2. Makkabeler 3

¹Kutsal kent tam bir barış içinde iskan edilirken, başkâhin Onias'ın dindarlığı ve kötülüğe karşı duyduğu derin ahlaki tiksinti sayesinde yasalar en etkin şekilde korunmaktaydı.

²Bu durum karşısında kralların kendileri bile bu kutsal mekana saygı gösterir, tapınağı en seçkin resmi bağışlar ve elçilik heyetleriyle onurlandırıp yüceltirlerdi.

³Öyle ki, Asya Kralı Selefkos bile kurban ibadetlerinin yerine getirilmesi için gereken tüm resmi masrafları kendi kişisel gelirlerinden karşılamaktaydı.

⁴Ancak Benyamin oymağından olan ve tapınağın idari sorumluluğuna atanmış bulunan Simon adındaki bir adam, kentteki pazar yerinin denetimi konusunda başkâhinle anlaşmazlığa düştü.

⁵Onias'ı alt etmeyi başaramayınca, o dönemde Koile-Suriye ve Fenike genel valisi olan Traseas oğlu Apollonios'un yanına gitti.

⁶Ona, Yeruşalim'deki tapınak hazinesinin kelimelerle tarif edilemeyecek miktarda parayla dolu olduğunu, bu zenginliklerin kurbanların bütçe hesabına dahil olmadığını ve tüm bu servetin kralın denetimi altına geçmesinin mümkün olduğunu ihbar etti.

⁷Apollonios kralın huzuruna çıkıp kendisine ihbar edilen bu paralar hakkında bilgi verince, kral devlet işlerinin başındaki genel yöneticisi Heliodoros'u görevlendirip, sözü edilen paraları müsadere edip getirmesi talimatıyla onu gönderdi.

⁸Heliodoros, görünüşte Koile-Suriye ve Fenike kentlerini teftiş etmek amacıyla, gerçekte ise kralın bu buyruğunu yerine getirmek üzere hemen yola çıktı.

⁹Yeruşalim'e varıp kentin başkâhini tarafından dostça kabul edilince, kendisine yapılan ihbardan söz edip geliş amacını açıkladı ve bu durumun gerçekten doğru olup olmadığını sordu.

¹⁰Başkâhin ise bu paraların dulların ve yetimlerin geri alınmak üzere bıraktığı kutsal emanetler olduğunu açıkladı.

¹¹Ayrıca bu paraların bir kısmının, o saygısız Simon'un iftira attığı gibi olmayıp, çok yüksek mevkide bulunan seçkin bir adam olan Tobias oğlu Hyrkanos'a ait olduğunu, toplamda ise sadece dört yüz talant gümüş ve iki yüz talant altın bulunduğunu belirtti.

¹²Bu kutsal mekanın saygınlığına, tüm dünyada onurlandırılan tapınağın yüceliğine ve dokunulmazlık hakkına güvenip buraya sığınan insanlara haksızlık edilmesinin kesinlikle imkansız olduğunu ekledi.

¹³Ancak Heliodoros, aldığı kraliyet buyrukları gereği, bu paraların her halükarda kraliyet hazinesine aktarılması gerektiğini söyledi.

¹⁴Belirlediği günde, bu konuya dair resmi teftişi gerçekleştirmek üzere içeri girdi; bu durum tüm kentte büyük bir kaygı ve korkuya yol açtı.

¹⁵Kâhinler, resmi tören giysileri içinde sunağın önünde kendilerini yere atarak, emanetler hakkında yasa koymuş olan Tanrı'ya, bunları emanet edenler için sapasağlam koruması için göğe yakardılar.

¹⁶Başkâhinin çehresine bakan birinin zihni acıyla yaralanırdı; çünkü onun yüz ifadesi ve renginin değişmesi, ruhundaki derin kaygıyı ele veriyordu.

¹⁷Adamın bedenini öyle bir korku ve ürperti kaplamıştı ki, onu görenler yüreğindeki derin kederi açıkça anlayabiliyordu.

¹⁸İnsanlar, tapınağın hiçe sayılıp aşağılanmak üzere olduğunu görerek, topluca yakarmak için evlerinden gruplar halinde dışarı fırladılar.

¹⁹Kadınlar göğüslerinin altına yas çulu kuşanmış halde sokakları doldurdu; evlerde kapalı tutulan genç kızların kimi kapılara, kimi surlara koştu, kimileri de pencerelerden dışarı bakıyordu.

