Page 1242 - bible

1236 Second Book of Machabees

priesthood, Lysimachus, his brother, succeeding: in the same place wherein he had committed the
and Sostratus alas made governor of the Cypri- impiety against Onias, the sacrilegious wretch
ans. should be put to death, the Lord repaying him
30 When these things were in doing, it fell his deserved punishment.
out that they of Tharsus, and Mallos, raised a 39 Now when many sacrileges had been com-
sedition, because they were given for a gift to mitted by Lysimachus in the temple, by the
Antiochus, the king’s concubine. counsel of Menelaus, and the rumour of it was
31 The king, therefore, went in all haste to spread abroad, the multitude gathered them-
appease them, leaving Andronicus, one of his no- selves together against Lysimachus, a great
bles, for his deputy. quantity of gold being already carried away.
32 Then Menelaus supposing that he had 40 Wherefore the multitude making an insur-
found a convenient time, having stolen certain rection, and their minds being filled with anger,
vessels of gold out of the temple, gave them to Lysimachus armed about three thousand men,
Andronicus, and others he had sold at Tyre, and and began to use violence, one Tyrannus being
in the neighbouring cities: captain, a man far gone both in age and in mad-
33 Which when Onias understood most cer- ness.
tainly, he reproved him, keeping himself in a safe 41 But when they perceived the attempt of
place at Antioch, beside Daphne. Lysimachus, some caught up stones, some strong
34 Whereupon Menelaus coming to Andron- clubs, and some threw ashes upon Lysimachus.
icus, desired him to kill Onias. And he went 42 And many of them were wounded, and
to Onias, and gave him his right hand with an some struck down to the ground, but all were
oath, and (though he were suspected by him) put to flight: and as for the sacrilegious fellow
persuaded him to come forth out of the sanc- himself, they slew him beside the treasury.
tuary, and immediately slew him, without any 43 Now concerning these matters, an accusa-
regard to justice. tion was laid against Menelaus.
35 For which cause not only the Jews, but also 44 And when the king was come to Tyre, three
the other nations, conceived indignation, and men were sent from the ancients to plead the
were much grieved for the unjust murder of so cause before him.
great a man. 45 But Menelaus being convicted, promised
36 And when the king was come back from the Ptolemee to give him much money to persuade
places of Cilicia, the Jews that were at Antioch, the king to favour him.
and also the Greeks, went to him: complaining 46 So Ptolemee went to the king in a certain
of the unjust murder of Onias. court where he was, as it were to cool himself,
37 Antiochus, therefore, was grieved in his and brought him to be of another mind:
mind for Onias, and being moved to pity, shed 47 So Menelaus, who was guilty of all the evil,
tears, remembering the sobriety and modesty of was acquitted by him of the accusations: and
the deceased. those poor men, who, if they had pleaded their
38 And being inflamed to anger, he com- cause even before Scythians, should have been
manded Andronicus to be stripped of his purple, judged innocent, were condemned to death.
and to be led about through all the city: and that 48 Thus they that persecuted the cause for the