"Now when Alexander (the Great) was dead, the government was parted among his successors; but the temple upon Mount Gerazim remained; and if any one were accused by those of Jerusalem of having eaten things common, or of having broken the Sabbath, or of any other crime of the like nature, he fled away to the Shechemites, and said that he was accused unjustly. About this time it was that Jaddua the high priest died, and Onias his son took the high priesthood. This was the state of the affairs of the people of Jerusalem at this time."

John Hyrcanus (Maccabean) was supposed to have destroyed the temple on top of Mt. Gerazim during the second century B.C.