The governors of King Antiochus IV (2 Macc 5:21-5:23)

“King Antiochus carried off eighteen hundred talents from the temple. He hurried away to Antioch, thinking in his arrogance that he could sail on the land and walk on the sea. His mind was elated. He left governors to oppress the people. At Jerusalem, he left Philip, by birth a Phrygian and in character more barbarous than the man who appointed him. At Gerizim, he left Andronicus. Besides these, he left Menelaus, who lorded it over his compatriots worse than the others did.”

King Antiochus IV was very happy with his haul of loot. He thought that he could walk on water or fly in the air. He appointed governors to further suppress the Israelites. In Jerusalem he had the brutal Philip and the friendly high priest Menelaus to carry out his orders. Apparently, the king thought that Samaria was still part of Israel. Andronicus was the governor at Gerizim, a sacred site for the Samaritans. Samaria had played a role as the city of a governor in the Persian Empire.

The murder of the high priest Onias (2 Macc 4:30-4:34)

“While such was the state of affairs, it happened that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus revolted because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine. So the king went hurriedly to settle the trouble. He left Andronicus, a man of high rank, to act as his deputy. But Menelaus, thinking he had obtained a suitable opportunity, stole some of the gold vessels of the temple. He gave them to Andronicus. As it happened, he had sold other vessels to Tyre and the neighboring cities. When Onias became fully aware of these acts he publicly exposed them. He had first withdrawn to a place of sanctuary at Daphne near Antioch. Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus aside, urged him to kill Onias. Andronicus came to Onias. Resorting to treachery, he offered him sworn pledges and gave him his right hand. He persuaded Onias, though still suspicious, to come out from the place of sanctuary. Then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him out of the way.”

When there was a revolt in Tarsus and Mallus because of a present to his concubine, King Antiochus IV had to go there to settle the problem. He left Andronicus as his deputy in charge. Menelaus then stole some gold vessels from the Temple and gave them to Andronicus. Menelaus then sold other vessels to Tyre and the neighboring seacoast towns. When deposed high priest Onias III heard about this he first went to an Apollo sanctuary in Daphne about 5 miles from Antioch. There he publically exposed the actions of Menelaus. Menelaus then persuaded the deputy of the king, Andronicus, to kill Onias. Andronicus tricked Onias when he swore not to hurt him, but when he came out of the sanctuary, he killed him. There was no regard for justice.