28 He was asked many times for it by an official named Sostratus, who commanded the enemy fortress in Jerusalem, and whose duty it was to collect the king's money.Finally, the king ordered both men to come to him and discuss the matter.
29 Menelaus let his brother Lysimachus act as high priest while he was away. Sostratus assigned his responsibilities to Crates, the commander of the soldiers from Cyprus.
30 About this time, King Antiochus gave the cities of Tarsus and Mallus to his lover Antiochis. But the cities rebelled,
31 and the king hurried off to put down the revolt, leaving a senior official named Andronicus in charge of the kingdom.
32 Menelaus now saw his chance to steal some gold dishes from the temple, and he did it. Then he gave the dishes to Andronicus. Earlier, he had also taken gold dishes from the temple and sold them to the people of Tyre and of other nearby cities.
33 Onias found out what had happened and ran for safety to a temple at Daphne, not far from the city of Antioch. There he started publicly accusing Menelaus.
34 Shortly after this, Menelaus met privately with Andronicus and persuaded him to kill Onias. So Andronicus went to the temple and warmly greeted Onias. Then he lied to Onias by shaking his right hand and promising to treat him with kindness. Onias didn't really trust Andronicus, but Andronicus talked him into leaving his place of safety in the temple. Then without any regard for the Law, Andronicus murdered him on the spot.