Introduction:
Modin, also spelled Modein or Modi'in, holds significant historical and religious importance in Jewish history, particularly during the period of the Maccabean Revolt. It is primarily known as the hometown of the priestly family of Mattathias, who played a pivotal role in the Jewish resistance against Hellenistic influence and the Seleucid Empire.

Biblical and Historical Context:
Modin is not directly mentioned in the canonical books of the Bible, but it is prominently featured in the deuterocanonical books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are included in the Apocrypha. These texts provide a detailed account of the Maccabean Revolt, a significant uprising led by Jewish priests and warriors against the imposition of Greek culture and religion.

Location:
Modin is traditionally identified with the modern city of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut in Israel, located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The ancient site is believed to be situated near the present-day city, though the exact location remains a subject of archaeological and scholarly investigation.

Significance in the Maccabean Revolt:
The narrative of the Maccabean Revolt begins in Modin, where Mattathias, a Jewish priest, refused to comply with the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes' decree to offer pagan sacrifices. According to 1 Maccabees 2:15-28, Mattathias, in a zealous act of defiance, killed a fellow Jew who was about to perform a pagan sacrifice and the king's officer enforcing the decree. This act of rebellion sparked the Maccabean Revolt, as Mattathias and his sons, including the famous Judas Maccabeus, fled to the mountains to gather supporters and wage guerrilla warfare against the Seleucids.

Religious and Cultural Impact:
The events that unfolded in Modin and the subsequent Maccabean Revolt are celebrated during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. This festival commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil, which burned for eight days despite there being only enough oil for one day. The account of Modin and the Maccabees is a testament to the Jewish struggle for religious freedom and identity in the face of external pressures to assimilate.

Legacy:
The legacy of Modin and the Maccabees is profound, influencing Jewish thought and identity throughout history. The Maccabean Revolt is seen as a symbol of resistance against oppression and the fight for religious and cultural autonomy. The Hasmonean dynasty, established by the Maccabees, ruled Judea for about a century, leaving a lasting impact on Jewish history and governance.

Archaeological Insights:
Archaeological efforts in the region around modern Modi'in have sought to uncover remnants of the ancient settlement. While definitive evidence linking specific findings to the historical Modin remains elusive, ongoing excavations continue to provide insights into the Hellenistic period in Judea.

Conclusion:
Modin's historical and religious significance is deeply embedded in the narrative of Jewish resistance and the quest for religious freedom. The account of Mattathias and his sons serves as an enduring symbol of faith and courage, inspiring generations to uphold their beliefs in the face of adversity.Modin

a place not mentioned in either the Old or the New Testament, though rendered immortal by its connection with the history of the Jews in the interval between the two. It was the native city of the Maccabaean family, 1 Macc. 13:25, and as a necessary consequence contained their ancestral sepulchre. ch. 2:70; 9:19; 13:25-30. At Modin the Maccabean armies encamped on the eves of two of their most memorable victories --that of Judas over Antiochus Eupator, 2 Macc. 13:14, and that of Simon over Cendebeus. 1 Macc. 16:4. The only indication of the position of the place to be gathered from the above notices is contained in the last, from which we may infer that it was near "the plain," i.e. the great maritime lowland of Philistia. ver. 5. The description of the monuments seems to imply that the spot was so lofty as to be visible from the sea, and so near that even the details of the sculpture were discernible therefrom. All these conditions, excepting the last, are tolerably fulfilled in either of the two sides called Latran and Kubub .

MODIN

mo'-din (Modeein, Modein, Modeeim, and other forms; in the Talmud it is called modhi`im, and modhi`ith (Neubauer, Geographie du Talmud, 99)): This place owes its interest to the part it played in the history of the Maccabees. It was the ancestral home of their family (1 Maccabees 2:17, 70). Hither Mattathias, a priest of the sons of Joarib, retired when he had seen with a burning heart "the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerus" under the orders of Antiochus Epiphanes. But the king's officer followed him, and by offers of the king's friendship and great rewards sought to seduce the people into idolatry. This only fed the indignation of Mattathias, and when a Jew went forward to sacrifice, Mattathias slew him on the altar together with the king's officer. From such a step there could be no going back. Thus began the patriotic enterprise which, led by the old priest's heroic sons, was destined to make illustrious the closing days of the nation's life (1 Maccabees 2:1;; Ant, VI, i, 2; BJ, I, i, 3). Mattathias, his wife and sons were all buried in Modin (1 Maccabees 2:70; 9:19; 13:25-30; Ant, XII, xi, 2; XIII, vi, 6). Near Modin Judas pitched his camp, whence issuing by night with the watchword "Victory is God's," he and a chosen band of warriors overwhelmed the army of Antiochus Eupator (2 Maccabees 13:14). In Modin Judas and John, the sons of Simon, slept before the battle in which they defeated Cendebaeus (1 Maccabees 16:4).

Of the impressive monument erected by Simon over the tombs of his parents and brethren Stanley (History of the Jewish Church, III, 318) gives the following account: "It was a square structure surrounded by colonnades of monolith pillars, of which the front and back were of white polished stone. Seven pyramids were erected by Simon on the summit, for the father and mother and four brothers who now lay there, with the seventh for himself when his time should come. On the faces of the monuments were bas-reliefs, representing the accouterments of sword and spear and shield `for an eternal memorial' of their many battles. There were also sculptures of ships-no doubt to record their interest in that long seaboard of the Philistine coast, which they were the first to use for their country's good. A monument at once so Jewish in idea and so Gentilein execution was worthy of the combination of patriotic fervor and high philosophic enlargement of soul which raised the Maccabean heroes so high above their age." Guerin (La Samarie, II, 401; Galilee, I, 47) thought he had discovered the remains of this monument at Khirbet el-Gharbawi near Medyeh, in 1870. In this, however, he was mistaken, the remains being of Christian origin.

