The Book of the Cave of Treasures 77

1Then did Herod enquire for the Magi, and when he was told, ‘‘ they have gone back to their own country,” he was exceedingly wroth, and he sent straightway and slew all the young children in Bethlehem, and in all the villages round about. And when Herod had passed among the slain children, and they did not find there [the body of] John, the son of Zacharias, he said, “Truly, his son will ‘reign over Israel.’ For he had heard of what had been said unto Zacharias by the angel, when he announced to him concerning [the birth of] John. And Herod sent to Zacharias [and commanded him] to bring John, and Zacharias said, “I am a priest, and I minister in the Temple of the Lord; I do not know where the Child and his mother are.” And because of these words Zacharias was slain between the bench (or, steps) and the altar. Now, Elizabeth had taken John and gone forth into the desert.