1In those days Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, arose. He was from Jerusalem, and he settled in Modein.
2He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddis;
3Simon, who was called Thassis;
4Judas, who was called Maccabeus;
5Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Sapphus.
6And he saw the blasphemous acts being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem.
7And he said: “Woe is me! Why was I born to see this—the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city? Why must I sit here while it is given into the hand of enemies, and the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners?”
8Her temple has become like a glorious man;
9her glorious vessels were carried off as plunder; her infants were killed in her streets, and her young men by the enemy’s sword.
10What nation has not taken possession of her kingdom, or seized her spoils?
11All her adornment has been taken away; once free, she has become a slave.
12And look, our holy sanctuary, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste, and the nations have desecrated them.
13Why then should we continue to live?
14Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned deeply.
15Then the king’s officials, who were enforcing the apostasy, came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice.
16Many from Israel went over to them, and Mattathias and his sons gathered together.
17The king’s officials answered and said to Mattathias, “You are a leader, an honored and great man in this town, supported by sons and brothers.”
18Now you come forward first and carry out the king’s command, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah, and those who remain in Jerusalem. Then you and your house will be numbered among the Friends of the King, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.
19But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations in the king’s realm obey him, each forsaking the religion of his ancestors and choosing to follow his commands,”
20yet I and my sons and my brothers will walk in the covenant of our ancestors.
21Far be it from us to forsake the law and the ordinances.
22We will not obey the king’s command to turn aside from our religion, to the right or to the left.
23When he finished speaking these words, a Jewish man came forward in the sight of everyone to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king’s command.
24When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal, and his heart was stirred. His righteous anger was aroused, and he ran and slaughtered the man on the altar.
25At the same time, he killed the king’s official who was compelling them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.
26Thus he showed his zeal for the Law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.
27Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying, “Let everyone who is zealous for the Law and who upholds the covenant follow me!”
28And he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind all that they had in the town.
29Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there,
30they and their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because the troubles had become so severe for them.
31And it was reported to the king’s men and to the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that men who had violated the king’s command had gone down into the hiding places in the wilderness.
32And many pursued them, and overtaking them, they encamped against them and prepared for war against them on the Sabbath day.
33And they said to them, “Enough of this! Come out and do according to the king’s command, and you will live.”
34And they said, “We will not come out, nor will we obey the king’s command, to profane the Sabbath day.”
35And they hastened to make war on them.
36And they did not answer them, nor did they hurl a stone at them, nor did they block up the hiding places,
37saying, “Let us all die in our innocence. Heaven and earth bear witness for us that you are destroying us unjustly.”
38So they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died—they and their wives and their children and their livestock—to the number of a thousand people.
39And Mattathias and his friends learned of it, and they mourned for them very greatly.
40And they said to one another, “If we all do as our brothers have done, and do not fight against the Gentiles for our lives and our ordinances, they will soon destroy us from the earth.”
41And they decided on that day, saying, “Whoever comes against us for battle on the Sabbath day, we will fight against him, so that we may not all die as our brothers died in the hiding places.”
42Then a company of Hasideans gathered to them, mighty warriors from Israel, everyone who was voluntarily devoted to the Law.
43And all who were fleeing from the troubles joined them and became a source of strength for them.
44And they organized a force and struck down sinners in their anger and lawless men in their wrath; and the rest fled to the Gentiles for safety.
45And Mattathias and his sons went around and tore down the altars,
46and by force they circumcised all the uncircumcised boys they found within the borders of Israel.
47And they pursued the arrogant men, and the work prospered in their hands.
48And they rescued the Law from the hand of the Gentiles and from the hand of the kings, and they did not allow the sinner to prevail.
49When the time for Mattathias to die drew near, he said to his sons: “Now arrogance and rebuke have become strong, and it is a time of ruin and furious anger.”
50And now, my children, be zealous for the Law, and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.
51Remember the works that our fathers did in their generations, and receive great glory and eternal glory.
52Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, and it was counted to him as righteousness?
53Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and he became lord of Egypt.
54Phinehas our father, because he was exceedingly zealous, received a covenant of a holy priesthood.
55Joshua, for fulfilling the word, became a judge in Israel.
56Caleb, for bearing witness in the congregation, received a land for an inheritance.
57David, for his mercy, inherited the throne of an eternal kingdom.
58Elijah, because he was exceedingly zealous for the Law, was taken up into heaven.
59Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, by believing, were saved from the flame.
60Daniel, for his innocence, was rescued from the mouth of lions.
61And so, consider this through all generations: that all who hope in him will not fail.
62And do not be afraid of the words of a sinful man, for his glory will turn to dung and worms.
63Today he will be exalted, but then he will certainly not be found, because he has returned to his dust, and his scheming has perished.
64So you, my children, be strong and courageous in the Law, for in it you will be glorified.
65And look, there is your brother Simeon; I know that he is a man of counsel. Listen to him always; he will be a father to you.
66And Judas Maccabeus, mighty in power from his youth—he will be the commander of your army, and you will wage the war of the peoples.
67And you, gather to your side all who keep the Law, and exact vengeance for your people.
68Give the Gentiles their due repayment, and pay heed to the commandments of the Law.
69And he blessed them, and he was gathered to his fathers.
70He died in the one hundred and forty-sixth year, and his sons buried him in the tombs of his fathers at Modein. And all Israel made a great lamentation for him.
Open in the interactive reader →