3 Maccabees 5:38-40

Revised Standard Version

³⁸ Equip^[a] the elephants now once more for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow!” ³⁹ But the officials who were at table with him, wondering at his instability of mind, remonstrated as follows: ⁴⁰ “O king, how long will you try us, as though we are idiots, ordering now for a third time that they be destroyed, and again revoking your decree in the matter?^[b]