6. Simon told him that the treasury in Jerusalem was filled with untold riches and that it was full of uncounted cash, which didn’t belong to the accounts for the sacrifices, but potentially fell under the king’s authority.
7. Apollonius met with the king and told him about the funds.The king chose his chief administrator Heliodorus and sent him with orders to confiscate the funds in question.
8. Heliodorus immediately made the journey, supposedly to inspect the cities of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia but actually to put the king’s plan into effect.
9. When he arrived in Jerusalem and was received in a friendly manner by the high priest of the city, he revealed the information that had been reported and stated plainly why he had come. Then he asked whether these things were true.
10. The high priest informed him that these were the deposits of widows and orphans,
11. and also some deposits of Hyrcanus the Tobiad, an exceedingly prominent man. He also said that there were only 22,800 pounds of silver and 11,400 pounds of gold, and that the ungodly Simon had given a false report.
12. It was wholly unthinkable, he added, to commit such an injustice against those who trusted in the holiness of the place and in the dignity and sacredness of the temple that is honored throughout the whole world.
13. But Heliodorus, because of the royal commands, was firm that in any case the king could take these funds.
14. So he set a date and proceeded to inspect these funds. This caused great agony throughout the whole city.
15. But the priests threw themselves down before the altar in their priestly robes and called to heaven to the one who had given the laws about such deposits, that he should keep the deposits safe.
16. Anyone seeing the outward appearance of the high priest would have been heartbroken, because his expression and changed color revealed his inner anguish.
17. Fear and trembling seized the man, making the grief lodged in his heart clear to observers.
18. People burst from their houses in crowds to plead for help because the temple was about to be dishonored.
19. With mourning clothes wrapped beneath their breasts, women filled the streets. The virgins, who usually remained indoors, ran together to the gates and some to the walls, while others peeped through their windows.
20. But all raised up their hands to heaven and pleaded for help.
21. To see the whole crowd on its knees and faces and the great suffering and dread of the high priest was a pitiful sight.
22. So they called on the almighty Lord to protect the deposits for those who had entrusted them.
23. But Heliodorus carried on with what had been decided.
24. When he and his spearmen approached the treasury, however, the ruler of all spirits and all authority made an awesome display, so that all those daring to come with Heliodorus fainted, terrified and awestruck by God’s power.
25. A horse appeared to them with a fearsome rider and decked out with a beautiful saddle. While running furiously, the horse attacked Heliodorus with its front hooves. The rider appeared to be clothed in full body armor made of gold.