We also have a tradition, handed down from man to man, that we are the children of Dan. At first we were in the land of Israel, dwelling in tents. And there were not among all the tribes of Israel brave warriors like us. When Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and made two golden calves, rebelled, so that the kingdom of the house of David was divided, the tribes assembled together, and said: ‘Arise, and make war against Rehoboam and against Jerusalem.’ But the children of Dan replied: ‘Why should we fight against our brethren and against the son of our lord, David, king of Israel and Judah? Far be it, far be it from us!’ At that time the elders of Israel said: ‘There are no mighty men among all the tribes of Israel like the tribe of Dan.’ Whereupon they said to the children of Dan: ‘Arise, and make battle against the children of Judah.’ But they replied: ‘By the life of the head of Dan our father, we shall not make war with our brethren, and we shall not shed their blood.’
Whereupon the children of Dan took their swords and spears and bows, and prepared themselves to depart from the land of Israel; for we saw that it was not possible to remain there. They said: ‘Let us go now, and find a resting-place; for if we wait till the end, they will destroy us.’ We took counsel, and determined to go to Egypt to lay it waste, and to destroy all its inhabitants. But our princes said to us: ‘Is it not written: “Ye shall see them again no more for ever?”[[65]] How then can ye prosper?’ Then they said: ‘Let us go against Amalek, or against Edom, or against Ammon and Moab, to destroy them, that we may dwell in their place.’ But our princes replied: ‘It is written in the Torah that the Holy One restrained the Israelites from passing through their border.’[[66]]
Finally they took counsel to go to Egypt, but not by the way our fathers had gone, nor to lay it waste, but in order to pass to the river Pishon, to the land of Cush.
And it came to pass, when we drew near to Egypt, that trembling seized hold upon the Egyptians. And they sent word to us: ‘Are ye for war or for peace?’ We replied: ‘For peace: we shall pass through your land to the river Pishon, for there we shall find a resting-place.’ And it came to pass, because they did not believe us, that all the Egyptians stood on their watch until we had passed through their land and reached the land of Cush, which we found to be a good and fertile land, having fields, vineyards, gardens, and parks. The inhabitants of Cush did not prevent the children of Dan from dwelling with them, for we took the land by force. And it came to pass, because we wanted to slay all of them, that they became tributaries, paying taxes to the Israelites. And we dwelt with them many years, until we were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. And we had great wealth.
VIII. JOSIPPON
[A historical book written in biblical style. Although ascribed to the famous historian Josephus, it is a production of the ninth century at the earliest.]
Mattathias Charges His Sons Before His Death, and Appoints Judah Who Is Called Maccabæus as Leader in His Stead[[67]]
Now the days of Mattathias drew nigh that he should die; and he called unto his five sons, and he encouraged them, and he strengthened them with his words. And he said unto them: ‘My sons, I know that now many wars will be waged among you, because we arose, and bestirred ourselves to fight for our people and for our remnant that escaped, and for the cities of our God. And now, my sons, be jealous for the sake of your God and for the sake of his sanctuary; and fear not death, for if ye die in the battle of the Lord, ye will receive your reward, and ye will be in the land of the living with our fathers. Moreover, ye will also inherit a portion and an inheritance in the lot of their inheritance; for all our fathers were jealous for the Lord, and our God gave them grace and honor. Know ye not that Phinehas our father, because he was jealous for the God of Israel, when he slew Zimri with the Midianitish woman, received a covenant of salt for ever? And his priesthood was unto him, and unto his seed after him, an everlasting covenant; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel. And the Lord our God therefore raised him above all the sons of Aaron, our first father, and He gave him His covenant of peace. Also unto all our fathers who were jealous for our God did our God give their reward; and they found favor in the sight of God. Now, my sons, be strong and of good courage, fear not, and be not dismayed on account of these unclean nations; for they trust in their strength that perisheth and in their might that cometh to an end, but ye trust in the strength of the Lord our God which perisheth not and in the power of His might which cometh not to an end. For they trust in the multitude of their troops and in their army, but ye trust in the Lord with whom are strength and power to save by many or by few. And the power of the horse is a vain thing for deliverance, for deliverance is the Lord’s. Assemble yourselves, my sons, and be like one man and of one heart; and be jealous for the God of Israel, as your pious fathers were; and the Lord, the God of your strength, will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon your enemies.’
And he called unto Simon his eldest son, and charged him, and said unto him: ‘My son, I know that the Lord has put wisdom and understanding in thy heart. And now give, in perfect good will, thy counsel unto thyself and unto the holy people, and withhold not, I pray thee, thyself nor thy counsel from this people. And thou shalt be a father to thy brethren, and they will hearken unto thee in every matter; for the Lord our God has put in thee counsel, and wisdom, and strength.’
And Mattathias said again: ‘Call to me Judah my son.’ And he was called unto him; and he stood before him. And he said unto him: ‘My son Judah, whose name is called Maccabee, because of thy strength, hearken to my counsel, so that withersoever thou turnest, thou mayest have good success, and mayest be prosperous. I know that thou art a man of war, and that God has put in thee power and strength, so that thy heart is as the heart of a lion, which melteth not and feareth not. And now honor the Lord with thy strength which He has given thee, for everything is from Him; and go, and fight His battles without slothfulness; and be not slothful to go to every side, and to every corner, in the east, and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, in the holy land, to take vengeance from the nations who defile it. And be thou unto the holy people captain of the host and war Messiah.’[[68]]