City of Destruction

The City of Destruction (Hebrew Ir-haheres, possibly Ir-hacheres "city of the sun") is named in Isaiah's extraordinary prophecy of Egypt's future conversion: "In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction" (Isaiah 19:18). Many Hebrew manuscripts read "city of the sun" (Ir-hacheres) — suggesting Heliopolis, the great cult center of the sun-god Re. The Jewish high priest Onias IV later cited this verse to justify founding the Jewish temple at Leontopolis in Egypt around 170 BCE.