²⁰Hepsi ellerini göğe doğru uzatarak toplu yakarışta bulunuyorlardı.

²¹Halkın karmakarışık bir halde yere kapanışını ve büyük bir kaygı içindeki başkâhinin bekleyişini görmek yürek parçalayıcıydı.

²²Onlar, her şeye gücü yeten Tanrı'ya, kendilerine güvenilerek teslim edilen emanetleri, emanet edenler için tam bir güvenlik içinde sapasağlam koruması için yakarıyorlardı.

²³Heliodoros ise kararlaştırılmış olan buyruğu uygulamaya koyuldu.

²⁴Muhafızlarıyla birlikte tapınak hazinesinin önünde hazır bulunduğu sırada, atalarımızın Rabbi ve her gücün Egemeni öyle büyük bir görüm gerçekleştirdi ki, onunla birlikte içeri girmeye cüret edenlerin hepsi Tanrı'nın gücü karşısında dehşete düşerek halsiz kaldı ve korkudan titredi.

²⁵Çünkü üzerindeki binicisiyle korku salan ve çok görkemli koşumlarla süslenmiş bir at belirdi; hızla koşarak ön nallarıyla Heliodoros'a saldırdı; atın üzerindeki binicinin altın bir zırh kuşandığı görülüyordu.

²⁶Ayrıca onun önünde, güçleriyle olağanüstü, görkemleriyle çok güzel ve giysileriyle göz kamaştırıcı iki genç belirdi; Heliodoros'un her iki yanında durarak onu durmaksızın kamçıladılar ve ona birçok darbe indirdiler.

²⁷Heliodoros aniden yere düştü ve derin bir karanlıkla sarmalandı; yanındakiler onu hemen yakalayıp bir sedyeye koydular.

²⁸Az önce büyük bir kalabalık ve muhafız ordusuyla sözü edilen hazine dairesine giren bu adamı, kendi kendine yardım edemez bir halde dışarı taşıdılar ve Tanrı'nın gücünü açıkça kabul ettiler.

²⁹O, ilahi güç nedeniyle dilsiz kalmış, tüm umut ve kurtuluş olanaklarından yoksun bir halde yerde serilmiş yatıyordu.

³⁰Diğerleri ise kendi tapınağını mucizevi bir şekilde yücelten Rab'be övgüler sunuyorlardı; az önce korku ve kargaşayla dolu olan tapınak, her şeye gücü yeten Rab'bin belirmesiyle sevinç ve coşkuyla dolmuştu.

³¹Heliodoros'un yakınlarından bazıları hemen Onias'a yalvararak, son nefesini vermek üzere olan bu adama yaşamını bağışlaması için Yüceler Yücesi'ne yakarmasını istediler.

³²Başkâhin, kralın Yahudiler tarafından Heliodoros'a karşı bir kötülük yapıldığından şüphelenmesinden korkarak, adamın sağlığı için bir kurban sundu.

³³Başkâhin günahları bağışlatma törenini yaparken, aynı gençler aynı giysiler içinde yeniden Heliodoros'a göründüler ve yanında durarak şöyle dediler: "Başkâhin Onias'a çok minnettar ol, çünkü Rab onun hatırına sana yaşamını bağışladı.

³⁴Sen ise O'nun tarafından kamçılanmış biri olarak, Tanrı'nın yüce gücünü herkese bildir." Bunları söyledikten sonra gözden kayboldular.

³⁵Heliodoros, Rab'be bir kurban sunup kendisine yaşamını bağışlayana büyük adaklar adadıktan ve Onias'la vedalaştıktan sonra ordusuyla birlikte kralın yanına döndü.

³⁶Kendi gözleriyle gördüğü yüce Tanrı'nın işlerine herkesin önünde tanıklık etti.

³⁷Kral, Heliodoros'a Yeruşalim'e bir kez daha gönderilmeye kimin uygun olacağını sorduğunda, Heliodoros şöyle yanıt verdi:

³⁸"Eğer bir düşmanın ya da devletine karşı komplo kuran biri varsa, onu oraya gönder; eğer canını kurtarabilirse, onu iyice kamçılanmış olarak geri alırsın; çünkü o yerde gerçekten Tanrı'nın özel bir gücü vardır.

³⁹Göklerde konutu olan O Kendisi, o yeri gözetir ve korur; oraya zarar vermeye gelenleri ise vurup yok eder."

⁴⁰Heliodoros'un ve tapınak hazinesinin korunmasının öyküsü bu şekilde sonuçlandı.

