Antiquities Book 12, Chapter 5
How, Upon The Quarrels One Against Another About The High Priesthood Antiochus Made An Expedition Against Jerusalem, Took The City And Pillaged The Temples. And Distressed The Jews' As Also How Many Of The Jews Forsook The Laws Of Their Country; And How The Samaritans Followed The Customs Of The Greeks And Named Their Temple At Mount Gerizzim The Temple Of Jupiter Hellenius.
1. About this time, upon the death of Onias the high priest, they gave
the high priesthood to Jesus his brother; for that son which Onias left
[or Onias IV.] was yet but an infant; and, in its proper place, we will
inform the reader of all the circumstances that befell this child. But
this Jesus, who was the brother of Onias, was deprived of the high
priesthood by the king, who was angry with him, and gave it to his
younger brother, whose name also was Onias; for Simon had these three
sons, to each of which the priesthood came, as we have already informed
the reader. This Jesus changed his name to Jason, but Onias was called
Menelaus. Now as the former high priest, Jesus, raised a sedition
against Menelaus, who was ordained after him, the multitude were divided
between them both. And the sons of Tobias took the part of Menelaus, but
the greater part of the people assisted Jason; and by that means
Menelaus and the sons of Tobias were distressed, and retired to
Antiochus, and informed him that they were desirous to leave the laws of
their country, and the Jewish way of living according to them, and to
follow the king's laws, and the Grecian way of living. Wherefore they
desired his permission to build them a Gymnasium at Jerusalem. 15 And
when he had given them leave, they also hid the circumcision of their
genitals, that even when they were naked they might appear to be Greeks.
Accordingly, they left off all the customs that belonged to their own
country, and imitated the practices of the other nations.
2. Now Antiochus, upon the agreeable situation of the affairs of his
kingdom, resolved to make an expedition against Egypt, both because he
had a desire to gain it, and because he contemned the son of Ptolemy, as
now weak, and not yet of abilities to manage affairs of such
consequence; so he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented
Ptolemy Philometor by treachery, and seized upon Egypt. He then came to
the places about Memphis; and when he had taken them, he made haste to
Alexandria, in hopes of taking it by siege, and of subduing Ptolemy, who
reigned there. But he was driven not only from Alexandria, but out of
all Egypt, by the declaration of the Romans, who charged him to let that
country alone; according as I have elsewhere formerly declared. I will
now give a particular account of what concerns this king, how he subdued
Judea and the temple; for in my former work I mentioned those things
very briefly, and have therefore now thought it necessary to go over
that history again, and that with great accuracy.
3. King Antiochus returning out of Egypt 16 for fear of the Romans, made
an expedition against the city Jerusalem; and when he was there, in the
hundred and forty-third year of the kingdom of the Seleucidse, he took
the city without fighting, those of his own party opening the gates to
him. And when he had gotten possession of Jerusalem, he slew many of the
opposite party; and when he had plundered it of a great deal of money,
he returned to Antioch.
4. Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred forty and fifth
year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called
Chasleu, and by the Macedonians Apelleus, in the hundred and fifty-third
olympiad, that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he
got possession of the city by treachery; at which time he spared not so
much as those that admitted him into it, on account of the riches that
lay in the temple; but, led by his covetous inclination, [for he saw
there was in it a great deal of gold, and many ornaments that had been
dedicated to it of very great value,] and in order to plunder its
wealth, he ventured to break the league he had made. So he left the
temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar
[of incense], and table [of shew-bread], and the altar [of burnt-
offering]; and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of
fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and
left nothing at all remaining; and by this means cast the Jews into
great lamentation, for he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices
which they used to offer to God, according to the law. And when he had
pillaged the whole city, some of the inhabitants he slew, and some he
carried captive, together with their wives and children, so that the
multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to about ten
thousand. He also burnt down the finest buildings; and when he had
overthrown the city walls, he built a citadel in the lower part of the
city, 17 for the place was high, and overlooked the temple; on which
account he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into it a
garrison of Macedonians. However, in that citadel dwelt the impious and
wicked part of the [Jewish] multitude, from whom it proved that the
citizens suffered many and sore calamities. And when the king had built
an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a
sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship
in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which
they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and
made them build temples, and raise idol altars in every city and
village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not
to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be
found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers,
who should compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many Jews
there were who complied with the king's commands, either voluntarily, or
out of fear of the penalty that was denounced. But the best men, and
those of the noblest souls, did not regard him, but did pay a greater
respect to the customs of their country than concern as to the
punishment which he threatened to the disobedient; on which account they
every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were
whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were
crucified, while they were still alive, and breathed. They also
strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the
king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were
upon the crosses. And if there were any sacred book of the law found, it
was destroyed, and those with whom they were found miserably perished
also.
