[Sidenote:  Jos.  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 his mother was the sister of Onias the high priest.  She informed him of the coming of Ptolemy’s ambassador.  Thereupon Joseph came to Jerusalem and reproved Onias for not taking thought for the security of his countrymen and for bringing the nation into dangers by not paying this money.  Onias’s answer was that he did not care for his authority, that he was ready, if it were possible, to lay down his high priesthood, and that he would not go to the king, for he cared nothing at all about these matters.  Joseph then asked him if he would give him leave to go as ambassador on behalf of the nation.  He replied that he would.  So Joseph went down from the temple and treated Ptolemy’s ambassador in a Hospitable manner.  He also presented him with rich gifts and feasted him magnificently for many days and then sent him to the king before him and told him that he would soon follow him.