Open English Translation 4 MAC Chapter 4

4 Because a certain man named Shim’on (Simon), who was in opposition to an honourable and good man who once held the high priesthood for life, named Honyo (Onias). After slandering Honyo in every way, Shim’on couldn’t injure him with the people, so he went away as an exile, with the intention of betraying his country. 2 When coming to Apolonios, the military governor of Aram (Syria), Foinikai, and Kilikia, he said, 3 “Having good will to the king’s affairs, I’ve come to inform you that tens of thousands in private wealth is laid up in the treasuries of Yerushalem (Jerusalem) which don’t belong to the temple, but belong to King Seleukos.” 4 Apolonios, acquainting himself with the particulars of this, praised Shim’on for his care of the king’s interests, and going up to Seleukos informed him of the treasure. 5 Getting authority about it, and quickly advancing into our country with the accursed Shim’on and a very heavy force, 6 he said that he came with the king’s commands that he should take the private money of the treasury. 7 The nation, indignant at this declaration, and replying to the effect that it was extremely unfair that those who’d committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, resisted as well as they could. 8 But Apolonios went away with threats into the temple. 9 The priests, with the women and children, asked God to throw his shield over the holy, despised place, 10 and Apolonios was going up with his armed force to seize the treasure, when angels from heaven appeared riding on horseback, all radiant in armour, filling them with much fear and trembling. 11 Apolonios fell half dead on the courtyard which is open to all nations, and extended his hands to heaven, and implored the Ivrim (Hebrews), with tears, to pray for him, and take away the anger of the heavenly army. 12 Because he said that he’d sinned, so as to be consequently worthy of death, and that if he were saved, he’d declare to all people the blessedness of the holy place. 13 Honyo the high priest, induced by these words, although for other reasons anxious that King Seleukos wouldn’t suppose that Apolonios was slain by human device and not by Divine punishment, prayed for him; 14 and he being thus unexpectedly saved, departed to report to the king what had happened to him. 15 But on the death of Seleukos the king, his son Antiokos (Antiochus) Epifanes (Epiphanes) succeeded to the kingdom—a terrible man of arrogant pride.

16 He, having deposed Honyo (Onias) from the high priesthood, appointed his brother Yason to be high priest, 17 who’d made a covenant, if he’d give him this authority, to pay yearly three thousand and six hundred and sixty talents. 18 He committed to him the high priesthood and rulership over the nation. 19 He both changed the manner of living of the people, and perverted their civil customs into all lawlessness. 20 So that he not only erected a gymnasium on the very citadel of our country, but neglected the guardianship of the temple. 21 Because of that, Divine vengeance was grieved and instigated Antiokos himself against them. 22 Because being at war with Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) in Mitsrayim (Egypt), he heard that on a report of his death being spread abroad, the inhabitants of Yerushalem (Jerusalem) had greatly rejoiced, and he quickly marched against them. 23 Having subdued them, he established a decree that if any of them lived according to the ancestral laws, he should die. 24 When he could by no means destroy by his decrees the obedience to the law of the nation, but saw all his threats and punishments without effect, 25 for even women, because they continued to circumcise their children, were flung down a precipice along with them, knowing beforehand of the punishment. 26 When, therefore, his decrees were disregarded by the people, he himself compelled by means of tortures every one of this race, by tasting forbidden meats, to renounce the Jewish religion.