In those days Simon encamped against Gazara, and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and captured it.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 43. Gaza. It had revolted. Calmet. 11:61.—Engines. Greek ελεπο λεις, denoting engines of a great size, invented by Demetrius at the siege of Rhodes, who was thence styled “the city taker.” Calmet.—Its top was covered with mortar, (Marcellin xxiii. 9.) and the sides with raw hides and iron bars, so that fire or stones made no impression upon it, while people within moved it to batter the walls by means of wheels. When a breach was made, they jumped into the city, verse 44. See Vitruv. x. 22.
See 1 Maccabees 13:53 (compare 1 Maccabees 13:48); 1 Maccabees 14:7, 34; 15:28; 16:1: also Josephus. All the authorities read Gaza in this verse.