The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

1. Tradition Connects Alexander With Daniel’s Prophecy

According to Josephus’ account, Jaddua (or Jaddus was the Jewish high priest about 332 B.C. Watching the meteoric rise of Alexander the Great, he was presumed to have understood from the prophet Daniel that Persia, then ruling the world, was about to give place to Grecia—that it was, indeed, the transition hour from the second to the third of the world empires of prophecy. The, Babylonian monarchy had long since passed away, and the victorious Persians had established their much larger empire. But they had long ago felt the power of the Greeks at Marathon and Salamis, and now, having already suffered the defeats of Granicus and Issus, were about to receive their death blow at the battle of Gaugamela (or Arbela). PFF1 167.1

Alexander, flushed with his first triumph over Darius at Granicus, had assumed the role of victor, and demanded auxiliaries and supplies from the Jews. But Jaddua returned answer that he was in league with Darius, and was resolved to maintain his good faith. Alexander, occupied with the siege of Tyre, contented himself by threatening Jaddua with chastisement, vowing that through him he would show the world with whom it was essential to keep treaty. Upon the fall of Tyre and Gaza, says Josephus, Alexander marched straight for Jerusalem. ¹ PFF1 168.1

Warned in a dream, Jaddua adorned the city, opened the gates, and went forth to meet the Macedonian conqueror in his high priest’s robes and sacred miter, accompanied by the priests and followed by a multitude of the people clothed in white. Then the incredible happened. Alexander prostrated himself before Jaddua, or, as he explained it, to the sacred name inscribed on the golden plate on the high priest’s miter, for he recognized the costume of the mysterious person who in a dream had promised him divine aid in conquering the Persians. Then he entered the city and offered sacrifice. ² PFF1 168.2

Alexander was shown the portion of the prophecy of Daniel indicating his part in the overthrow of Persia—obviously the prophecy of the notable horn-king on the Grecian he-goat that smote the Persian ram, as recorded in Daniel 8:20, 21. The prophetic picture thus presented was, of course, favorable to Alexander’s plans and desires, and he consequently showed extraordinary favors to the Jews. Josephus describes this phase of the meeting of priest and monarch in these words: PFF1 168.3

“And, when the book of Daniel was shown to him (Alexander), in which he had declared that one of the Greeks would destroy the empire of the Persians, he (Alexander] believed himself to be the one indicated; and in his joy he dismissed the multitude for the time being, but on the following day he summoned them again and told them to ask for any gifts which they might desire. When the high priest asked that they might observe their country’s laws and in the seventh year be exempt from tribute, he granted all this. Then they begged that he would permit the Jews in Babylon and Media also to have their own laws, and he gladly promised to do as they asked.” ³ PFF1 169.1

It is desirable to note that Jaddua is represented as interpreting that section of Daniel’s prophecy under current fulfillment in the very transition hour from the Medo-Persian to the Grecian Empire, and explaining it directly to the great conqueror, Alexander the Great. This parallels Daniel’s interpretation to the leading monarchs of Babylon and Persia. PFF1 169.2