Commentaria in I Machabaeorum
Note, “to prevaricate” in Scripture is to rebel and stir up rebellion: for this is the Hebrew marad. So IV Kings iii it is said that the king and people of Moab prevaricated against the king of Israel, that is, rebelled against him to whom before they had been subject, and refused him the accustomed tribute. Moreover Salianus thinks that for “prevaricated” we should read “were prepared”: for this the Greek parestesan signifies, that is, stood by; but our interpreter seems to have read pareparesan, or parebesan, that is, prevaricated,
64. AND HE WENT TO MEET THEM (Jonathan, and engaged with them, as is said ver. 72); BUT LEFT HIS BROTHER IN THE COUNTRY,—namely in Judea, to protect it; and Simon stormed Bethsura, which was a notable fortress near Jerusalem, ver. 66.
67. AND JONATHAN AND HIS ARMY CAMPED AT THE WATER OF GENESAR,—namely at the lake of Genezareth, which is also called the sea of Galilee, or the sea of Tiberias.
68. AND BEHOLD THE ARMY OF THE STRANGERS (of the enemy Demetrians, who stirred up the inhabitants of Cades to rebel against Jonathan, ver. 63), MET HIM IN THE PLAIN,—in Greek into the plain.
70. AND ALL THAT WERE OF JONATHAN’S SIDE FLED,—being surrounded by enemies coming out of ambush, which they had not foreseen; for terrified by these they fled, fearing lest, caught in the midst, they should be slaughtered, says Josephus.
AND NONE WAS LEFT OF THEM, EXCEPT MATHATHIAS THE SON OF ABSALOM, AND JUDAS THE SON OF CALPHI, THE CHIEF CAPTAIN (in Greek “captains”: for both were leaders) OF THE ARMY,—understand with some of their more noble friends and nearest followers: whence Josephus says that 50 soldiers remained with them, who, taking courage from despair, he says, drove against the enemy’s front with such an assault that, terrified, they gave way as to madmen. For how could two alone have sustained the whole force of the enemy? So Serarius.
71. AND JONATHAN RENT HIS GARMENTS, AND CAST EARTH UPON HIS HEAD,—he sprinkled dust on his head as a sign of grief and penance; and so, compunct with his whole heart, he prayed suppliantly to God to bring his wonted help in a matter so straitened and as it were desperate. Wherefore with a few, rushing like a lion upon the enemy, he slew and routed them. Which his companions seeing, returned to him from flight, and pursuing the enemy slew of them three thousand. St. Ambrose, book I On Duties, chap. xli, praises the spirit and fortitude of Jonathan, in that alone he restored the wavering line and recovered a lost victory. “Jonathan, he says, fighting with a small band against the royal armies, deserted by his own and left with only two, renewed the battle, turned the enemy, and recalled his fleeing men to a share in the triumph.”
Morally learn here how much in wars and arduous affairs the constancy and magnanimity of the leader avails, so that he makes his soldiers, already conquered, conquerors. Whence the saying: An army of stags with a lion for leader is stronger than an army of lions with a stag for leader. For as Vegetius says, book III On Military Affairs, chap. xxv: “If a part of the army has fled, one must by no means despair, since in such necessity the constancy of the leader can claim the whole victory to himself. This has happened in countless wars, and those have been held superior who in no way despaired. For in a like condition he is thought braver whom adversity does not break. Let him therefore first take the spoils of the slain enemy, and, as they say, gather the field, let him first seem to exult with shouting and trumpets. This confidence will terrify the enemies, and double the confidence of his own, as if he had come off victor on every side.”
Julius Frontinus gives examples, book II of the Stratagems, chap. viii: “Furius Agrippa, he says, consul, when a wing was giving way, snatched the standard from the standard-bearer and hurled it among the enemy Hernici and Aequi: by which deed his battle was restored. For the Romans, with the utmost eagerness, rushed on to recover the standard. T. Quintius Capitolinus, consul, cast a standard among the Faliscan enemy, and ordered the soldiers to recover it. M. Furius Camillus, military tribune with consular power, when the army hesitated, seized a standard-bearer by the hand and dragged him against the Volscian and Latin enemy, and the rest were ashamed not to follow. Salvius the Paelignian did the same in the Persian war. Q. Furius, meeting his army turned back, affirmed that he would receive no one into the camp but a victor, and having led them back into line he gained the victory. Scipio at Numantia, when he saw his army turned back, declared that whoever should return to the camp would be an enemy to him.” And soon, adding greater things than these, he says: “M. Attilius, consul, in the Samnite war, opposed the line of his own men to soldiers fleeing from the battle into the camp, affirming that they would have to fight with him and the good citizens, unless they preferred to fight with the enemy; by this means he led them all back into line. L. Sulla, when the legions were already giving way before the army of Mithridates under Archelaus, ran with drawn sword to the front line, and calling to the soldiers, said: If anyone should ask where they had left their Commander, they should answer, fighting in Boeotia; ashamed at which they all followed him. Julius Caesar at Munda, his men giving ground, ordered his horse to be led away from his sight, and leaped on foot into the front line: the soldiers, blushing to abandon their Commander, renewed the battle.”
Jonathan renews the treaty with the Romans and Lacedaemonians. Soon, ver. 24, he routs the army of Demetrius and puts the Arabs to flight. Then, ver. 33, Simon strengthens Joppe and other cities with garrisons. Finally, ver. 39, Tryphon perfidiously inviting Jonathan as a friend seizes him and commits him to prison.