Yosippon

In the name of God the Creator, we begin. We have been strengthened by His power. The writing of the history of the Jews and of the Temple, which Yosippon son of Gorion composed, the record of their history and the history of their kings, and what happened in their times from the building of the Temple and their entry into it until they rose up and departed from it. And he gathered books into eight parts. In the time of the composition of this book, he wrote the history at the time of its events, from after the time until the conclusion of the matter. And to God be praise, and may His mercy be upon His servant, the weaver of Mary, forever and ever. Amen. Part 1 The first part, starting with and mainly treating Persian history. Adam begot Seth. Seth begot Enos. Enos begot Cainan. Cainan begot Mahalalel.

The story of Saphwa, son of Elphaz, son of Esau, son of Isaac, son of Abraham—peace be upon him—and the account of their kingdom over the land of Kitor. The author of the book says: When Joseph, son of Jacob, went to Shem to bury his father, the sons of Esau found him, seized him, and killed him. But Joseph and the son of Elphaz and many of their men were taken captive, and he brought them with him to Egypt, to King Asasis of Africa. And Asasis received him and honored him. The story of those who ruled over the people of Kitor after Saphwa. And when Saphwa died, Aphrophos reigned after him for 50 years, and after him reigned Phintas Lytres, who was able to bring Abtyos and established for them a writing, which is the art of astronomy, and he built a great temple for Zuhael. The story of Dara, king of Media, and of Kurush, king of Persia, and the account of their war with the Chaldeans, and the death of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. The author of the book says: When the term of the kingdom of the Chaldeans was completed, and the time came that the Lord opened against them, overthrowing their kingdom.

Chapter 2 The story of those who ruled after Cyrus over Persia, and the story of Mordecai the Jew and Esther, daughter of his father’s brother, with King Ahasuerus. And when Cyrus died, his son Cambyses reigned. And when his reign was established and his throne secure, he went to Elam, to the place where his father had killed her, and he destroyed it with its people, and he did not leave any memory of her. And he went against all who had rebelled against him from the peoples, after his father died, and they submitted and obeyed him. 403–405 The story of Alexander, son of Philip the Greek, and his encounter with Darius, and their war with the Jews and others from his story. The author of the book says: Philip, the father of Alexander, was a great king among the Greek kings, and he subdued all who were hostile from the peoples, and all of them obeyed him. And the years of his reign were seven years. 405–428 His story and his appearance: Alexander was said to have a face like the face of a lion, and his right eye was black, seeing downward; and his left eye, like the color of an eagle’s eyes, saw upward; and his teeth were small and sharp, like the teeth of a dog, strong and sharp from his youth.

The story of the Jews after the death of Alexander, and what befell them from the kings of Syria, and first what happened from King Antiochus. The author of the book says: When Alexander died, his kingdom was divided among four of his chief beloved ones, and these were a host from the kings of Syria. In their times, they persecuted the Jews and afflicted them with much evil, until the Lord had mercy on them and delivered them from him by the hands of the sons of the Hasmonean priests, whom the Lord strengthened and made victorious over Syria, until their dominion was cut off from the people, and they delivered them from them, as we shall know later. The story of King Ptolemy, how he translated the twenty-four books of the Law from the Hebrew language into the Greek language, so that the wise might understand them in their language. The author of the book says: There was in that time a man from the people of Macedonia, whose name was Ptolemy, a lover of learning and wisdom, strong in his pursuit of it and diligent therein, and he dwelt in the land of Egypt, and the Egyptians made him king over them.

The first part of the book of the history and the wars is completed. The second part begins, and with the help of God. The story of King Antiochus the Macedonian, and his reign over the Greeks. This is the first book, and what happened to the Jews during his reign. The author of the book says: A certain man named Antiochus reigned over the Greeks, and he was a native of Macedonia. The story of the killing of Eleazar the priest. The author says: Evil men accused Eleazar the priest before Philip. He was the one who had gone to the king of Egypt with seventy scholars, whose story we have recounted earlier. The story of the seven brothers whom King Antiochus the Blasphemer killed. And then they accused the seven brothers before Philip, from among the Jews, and he ordered them to be bound and sent to Antiochus, because he had gone from the Temple until that time. The story of the departure of Mattathias, son of John the priest, from the sons of Hasmonean. He was the first to rise up from the sons of Hasmonean, and the first to fight for the Jews against the Greeks and to kill them. The author of the book says: Mattathias, son of John the priest, was a good and righteous man, strong and mighty.

The story of Judas, son of Mattathias, and he is the second of the sons of Hasmonean. The author of the book says: When Mattathias died, his sons fulfilled the command of their father, and their name was upon them. Judas, their brother, rose up and prepared for battle against the Greeks. The story of the death of Antiochus, and how the glorious and exalted Lord struck him down. When Antiochus went to Persia, a great army encountered him, and the Lord struck him. He fell ill, and his land was troubled. When he was humiliated and heard what Judas had done in his land, his wrath against the Jews grew strong. He uttered great blasphemies and insults against the faith of the Lord, and he revealed his madness and his fury. The story of the prayer, and it is called the Lord of Hanukkah. The author says: When Judas completed his battle against Nicanor, and against Bacchides, and against Herod, he entered the Temple, troubled. He offered all the vessels of idolatry that Antiochus had defiled, and he removed all worship of idols from the sanctuary.

