The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

196 The Aramaic Bible: Tar gums in their Historical Context
may have approved Jehonathan's action against the 800 rebelling
Pharisees, who were crucified for the crime of high treason. 27 His
assumption is confirmed by the hitherto unpublished fragment CD D e
II. That is why the Qumran Essenes could have prayed for the shalom
of this king, especially in the beginning of his rule. Later on, however,
Jehonathan-Jannaeus became a 'Wicked Priest'. Such a change of
attitude of the Essenes toward a king of Israel is told by Josephus
(Ant. 15.373-379). When the Essene prophet Manaemus-Menachem
saw the young Herod as a schoolboy, he greeted him as the future king
of the Jews (§ 373). But he also predicted that Herod during his rule
would forget the cardinal virtues of a king, such as love for justice,
piety toward God, and mildness to the citizens (§ 375-376). However,
if 4QMMT was actually written in the beginning of Essene history, its
recipient cannot be Jehonathan-Jannaeus; we must rather think of
Jonathan, the brother of Judas the Maccabee and first high priest after
the Interim 159-152 BC.
In a recent article The Two Wicked Priests in the Qumran
Commentary on Habakkuk', I. Tantlewski (St Petersburg) holds that
the data on the 'Wicked Priest' in IQpHab must refer to two
Hasmonean rulers: to Jonathan, the first high priest (152-143 BCE)
and to Jehonathan-Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BCE).
Jonathan is described in IQpHab 1.13-11.8 as a man of the past: 'He
was called in the name of Truth at the beginning of his office. But
when he became ruler in Israel, his heart got haughty, he forsook God
and betrayed the commandments because of wealth' (8.8-13). He persecuted
the Teacher of Righteousness, appeared on the Day of
Atonement at the place of his exile (Damascus) in order to swallow
him and his community (11.4-8; see 5.9-10; 9.11-12). Because of this
sin against the Teacher he was given into the hands of his enemies who
mistreated him by blows of annihilation (9.1-2, 9-12). This description
of the fate of the 'Wicked Priest', predicted by the prophet
Habakkuk, is in agreement with the end of Jonathan the Maccabbee as
reported in 1 Mace. 12.46 and by Josephus (Ant. 13.191-193.209):
Jonathan was caught, punished, and killed by the Syrian Tryphon.
However, in IQpHab 11.8-15, 11.17-12.10 a different 'Wicked Priest'
must be spoken of. He is introduced by the words: 'You, too'
(Hab. 2.16; IQpHab 11.9). His sins are described in the past tense: his
27. Megillath Ha-Miqdash I, p. 289; II, pp. 203-205. Wacholder and Abegg,
'Unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls', p. 41.