os. Ant. XII, 1:1g-j]
And when Ptolemy had taken many captives both from the mountainous parts
of Judea and the places about Jerusalem and Samaria and Mount Gerizim, he
led them all into Egypt and settled them there. And since he knew that the
people of Jerusalem were most faithful in keeping their oaths and
covenants, he distributed many of them among garrisons. At Alexandria he
gave them equal privileges as citizens with the Macedonians themselves. He
also required them to take oath that they would be faithful to his
descendants. And not a few other Jews went into Egypt of their own accord,
attracted both by the goodness of the soil and Ptolemy's generosity.
However, there were disorders between their descendants and the Samaritans
because of their resolve to preserve that manner of life which was
transmitted to them by their forefathers. They accordingly contended with
each other; those from Jerusalem said that their temple was holy and they
resolved to send their sacrifices there, but the Samaritans were
determined that they should be sent to Mount Gerizim.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XII, 2:1a]
When Alexander had reigned twelve years and after him Ptolemy Soter forty
years, Ptolemy Philadelphus next had the kingdom of Egypt and held it
thirty-nine years.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XII, 2:5d, e, 4:1d-f]
Now when Onias I. the high priest died, his son Simon succeeded him. When
he died and left only a young son called Onias, Simon's brother Eleazer
took the high priesthood. After Eleazar's death, his uncle Manasseh
assumed the priesthood, and after he died, Onias II. received that honor.
This Onia was lacking in sense and was a great lover of money; for that
reason he did not pay the tax of twenty talents of silver for the people,
which his forefathers had paid out of their own estates to the kings of
Egypt. Thus he aroused the anger of King Ptolemy Euergetes, the father of
Philopator. Euergetes sent an ambassador to Jerusalem and complained that
Onias did not pay the taxes and threatened that if he did not receive
them, he would parcel out their land and send soldiers to live upon it.
When the Jews heard this message of the king they were filled with dismay,
but Onias was so avaricious that nothing of this kind made him ashamed.

[Sidenote Jos. Ant. XII, 4:2a-f]
There was a certain Joseph, young in years, but of great reputation among
the people of Jerusalem for dignity and exact foresight. His father's name
was Tobias and h