Section 2 Summary and Analysis

Chapters 1 through 5, describe conditions that put in place currents of rule and rebellion that caused the Jewish war. Chapter 1 Herod's Predecessors describes the ruler of Syria, who was Antiochus Epiphanes' and his struggle for control of Jerusalem as the Holy City. It was achieved just before his death when his son, Antiochus became heir to his throne and his hatred of Jews. Antiochus besieged John Hyrcanus who was the third son of Simon and high priest like his father. John had thirty-one years of prosperous rule with political power, high priesthood and prophetic gifts to bequeath his five sons. At John's death, his eldest son Aristobulus turned the constitution into a monarchy and shared honors with his next oldest brother Antigonus. He jailed his three younger brothers and mother for contesting his supremacy. When he died less than a year later...