I Maccabees 2

¹In those days, there rose up Mattathias, the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib from Jerusalem, and he settled on the mountain of Modin.

²And he had five sons: John, who was surnamed Gaddi,

³and Simon, who was surnamed Thassi,

⁴and Judas, who was called Maccabeus,

⁵and Eleazar, who was surnamed Avaran, and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus.

⁶These saw the evils that were done among the people of Judah and in Jerusalem.

⁷And Mattathias said: “Woe to me, for why was I born to see the grief of my people and the grief of the holy city, and to sit there, while it is given into the hands of the enemies?

⁸The holy places have fallen into the hands of outsiders. Her temple is like a man without honor.

⁹The vessels of her glory have been taken away captive. Her old men have been butchered in the streets, and her young men have fallen by the sword of the enemies.

¹⁰What nation has not inherited her kingdom and taken from her spoils?

¹¹All her beauty has been taken away. She who was free, has become a slave.

¹²And behold, our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our splendor has been desolated, and the Gentiles have defiled them.

¹³Therefore, what is it to us that we still live?”

¹⁴And Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth, and they lamented greatly.

¹⁵And those who had been sent from king Antiochus came to that place, to compel those who fled into the city of Modin to immolate, and to burn frankincense, and to depart from the law of God.

¹⁶And many of the people of Israel consented and came to them. But Mattathias and his sons stood firm.

¹⁷And those who had been sent from Antiochus, responding, said to Mattathias: “You are a ruler, and very splendid and great in this city, and you are adorned with sons and brothers.

¹⁸Therefore, approach first, and carryout the order of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those who remained in Jerusalem. And you and your sons will be among the friends of the king, and enriched with gold and silver and many gifts.”

¹⁹And Mattathias responded, and he said with a loud voice: “Even if all nations obey king Antiochus, so that each one departs from the service of the law of his fathers and consents to his commandments,

²⁰I and my sons and my brothers will obey the law of our fathers.

²¹May God be forgiving to us. It is not useful for us to abandon the law and the justices of God.

²²We will not listen to the words of king Antiochus, nor will we sacrifice, transgressing the commandments of our law, so as to set out on another way.”

²³And, as he ceased speaking these words, a certain Jew approached in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the order of the king.

²⁴And Mattathias saw, and he grieved, and his temperament trembled, and his fury was enkindled according to the judgment of the law, and leaping up, he slaughtered him on the altar.

²⁵Moreover, the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to immolate, he killed at the same time, and he destroyed the altar,

²⁶and he was zealous for the law, just as Phinehas did to Zimri, the son of Salomi.

²⁷And Mattathias exclaimed with a loud voice in the city, saying, “All who hold zeal for the law, maintaining the covenant, let them follow me.”

²⁸And he and his sons fled to the mountains, and they left behind whatever they had in the city.

²⁹Then many who sought judgment and justice went down into the desert.

³⁰And they camped there, with their sons, and their wives, and their herds, because evils had overwhelmed them.

³¹And it was reported to the king’s men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had cast aside the commandment of the king, had departed into the hidden places in the desert, and that many had followed after them.

³²And immediately, they went out to them, and they arranged a battle against them, on the day of the Sabbath.

³³And they said to them: “And now, do you still resist? Go out and act according to the word of king Antiochus, and you will live.”

³⁴And they said, “We will not go out, and we will not do the king’s word, so as to profane the day of the Sabbath.”

³⁵And they rushed against them in battle.

³⁶But they did not respond, nor did they cast a stone at them, nor did they barricade the hidden places,

³⁷for they said, “Let us all die in our simplicity. And heaven and earth will testify for us, that you destroyed us unjustly.”

³⁸So they carried out a battle on the Sabbath. And they were put to death, with their wives, and their sons, and their cattle, even to the number of a thousand souls of men.

³⁹And Mattathias and his friends heard of it, and they held a very great lamentation for them.

⁴⁰And every man said to his neighbor, “If we all do just as our brothers have done, and if we do not fight against the Gentiles for the sake of our lives and our justifications, then they will quickly eradicate us from the earth.”

⁴¹And they decided, on that day, saying: “Every man, who will come against us in warfare on the day of the Sabbath, we will fight against him. And we will not all die, like our brothers who were put to death in the hidden places.”

⁴²Then there was assembled before them the synagogue of the Hasideans, strong men from Israel, each one with a will for the law.

