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[420]
Now Lupus did then govern Alexandria, who presently sent Caesar word
of this commotion; who having in suspicion the restless temper of the Jews
for innovation, and being afraid lest they should get together again, and
persuade some others to join with them, gave orders to Lupus to demolish
that Jewish temple which was in the region called Onion, 1
and was in Egypt, which was built and had its denomination from the occasion
following: Onias, the son of Simon, one of the Jewish high priests fled
from Antiochus the king of Syria, when he made war with the Jews, and came
to Alexandria; and as Ptolemy received him very kindly, on account of hatred
to Antiochus, he assured him, that if he would comply with his proposal,
he would bring all the Jews to his assistance; and when the king agreed
to do it so far as he was able, he desired him to give him leave to build
a temple some where in Egypt, and to worship God according to the customs
of his own country; for that the Jews would then be so much readier to
fight against Antiochus who had laid waste the temple at Jerusalem, and
that they would then come to him with greater good-will; and that, by granting
them liberty of conscience, very many of them would come over to him.
1 Of this temple of Onias's building in Egypt, see the notes on Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 3. sect. 1. But whereas it is elsewhere, both of the War, B. I. ch. 1. sect. 1, and in the Antiquities as now quoted, said that this temple was like to that at Jerusalem, and here that it was not like it, but like a tower, sect. 3, there is some reason to suspect the reading here, and that either the negative particle is here to be blotted out, or the word entirely added.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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