Albeit (Hastings' Dictionary)

Albeit is a contraction for 'all be it,' and means 'al(I) though it be.' Properly it should be, and sometimes is, followed by ' that ' ; but when regarded as a single word (=although), 'that' is omitted. It occurs only in Ezk 13' 'a. I have not spoken,' and Philem " ' a. I do not say to thee ' (RV ' that I say not unto thee ') ; but is more fren. in Apocr., Wis IP Sus'"-" 1 M.ao 12» IS'' 2 Mac 4". J. Hastings.

ALCIMUS (D'p;f'(c 'God sets up,' grecised into 'AX/(i/ios, ' valiant,' and abbreviated into cp;, whence 'Id/tfi/xos, Jos. Ant. XII. ix. 5, and 'Idici^os, ib. XX. X. 3) was the son (Baba bathra i. 33), or more pro- bably the sister's son (Midrash rnbba 65 et el.), of Jose ben-Joeser, the famous pupil of Antigonus of Socho. He was a native of Zeruboth, of A.'ironic descent, but a leader of the Syrian and Helleiiizing party. Hy Antiochus Eupator he was nominated to the high priesthood (B.C.

162), but was unable to exercise its functions on account of the in- fluence in Jerus. of .ludas Macciibu-us. Retiring to Antioch, he gathered around him ' the lawless and ungodly men of Israel' (1 Mac 7'), by wliich is probably numnt such members of the Hellcnizing party as had been driven from Jerus. by the successes of .Judfus. As soon as Demetrius Soter had established himself at Antioch, the party of A. charged Judas with treason, and secured the king's favour for themselves.

Demetrius was i)ersuadcd to renominate A. to the high priesthood, and to send an army under IJacchiiles, governor of Mesopotamia, with orders to install A. and to punish the Maccabees. The march of Bacchides does not appear to have been opposed ; and at Jerus. it was found that many of the Hasidim were rea<iy to support A., ostensibly because of his priestly descent, out really perhaps because of tln'ir siisjiicion of the dynastic designs of Judas.

Sixty of their leaders, amongst whom is said {Midrash 60 ALEALA. ALEXANDER III rabba) to have been Jose ben-Joeser himself, were, however, soon after put to death together, by the order of the joint representatives of the Syrian king ; and on the part of Bacchidea further cruelties followed. The efl'ect was to reduce the people to a condition of sullen submission ; and Bacchides returned to Antioch, leaving a sufficient force to msdntain A. in his priestly and vice-regal dignity.

For a very short tune the support of the Syrian troops enabled him to carry out his Hellenizing policy. But a reaction soon took place in favour of the party of Judas, who forsook the retirement in which he had remained during the presence of Bacchides in the country, and made himself master of all the outlying districts. A. went in person to the king, and by means of large presents secured the despatch of a second force under Nicanor, who was appointed to the governorship of Judsea.

Nicanor at first formed an alliance, and apparently an intimate friendship, with Judas. But A., dis- pleased at the neglect to install him in his office, returned again to Demetrius, who sent strict orders to Nicanor to seize Judas and bring him at once to Antioch. Judas managed to escape from an attempt to overcome him by treachery ; and the two armies met at Adasa, near Bethhoron, on the 13th of Adar (March, B.C. 161). Nicanor fell in the battle, and the Syrian army was almost annihilated.

Another army was collected by Demetrius, and sent into Judaea under the com- mand of Bacchides. Judas was defeated and slain at the battle of Eleasa, and Bacchides proceeded to occupy Jerus. This time Bacchides remained in the country, and effectually protected A., who was at last able to discharge without hindrance his high priestly duties. His chief object appears to have been to abolish the separation of Jew from Greek.

With that view he commanded the destruction of ' the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary,' and also of 'the works of the prophets.' The former has been identified with the Soreg, or low wooden breastwork before the steps leading between the cour'.s ' but the allusion seems to be rather to the wall Itself, marking the limits beyond which Gentiles and the unclean were not allowed to pass.

This was one of the separatist characteristics of the temple, ascribed in tradition sometimes to Haggai and Zechariah, sometimes to the members of the Great Synagogue. But before the destruction was completed, A. died (B.C. 160) of paralysis. Pss 74. 79. 80 have been interpreted as reflecting the senti- ments of pious Jews during his priestliood. But the best authority for the period is 1 Mac 7°'*' 9'"", though cautious use may be made also of 2 Mac 14'-", and Jos. Ant. XU. ix. 5, XII. x. R. W.

Moss. ALEMA (^i- 'AXd/nois A, 'AX^mo's »), 1 Mac 5».— A citj' in Gilead. The site is unknown.