3 Maccabees 5:37-39

Revised Standard Version

³⁷ After summoning Hermon he said in a threatening tone, “How many times, you poor wretch, must I give you orders about these things? 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: