3 When the holy city was inhabited with unbroken peace and the laws were kept very well because of the godliness of Honyo (Onias) the high priest and his hatred of wickedness, 2 it happened that even the kings themselves honoured the place and glorified the temple with the noblest presents, 3 so that even King Seleukos (Seleucus) of Asia bore all the costs belonging to the services of the sacrifices out of his own revenues. 4 But a man named Shim’on (Simon) of the tribe of Benyamin, having been made guardian of the temple, disagreed with the high priest about the ruling of the market in the city. 5 When he couldn’t overcome Honyo, he went to Apolonios of Tarsos,[fn] who at that time was governor of Coele-Syria and Foinikai. 6 He brought him word how that the treasury in Yerushalem was full of untold sums of money, so that the multitude of the funds was innumerable, and that they didn’t pertain to the account of the sacrifices, but that it was possible that these should fall under the king’s power. 7 When Apolonios met the king, he informed him of the money about which he’d been told. So the king appointed Heliodoros, who was his chancellor, and sent him with a command to accomplish the removal of the reported money. 8 So Heliodoros set out on his journey at once, ostensibly to visit the cities of Coele-Syria and Foinikai, but in fact to execute the king’s purpose.

9 When he’d come to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and had been courteously received by the high priest of the city, he told him about the information which had been given, and declared why he’d come; and he enquired if in truth these things were so. 10 The high priest explained to him that there were in the treasury deposits of widows and orphans, 11 and moreover some money belonging to Hurkanos the son of Toviyah (Tobias), a man in very high place, not as that impious Shim’on falsely alleged; and that in all there were four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold, 12 and that it was altogether impossible that wrong should be done to those who’d put trust in the holiness of the place, and in the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honoured over all the world. 13 But Heliodoros, because of the king’s command given him, said that in any case this money must be confiscated for the king’s treasury.

14 So having appointed a day, he entered in to direct the enquiry about these matters; and there was no small distress throughout the whole city. 15 The priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priestly clothes, and called towards heaven on him who gave the law about deposits, that he should preserve these treasures safe for those who’d deposited them. 16 Anyone who saw the appearance of the high priest was wounded in mind; for his face and the change of his colour betrayed the distress of his soul. 17 Because a terror and a shuddering of the body had come over the man, by which the pain that was in his heart was plainly shown to those who looked at him. 18 Those who were in the houses rushed out in crowds to make a universal supplication, because the place was about to come into dishonour. 19 The women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets. The virgins who were kept indoors ran together, some to the gates, others to the walls, and some looked out through the windows. 20 All, stretching out their hands towards heaven, made their solemn supplication. 21 Then it was pitiful to see the multitude prostrating themselves all mixed together, and the anxiety of the high priest in his great distress.