The Second Book of Maccabees

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Onias has recourse to the king. The ambition and wickedness of Jason and Menelaus. Onias is treacherously murdered.

But Simon, of whom we spoke before, and of his country, spoke ill of Onias, as though he had incited Heliodorus to do these things, and had been the promoter of evils:

And he presumed to call him a traitor to the kingdom, who provided for the city, and defended his nation, and wed zealous for the law of God.

But when the enmities proceeded so far, that murders also were committed by some of Simon’s friends:

Onias considering the danger of this contention, and that Apollonius, who was the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, was outrageous, which increased the malice of Simon, went to the king,

Not to be an accuser of his countrymen, but with a view to the common good of all the people.

For he saw that, except the king took care, it was impossible that matters should be settled in peace, or that Simon would cease from his folly.

But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, who was called the Illustrious, had taken possession of the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias ambitiously sought the high priesthood:

And went to the king, promising him three hundred and sixty talents of silver, and out of other revenues fourscore talents.

Besides this he promised also a hundred and fifty more, if he might have license to set him up a place for exercise, and a place for youth, and to entitle them, that were at Jerusalem, Antiochians.

Which when the king had granted, and he had gotten the rule into his hands, forthwith he began to bring over his countrymen to the fashion of the heathens.

And abolishing those things, which had been decreed of special favour by the kings in behalf of the Jews, by the means of John the father of that Eupolemus, who went ambassador to Rome to make amity and alliance, he disannulled the lawful ordinances of the citizens, and brought in fashions that were perverse.

For he had the boldness to set up, under the very castle, a place of exercise, and to put all the choicest youths in brothel houses.

Now this was not the beginning, but an increase, and progress of heathenish and foreign manners, through the abominable and unheard of wickedness of Jason, that impious wretch and no priest.

Insomuch that the priests were not now occupied about the offices of the altar, but despising the temple and neglecting the sacrifices, hastened to be partakers of the games, and of the unlawful allowance thereof, and of the exercise of the discus.

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

For the sake of which they incurred a dangerous contention, and followed earnestly their ordinances, and in all things they coveted to be like them, who were their enemies and murderers.

For acting wickedly against the laws of God doth not pass unpunished: but this the time following will declare.

Now when the game that was used every fifth year was kept at Tyre, the king being present,

The wicked Jason sent from Jerusalem sinful men to carry three hundred didrachmas of silver for the sacrifice of Hercules; but the bearers thereof desired it might not be bestowed on the sacrifices, because it was not necessary, but might be deputed for other charges.

So the money was appointed by him that sent it to the sacrifice of Hercules: but because of them that carried it was employed for the making of galleys.

Now when Apollonius the son of Mnestheus was sent into Egypt to treat with the nobles of king Philometor, and Antiochus understood that he was wholly excluded from the affairs of the kingdom, consulting his own interest, he departed thence and came to Joppe, and from thence to Jerusalem:

Where he was received in a, magnificent manner by Jason, and the city, and came in with torch lights, and with praises, and from thence he returned with his army into Phenicia.

Three years afterwards Jason sent Menelaus, brother of the aforesaid Simon, to carry money to the king, and to bring answers from him concerning certain necessary affairs.

But he being recommended to the king, when he had magnified the appearance of his power, got the high priesthood for himself, by offering more than Jason by three hundred talents of silver.

So having received the king’s mandate, he returned bringing nothing worthy of the high priesthood: but having the mind of a cruel tyrant, and the rage of a savage beast.

Then Jason, who had undermined his own brother, being himself undermined, was driven out a fugitive into the country of the Ammonites.

So Menelaus got the principality: but as for the money he had promised to the king he took no care, when Sostratus the governor of the castle called for it.

For to him appertained the gathering of the taxes: wherefore they were both called before the king.

And Menelaus was removed from the priesthood, Lysimachus his brother succeeding: and Sostratus was made governor of the Cyprians.

When these things were in doing, it fell out that they of Tharsus and Mallos raised a sedition, because they were given for a gift to Antiochis, the king’s concubine.

The king therefore went in all haste to appease them, leaving Andronicus, one of his nobles, for his deputy.

Then Menelaus supposing that he had found a convenient time, having stolen certain vessels of gold out of the temple, gave them to Andronicus, and others he had sold at Tyre, and in the neighbouring cities.

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

Whereupon Menelaus coming to Andronicus, desired him to kill Onias. And he went to Onias, and gave him his right hand with an oath, and (though he were suspected by him) persuaded him to come forth out of the sanctuary, and immediately slew him, without any regard to justice.

For which cause not only the Jews, but also the other nations, conceived indignation, and were much grieved for the unjust murder of so great a man.

