2 Maccabees 4
1 This Simon now, of whom we spake
afore, having been a betrayer of the money, and of his country, slandered
Onias, as if he had terrified Heliodorus, and been the worker of these evils.
2 Thus was he bold to call him a
traitor, that had deserved well of the city, and tendered his own nation, and
was so zealous of the laws.
3 But when their hatred went so far,
that by one of Simon's faction murders were committed,
4 Onias seeing the danger of this
contention, and that Apollonius, as being the governor of Celosyria and
Phenice, did rage, and increase Simon's malice,
5 he went to the king, not to be an
accuser of his countrymen, but seeking the good of all, both public and
private: 6 for he saw that it was
impossible that the state should continue quiet, and Simon leave his folly,
unless the king did look thereunto.
7 But after the death of Seleucus,
when Antiochus, called Epiphanes, took the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias
laboured underhand to be high priest,
8 promising unto the king by
intercession three hundred and threescore talents of silver, and of another
revenue eighty talents: 9 beside this,
he promised to assign an hundred and fifty more, if he might have licence to
set him up a place for exercise, and for the training up of youth in the
fashions of the heathen, and to write them of Jerusalem
by the name of Antiochians.
10 Which when the king had granted,
and he had gotten into his hand the rule, he forthwith brought his own nation
to the Greekish fashion.
11 And the royal privileges granted
of special favour to the Jews by the means of John the father of Eupolemus,
who went ambassador to Rome for amity and aid, he took away; and putting down
the governments which were according to the law, he brought up new customs
against the law: 12 for he built
gladly a place of exercise under the tower itself, and brought the chief young
men under his subjection, and made them wear a hat.
13 Now such was the height of Greek
fashions, and increase of heathenish manners, through the exceeding
profaneness of Jason, that ungodly wretch, and no high priest;
14 that the priests had no courage to
serve any more at the altar, but despising the temple, and neglecting the
sacrifices, hastened to be partakers of the unlawful allowance in the place of
exercise, after the game of Discus called them forth;
15 not setting by the honours of
their fathers, but liking the glory of the Grecians best of all.
16 By reason whereof sore calamity
came upon them: for they had them to be their enemies and avengers, whose
custom they followed so earnestly, and unto whom they desired to be like in
all things. 17 For it is not a light
thing to do wickedly against the laws of God; but the time following shall
declare these things.
18 Now when the game that was used
every fifth year was kept at Tyrus, the king being present,
19 this ungracious Jason sent special
messengers from Jerusalem, who were Antiochians, to carry three hundred
drachms of silver to the sacrifice of Hercules, which even the bearers thereof
thought fit not to bestow upon the sacrifice, because it was not convenient,
but to be reserved for other charges.
20 This money then, in regard of the
sender, was appointed to Hercules' sacrifice; but because of the bearers
thereof it was employed to the making of gallies.
21 Now when Apollonius the
son of Menestheus was sent into Egypt for the
coronation of king Ptolemeus Philometor, Antiochus, understanding him not to
be well affected to his affairs, provided for his own safety: whereupon he
came to Joppe, and from thence to Jerusalem:
22 where he was honourably received
of Jason, and of the city, and was brought in with torch light, and with great
shoutings: and so afterward went with his host unto Phenice.
23 Three years afterward Jason sent
Menelaus, the aforesaid Simon's brother, to bear the money unto the king, and
to put him in mind of certain necessary matters.
24 But he being brought to the
presence of the king, when he had magnified him for the glorious appearance of
his power, got the priesthood to himself, offering more than Jason by three
hundred talents of silver. 25 So he
came with the king's mandate, bringing nothing worthy the high priesthood, but
having the fury of a cruel tyrant, and the rage of a savage beast.
26 Then Jason, who had undermined his
own brother, being undermined by another, was compelled to flee into the
country of the Ammonites. 27 So
Menelaus got the principality: but as for the money that he had promised unto
the king, he took no good order for it, albeit Sostratus the ruler of the
castle required it: 28 for unto him
appertained the gathering of the customs. Wherefore they were both called
before the king.
29 Now Menelaus left his brother
Lysimachus in his stead in the priesthood: and Sostratus
left Crates, who was governor of the Cyprians.
30 While those things were in doing,
they of Tarsus and Mallos made insurrection, because they were given to the
king's concubine, called Antiochis.
31 Then came the king in all haste to
appease matters, leaving Andronicus, a man in authority, for his deputy.
32 Now Menelaus, supposing that he
had gotten a convenient time, stole certain vessels of gold out of the temple,
and gave some of them to Andronicus, and some he sold into Tyrus and the
cities round about. 33 Which when
Onias knew of a surety, he reproved him, and withdrew himself into a sanctuary
at Daphne, that lieth by Antiochia.
34 Wherefore Menelaus, taking
Andronicus apart, prayed him to get Onias into his hands; who being persuaded
thereunto, and coming to Onias in deceit, gave him his right hand with oaths;
and though he were suspected by him, yet persuaded he
him to come forth of the sanctuary: whom forthwith he shut up without regard
to justice. 35 For the which cause
not only the Jews, but many also of other nations, took great indignation, and
were much grieved for the unjust murder of the man.
36 And when the king was come again
from the places about Cilicia, the Jews that were in the city, and certain of
the Greeks that abhorred the fact also, complained because Onias was slain
without cause. 37 Therefore Antiochus
was heartily sorry, and moved to pity, and wept, because of the sober and
modest behaviour of him that was dead.
38 And being kindled with anger,
forthwith he took away Andronicus his purple, and rent off his clothes, and
leading him through the whole city unto that very place, where he had
committed impiety against Onias, there slew he the cursed murderer. Thus the
Lord rewarded him his punishment, as he had deserved.
39 Now when many sacrileges had been
committed in the city by Lysimachus with the consent of Menelaus, and the
bruit thereof was spread abroad, the multitude gathered themselves together
against Lysimachus, many vessels of gold being already carried away.
40 Whereupon the common people
rising, and being filled with rage, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men,
and began first to offer violence; one Auranus being the leader, a man far
gone in years, and no less in folly.
41 They then seeing the attempt of
Lysimachus, some of them caught stones, some clubs, others taking handfuls of
dust, that was next at hand, cast them all together upon Lysimachus, and those
that set upon them. 42 Thus many of
them they wounded, and some they struck to the ground, and all
of them they forced to flee: but as for the
churchrobber himself, him they killed beside the treasury.
43 Of these matters therefore there
was an accusation laid against Menelaus.
44 Now when the king came to Tyrus,
three men that were sent from the senate pleaded the cause before him:
45 but Menelaus, being now convicted,
promised Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes to give him
much money, if he would pacify the king toward him.
46 Whereupon Ptolemee taking the king
aside into a certain gallery, as it were to take the air, brought him to be of
another mind: 47 insomuch that he
discharged Menelaus from the accusations, who notwithstanding was cause of all
the mischief: and those poor men, who, if they had told their cause, yea,
before the Scythians, should have been judged innocent, them he condemned to
death.
48 Thus they that followed the matter
for the city, and for the people, and for the holy vessels, did soon suffer
unjust punishment. 49 Wherefore even
they of Tyrus, moved with hatred of that wicked deed, caused them to be
honourably buried. 50 And so through
the covetousness of them that were of power Menelaus remained still in
authority, increasing in malice, and being a great traitor to the citizens.