According to the historian Josephus, for example, when the Maccabean John Hyrcanus subdued the Idumaeans, he “permitted them to remain in their country so long as they had themselves circumcised and were willing to observe the laws of the Jews. ”
Kā rakstīja vēsturnieks Josefs Flāvijs, Jānis Hirkans no Makabeju dzimtas pēc idumejiešu pakļaušanas ” ļāva tiem palikt savā zemē vienīgi tad, ja tie piekrita izdarīt apgraizīšanu un ievērot ebreju likumus ”.