MODIN. A village in the Shephçlah, never mentioned in the OT, but of great importance as the home of the Maccabees. Here Mattathias, by slaying a Jew who conformed to the paganizing commands of Antiochus, struck the first blow for Jewish religious freedom ( 1Ma 2:1-28 ). He was buried at Modin ( 1Ma 2:70 ), as were his illustrious sons Judas ( 1Ma 9:19 ) and Jonathan ( 1Ma 13:25 ). Simon here built an elaborate monument with seven pyramids, commemorative of his father, mother, and four brethren, with great pillars around, and bas-reliefs of military and naval triumphs. This splendid monument could be seen at sea. It stood for about 500 years, after which it seems to have disappeared; and with it was lost all recollection of the site of Modin. This has been recovered in recent years in the little village of el-Medyeh , near Lydd. There are numerous rock-tombs about, some of them traditionally known as Qabûr el-Yehûd , or ‘the Jews’ tombs,’ but nothing is to be seen in any way suggestive of the Maccabæan mausoleum.
R. A. S. Macalister.