⁴³And all those who fled from the evils added themselves to them, and they became a firmament to them.

⁴⁴And they gathered together an army, and they struck down the sinners in their wrath and the wicked men in their indignation. And the others fled to the nations, so as to escape.

⁴⁵And Mattathias and his friends traveled around, and they destroyed the altars.

⁴⁶And they circumcised all the uncircumcised boys, whom they found within the limits of Israel, and they acted with fortitude.

⁴⁷And they pursued the sons of arrogance, and the work was prosperous in their hands.

⁴⁸And they obtained the law from the hands of the Gentiles, and from the hands of the kings. And they did not surrender the horn to the sinner.

⁴⁹Then the days drew near when Mattathias would die, and he said to his sons: “Now arrogance and chastisement have been strengthened, and it is a time of overturning and of the wrath of indignation.

⁵⁰Now therefore, O sons, be imitators of the law, and give your lives for the sake of the covenant of your fathers.

⁵¹And call to mind the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations. And you will receive great glory and an eternal name.

⁵²Was not Abraham found to be faithful in temptation, and so it was accounted to him as justice?

⁵³Joseph, in the time of his anguish, kept the commandment, and he was made ruler of Egypt.

⁵⁴Phinehas our father, being zealous in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an eternal priesthood.

⁵⁵Jesus, since he fulfilled the word, was made a commander in Israel.

⁵⁶Caleb, since he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance.

⁵⁷David, in his mercy, obtained the throne of a kingdom for all generations.

⁵⁸Elijah, since he was zealous with a zeal for the law, was received into heaven.

⁵⁹Hananiah and Azariah and Mishael, by believing, were delivered from the flame.

⁶⁰Daniel, in his simplicity, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.

⁶¹And so, consider that, through generation after generation of all those who trusted in him, none have failed in strength.

⁶²And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung and worms.

⁶³Today he is extolled, and tomorrow he will not be found, because he has returned into his earth and his thinking has perished.

⁶⁴Therefore, you sons, be strengthened and act manfully in the law. For by it, you shall become glorious.

⁶⁵And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel. Heed him always, and he will be a father to you.

⁶⁶And Judas Maccabeus, who has been strong and resourceful from his youth, let him be the leader of your militia, and he will manage the war of the people.

⁶⁷And you shall add to yourselves all who observe the law, and you shall claim the vindication of your people.

⁶⁸Render to the Gentiles their retribution, and pay attention to the precepts of the law.”

⁶⁹And he blessed them, and he was added to his fathers.

⁷⁰And he passed away in the one hundred and forty-sixth year, and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchers of his fathers, in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with a great mourning.

I Maccabees 2

¹In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.

²And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:

³Simon; called Thassi:

⁴Judas, who was called Maccabeus:

⁵Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.

⁶And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,

⁷He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?

⁸Her temple is become as a man without glory.

⁹Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

¹⁰What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?

¹¹All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.

¹²And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.

¹³To what end therefore shall we live any longer?

¹⁴Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

¹⁵In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.

¹⁶And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.

¹⁷Then answered the king’s officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:

¹⁸Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards.

¹⁹Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:

²⁰Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.

²¹God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.

²²We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

²³Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.

²⁴Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar.

²⁵Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.

²⁶Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.

²⁷And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.

²⁸So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.

²⁹Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:

³⁰Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.

³¹Now when it was told the king’s servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king’s commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness,

³²They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.

³³And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live.

³⁴But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king’s commandment, to profane the sabbath day.

³⁵So then they gave them the battle with all speed.

³⁶Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;

³⁷But said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.

³⁸So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people.

³⁹Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.

⁴⁰And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.

⁴¹At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places.

⁴²Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.

⁴³Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.

⁴⁴So they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour.

⁴⁵Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:

⁴⁶And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.

⁴⁷They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.

⁴⁸So they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.

⁴⁹Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

⁵⁰Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

⁵¹Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.

⁵²Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?

⁵³Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt.

⁵⁴Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

⁵⁵Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.

⁵⁶Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.

⁵⁷David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

⁵⁸Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.

⁵⁹Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.

⁶⁰Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.

⁶¹And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.

⁶²Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.

⁶³To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing.

⁶⁴Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.

⁶⁵And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.

⁶⁶As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people.

⁶⁷Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.

⁶⁸Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

⁶⁹So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

⁷⁰And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.