And when the king was come back from the places of Cilicia, the Jews that were at Antioch, and also the Creaks went to him: complaining of the unjust murder of Onias.

Antiochus therefore was grieved in his mind for Onias, and being moved to pity, shed tears, remembering the sobriety and modesty of the deceased.

And being inflamed to anger, he commanded Andronicus to be stripped of his purple, and to be led about through all the city: and that in the same place wherein he had committed the impiety against Onias, the sacrilegious wretch should be put to death, the Lord repaying him his deserved punishment.

Now when many sacrileges had been committed by Lysimachus in the temple by the counsel of Menelaus, and the rumour of it was spread abroad, the multitude gathered themselves together against Lysimachus, a great quantity of gold being already carried away.

Wherefore the multitude making an insurrection, and their minds being filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men, and began to use violence, one Tyrannus being captain, a man far gone both in age, and in madness.

But when they perceived the attempt of Lysimachus, some caught up stones, some strong clubs: and some threw ashes upon Lysimachus,

And many of them were wounded, and some struck down to the ground, but all were put to flight: and as for the sacrilegious fellow himself, they slew him beside the treasury.

Now concerning these matters, an accusation was laid against Menelaus.

And when the king was come to Tyre, three men were sent from the ancients to plead the cause before him.

But Menelaus being convicted, promised Ptolemee to give him much money to persuade the king to favour him.

So Ptolemee went to the king in a certain court where he was, as it were to cool himself, and brought him to be of another mind:

So Menelaus who was guilty of all the evil, was acquitted by him of the accusations: and those poor men, who, if they had pleaded their cause even before Scythians, should have been judged innocent, were condemned to death.

Thus they that prosecuted the cause for the city, and for the people, and the sacred vessels, did soon suffer unjust punishment.

Wherefore even the Tyrians being moved with indignation, were liberal towards their burial.

And so through the covetousness of them that were in power, Menelaus continued in authority, increasing in malice to the betraying of the citizens.

Onias has recourse to the king. The ambition and wickedness of Jason and Menelaus. Onias is treacherously murdered.

The previously mentioned Simon, who had given information about the money against his country, slandered Onias, saying that it was he who had incited Heliodorus and had been the real cause of these evils.

He dared to call him a conspirator against the state who was actually the benefactor of the city, the guardian of his fellow countrymen, and a zealot for the laws.

When his hatred grew so great that even murders were perpetrated through one of Simon’s approved agents,

Onias, seeing the danger of the contention, and that (a)Apollonius the son of Menestheus, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was increasing Simon’s malice,

appealed to the king, not to be an accuser of his fellow-citizens, but looking to the good of all the(b) people, both public and private;

for he saw that without the king’s involvement it was impossible for the state to obtain peace any more, and that Simon would not cease from his madness.

When Seleucus was deceased, and Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, succeeded to the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias supplanted his brother in the high priesthood,

having promised to the king at an audience three hundred sixty talents of silver, and out of another fund eighty talents.

In addition to this, he undertook to assign one hundred fifty more, if it might be allowed him (c)through the king’s authority to set him up a gymnasium and a body of youths to be trained in it, and to register the inhabitants of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch.

When the king had assented, and Jason had taken possession of the office, he immediately shifted those of his own race to the Greek way of life.

Setting aside the royal ordinances of special favor to the Jews, granted by the means of John the father of Eupolemus, who went on the mission to the Romans to establish friendship and alliance, and seeking to overthrow the lawful ways of living, he brought in new customs forbidden by the law.

For he eagerly established a gymnasium under the citadel itself, and caused the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat.

Thus there was an extreme of hellenization, and an advance of a foreign religion, by reason of the exceeding profaneness of Jason, who was an ungodly man and not a high priest;

so that the priests had no more any zeal for the services of the altar; but despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to enjoy that which was unlawfully provided in the wrestling arena, after the summons to the discus-throwing.

They despised the honors of their fathers, and valued the prestige of the Greeks best of all.

For this reason, severe calamity overtook them. The men whose ways of living they earnestly followed, and to whom they desired to be made like in all things, these became their enemies and punished them.

For it is not a light thing to show irreverence to God’s laws, but later events will make this clear.

Now when certain games that came every fifth year were kept at Tyre, and the king was present,

the vile Jason sent sacred envoys,(d) as being Antiochians of Jerusalem, bearing three hundred drachmas of silver to the sacrifice of Hercules, which even the bearers thereof thought not right to use for any sacrifice, because it was not fit, but to spend it for another purpose.

