Enmity of the Samaritans against the Judæans--The Temple on Mount Gerizim--The High-Priest Manasseh--The mixed language of the Samaritans--Their veneration for the Law of Moses--Judaism loses its national meaning--The Jubilee and Sabbatical Year-- Almsgiving--The Council of Seventy--The Assyrian Characters-- The Schools and the Sopherim--Observance of the Ceremonies--The Prayers--The Future Life--The Judæans under Artaxerxes II. and III.--Their Banishment to the Caspian Sea--Johanan and Joshua contend for the office of High-Priest--Bagoas--The Writings of the Period--The Greeks and Macedonians--Alexander the Great and the Judæans--Judæa accounted a Province of Cœlesyria-- Struggles between Alexander's Successors--Capture of Jerusalem by Ptolemy--Judæa added to the Lagidean-Egyptian Kingdom--The Judæan Colonies in Egypt and Syria and the Greek Colonies in Palestine _page_ 389 420-300 B. C. E. CHAPTER XXI. SIMON THE JUST AND HIS DESCENDANTS. Condition of the Judæans under the Ptolemies--Simon effects Improvements--His Praises are sung by Sirach--His Doctrines-- The Chasidim and the Nazarites--Simon's Children--Onias II. and the Revolt against Egypt--Joseph, Son of Tobias--His Embassy to Alexandria--He is appointed Tax-collector--War between Antiochus the Great and Egypt--Defeat of Antiochus--Spread of Greek Manners in Judæa--Hyrcanus--The Song of Songs--Simon II.--Scopas despoils Jerusalem--The Contest between Antiochus and Rome--Continued Hellenisation of the Judæans--The Chasidim and the Hellenists--José ben Joezer and José ben Johanan--Onias III. and Simon--Heliodorus--Sirach's Book of Proverbs against the Errors of his Time _page_ 420 300-175 B. C. E. CHAPTER XXII. THE TYRANNICAL CONVERSION TO HELLENISM AND THE ELEVATION OF THE MACCABEES. Antiochus Epiphanes--His Character--His Wars with Rome-- He appoints Jason to the High-Priesthood--Introduction of the Greek Games--Jason sends Envoys to Tyre to take part in the Olympian Games--Affairs in Jerusalem--Antiochus invades Egypt--Report of his Death in Jerusalem--Antiochus attacks the City and defiles the Temple--His Designs against Judaism-- His Second Invasion of Egypt--The Persecution of the Judæans-- The Martyrs--Mattathias and his five Sons--Apelles appears in Modin--The Chasidim--Death of Mattathias and Appointment of Judas Maccabæus as Leader--His Virtues--Battles against Apollonius and Heron--Antiochus determines to Exterminate the Judæan People--Composition and Object of the Book of Daniel-- Victory of Judas over Lysias _page_ 442 175-166 B. C. E. CHAPTER XXIII. VICTORIES AND DEATH OF JUDAS MACCABÆUS; JONATHAN THE HASMONÆAN.