¹ΤΗΣ ἁγίας τοίνυν πόλεως κατοικουμένης μετὰ πάσης εἰρήνης καὶ τῶν νόμων ἔτι κάλλιστα συντηρουμένων διὰ τὴν ᾿Ονίου τοῦ ἀρχιερέως εὐσέβειάν τε καὶ μισοπονηρίαν,

²συνέβαινε καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς βασιλεῖς τιμᾶν τὸν τόπον, καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἀποστολαῖς ταῖς κρατίσταις δοξάζειν,

³ὥστε καὶ Σέλευκον τὸν τῆς ᾿Ασίας βασιλέα χορηγεῖν ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων προσόδων πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὰς λειτουργίας τῶν θυσιῶν ἐπιβάλλοντα δαπανήματα.

⁴Σίμων δέ τις ἐκ τῆς Βενιαμὶν φυλῆς προστάτης τοῦ ἱεροῦ καθεσταμένος διηνέχθη τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἀγορανομίας·

⁵καὶ νικῆσαι τὸν ᾿Ονίαν μὴ δυνάμενος, ἦλθε πρὸς ᾿Απολλώνιον Θρασαίου τὸν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον τὸ καιρὸν Κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης στρατηγὸν

⁶καὶ προσήγγειλε περὶ τοῦ χρημάτων ἀμυθήτων γέμειν τὸ ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις γαζοφυλάκιον, ὥστε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν διαφόρων ἐναρίθμητον εἶναι, καὶ μὴ προσήκειν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν τῶν θυσιῶν λόγον, εἶναι δὲ δυνατὸν ὑπὸ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐξουσίαν πεσεῖν ἅπαντα ταῦτα.

⁷συμμείξας δὲ ὁ ᾿Απολλώνιος τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τῶν μηνυθέντων αὐτῷ χρημάτων ἐνεφάνισεν· ὁ δὲ προχειρισάμενος ῾Ηλιόδωρον τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπέστειλε δοὺς ἐντολὰς τὴν τῶν προειρημένων χρημάτων ἐκκομιδὴν ποιήσασθαι.

⁸εὐθέως δὲ ὁ ῾Ηλιόδωρος ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν, τῇ μὲν ἐμφάσει ὡς τὰς κατὰ Κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην πόλεις ἐφοδεύσων, τῷ πράγματι δὲ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως πρόθεσιν ἐπιτελέσων.

⁹παραγενηθεὶς δὲ εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα καὶ φιλοφρόνως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τῆς πόλεως ἀποδεχθείς, ἀνέθετο περὶ τοῦ γεγονότος ἐμφανισμοῦ, καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν πάρεστι διεσάφησεν· ἐπυνθάνετο δέ, εἰ ταῖς ἀληθείας ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχοντα τυγχάνει.

¹⁰τοῦ δὲ ἀρχιερέως ὑποδείξαντος παραθήκας εἶναι χηρῶν τε καὶ ὀρφανῶν,

¹¹τινὰ δὲ καὶ ῾Υρκανοῦ τοῦ Τωβίου σφόδρα ἀνδρὸς ἐν ὑπεροχῇ κειμένου —οὐχ ὥσπερ ἦν διαβάλλων ὁ δυσεβὴς Σίμων— τὰ δὲ πάντα ἀργυρίου τετρακόσια τάλαντα, χρυσίου δὲ διακόσια·

¹²ἀδικηθῆναι δὲ τοὺς πεπιστευκότας τῇ τοῦ τόπου ἁγιωσύνῃ καὶ τῇ τοῦ τετιμημένου κατὰ τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμον ἱεροῦ σεμνότητι καὶ ἀσυλίᾳ παντελῶς ἀμήχανον εἶναι.

¹³ὁ δὲ ῾Ηλιόδωρος, δι᾿ ἃς εἶχε βασιλικὰς ἐντολάς, πάντως ἔλεγεν εἰς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀναληπτέα ταῦτα εἶναι.

¹⁴ταξάμενος δὲ ἡμέραν εἰσήει τὴν περὶ τούτων ἐπίσκεψιν οἰκονομήσων· ἦν δὲ οὐ μικρὰ καθ᾿ ὅλην τὴν πόλιν ἀγωνία.

¹⁵οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς πρὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἐν ταῖς ἱερατικαῖς στολαῖς ῥίψαντες ἑαυτούς, ἐπεκαλοῦντο εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸν περὶ παραθήκης νομοθετήσαντα τοῖς παρακαταθεμένοις ταῦτα σῷα διαφυλάξαι.

¹⁶ἦν δὲ ὁρῶντα τὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἰδέαν τιτρώσκεσθαι τὴν διάνοιαν· ἡ γὰρ ὄψις καὶ τὸ τῆς χρόας παρηλλαγμένον ἐνέφαινε τὴν κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀγωνίαν.

¹⁷περιεκέχυτο γὰρ περὶ τὸν ἄνδρα δέος τι καὶ φρικασμὸς σώματος, δι᾿ ὧν πρόδηλον ἐγίνετο τοῖς θεωροῦσι τὸ κατὰ καρδίαν ἐνεστὸς ἄλγος.

¹⁸οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν ἀγεληδὸν ἐξεπήδων ἐπὶ πάνδημον ἱκετείαν, διὰ τὸ μέλλειν εἰς καταφρόνησιν ἔρχεσθαι τὸν τόπον.

¹⁹ὑπεζωσμέναι δὲ ὑπὸ τοὺς μαστοὺς αἱ γυναῖκες σάκκους κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς ἐπλήθυον· αἱ δὲ κατάκλειστοι τῶν παρθένων, αἱ μὲν συνέτρεχον ἐπὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας, αἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη, τινὲς δὲ διὰ τῶν θυρίδων διεξέκυπτον·

²⁰πᾶσαι δὲ προτείνουσαι τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐποιοῦντο τὴν λιτανείαν·

²¹ἐλεεῖν δ᾿ ἦν τὴν τοῦ πλήθους παμμιγῆ πρόπτωσιν τήν τε τοῦ μεγάλου διαγωνιῶντος ἀρχιερέως προσδοκίαν.

²²οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπεκαλοῦντο τὸν παντοκράτορα Θεὸν τὰ πεπιστευμένα τοῖς πεπιστευκόσι σῶα διαφυλάσσειν μετὰ πάσης ἀσφαλείας,

²³ὁ δὲ ῾Ηλιόδωρος τὸ διεγνωσμένον ἐπετέλει.

²⁴αὐτόθι δὲ αὐτοῦ σὺν τοῖς δορυφόροις κατὰ τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον ἤδη παρόντος, ὁ τῶν πατέρων Κύριος καὶ πάσης ἐξουσίας δυνάστης ἐπιφάνειαν μεγάλην ἐποίησεν, ὥστε πάντας τοὺς κατοτολμήσαντας συνελθεῖν, καταπλαγέντας τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν, εἰς ἔκλυσιν καὶ δειλίαν τραπῆναι.

²⁵ὤφθη γάρ τις ἵππος αὐτοῖς φοβερὸν ἔχων τὸν ἐπιβάτην καὶ καλλίστῃ σαγῇ διακεκοσμημένος, φερόμενος δὲ ρύδην ἐνέσεισε τῷ ῾Ηλιοδώρῳ τὰς ἐμπροσθίους ὁπλάς· ὁ δὲ ἐπικαθήμενος ἐφαίνετο χρυσῆν πανοπλίαν ἔχων.

²⁶ἕτεροι δὲ δύο προεφάνησαν αὐτῷ νεανίαι τῇ ρώμῃ μὲν ἐκπρεπεῖς, κάλλιστοι δὲ τῇ δόξῃ, διαπρεπεῖς δὲ τὴν περιβολήν, οἳ καὶ παραστάντες ἐξ ἑκατέρου μέρους ἐμαστίγουν αὐτὸν ἀδιαλείπτως, πολλὰς ἐπιρριπτοῦντες αὐτῷ πληγάς.

²⁷ἄφνω δὲ πεσόντα πρὸς τὴν γῆν καὶ πολλῷ σκότει περιχυθέντα συναρπάσαντες καὶ εἰς φορεῖον ἐνθέντες

²⁸τὸν ἄρτι μετὰ πολλῆς παραδρομῆς καὶ πάσης δορυφορίας εἰς τὸ προειρημένον εἰσελθόντα γαζοφυλάκιον ἔφερον ἀβοήθητον ἑαυτῷ καθεστῶτα, φανερῶς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναστείαν ἐπεγνωκότες.

²⁹καὶ ὁ μὲν διὰ τὴν θείαν ἐνέργειαν ἄφωνος καὶ πάσης ἐστερημένος ἐλπίδος καὶ σωτηρίας ἔρριπτο,

³⁰οἱ δὲ τὸν Κύριον εὐλόγουν τὸν παραδοξάζοντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον, καὶ τὸ μικρῷ πρότερον δέους καὶ ταραχῆς γέμον ἱερὸν τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἐπιφανέντος Κυρίου χαρᾶς καὶ εὐφροσύνης ἐπεπλήρωτο.

³¹ταχὺ δέ τινες τῶν τοῦ ῾Ηλιοδώρου συνήθων ἠξίουν τὸν ᾿Ονίαν ἐπικαλέσασθαι τὸν ῞Υψιστον καὶ τὸ ζῆν χαρίσασθαι τῷ παντελῶς ἐν ἐσχάτῃ πνοῇ κειμένῳ.

³²ὕποπτος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς, μήποτε διάληψιν ὁ βασιλεὺς σχῇ κακουργίαν τινὰ περὶ τὸν ῾Ηλιόδωρον ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων συντετελέσθαι, προσήγαγε θυσίαν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς σωτηρίας.

³³ποιουμένου δὲ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τὸν ἱλασμόν, οἱ αὐτοὶ νεανίαι πάλιν ἐνεφάνησαν τῷ ῾Ηλιοδώρῳ ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς ἐσθήσεσιν ἐστολισμένοι καὶ στάντες εἶπον· πολλὰς τῷ ᾿Ονίᾳ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ χάριτας ἔχε, διὰ γὰρ αὐτόν σοι κεχάρισται τὸ ζῆν ὁ Κύριος·

³⁴σὺ δὲ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ μεμαστιγωμένος διάγγελλε πᾶσι τὸ μεγαλεῖον τοῦ Θεοῦ κράτος. ταῦτα δὲ εἰπόντες ἀφανεῖς ἐγένοντο.

³⁵ὁ δὲ ῾Ηλιόδωρος θυσίαν ἀνενέγκας τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ εὐχὰς μεγίστας εὐξάμενος τῷ τὸ ζῆν περιποιήσαντι καὶ τὸν ᾿Ονίαν ἀποδεξάμενος, ἀνεστρατοπέδευσε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα.

³⁶ἐξεμαρτύρει δὲ πᾶσιν ἅπερ ἦν ὑπ᾿ ὄψιν τεθεαμένος ἔργα τοῦ μεγίστου Θεοῦ.

³⁷τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἐπερωτήσαντος τὸν ῾Ηλιόδωρον ποῖός τις εἴη ἐπιτήδειος ἔτι ἅπαξ διαπεμφθῆναι εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα, ἔφησεν·

³⁸εἴ τινα ἔχεις πολέμιον ἢ πραγμάτων ἐπίβουλον, πέμψον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεμαστιγωμένον αὐτὸν προσδέξῃ, ἐάν περ καὶ διασωθείη, διὰ τὸ περὶ τὸν τόπον ἀληθῶς εἶναί τινα Θεοῦ δύναμιν·

³⁹αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ τὴν κατοικίαν ἐπουράνιον ἔχων, ἐπόπτης ἐστὶ καὶ βοηθὸς ἐκείνου τοῦ τόπου καὶ τοὺς παραγινομένους ἐπὶ κακώσει τύπτων ἀπόλλυσι.

⁴⁰καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ ῾Ηλιόδωρον καὶ τὴν τοῦ γαζοφυλακίου τήρησιν οὕτως ἐχώρησεν.

¹Now when the holy city was inhabited with all peace, and the laws were kept very well, because of the godliness of Onias the high priest, and his hatred of wickedness,

²It came to pass that even the kings themselves did honour the place, and magnify the temple with their best gifts;

³Insomuch that Seleucus of Asia of his own revenues bare all the costs belonging to the service of the sacrifices.

⁴But one Simon of the tribe of Benjamin, who was made governor of the temple, fell out with the high priest about disorder in the city.

⁵And when he could not overcome Onias, he gat him to Apollonius the son of Thraseas, who then was governor of Celosyria and Phenice,

⁶And told him that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of infinite sums of money, so that the multitude of their riches, which did not pertain to the account of the sacrifices, was innumerable, and that it was possible to bring all into the king’s hand.

⁷Now when Apollonius came to the king, and had shewed him of the money whereof he was told, the king chose out Heliodorus his treasurer, and sent him with a commandment to bring him the foresaid money.

⁸So forthwith Heliodorus took his journey; under a colour of visiting the cities of Celosyria and Phenice, but indeed to fulfil the king’s purpose.

⁹And when he was come to Jerusalem, and had been courteously received of the high priest of the city, he told him what intelligence was given of the money, and declared wherefore he came, and asked if these things were so indeed.

¹⁰Then the high priest told him that there was such money laid up for the relief of widows and fatherless children:

¹¹And that some of it belonged to Hircanus son of Tobias, a man of great dignity, and not as that wicked Simon had misinformed: the sum whereof in all was four hundred talents of silver, and two hundred of gold:

¹²And that it was altogether impossible that such wrongs should be done unto them, that had committed it to the holiness of the place, and to the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honoured over all the world.

¹³But Heliodorus, because of the king’s commandment given him, said, That in any wise it must be brought into the king’s treasury.

¹⁴So at the day which he appointed he entered in to order this matter: wherefore there was no small agony throughout the whole city.

¹⁵But the priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priests’ vestments, called unto heaven upon him that made a law concerning things given to be kept, that they should safely be preserved for such as had committed them to be kept.

¹⁶Then whoso had looked the high priest in the face, it would have wounded his heart: for his countenance and the changing of his colour declared the inward agony of his mind.

¹⁷For the man was so compassed with fear and horror of the body, that it was manifest to them that looked upon him, what sorrow he had now in his heart.

¹⁸Others ran flocking out of their houses to the general supplication, because the place was like to come into contempt.

¹⁹And the women, girt with sackcloth under their breasts, abounded in the streets, and the virgins that were kept in ran, some to the gates, and some to the walls, and others looked out of the windows.

²⁰And all, holding their hands toward heaven, made supplication.

²¹Then it would have pitied a man to see the falling down of the multitude of all sorts, and the fear of the high priest being in such an agony.

²²They then called upon the Almighty Lord to keep the things committed of trust safe and sure for those that had committed them.

²³Nevertheless Heliodorus executed that which was decreed.

²⁴Now as he was there present himself with his guard about the treasury, the Lord of spirits, and the Prince of all power, caused a great apparition, so that all that presumed to come in with him were astonished at the power of God, and fainted, and were sore afraid.

²⁵For there appeared unto them an horse with a terrible rider upon him, and adorned with a very fair covering, and he ran fiercely, and smote at Heliodorus with his forefeet, and it seemed that he that sat upon the horse had complete harness of gold.

²⁶Moreover two other young men appeared before him, notable in strength, excellent in beauty, and comely in apparel, who stood by him on either side; and scourged him continually, and gave him many sore stripes.

²⁷And Heliodorus fell suddenly unto the ground, and was compassed with great darkness: but they that were with him took him up, and put him into a litter.

²⁸Thus him, that lately came with a great train and with all his guard into the said treasury, they carried out, being unable to help himself with his weapons: and manifestly they acknowledged the power of God.

²⁹For he by the hand of God was cast down, and lay speechless without all hope of life.

³⁰But they praised the Lord, that had miraculously honoured his own place: for the temple; which a little afore was full of fear and trouble, when the Almighty Lord appeared, was filled with joy and gladness.

³¹Then straightways certain of Heliodorus’ friends prayed Onias, that he would call upon the most High to grant him his life, who lay ready to give up the ghost.

³²So the high priest, suspecting lest the king should misconceive that some treachery had been done to Heliodorus by the Jews, offered a sacrifice for the health of the man.

³³Now as the high priest was making an atonement, the same young men in the same clothing appeared and stood beside Heliodorus, saying, Give Onias the high priest great thanks, insomuch as for his sake the Lord hath granted thee life:

³⁴And seeing that thou hast been scourged from heaven, declare unto all men the mighty power of God. And when they had spoken these words, they appeared no more.

³⁵So Heliodorus, after he had offered sacrifice unto the Lord, and made great vows unto him that had saved his life, and saluted Onias, returned with his host to the king.

³⁶Then testified he to all men the works of the great God, which he had seen with his eyes.

³⁷And when the king Heliodorus, who might be a fit man to be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, he said,

³⁸If thou hast any enemy or traitor, send him thither, and thou shalt receive him well scourged, if he escape with his life: for in that place, no doubt; there is an especial power of God.

³⁹For he that dwelleth in heaven hath his eye on that place, and defendeth it; and he beateth and destroyeth them that come to hurt it.

⁴⁰And the things concerning Heliodorus, and the keeping of the treasury, fell out on this sort.