Page 318 - Bible History

THE LAST DAYS OF THE KINGDOM OF UDA 291
was only then that he discovered the true purpose of his mission. Onias told him that it was true indeed that there were great treasures of gold and silver laid up in the Temple, but that these either belonged to private individuals, who had left them there for safe­ keeping, or they had been set aside to take care of the
widows and the orphans.
But Heliodorus insisted that the treasure be handed
over to him. He said that he had been ordered by the king to seize the money, and he went to the Temple to nd it.
No sooner had Heliodorus entered the Temple, than a heavenly soldier, clad in golden armor and seated upon a horse, appeared to him, accompanied by two other young men, beautiful and strong and glorious in appearance. The horse rushed upon Heliodorus and, striking him with its forefeet, dashed him to the ground. Then the two young men stood on either side
of the fallen man and scourged him without mercy. Heliodorus was carried from the Temple half dead with pain and fright. His companions thought he was dying and begged Onias to o er sacri ce for his recov­ ery. Fearing that the king might suspect that the Jews were responsible for what had happened to Helio­ dorus, Onias o ered a sacri ce for his health and re­
covery.
While Onias was yet praying, the heavenly messen­
gers again stood before Heliodorus and said, ''Give thanks to Onias, the priest, because for his sake the Lord hath granted thee life. And thou, having been