Onias II (Hebrew: חוֹנִיּוֹ Ḥōniyyō or Honio or Honiyya ben Shimon; Greek: Onias Simonides) was the son of Simon I. He was still a minor when his father died, so his uncle Eleazar, and whom after, the latter's uncle Manasseh, officiated as high priests before Onais himself succeeded to that dignity.[1] According to Josephus, he was a covetous man and of limited intelligence, whose refusal to pay the twenty talents of silver which every high priest was required to pay to Ptolemy III Euergetes, the King of Egypt (reigned 246 to 222 BC) threatened to imperil both the high priest and the people. The impending disaster was averted by Onias’ nephew Joseph, son of Tobias, who, having friendly relations with the Egypt court, managed to conciliate Ptolemy (Jos., Antiq. XII. iv. 1ff.). Onias is said to have died, almost simultaneously with his nephew Joseph, during the reign of Seleucus IV Philopator (reigned 187 BC to 175 BC), hence about 181 BC.[2] His son, Simon II assumed the high priestly office after the demise of his father.

Onias II depicted in Hartmann Schedel's Nuremberg Chronicles

Patrilineal ancestry

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Patrilineal descent
  1. Abraham
  2. Isaac
  3. Jacob
  4. Levi
  5. Kehath
  6. Amram
  7. Aaron
  8. Eleazar
  9. Phinehas
  10. Abishua
  11. Bukki
  12. Uzzi
  13. Zerahiah
  14. Meraioth
  15. Azariah
  16. Amariah
  17. Ahitub
  18. Zadok
  19. Ahimaaz
  20. Azariah
  21. Yohanan
  22. Azariah II
  23. Amariah
  24. Ahitub
  25. Zadok II
  26. Shallum
  27. Hilkiah
  28. Azariah IV
  29. Seraiah
  30. Jehozadak
  31. Joshua the High Priest
  32. Joiakim
  33. Eliashib
  34. Joiada
  35. Johanan
  36. Jaddua
  37. Onias I
  38. Simon I

References

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Resources

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  • H. P. Chajes, Beiträge zur Nordsemitischen Onomatologie, p. 23, Vienna, 1900 (on the name);
  • Herzfeld, Gesch. des Volkes Jisrael, i. 185-189, 201-206;
  • Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. 2d ed., ii. 236;
  • Emil Schürer, Gesch. 3d ed., i. 182, 194-196; iii. 97-100;
  • Niese, in Hermes, xxxv. 509;
  • Wellhausen, I. J. G. 4th ed., p. 248, Berlin, 1901;
  • Willrich, Juden und Griechen vor der Makkabäischen Erhebung, pp. 77, 109, Göttingen, 1895;
  • Adolf Büchler, Die Tobiaden und die Oniaden, pp. 166, 240, 275, 353, Vienna, 1899;
  • J. P. Mahaffy, The Empire of the Ptolemies, pp. 217, 353, London, 1895;
  • Gelzer, Sextus Julius Africanus, ii. 170-176, Leipsic, 1885;
  • Isaac Hirsch Weiss, Dor, i. 130 (on the halakic view of the temple of Onias).
  •   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSinger, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Onias". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
Jewish titles
Preceded by High Priest of Israel
Mid 3rd century BC
Succeeded by