit, returned to the siege at Jerusalem, and took it by storm after six months' hard struggle. Antigonus was taken prisoner by the Romans, who sent him to Antioch; he was afterwards put to death by Mark Antony, at the instance of Herod the Great.

The death of Antigonus concluded the race of the Maccabees, who had held the government about one hundred and twenty years.

The possession of Jerusalem, together with the death of Antigonus, established Herod upon the Jewish throne.

Herod commenced his reign in bloodshed, as the only way open to establish himself. The partizans of Antigonus fell easy victims to Herod's cruelty. These were all the counselors of the great Sanhedrim, excepting the two celebrated and learned divines and disputants, Hillel and Shamai. These two influential men induced the people to receive Herod as their King, not for the love they entertained for him, but, because they foresaw the mischief which would have resulted from any opposition on their part. Herod now appointed one Ananelus, a descendant of the house of Aaron as the high priest. He was not of very high rank, but rather of obscure origin, trained far off in Babylon; he was therefore suited for Herod, as not likely to oppose any of his designs which he might form in Judea.

Mariamne, the wife of Herod, considering that the priesthood belonged to her family, prevailed on her husband to remove Ananelus, and place her brother in his stead. The queen's brother was at this time only seventeen years of age; still, he was appointed high priest by Herod, because of his wife's importunities, though much against his own will.

Hyrcanus, who was in banishment among the Parthians during many years, hearing of the advancement of Herod, and his marriage with his grand-daughter, felt a desire to return to Jerusalem, anticipating a kind welcome at the hands of Herod, on account of the family alliance which now so closely united them.

Hyrcanus, arriving at Jerusalem, was received by Herod with all the appearance of pleasure and satisfaction. But a short time after, Herod fancied that Hyrcanus, being of the Asmonean family, might one day or other, take the kingdom from him, although Hyrcanus was now upwards of eighty years old! Herod therefore invented some pretext, and had the old Hyrcanus put to death.