Onion

ONION. This is the Name that was given to the Temple built by Onias IV. in Egypt, about the Year of the World 3854, before Christ 146, before the vulgar Æra 150. Onias IV. of whom we have spoke above, retiring into Egypt about the Year 3842¹, found Means so to insinuate himself into the Esteem of Ptolemy Philometor and Cleopatra his Queen, that he had their intire Confidence, even so far as to give him the Command of their Troops. Onias taking the Advantage of this Favour, asked Leave of the King to build a Temple in Egypt, after the Model of that at Jerusalem², and therein to settle Priests and Levites of his own Nation. What determined him to undertake this Work was chiefly a Passage of the Prophet Isaiah, Isai. xix 18, 19.who more than six Hundred Years before had foretold, that the Lord should one Day have a Temple in Egypt, and that by Means of a Jew, who should build it there.

Josephus does not quote the Words of Isaiah, but it is not doubted but it is the following Passage. In that Day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt speak the Language of Canaan, (which is the same as the Hebrew Tongue) and swear to the Lord of Hosts³ One shall be called the City of Destruction. (or of Cursing, or of Heres, or the Sun, Heb.) In that Day shall there be an Altar to the Lord in the Midst of the Land of Egypt, and a Pillar at the Border thereof to the Lord. And it shall be for a Sign, and for a Witness unto the Lord of Hosts in the Land of Egypt.

‘Twas thus that Onias explained himself in the Memorial he presented to King Ptolemy. “While I was employed in War for your Service, along with the Jews whom I commanded, and therefore had Occasion to pass through many Provinces, I observed that the Jews had particular Temples in Cœlo-Syria, in Phœnicia, and in the City Leontopolis situated in the Nome of Heliopolis in Egypt; which is by no Means convenient, since this Multitude of Temples may create several Divisions among them, just as the Difference of Worship and the Number of Temples create Schisms among the Egyptians. Having therefore found in the Fortress called Bubastus, the Desart a very proper Place, replenished with good Materials and sacred Animals⁴; I beseech your Majesty to grant me an antient ruinous Temple that is there, and which is dedicated to no Deity; to permit me to purifie this Place, and there to build a new Temple to the God of the Jews, after the Model and according to the Proportions of that at Jerusalem, so that the Jews which are in Egypt may there keep their religious Assemblies, and by this Means may preserve a perfect Union among themselves, and therefore may be more disposed to obey you, and to be employed in your Service. For the Prophet Isaiah has foretold heretofore, that there should be a Temple consecrated to the Lord in Egypt, and has foreshewn many other Things on the same Subject.”

The King and the Queen having seen this Request of Onias, granted him the Permission he desired; but it was in such Terms, as sufficiently shewed they would not take any Thing upon themselves, that might be contrary to the Law of God in this Affair. They told him in their Answer, they could hardly be persuaded that God could approve having a Temple in a Place so impure, and infested with noxious Animals; but since he assures them that the Prophet Isaiah had foretold this should be, they were willing to allow of it, without pretending however to authorize the Violation of the Law of God, and the Sin that might be incurred by this Action. Onias having received this Permission, built at Bubastus a Temple, after the Model of that at Jerusalem, but not so large or magnificent. He found also Priests and Levites as little scrupulous as himself, who engaged themselves in the Service of this Temple, and who observed the same Ceremonies there, as were performed in the Temple of Jerusalem. This is the Description that Josephus gives us of the Temple Onion, in the Seventh Book of his History of the Jews⁵. The Place where it was built is one Hundred four Score Furlongs from Memphis, that is to say, about four Leagues, taking three Thousand Geometrical Paces for a League. This Canton is called the Nome of Heliopolis; and the Temple to be seen there has a Tower like that of Jerusalem⁶, of sixty Cubits high, and built with very large Stones. The Altar is of the same Structure as that at Jerusalem. Onias adorned this Temple with the Gifts and precious Monuments that the Liberality of the Jews of Egypt supplied him with; but instead of the Candlestick which was in the Temple of Jerusalem, he hung up a golden Lamp, which enlightened the Onion. All the Circumference of the Temple was inclosed with a Wall of Bricks, with Gates of Stone work. King Philometor endowed it with large Revenues and much Land, for the Support of the Priests, and to supply the Necessities of the holy Place. The Jews and Priests of Jerusalem could not see this Temple without Concern, and it was always a Subject of Division between the Jews of Egypt, and those of Palestine.

After the Ruine of the Temple of Jerusalem⁷ by the Romans, there was Reason to fear, that the Jews being drove out of their Country might retire into Egypt, and assembling together in the Temple Onion, might take Occasion to make a new Revolt. For which Reason Lupus Governor of Alexandria, and Prefect of Egypt, having given an Account to Vespasian of what had passed concerning the Assassins which had withdrawn out of Judæa into Egypt; this Prince gave him Orders to demolish the Temple⁸. But Lupus satisfied himself with shutting it up, about the Year 73 of the common Æra, about two Hundred and twenty six Years after its Foundation. Paulinus, who succeeded him a little after, took away all the Ornaments and Riches that were therein, caused all the Doors to be shut up, and would not suffer any Exercises of Religion to be performed in it. Such was the End of the Temple Onion.

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