2 Maccabees 3:1–40

¹ When the holy city was inhabited with unbroken peace and the laws were kept very well because of the godliness of Onias the high priest and his hatred of wickedness, (WEB) ² it came to pass that even the kings themselves honored the place and glorified the temple with the noblest presents, (WEB) ³ so that even King Seleucus of Asia bore all the costs belonging to the services of the sacrifices out of his own revenues. (WEB) ⁴ But a man named Simon of the tribe of Benjamin, having been made guardian of the temple, disagreed with the high priest about the ruling of the market in the city. (WEB) ⁵ When he couldn’t overcome Onias, he went to Apollonius of Tarsus, who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. (WEB) ⁶ He brought him word how that the treasury in Jerusalem 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. (WEB) ⁷ When Apollonius met the king, he informed him of the money about which he had been told. So the king appointed Heliodorus, who was his chancellor, and sent him with a command to accomplish the removal of the reported money. (WEB) ⁸ So Heliodorus set out on his journey at once, ostensibly to visit the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in fact to execute the king’s purpose. (WEB) ⁹ When he had come to 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 had come; and he inquired if in truth these things were so. (WEB) ¹⁰ The high priest explained to him that there were in the treasury deposits of widows and orphans, (WEB) ¹¹ and moreover some money belonging to Hyrcanus the son of Tobias, a man in very high place, not as that impious Simon falsely alleged; and that in all there were four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold, (WEB) ¹² and that it was altogether impossible that wrong should be done to those who had put trust in the holiness of the place, and in the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honored over all the world. (WEB) ¹³ But Heliodorus, because of the king’s command given him, said that in any case this money must be confiscated for the king’s treasury. (WEB) ¹⁴ So having appointed a day, he entered in to direct the inquiry concerning these matters; and there was no small distress throughout the whole city. (WEB) ¹⁵ The priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priestly garments, and called toward heaven upon him who gave the law concerning deposits, that he should preserve these treasures safe for those who had deposited them. (WEB) ¹⁶ Wh… (WEB)