1 Maccabees 2

1 In those days Mattathias arose — son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, from Jerusalem — and he settled in Modein. [a] 2 He had five sons: John, called Gaddi; [b] 3 Simon, called Thassi; 4 Judas, called Maccabeus; [c] 5 Eleazar, called Avaran; and Jonathan, called Apphus.

6 When Mattathias saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem, 7 he said,

14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned bitterly.

15 The king’s officers who were forcing the people to abandon their religion came to the town of Modein to make them sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came over to them; Mattathias and his sons gathered too. 17 Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias: “You are a leader in this town — honored, great, and strong in sons and brothers. 18 Come forward first and carry out the king’s decree, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those left in Jerusalem. Then you and your sons will be counted among the king’s friends, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.”

19 But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: “Though every nation in the king’s dominion obeys him — though each one falls away from the worship of its fathers and chooses his commands — 20 I and my sons and my brothers will walk in the covenant of our fathers. 21 Far be it from us to abandon the law and the rules! [d] 22 We will not listen to the king’s words, or stray from our worship to the right hand or to the left.”

23 As soon as he had finished speaking, a Jewish man came forward in the sight of them all to sacrifice on the pagan altar at Modein, as the king’s decree required. 24 When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and shook to his core. Letting his anger rise as judgment demanded, he ran and slaughtered the man on the altar. 25 At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing the sacrifices, and he tore the altar down. 26 So he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu. [e]

27 Then Mattathias went shouting through the town: “Everyone who is zealous for the law, everyone who stands by the covenant — follow me out!” 28 And he and his sons fled into the mountains, leaving behind everything they owned in the town.

29 At that time many who sought righteousness and judgment went down into the wilderness to settle there, 30 they and their children, their wives and their livestock, because the evils pressing them had grown too hard to bear. 31 It was reported to the king’s men, and to the forces in Jerusalem, the city of David, that men who had defied the king’s command had gone down into hiding places in the wilderness. 32 A large body pursued them and caught up with them; they camped opposite them and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath day.

33 And they called to them, “Enough of this! Come out and do as the king says, and you will live.” 34 But they answered, “We will not come out, and we will not do as the king says. We will not treat the Sabbath day as common.” 35 So the attack was hurried on against them. 36 But they did not answer back; they did not throw one stone at them or block up their hiding places. 37 They said, “Let us all die in our innocence. Heaven and earth bear witness over us that you are destroying us unjustly.” 38 So they rose against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died — they, their wives, their children, and their livestock — about a thousand souls in all.

39 When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them bitterly. 40 And they said to one another, “If we all do as our brothers have done — if we will not fight the nations for our lives and our rules — they will soon wipe us off the earth.” 41 So that day they came to this decision: “Whoever comes against us in battle on the Sabbath day — we fight back. We will not all die as our brothers died in the hiding places.”

42 Then a gathering of Hasideans joined them, mighty warriors of Israel, every one of them a volunteer for the law. [f] 43 And all who were fleeing from the evils added themselves to them and strengthened their ranks. 44 They mustered a force, and they struck down sinners in their anger and lawless men in their wrath; the rest fled to the nations to save themselves. 45 Mattathias and his friends swept through the country: they tore down the pagan altars, 46 they circumcised by force every uncircumcised boy they found within the borders of Israel, 47 and they hunted down the sons of arrogance. The work prospered in their hands: 48 they rescued the law out of the hand of the nations and the hand of kings, and they never let the sinner raise his horn. [g]

49 When the days drew near for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: “Now arrogance and rebuke stand firm; it is a time of overthrow and burning anger. 50 Now, my children, be zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers. 51 Remember the deeds our fathers did in their generations, and win great glory and an everlasting name.

64 My children, be brave, and stand strong for the law — for by it you will win glory. 65 Here is Simon your brother: I know he is a man of counsel. Listen to him all your days; he will be a father to you. 66 And Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth: he will be the commander of your army, and he will fight the war against the peoples. 67 Gather to yourselves all who keep the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. 68 Pay the nations back in full, and give heed to the decree of the law.”

69 Then he blessed them, and he was gathered to his fathers. 70 He died in the 146th year, and he was buried in the tombs of his fathers at Modein; and all Israel mourned him with a great lamentation. [k]