2 Maccabees 8:9-11

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁹ And Ptol′emy^[a] promptly appointed Nica′nor the son of Patroc′lus, one of the king’s chief friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand Gentiles of all nations, to wipe out the whole race of Judea. He associated with him Gor′gias, a general and a man of experience in military service. ¹⁰ Nica′nor determined to make up for the king the tribute due to the Romans, two thousand talents, by selling the captured Jews into slavery. ¹¹ And he immediately sent to the cities on the seacoast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves and promising to hand over ninety slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment from the Almighty that was about to overtake him.