ve said already. When this
Onias saw that Judea was oppressed by the Macedonians and their kings,
out of a desire to purchase to himself a memorial and eternal fame he
resolved to send to king Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra, to ask leave of
them that he might build a temple in Egypt like to that at Jerusalem,
and might ordain Levites and priests out of their own stock. The chief
reason why he was desirous so to do, was, that he relied upon the
prophet Isaiah, who lived above six hundred years before, and foretold
that there certainly was to be a temple built to Almighty God in Egypt
by a man that was a Jew. Onias was elevated with this prediction, and
wrote the following epistle to Ptolemy and Cleopatra: "Having done many
and great things for you in the affairs of the war, by the assistance of
God, and that in Celesyria and Phoenicia, I came at length with the Jews
to Leontopolis, and to other places of your nation, where I found that
the greatest part of your people had temples in an improper manner,
and that on this account they bare ill-will one against another, which
happens to the Egyptians by reason of the multitude of their temples,
and the difference of opinions about Divine worship. Now I found a very
fit place in a castle that hath its name from the country Diana; this
place is full of materials of several sorts, and replenished with sacred
animals; I desire therefore that you will grant me leave to purge this
holy place, which belongs to no master, and is fallen down, and to build
there a temple to Almighty God, after the pattern of that in Jerusalem,
and of the same dimensions, that may be for the benefit of thyself, and
thy wife and children, that those Jews which dwell in Egypt may have a
place whither they may come and meet together in mutual harmony one with
another, and he subservient to thy advantages; for the prophet Isaiah
foretold that, 'there should be an altar in Egypt to the Lord God;'" [5]
and many other such things did he prophesy relating to that place.

2. And this was what Onias wrote to king Ptolemy. Now any one may
observe his piety, and that of his sister and wife Cleopatra, by that
epistle which they wrote in answer to it; for they laid the blame and
the transgression of the law upon the head of Onias. And this was their
reply: "King Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra to Onias, send greeting. We
have read thy petition, wherein thou desirest leave to be given thee to
purge that temple which is falle