Various identifications have been proposed. Coba, about 6 miles West of Jerusalem, was for a time generally accepted. Robinson (BR, III, 151) suggested LaTrun. There is now a consensus of opinion in favor of el-Medyeh, a village to the East of Wady Mulaki, 13 miles West of Bethel. It occupies a strong position in the hills 6 miles East of Lydda, thus meeting the condition of Eusebius, Onomasticon, which places it near Lydda. The identification was suggested by Dr. Sandreczki of Jerusalem in 1869. From el-Medyeh itself the sea is not visible; but to the South rises a rocky height, er-Ras, which commands a wide view, including the plain and the sea. The latter is 16 miles distant. If the monument of Simon stood on er-Ras, which from the rock cuttings seems not improbable, it would be seen very clearly by overlooking from the sea, especially toward sunset (1 Maccabees 13:29). About 1/4 mile West of el-Medyeh are tombs known as Qubur el-Yehud, one bearing the name of Sheikh el-Gharbawi, whose name attaches to the ruins. This is the tomb referred to above.

W. Ewing

How, Upon Antiochus's Prohibition to the Jews to Make Use of the ...
... 1. Now at this time there was one whose name was Mattathias, who dwelt at Modin,
the son of John, the son of Simeon, the son of Asamoneus, a priest of the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how upon antiochuss.htm

The Maccabees.
... There was a small town, named Modin, near the sea shore, whither a Greek officer
called Apelles was sent to force the people into idolatry. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xviii the maccabees.htm

How the City Jerusalem was Taken, and the Temple Pillaged [By ...
... 3. Accordingly Matthias, the son of Asamoneus, one of the priests who lived in a
village called Modin, armed himself, together with his own family, which had ...
/.../chapter 1 how the city.htm

That Bacchides was Again Sent Out against Judas; and How Judas ...
... But Simon and Jonathan, Judas's brethren, received his dead body by a treaty from
the enemy, and carried it to the village of Modin, where their father had ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 that bacchides was.htm

First Attempts on Jerusalem.
... and of St. James. Compare the description of the tomb of the Maccabees at Modin
(1 Macc. xiii.27, and following).]. [Footnote 3: Matthew ...
/.../renan/the life of jesus/chapter xiii first attempts on.htm

Elucidations.
... man what he needs for his support, and what his body wants; but do what seemeth
Thee good.' In the Mekhilta we read that Rabbi Eliezer of Modin, near Jerusalem ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/elucidations.htm

How Jonathan was Slain by Treachery; and How Thereupon the Jews ...
... However, Simon sent some to the city Basca to bring away his brother's bones, and
buried them in their own city Modin; and all the people made great ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how jonathan was.htm

The Attack on the Scriptures
... sins. In a little while the king's officers came to the heathen altar
at Modin, the town where the old priest lived. 'Sacrifice ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter vi the attack on.htm

The Jewish World in the Days of Christ - the Jewish Dispersion in ...
... through the bribery of his own brother Jason, the latter and Menelaus outvied each
other in bribery for, and prostitution of, the holy office. [8] Modin, the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i the jewish world.htm

Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of ...
... R. Levi saith: Yehoyaribh ["Jehovah will contend"], the man [the name of the man
or family]; Meron ["rebellion," evidently a play upon Modin, the birthplace of ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix iv an abstract of.htm

Modin
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia MODIN. mo'-din (Modeein, Modein, Modeeim,
and other forms; in the Talmud it is called modhi`im, and ...
/m/modin.htm - 10k

Maccabaeus
... 1. Mattathias: Mattathias, a priest of the first 24 courses and therefore of the
noblest who dwelt at Modin, a city of Judah, was the first to strike a blow. ...
/m/maccabaeus.htm - 17k

Maccabees
... Mattathias, an aged priest, then residing at Modin, a city to the west of Jerusalem,
became now the courageous leader of the national party; and having fled to ...
/m/maccabees.htm - 52k

Asmoneans
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ASMONEANS. as-mo-ne'-ans: A remarkable priestly
family of Modin, in Judea, also called Hasmoneans or Maccabees. ...
/a/asmoneans.htm - 27k

Testaments
... A priestly family dwelling at Modin, west of Jerusalem, named Hasmonean, after one
of its ancestors, consisting of Mattathias and his five sons, raised the ...
/t/testaments.htm - 35k

Between (2624 Occurrences)
... A priestly family dwelling at Modin, west of Jerusalem, named Hasmonean, after one
of its ancestors, consisting of Mattathias and his five sons, raised the ...
/b/between.htm - 36k

Moeth

/m/moeth.htm - 6k

Modesty (4 Occurrences)

/m/modesty.htm - 8k

Pyramid
... puramis: Pyramids are mentioned in connection with the splendid monument reared
by Simon Maccabeus in memory of his parents and brethren at Modin (1 Maccabees ...
/p/pyramid.htm - 7k

Cendebaeus
... Simon Maccabeus was too old to attack Cendebaeus in person he sent his two eldest
sons, Judas and John, who defeated him with great loss at Modin (1 Maccabees ...
/c/cendebaeus.htm - 6k

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus