1
For a certain man named Simon, who was in opposition to Onias, who once held the high priesthood for life, and was an honourable and good man, after that by slandering him in every way, he could not injure him with the people, went away as an exile, with the intention of betraying his country.
2
Whence coming to Apollonius, the military governor of Syria, and Phoenicia, and Cilicia, he said,
3
Having good will to the king's affairs, I am come to inform thee that infinite private wealth is laid up in the treasuries of Jerusalem which do not belong to the temple, but pertain to king Seleucus.
4
Apollonius, acquainting himself with the particulars of this, praised Simon for his care of the king's interests, and going up to Seleucus informed him of the treasure;
5
and getting authority about it, and quickly advancing into our country with the accursed Simon and a very heavy force,
6
he said that he came with the commands of the king that he should take the private money of the treasure.
7
And the nation, indignant at this proclamation, and replying to the effect that it was extremely unfair that those who had committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, resisted as well as they could.