Synopsis of Jewish History

er Ptolemy Soter, Ptolemy Philadelphus,

many of the Israelites to settle there, with the promise that the same privileges granted them by

peared in the air, and that the people should follow the direction of this bird, either to go one way or the other, as that bird took its flight; to test the truth of which, this Mossolam shot the bird with his arrow, and the bird fell dea

st son and successor, improved to one hundred thousand volumes. It is stated that this prince ordered the Pentateuch to be translated into the Gre

tance made Alexandria the place of residence and resort for learned men during several ages. It happened, unfortunately for posterity, that one half of this

-two; these he invited to his court, and engaged them to perform the task, which was accordingly done and approved by him; and in token of his approbation, he very liberally rewarded them for their labors. This translation is known by the name of the Septuagint-so called from the circumstance of there having been seventy-two learned men employed for that purpose. The S

God of Israel, for his success against Antiochus the Great, the successor of Seleucus, king of Syria. The Jews na

ring even the holy of holies. The priests and the levites, and all the people, assembled together in prayer and supplication to the Almighty, to assist them in preventing the sanctuary from being pol

eprived them of all the privileges which had been granted to them by Alexander the Great. He then directed that every Jew should be marked with an ivy leaf, (the same being the badge of his idol Bacchus,) burned in their flesh with a hot iron; and further, that all those who resisted this infliction, should either be made slave

he attempted to do, by issuing an order that all the Jews who lived in and about Egypt, should be brought to Alexandria in chains, and there to be devoured by his elephants. The Jews were brought to the place of execution, where the elephants were

d become the victim of the vengeance of a justly offended God, he immediately revoked his cruel decree, and restored to the people all their former privileges. Those, howe

lous circumstances, while he puts his trust in his God and remains firm to the true wor