The story of the coming of Lelyos, son of the brother of his father, to Aphtara the king and commander of his army, to the Jews. And his armies were for them. He says: And when Aphtara, son of Antiochus, heard what Judas had done to him, he sent the son of the brother of his father, Lelyos, until he reached one of the cities of the Jews, which is called Qob, and he besieged the people and their gates. The story of the beginning of the matter of the Kaitem, who dwell in Rome, and of what came from the land of the Romans. And now, before their mention at the beginning of the book, he says: At the time of the book and at this time, the matter of Rome began to be exalted and to grow strong, as the prophecy of Daniel the prophet is fulfilled, from the matter of the fourth kingdom and the greatness of its dominion. The story of the book which Rome wrote to Judas, son of Mattathias, and the matter of the covenant which they covenanted with him from the elders and three hundred and twenty nobles who were with him, to Judas, son of Mattathias, the leader of the Maccabees of all the Jews.

The story of how Aphtara, son of Antiochus the Macedonian, made a covenant that was with him and with the Jews, and their battles. He says: And when Aphtara heard the strength of the Jews and of Judas, and their battles with the Romans, he envied and was troubled. The story of the going forth of Demetrius, son of Silpafos the Roman, and how he killed Aphtara, and the coming of his beloved Quifator to the Temple. The story of the killing of Judas, son of Mattathias. And when it came to pass, as it were, on the same day in the second year, there came a gift from the gift-givers of Rome, whom they call Nephiros, and with him an army of three hundred men, to attack Judas; and they found him while he was in a city called Belason. The story of Jonathan, son of Mattathias, and he is the third of the sons of the Hasmonean. He says: And when Judas died, the enemy prevailed over the Jews, and Jonathan went toward the Jordan with a few men, and he dwelt there and was saved by Phiross. The story of Simon, son of Mattathias, and he is the fourth of the princes, the sons of the Hasmonean. He says: And when Simon, son of Mattathias, was appointed after his brother, all those who remained from the army of Judas gathered to him, and he prevailed over them.

The story of Hyrcanus, son of Simeon, and he is the fifth of the governors of the sons of Hasmonean, and the first among them in the name of king. The story of the wars of the Jews in that time, and the matter that happened from the beginning of Hyrcanus concerning the war, in which his fathers were in it against the others, and what happened from the Jews of enmity, strife, and murder among themselves. The story of Aristobulus, son of Hyrcanus, and he is the sixth of the governors of the sons of Hasmonean, and the second who was named among them in the name of king. The story of Alexander, son of Hyrcanus, and he is the seventh of the governors of the sons of Hasmonean, and the third who was named in the name of king. He says: And when Aristobulus died, his brother Alexander took the diadem from him, and removed him from the account. Chapter 3 He says: The master of the book. And after that, the master of the prayer arrived, and Alexander entered the Temple and ascended upon the altar at the time of the offering, according to the custom of the priests.

The story of Alexandra, queen, and her sons Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. It says: When Alexandra reigned, she summoned the nobles, the elders, and the great ones among them, and she gave them gifts, and honored them, and released all who had been imprisoned among them. The story of Aristobulus, son of Alexander, king, son of Hyrcanus, and he is the seventh of the governors of the sons of Hasmonean, and the fourth among them who was called by the name of king. The story of Antipater, father of Herod, king, a record of what he did of evil and war with Hyrcanus and his brother Aristobulus, king. The story of Pompey the Roman. The author of the book says: And it was in that time that Pompey, commander of the army, went out from Rome to war against Armenia and the people of Damascus and Hamath and Aleppo and the surrounding regions, and he subdued Armenia under the authority of Rome. The story of Scipio the Roman. It says: And there was a man from among the nobles of Rome whose name was Scipio; he came from Rome to conquer the land of Armenia.

The story of Cersos the Roman. And when Cebianus was appointed over the land of Rome, the Persians rose up against Rome. The story of the beginning of the matter of Caesar, king over Rome, and his foundation of Rome, and his sending of the nobles from Rome. This Caesar was the first who reigned over Rome, having conquered in Barcion. The story of the beginning of the matter of Herod, son of Antipater. The author of the book says: When Antipater saw the counsel of Hyrcanus and his peace, he set him over the throne for himself and for his sons, and he appointed Pasiloha, his son, as deputy for the Temple. The story of the embassy of Hyrcanus to Caesar, king of Rome, and the book of covenant which he wrote for Caesar. It says: Hyrcanus sent envoys to Caesar, king of Rome, and wrote with them to him a book of petition, that he might renew for him the covenant which was with him and with Rome. The story of the killing of Caesar, king of Rome, and Antipater. And when Caesar, king of Rome, was pleased and had ceased from all his enemies, two of the nobles of Pompey, who were with him, named one Scyros and the other Abysiros, killed him.

