Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lewis Reich" <LBR AT sprynet.com>]

On 26 Oct 98, at 20:52, Brady R. Johnson wrote:

> 
> My question is this:  In looking at the question of whether Jews
> have ever engaged in forced conversions, I recalled reading of two
> incidents in which Jewish forces held different villages hostage,
> forced them to convert and in one case succeeded (they converted),
> and in the other case slaughtered the villagers  when they refused.
>  My recollection is that this occurred early in the Maccabean era
> or slightly before it.  Needless to say, my recall on these points
> is quite hazy.  My preliminary investigations have turned up
> nothing to corroborate my recollection however. 

According to 1&2 Maccabees, and Josephus the Hasmonean 
ruler John Hyrcanus I conquered Idumea in 129 BCE  and 
forcibly converted the non-Jewish population.  One of his 
sons, Aristobulus, is reported to have forcibly converted 
the Itureans, who had infiltrated Galilee.  

Lewis Reich
LBR AT sprynet.com