The Josippon (Zëna Ayhud, 'History of the Jews') is a medieval historical chronicle composed in southern Italy around 953 CE, anonymously attributed to Joseph ben Gurion (identified with the historian Josephus). Unlike all other books in the Ethiopian canon, the Josippon has no native division into chapters and verses in its manuscript tradition. It was translated from Arabic into Ge'ez around 1300 CE and added to the Scriptures of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In this digital edition, each 'verse' represents one complete paragraph of the continuous text.
Josippon
Chapter 13 — The Decrees of Antiochus
After many years, Antiochus reigned over the nation of Makedon, and Ptolemy, king of Egypt, was gathered to his people, and another Ptolemy ruled after him. Antiochus, king of Makedon, waged war on him, defeated him, and killed him. He conquered all of Egypt and ruled over the entire land.
In those days, great and terrible wars began to beset the people of Judah, for once King Antiochus had defeated Egypt, he became very haughty and ordered every people throughout his realm to worship an image, that is, a graven image of King Antiochus. All the gentiles consented and worshiped it. Then the outlaws of our people came, Menelaus and Simon and Alcimus and the other wicked men among our people, and they stirred up Antiochus to do evil unto Israel.
A vision appeared to the people of Jerusalem, and for forty days, they saw between earth and sky the image of fiery horses and their riders bearing in their hands weapons of war made of gold, fighting against each other for forty days. The wicked of our people came to King Antiochus and said to him: "Behold, a miracle has appeared in Jerusalem. They say that Antiochus the king is dead, and they rejoice at the downfall of our lord." The king became very angry and came unexpectedly to Jerusalem and put her to the sword, killing many in the city of Jerusalem and exiling a great multitude, scattering its entire community of Hasidim. The Hasidim fled to the forest and ate grass like beasts, hiding like animals in the forest. For it was not enough for King Antiochus that he killed and exiled; when he left the land of Judah, he left behind commissioners to oppress the people of Judah, and he left Philip from the refugees of Phrygia (who are the Trojans from whom the Romans are descended, and Philip was of that generation). The king left him to oppress the people of Israel, and he commanded him, saying: "Whosoever consents to worship the image of the idol that I set up and eats pork, let him live! All who refuse, kill without mercy, and prevent this people from keeping their Sabbaths and from circumcising their sons!" The king went on his way to Makedonia, and Philip, who was a powerful man, advanced throughout the land of Judah and did as the king commanded: he kept the Torah and all service of our God from the people of Judah and let live all the evildoers and outlaws of our people, and he killed many of the community of Hasidim.
In those days were found two women who circumcised their boys: the women were hung by their breasts; they and their sons were dropped from atop a tower, where they splattered and died.