9
And the priests, with the women and children, having supplicated God to throw his shield over the holy, despised place,
10
and Appolonius going up with his armed force to the seizure of the treasure, —there appeared from heaven angels riding on horseback, all radiant in armour, filling them with much fear and trembling.
11
And Apollonius fell half dead upon the court which is open to all nations, and extended his hands to heaven, and implored the Hebrews, with tears, to pray for him, and propitiate the heavenly host.
12
For he said that he had sinned, so as to be consequently worthy of death; and that if he were saved, he would celebrate to all men the blessedness of the holy place.
13
Onias the high priest, induced by these words, although for other reasons anxious that king Seleucus should not suppose that Apollonius was slain by human device and not by Divine punishment, prayed for him;
14
and he being thus unexpectedly saved, departed to manifest to the king what had happened to him.
15
But on the death of Seleucus the king, his son Antiochus Epiphanes succeeds to the kingdom: a man of haughty pride and terrible.
16
Who having deposed Onias from the high priesthood, appointed his brother Jason to be high priest:
17
who had made a covenant, if he would give him this authority, to pay yearly three thousand six hundred and sixty talents.
18
And he committed to him the high priesthood and rulership over the nation.
19
And he both changed the manner of living of the people, and perverted their civil customs into all lawlessness.