2 Machabees 4

¹But Simon the foresaid betrayer of the money, and of his country, spake ill of Onias, as though he had stirred up Heliodorus to these things, and had been the mover of the evils:

²and the provider for the city, and defender of his nation, and the emulator of the law of God, he presumed to call a secret betrayer of the kingdom:

³But when the enmities proceeded so far, that murders also were committed by certain of Simon's familiars:

⁴Onias considering the peril of the contention, and that Apollonius being governor of Cælesyria, & Phænicia, was outrageous, which increased the malice of Simon, went to the king.

⁵not as an accuser of the citizens, but considering with himself the common profit of the whole multitude.

⁶For he saw that without the king's providence it was unpossible that peace should be made in those matters, and that Simon would not cease from his folly.

⁷But after Seleucus' departure out of life, when Antiochus that was called the Noble, had taken the kingdom upon him, Jason the brother of Onias ambitiously sought the high-priesthood:

⁸going to the king, promising him three hundred three score talents of silver, & of other revenues four score talents,

⁹above this he promised also an hundred fifty more, if leave might be granted him to make a school, and a place for youth, and to entitle them, that were at Jerusalem, Antiochians.

¹⁰Which when the king had granted, and he had obtained the princedom, forthwith he began to transport his country men to the heathen rite.

¹¹And these things being taken away, which of favour had been decreed by kings unto the Jews, and through John the father of the Eupolemus, who was ambassador with the Romans concerning amity and society, he disannulling the lawful rites of the citizens, made wicked ordinances.

¹²For he presumed under the very castle to set up a school, and to put all the goodliest youths in brothel houses.

¹³And this was not the beginning, but a certain increase, and going forward of the heathen and strange conversation, through the abominable never heard before, of Jason the impious and not a priest.

¹⁴So that the Priests were not now occupied about the offices of the altar, but the temple being contemned, & the sacrifices neglected, they hastened to be partakers of the game of wrestling, & of the unjust maintenance thereof, & in the exercise of the coyte.

¹⁵And setting nought by the honours of their fathers, they esteemed the Greek glories for the best:

¹⁶by reason whereof they had dangerous contention, & they had emulation toward their ordinances, and in all things they coveted to be like to them, whom they had enemies & murderers.

¹⁷For to do impiously against the laws of God escapeth not unpunished, but this the time following will declare.

¹⁸And when the game used every fifth year was kept at Tyre, & the king was present,

¹⁹the wicked Jason sent from Jerusalem sinful men, carrying three hundred didrachmæs of silver for the sacrifice of Hercules, which they that carried it, requested that it might not be bestowed on the sacrifices, because it ought not, but that it might be deputed for other charges.

²⁰And these were offered indeed by him that sent them, unto the sacrifice of Hercules: but because of them that were present they were given to the making of gallies.

²¹And Apollonius the son of Mnestheus being sent into Ægypt because of the nobles of Ptolomee Philometor the king, when Antiochus understood that himself was made an alien from the affairs of the kingdom, providing for his own commodities, departing thence he came to Joppe, and from thence to Jerusalem.

²²And being magnifically received of Jason, and the city, entered in with torch lights, and with praises: and from thence he turned his army into Phænicia.

²³And after the time of three years Jason sent Menelaus brother of the foresaid Simon, carrying money to the king, and to bring answers of necessary affairs.

²⁴But he being commended to the king, when he had magnified the presence of his power, wrested the high-Priesthood upon himself, over bidding Jason three hundred talents of silver.

²⁵And having received commission from the king, he came, having indeed nothing worthy of the priesthood: but bearing the mind of a cruel tyrant, and the wrath of a wild beast.

²⁶And Jason indeed, who had circumvented his own brother, being himself deceived was driven out a fugitive into the country of the Ammanites.

²⁷And Menelaus obtained the princedom: but concerning the money promised to the king he did nothing, whereas Sostratus that was governor of the castle exacted it.

²⁸For to him pertained the exacting of the tributes: for which cause they were both called out to the king.

²⁹And Menelaus was removed from the Priest-hood, Lysimachus his brother succeeding: and Sostratus was made governor of the Cyprians.

³⁰And when these things were a doing, it chanced the Tharsians, and the Mallotians to move sedition, because they were given for a gift to king Antiochus' concubine.

³¹The king therefore came in haste to pacify them, one of his companions Andronicus being left substitute.

³²But Menelaus supposing that he had taken a convenient time, stealing certain vessels of gold out of the temple, gave them to Andronicus, and others he had sold at Tyre, and in their near cities:

³³Which thing when Onias understood most certainly, he rebuked him, keeping himself in a safe place at Antioch beside Daphne.

³⁴Whereupon Menelaus coming to Andronicus, desired him to kill Onias. Who when he was come to Onias, and right hands being given with an oath (although he was suspected of him) had persuaded him to come out of the sanctuary, immediately he slew him, not reverencing justice.

³⁵For which cause not only the Jews, but also other nations likewise were offended, & took it grievously for the unjust murder of so great a man.

³⁶But when the king was returned out of the places of Cilicia, the Jews went unto him at Antioch, and also the Greeks: complaining of the unjust murder of Onias.

³⁷Antiochus therefore was sorry in his mind for Onias, & being inclined to pity, he shed tears, remembering the sobriety and modesty of the deceased.

³⁸And his heart being incensed, he commanded Andronicus being spoiled of the purple, to be led about all the city: and that in the same place, wherein he had committed the impiety upon Onias, the sacrilegious person should be deprived of his life, our Lord repaying him worthy punishment.

³⁹And many sacrileges being committed of Lysimachus in the temple by the counsel of Menelaus, and the rumour being bruited abroad, the multitude gathered together against Lysimachus, much gold being now carried out.

⁴⁰But the multitudes making insurrection, & their minds replenished with anger, Lysimachus arming almost three thousand began to use unjust hands, a certain tyrant being captain far grown in age, and also in madness.

⁴¹But as they understood the endeavour of Lysimachus, some took stones, some strong clubs, & certain threw ashes.

⁴²And many indeed were wounded, and certain also thrown to the ground, but all were put to flight: the sacrilegious person also himself they slew beside the treasury.

⁴³Concerning these things therefore judgement began to be commenced against Menelaus.

⁴⁴And when the king was come to Tyre, three men sent from the ancients, put up the matter unto him.

⁴⁵And when Menelaus was overcome, he promised Ptolomee to give much money to persuade the king.

⁴⁶Ptolomee therefore went to the king being in a certain court, as it were to cool himself, and brought him from his purpose:

⁴⁷and Menelaus certes being guilty of all the evil was quitted of the crimes: and the poor wretches, who if they had pleaded the cause even before Scythians should be judged innocent, them he commanded to death.

⁴⁸Quickly then did they unjustly suffer, which prosecuted the cause for the city, and the people, and the sacred vessels.

⁴⁹For the which thing the Tyrians also being offended, were very liberal towards the burial of them.

⁵⁰But Menelaus because of their avarice that were in power, continued in authority, increasing in malice to the betraying of the citizens.