3 Maccabees 5:41-43

Revised Standard Version

⁴¹ As a result the city is in a tumult because of its expectation; it is crowded with masses of people, and also in constant danger of being plundered.” ⁴² Upon this the king, a Phalaris in everything and filled with madness, took no account of the changes of mind which had come about within him for the protection of the Jews, and he firmly swore an irrevocable oath that he would send them to death^[a] without delay, mangled by the knees and feet of the beasts, ⁴³ and would also march against Judea and rapidly level it to the ground with fire and spear, and by burning to the ground the temple inaccessible to him^[b] would quickly render it forever empty of those who offered sacrifices there.