The .iii. Chapter.
1 Of the honour done vnto the temple by the kinges of the gentiles. 6 Simon vttereth what treasure is in the temple. 9 Heliodorus is sent to take them away. 26 He is striken of God, and healed at the prayer of Onias.
[unspec A] 1 WHat time as the ho∣ly citie was inhabi∣ted in all peace and wealth, and when the lawes were yet very well kept: for so was it ordeyned thorowe the godlinesse of Onias the hye prieste, and other godly men that were enemies to wickednesse,
2 It came therto, * 1.1 that euen the kinges and princes them selues dyd the place great worship, and garnished the temple with great giftes:
3 Insomuch that Seleucus king of Asia of his owne rentes bare all the coastes belonging to the seruice of the offringes.
4 Then * 1.2 Simon, of the tribe of Beniamin, ruler of the temple, vpon a variaunce risen betweene him & the hygh priest for wickednesse that was done in the citie,
5 For that he could not ouercome Onias, he gat him to * 1.3Apollonius the sonne of Thrasia, which then was chiefe Lorde in Celosyria and Phemces,
6 And tolde hym, that the treasurie in Hierusalem was full of innumerable money, & how that the common goodes whiche belongeth not vnto the offe∣ringes, were exceeding great also: yea and howe it were possible that all these might come vnder the kinges power.
7 Now when Apollonius had shewed the [unspec B] king of the money, as it was tolde him: the king called for Heliodorus his trea∣surer, and sent him with a commaunde∣ment to bring him the same money.
8 Immediatly Heliodorus toke his iour∣ney, but vnder a colour as though he woulde go thorowe Celosyria and Phe∣nices to visite the cities, but his purpose was to fulfill the kinges pleasure.
9 So when he came to Hierusalem, and was louingly receaued of the hye priest into the citie, he tolde what was deter∣mined concerning the money, and shew∣ed the cause of his comming: he asked al∣so if it were so in deede.
10 Then the hye priest tolde hym, that there was such money layed vp for the vpholding of wydowes and fatherlesse children,
11 And how that a certayne of it belonged vnto Hyrcanus the sonne of Tobias a noble man, & that of all the money (and not as that wicked Simon had repor∣ted) there were foure hundreth talentes of siluer, and two hundred of golde:
12 Yea & that it were vnpossible for those mens meaning to be disceaued that had put assured confidence in the holinesse of the place, & in the maiestie & vndoubted safetie of the temple, whiche is had in worship thorowe the whole worlde, for the mayntenaunce and honour of the same.
13 Whervnto Heliodorus aunswered, that the king had commaunded hym in any wyse to bring hym the money.
14 So at the day appoynted, Heliodorus [unspec C] entred into the temple to order this matter: wherefore there was no small feare throughout the whole citie.
15 The priestes fell downe before the aul∣ter in their vestmentes, and called vnto heauen vpon hym * 1.4 whiche had made a lawe concerning stuffe geuen to kepe that they shoulde be safely preserued for such as commited them vnto keping.
16 Then who so had loked the hye priest in the face, it woulde haue greeued his heart: for his countenaunce and the chaunging of his colour, declared the in∣warde sorowe of his mynde.
17 The man was all in heauinesse, and his body in feare: whereby they that lo∣ked vpon him, might perceaue the griefe of his heart.
18 The other people also came out of their houses by heapes vnto the common prayer, because the place was like to come into confusion.