proper to observe further, that Moses
Chorenensis, in his history of the Armenians, informs us, that the
nation of the Parthians was also derived from Abraham by Keturah and her
children.

[15] This word" Gymnasium" properly denotes a place where the exercises
were performed naked, which because it would naturally distinguish
circumcised Jews from uncircumcised Gentiles, these Jewish apostates
endeavored to appear uncircumcised, by means of a surgical operation,
hinted at by St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 7:18, and described by Celsus, B.
VII. ch. 25., as Dr. Hudson here informs us.

[16] Hereabout Josephus begins to follow the First Book of the
Maccabees, a most excellent and most authentic history; and accordingly
it is here, with great fidelity and exactness, abridged by him; between
whose present copies there seem to be fewer variations than in any other
sacred Hebrew book of the Old Testament whatsoever, [for this book also
was originally written in Hebrew,] which is very natural, because it was
written so much nearer to the times of Josephus than the rest were.

[17] This citadel, of which we have such frequent mention in the
following history, both in the Maccabees and Josephus, seems to have
been a castle built on a hill, lower than Mount Zion, though upon its
skirts, and higher than Mount Moriah, but between them both; which hill
the enemies of the Jews now got possession of, and built on it this
citadel, and fortified it, till a good while afterwards the Jews
regained it, demolished it, and leveled the hill itself with the common
ground, that their enemies might no more recover it, and might thence
overlook the temple itself, and do them such mischief as they had long
undergone from it, Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 6. sect. 6.

[18] This allegation of the Samaritans is remarkable, that though they
were not Jews, yet did they, from ancient times, observe the Sabbath
day, and, as they elsewhere pretend, the Sabbatic year also, Antiq. B.
XI. ch. 8. sect. 6.

[19] That this appellation of Maccabee was not first of all given to
Judas Maccabeus, nor was derived from any initial letters of the Hebrew
words on his banner, "Mi Kamoka Be Elire, Jehovah?" ["Who is like unto
thee among the gods, O Jehovah?"] Exodus 15:11 as the modern Rabbins
vainly pretend, see Authent. Rec. Part I. p. 205, 206. Only we may
note, by the way, that the original name of these Maccabees, and
their posterity, was Asamoneans; which was derived from Asamo