The story of the departure of Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, against the brothers of his father Hyrcanus, and what he did to him. He says: And when Augustus and Antipater had died, Antigonus went to Rome with men from Judea, to the king of Persia. Chapter 4 And Antipater, because he was the death of the king of Persia, killed him and reigned after him over Persia, and they submitted to the command of Rome. And then he died from Persia and crossed the river Euphrates. The story of the return of Hyrcanus from the land of Persia and his murder. He says: The author of the book says: Now we have previously narrated that the king of Persia seized Hyrcanus the king and took him to the land of Iraq. The story of how Herod killed Aristobulus, son of Alexander, son of Aristobulus, son of Hyrcanus the First. And Aristobulus is the son of Alexandra, daughter of Hyrcanus the Second. The story of the departure of Antipater against King Augustus and what happened from his affair. He says: The author of the book says: And there was Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, a woman of cunning and sorcery, and she knew how to make a garment and would make it with every kind of garment.

The story of how Herod killed Mariam, his wife, and her mother Alexandra. The author of the book says: Because Joseph, the brother of Herod, and Somi the scribe, whom we do not know. The story of Herod: And when Herod killed Joseph, his brother, he was troubled after him because of a man from Edom whose name was Kerses, and he appointed him over the land of Edom. The story of how Herod killed his sons Alexander and Aristobulus. The author of the book says: And when Herod sent his sons to learn the language of Rome and their writing, they were in Rome at the time when their father killed Mariam, their mother. The story of the killing of Antipater, the son of Herod, and the death of Herod. The author of the book says: And when Alexander and Aristobulus, the sons of Herod, were killed, their brother Antipater rejoiced at their death and obtained what he had desired. Chapter 5 He says: And Herod sent for his wife, and she took poison with her and killed herself in a high place on the earth, so that she might die.

Chapter 6 The story of Archelaus, son of Herod. And he also named himself after his father. The author of the book says: When Herod died, the people concealed what was in their hearts, their hatred and their enmity. The story of Antipas, son of Herod. The author of the book says: When Augustus confirmed Antipas after his brother, he named him again after his father Herod. The story of Agrippa, son of Aristobulus, son of Herod. The author of the book says: In the time of Agrippa, Tiberius Caesar, king of Rome, died, and after him reigned Nero Caesar. The story of Agrippa, son of Agrippa, son of Aristobulus, son of Herod. And he was the last of those who reigned over the Jews, and in the second destruction of the Temple, and in his time occurred the burning and the destruction of the Temple. The story of Eleazar, son of Ananias the Pharisee. And he was the first of those who began to rebel against Rome. And he was one of those three Pharisees who were from the Jews and were the cause of the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the people.

The story of the arrival of Agrippa, king, at Rome after what happened from Eleazar, son of Anani the priest. The story of Joseph, son of Gorion, which occurred in the time of Vespasian, king of Rome. He says: And when the Jews were divided for a portion of their cities. The story of Joseph, son of Gorion, which occurred in the time of Vespasian, king of Rome. He says: And when the Jews were divided for a portion of their cities. The story of John the Galilean, and he is the third of those of the Yarbikh, three who were the cause of the destruction of the Temple and the slaughter of the people by what they did in Rome. Chapter 7 He says: And when John grew strong and his evils multiplied, and the evil of Eleazar, the nobles of the land gathered with Anani the priest, and many people assembled to them, and they fought against John and against Eleazar. The story of Simon the Yarbikhawi, and he is the third of those of the Yarbikh. The author of the book says: And in that time, in the holy land, a man from the Jews whose name was Simon came forth, and he was a man of foolish heart, evil, and wicked.

The story of the arrival of Titus in the Temple, and how he then fought the Jews. The author of the book says: And Titus desired to complete the matter of the Temple quickly, so that he might go to his father. The story of the destruction of the first and second walls of the Temple. He says: When Titus perceived the divisions and the mutual fighting of the people of the city, he desired to go to the wall. The story of how Titus summoned the Jews to submit to him, and how Joseph, son of Gorion, spoke to them by the command of Titus. The story of how Simon the Jerichoite killed Anani the priest, his sons, and others of the people on a single day. The story of the great famine which occurred in the Temple, and how the eye of the sword survived, and the death of the people, and the story of the woman who ate her children. Chapter 8 The story of the destruction of the third wall of the Temple. The author of the book says: And when the Romans perceived the manner of the dwelling of the people

The story of how Titus persuaded the Jews after the power of Rome had become strong over them. The story of the internal war that occurred between the Jews and Rome. The story of the entry of the Romans into the Holy of Holies, the great one, and how they cast it down with fire. The story of the sign that appeared concerning the destruction of the Temple before it was destroyed. The story of the killing of Yohannes and Simeon, who were the leaders, and of their coming to Titus while they sought peace from him. The story of the number of Jews who died in the time of the war, and the number of others who were killed and taken captive, besides those who were commanded by Titus. The story of Eleazar, son of Anani, the leader, and what happened from his account.