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1Then the high priest Simon knelt in front of the temple, extended his hands, and offered this prayer in a dignified manner:[#2.1 Some manuscripts lack 2:1.]
21Then the God who watches over all things, the first father of all, holy among the holy ones, heard this lawful prayer and scourged the one who had claimed too much for himself in his violence and arrogance.
22God shook him this way and that as a reed is shaken by the wind, with the result that he lay helpless on the ground. His limbs were paralyzed, and he was unable to speak, since he was struck by a just judgment.
23His friends and bodyguards saw that the punishment that had seized him was severe. Fearing that even his life might fail, they quickly dragged him out, since they were terror-stricken.
24After a while, the king recovered, and even though he had been punished, he didn’t change his heart and mind at all, but went away issuing bitter threats.
25When he had returned to Egypt, he added to his evil deeds with the assistance of his drinking companions and friends, who were strangers to everything just.
26He wasn’t satisfied with his innumerable indecent acts, but he also advanced to such a degree of impudence that he circulated false reports in the various districts. Many of his friends took note of the king’s purpose and followed his lead.
27He proposed to spread blame publicly against the Jewish nation. He set up a stone near the tower in the courtyard with the following inscription carved upon it:
30But so as not to seem hateful to all, he added:
31Now some Jews, while pretending to detest the steps to be undertaken for the city’s religion, readily surrendered themselves to share in great fame through the association they would have with the king.
32But the honorable majority were strong and didn’t depart from their religion. They bravely tried to save themselves from being registered by resorting to bribes in exchange for their lives.
33They remained hopeful of obtaining help, and they looked with contempt on those Jews who had deserted them. They considered those who gave in to be enemies of the Jewish nation, and no longer associated with them or offered them assistance.