Judah (Jewish Prince)

Son of Simeon Tharsi. When Antiochus VII., Sidetes, sent his general Cendebæus against Simeon, the latter, too old for war, gave the command to his two sons Judah and John, who valiantly executed the commission. After a short stay at Modin, their ancient family seat, they met the large army of the Syrians in the plain of Jabneh, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Azotus, inflicting a loss of 2,000 men. Judah was wounded, and John, who subsequently became ruler, led the army back alone to his father (c. 137 B.C.; I Macc. xvi. 1-10; Josephus, "Ant." xiii. 7, § 3, where his name is not given). When Simeon was murdered by his son-in-law Ptolemy, his two sonsMattathias and Judah were also killed (135 B.C.; I Macc. xvi. 11-17). This passage seems to indicate that Judah was the second son, and was probably named after his great-uncle Judas Maccabeus; hence it must be assumed that he was born after 161 B.C. and was about twenty-five years of age at the time of his death.

G. S. Kr.