5. When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no
longer confessed that they were of their kindred, nor that the temple on
Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God. This was according to their
nature, as we have already shown. And they now said that they were a
colony of Medes and Persians; and indeed they were a colony of theirs.
So they sent ambassadors to Antiochus, and an epistle, whose contents
are these: "To king Antiochus the god, Epiphanes, a memorial from the
Sidonians, who live at Shechem. Our forefathers, upon certain frequent
plagues, and as following a certain ancient superstition, had a custom
of observing that day which by the Jews is called the Sabbath. 18 And
when they had erected a temple at the mountain called Gerrizzim, though
without a name, they offered upon it the proper sacrifices. Now, upon
the just treatment of these wicked Jews, those that manage their
affairs, supposing that we were of kin to them, and practiced as they
do, make us liable to the same accusations, although we be originally
Sidonians, as is evident from the public records. We therefore beseech
thee, our benefactor and Savior, to give order to Apollonius, the
governor of this part of the country, and to Nicanor, the procurator of
thy affairs, to give us no disturbance, nor to lay to our charge what
the Jews are accused for, since we are aliens from their nation, and
from their customs; but let our temple, which at present hath no name at
all be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius. If this were once done, we
should be no longer disturbed, but should be more intent on our own
occupation with quietness, and so bring in a greater revenue to thee."
When the Samaritans had petitioned for this, the king sent them back the
following answer, in an epistle: "King Antiochus to Nicanor. The
Sidonians, who live at Shechem, have sent me the memorial enclosed. When
therefore we were advising with our friends about it, the messengers
sent by them represented to us that they are no way concerned with
accusations which belong to the Jews, but choose to live after the
customs of the Greeks. Accordingly, we declare them free from such
accusations, and order that, agreeable to their petition, their temple
be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius." He also sent the like epistle
to Apollonius, the governor of that part of the country, in the forty-
sixth year, and the eighteenth day of the month Hecatorabeom.
the high priesthood to Jesus his brother; for that son which Onias left
[or Onias IV.] was yet but an infant; and, in its proper place, we will
inform the reader of all the circumstances that befell this child. But
this Jesus, who was the brother of Onias, was deprived of the high
priesthood by the king, who was angry with him, and gave it to his
younger brother, whose name also was Onias; for Simon had these three
sons, to each of which the priesthood came, as we have already informed
the reader. This Jesus changed his name to Jason, but Onias was called
Menelaus. Now as the former high priest, Jesus, raised a sedition
against Menelaus, who was ordained after him, the multitude were divided
between them both. And the sons of Tobias took the part of Menelaus, but
the greater part of the people assisted Jason; and by that means
Menelaus and the sons of Tobias were distressed, and retired to
Antiochus, and informed him that they were desirous to leave the laws of
their country, and the Jewish way of living according to them, and to
follow the king's laws, and the Grecian way of living. Wherefore they
desired his permission to build them a Gymnasium at Jerusalem. 15 And
when he had given them leave, they also hid the circumcision of their
genitals, that even when they were naked they might appear to be Greeks.
Accordingly, they left off all the customs that belonged to their own
country, and imitated the practices of the other nations.
2. Now Antiochus, upon the agreeable situation of the affairs of his
kingdom, resolved to make an expedition against Egypt, both because he
had a desire to gain it, and because he contemned the son of Ptolemy, as
now weak, and not yet of abilities to manage affairs of such
consequence; so he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented
Ptolemy Philometor by treachery, and seized upon Egypt. He then came to
the places about Memphis; and when he had taken them, he made haste to
Alexandria, in hopes of taking it by siege, and of subduing Ptolemy, who
reigned there. But he was driven not only from Alexandria, but out of
all Egypt, by the declaration of the Romans, who charged him to let that
country alone; according as I have elsewhere formerly declared. I will
now give a particular account of what concerns this king, how he subdued
Judea and the temple; for in my former work I mentioned those things
very briefly, and have therefore now thought it necessary to go over
that history again, and that with great accuracy.
