Onias (VI)

VI ONIAS. A certain upright Man that lived in Judæa¹ at the Time that Aristobulus made War with Hyrcanus, Prince and High-priest of the Jews. He had heretofore by his Prayers obtained Rain from Heaven, in the Time of a great Drought; and seeing a civil War begun among the Jews, he retired into a Solitude. While Aretas King of the Arabs, who was of Hyrcanus’s Side, was besieging Aristobulus in Jerusalem, the Jews that were in the Camp of Aretas went to seek out Onias, and desired him to curse Aristobulus and all his Party, and to devote them to all Sort of Misfortunes. He excused himself a long Time, but forced at last by their Importunities, he set himself in the midst of them, and put up this Prayer to God. “ O Lord God of the Universe, “ since those among whom I am are thy “ People, and since those they fight against “ are thy Priests; I beseech thee to hear “ neither Party, in those Prayers that they “ shall address to thee against their Bre-“ thren”. At which Words some of the Jews there present overwhelmed him with Stones.

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