7. By doing this and by distributing gifts for their sacred shrines, he reassured his subjects.
8. The Jews had sent elders and members of the council to greet him, to bring gifts of friendship, and to congratulate him on recent events. As a result he was even more eager to come to them as soon as possible.
9. So he traveled to Jerusalem, sacrificed to the supreme God, made thank offerings, and did what was appropriate for the temple. As he entered the temple, he was struck with amazement at its brilliance and beauty.
10. And as he admired the orderly arrangement of the temple, he conceived a notion to enter into the holy place.
11. But they said that it wasn’t right to do this since even those of their own nation weren’t permitted to enter it. Not even all the priests were allowed, but only the chief priest, who was in charge over all, and he could do so only once a year. But Philopator wasn’t at all persuaded.
12. Even after the law was read to him, he continued to claim that it was necessary for him to enter, saying, "Even if those persons are denied this honor, I shouldn’t be."
13. He asked why, when he was entering every other sacred place, none of those present prevented him.
14. And someone said (without thinking) that he was wrong to speak of this as a sign.
15. "But even if for some reason this were true," Philopator replied, "why should I, of all people, not enter, whether they are willing or not?"
16. But the priests fell to the ground, still in their sacred robes. They filled the temple with crying and tears, praying to the supreme God to help them and to change the mind of the one who was wrongly imposing himself.
17. Those who were left in the city were troubled and hurried out, thinking something mysterious was happening.
18. The young girls who had been kept secluded at home rushed out with their mothers. They sprinkled their hair with dust and began to fill the streets with weeping and groaning.
19. Even the young women who had just been adorned for their weddings left the bridal bedrooms that had been prepared for the marriage night. Neglecting all proper modesty, they came together in the city in a wild rush.
20. Mothers and nurses left newborn children here and there, some in houses, some in the streets, and crowded together into the most high temple without looking back.
21. The people who assembled offered all kinds of prayers on account of the evil plot of the king.
22. Some of the bolder citizens weren’t going to put up with his intended plan or fulfill what he had in mind.