Although the intended purpose of the sender this money was for the sacrifice of Hercules, yet on account of (e)present circumstances it went to the construction of trireme warships.

Now when Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent into Egypt for the (f) enthronement of Philometor as king, Antiochus, learning that Philometor had shown himself hostile toward the government, took precautions for the security of his realm. Therefore, going to Joppa, he travelled on to Jerusalem.

Being magnificently received by Jason and the city, he was brought in with torches and shouting. Then he led his army down into Phoenicia.

Now after a space of three years, Jason sent Menelaus, the previously mentioned Simon’s brother, to carry the money to the king, and to make reports concerning some necessary matters.

But he being commended to the king, and having been glorified by the display of his authority, secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.

After receiving the royal mandates, he returned bringing nothing worthy of the high priesthood, but having the passion of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage animal.

So Jason, who had supplanted his own brother, was supplanted by another and driven as a fugitive into the country of the Ammonites,

Menelaus had possession of the office; but of the money that had been promised to the king nothing was regularly paid, even though Sostratus the governor of the citadel demanded it—

for his job was the gathering of the revenues—so they were both called by the king to his presence.

Menelaus left his own brother Lysimachus for his(g) deputy in the high priesthood; and Sostratus left Crates, who was over the Cyprians.

Now while this was the state of things, it came to pass that the people of Tarsus and Mallus revolted because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine.

The king therefore quickly came to settle matters, leaving for his (h)deputy Andronicus, a man of high rank.

Then Menelaus, supposing that he had gotten a favorable opportunity, presented to Andronicus certain vessels of gold belonging to the temple, which he had stolen. He had already sold others into Tyre and the neighboring cities.

When Onias had sure knowledge of this, he sharply reproved him, having withdrawn himself into a sanctuary at Daphne, that lies by Antioch.

Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus aside, asked him to kill Onias. Coming to Onias, and being persuaded to use treachery, and being received as a friend, Andronicus gave him his right hand with oaths and, though he was suspicious, persuaded him to come out of the sanctuary. Then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him to death.

For this reason not only Jews, but many also of the other nations, had indignation and displeasure at the unjust murder of the man.

And when the king had come back from the places in Cilicia, the Jews who were in the city appealed to him against Andronicus (the Greeks also joining with them in hatred of the wickedness), urging that Onias had been wrongfully slain.

Antiochus therefore was heartily sorry, and was moved to pity, and wept, because of the sober and well ordered life of him who was dead.

Being inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped off Andronicus’s purple robe, and tore off his under garments, and when he had led him round through the whole city to that very place where he had committed the outrage against Onias, there he put the murderer out of the way, the Lord rendering to him the punishment he had deserved.

Now when many sacrileges had been committed in the city by Lysimachus with the consent of Menelaus, and when the report of them had spread abroad outside, the people gathered themselves together against Lysimachus, after many vessels of gold had already been stolen.

When the multitudes were rising against him and were filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men, and with unrighteous violence began the attack under the leadership of Hauran, a man far gone in years and no less also in folly.

But when they perceived the assault of Lysimachus, some caught up stones, others logs of wood, and some took handfuls of the ashes that lay near, and they flung them all in wild confusion at Lysimachus and those who were with him.

As a result, they wounded many of them, they killed some, and they forced the rest of them to flee, but the author of the sacrilege himself they killed beside the treasury.

But about these matters, there was an accusation laid against Menelaus.

When the king had come to Tyre, the three men who were sent by the senate pleaded the cause before him.

But Menelaus, seeing himself now defeated, promised much money to Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, that he might win over the king.

Therefore Ptolemy taking the king aside into a cloister, as if to get some fresh air, convinced him to change his mind.

He who was the cause of all the evil, Menelaus, he discharged from the accusations; but these hapless men, who, if they had pleaded even before Scythians, would have been discharged uncondemned, them he sentenced to death.

Those who were spokesmen for the city and the families of Israel and the holy vessels soon suffered that unrighteous penalty.

Therefore even certain Tyrians, moved with hatred of the wickedness, provided magnificently for their burial.

But Menelaus, through the covetous dealings of those who were in power, remained still in his office, growing in wickedness, established as a great conspirator against his fellow-citizens.

Footnotes

(a)4:4 Compare 2 Maccabees 4:21 . See also 2 Maccabees 3:5 . The Greek as commonly read means Apollonius, asbeing the governor...Phoenicia, did rage, and increase etc.

(b)4:5 Gr. multitude.

(d)4:19 See ver. 9.

(e)4:20 Some authorities read the bearers.

(f)4:21 The exact meaning of the Greek word is uncertain.

(g)4:29 Gr. successor.

(h)4:31 Gr. successor.