3. King Antiochus returning out of Egypt 16 for fear of the Romans, made
an expedition against the city Jerusalem; and when he was there, in the
hundred and forty-third year of the kingdom of the Seleucidse, he took
the city without fighting, those of his own party opening the gates to
him. And when he had gotten possession of Jerusalem, he slew many of the
opposite party; and when he had plundered it of a great deal of money,
he returned to Antioch.
4. Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred forty and fifth
year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called
Chasleu, and by the Macedonians Apelleus, in the hundred and fifty-third
olympiad, that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he
got possession of the city by treachery; at which time he spared not so
much as those that admitted him into it, on account of the riches that
lay in the temple; but, led by his covetous inclination, [for he saw
there was in it a great deal of gold, and many ornaments that had been
dedicated to it of very great value,] and in order to plunder its
wealth, he ventured to break the league he had made. So he left the
temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar
[of incense], and table [of shew-bread], and the altar [of burnt-
offering]; and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of
fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and
left nothing at all remaining; and by this means cast the Jews into
great lamentation, for he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices
which they used to offer to God, according to the law. And when he had
pillaged the whole city, some of the inhabitants he slew, and some he
carried captive, together with their wives and children, so that the
multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to about ten
thousand. He also burnt down the finest buildings; and when he had
overthrown the city walls, he built a citadel in the lower part of the
city, 17 for the place was high, and overlooked the temple; on which
account he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into it a
garrison of Macedonians. However, in that citadel dwelt the impious and
wicked part of the [Jewish] multitude, from whom it proved that the
citizens suffered many and sore calamities. And when the king had built
an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a
sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship
in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which
they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and
made them build temples, and raise idol altars in every city and
village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not
to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be
found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers,
who should compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many Jews
there were who complied with the king's commands, either voluntarily, or
out of fear of the penalty that was denounced. But the best men, and
those of the noblest souls, did not regard him, but did pay a greater
respect to the customs of their country than concern as to the
punishment which he threatened to the disobedient; on which account they
every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were
whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were
crucified, while they were still alive, and breathed. They also
strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the
king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were
upon the crosses. And if there were any sacred book of the law found, it
was destroyed, and those with whom they were found miserably perished
also.
5. When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no
longer confessed that they were of their kindred, nor that the temple on
Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God. This was according to their
nature, as we have already shown. And they now said that they were a
colony of Medes and Persians; and indeed they were a colony of theirs.
So they sent ambassadors to Antiochus, and an epistle, whose contents
are these: "To king Antiochus the god, Epiphanes, a memorial from the
Sidonians, who live at Shechem. Our forefathers, upon certain frequent
plagues, and as following a certain ancient superstition, had a custom
of observing that day which by the Jews is called the Sabbath. 18 And
when they had erected a temple at the mountain called Gerrizzim, though
without a name, they offered upon it the proper sacrifices. Now, upon
the just treatment of these wicked Jews, those that manage their
affairs, supposing that we were of kin to them, and practiced as they
do, make us liable to the same accusations, although we be originally
Sidonians, as is evident from the public records. We therefore beseech
thee, our benefactor and Savior, to give order to Apollonius, the
governor of this part of the country, and to Nicanor, the procurator of
thy affairs, to give us no disturbance, nor to lay to our charge what
the Jews are accused for, since we are aliens from their nation, and
from their customs; but let our temple, which at present hath no name at
all be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius. If this were once done, we
should be no longer disturbed, but should be more intent on our own
occupation with quietness, and so bring in a greater revenue to thee."
When the Samaritans had petitioned for this, the king sent them back the
following answer, in an epistle: "King Antiochus to Nicanor. The
Sidonians, who live at Shechem, have sent me the memorial enclosed. When
therefore we were advising with our friends about it, the messengers
sent by them represented to us that they are no way concerned with
accusations which belong to the Jews, but choose to live after the
customs of the Greeks. Accordingly, we declare them free from such
accusations, and order that, agreeable to their petition, their temple
be named the Temple of Jupiter Hellenius." He also sent the like epistle
to Apollonius, the governor of that part of the country, in the forty-
sixth year, and the eighteenth day of the month Hecatorabeom.