1 In those days arose Mathathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, Priest of the sons of Joarib from Jerusalem, & he sat in the mountain of Modin:
2 and he had five sons, John who was surnamed Gaddis:
3 and Simon, who was surnamed Thasi:
4 and Judas, who was called Machabeus:
5 and Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus.
6 These saw the evils, that were done in the people of Juda, and in Jerusalem.
7 And Mathathias said: Woe is me, wherefore was I born to see the affliction of my people, and the affliction of the holy city, and to sit there, when it is given in the hands of the enemies?
8 The holy places are come into the hand of strangers: the temple thereof as an ignoble man.
9 The vessels of her glory are carried away captive: her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by the sword of the enemies.
10 What nation hath not inherited her kingdom, and hath not obtained her spoils?
11 All her beauty is taken away. She that was free, is made a servant.
12 And lo our holies, and our beauty, and our glory is desolate, and the Nations have defiled them.
13 Whereto then is it for us yet to live?
14 And Mathathias rent his garments, and his sons: and they covered themselves with hair-cloths, and lamented exceedingly.
15 And there came thither they that were sent from king Antiochus, to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to immolate and to burn frankincense, & to depart from the law of God.
16 And many of the people of Israel consenting came to them: but Mathathias, & his sons stood constantly.
17 And they that were sent from Antiochus answering said to Mathathias: Thou art the prince, and most honourable, and great in this city, and adorned with sons, and brethren.
18 Therefore come thou first, and do the king's commandment, as all Nations have done, and the men of Juda, and they that are remaining in Jerusalem: & thou shalt be & thy sons among the king's friends, and amplified with gold, and silver, and many gifts.
19 And Mathathias answered, & said with a loud voice: Although all Nations obey king Antiochus, that every man revolt from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments:
20 I and my sons, & my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
21 God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God:
22 we will not hear the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice, transgressing the commandments of our law, to go another way.
23 And as he ceased to speak these words, there came a certain Jew in the eyes of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment.
24 And Mathathias saw, & was sorry, and his reins trembled, and his fury was kindled according to the judgement of the law, and flying upon him he slew him upon the altar:
25 yea and the man, whom king Antiochus had sent, which compelled them to immolate, he slew in that very time, & destroyed the altar,
26 and zealed the law, as did Phinees to Zamri the son of Salomi.
27 And Mathathias cried out with a loud voice in the city, saying: Every one that hath zeal of the law, establishing his testament, let him come forth after me.
28 And he fled himself, & his sons into the mountains, and left all things whatsoever they had in the city.
29 Then came down many seeking judgement, and justice, into the desert:
30 and they sat there themselves, and their children, and their wives, & their cattle: because the evils overflowed upon them.
31 And it was reported to the king's men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem in the city of David, that certain men which dissipated the king's commandment, were departed into secret places in the desert, & many were gone after them.
32 And forthwith they went forwards towards them, & set battle against them in the day of the Sabbaths,
33 & they said to them: Do you resist now also as yet? Come forth: and do according to the word of king Antiochus, and you shall live.
34 And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we do the king's word, to pollute the day of the Sabbaths.
35 And they hastened battle against them.
36 And they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped the secret places,
37 saying: Let us die all in our simplicity: and heaven & earth shall be witnesses, upon us that you unjustly destroy us.
38 And they gave them battle on the Sabbaths: & there died they, & their wives, & their children, & their cattle even to a thousand souls of men.
39 And Mathathias understood it and his friends, and they had lamentation upon them exceedingly.
40 And every man said to his neighbour: If we shall all do as our brethren have done, and shall not fight against the heathen for our lives, and our justifications: now will they quickly destroy us from the earth.
41 And they thought in that day, saying: Every man whosoever shall come unto us in battle on the day of the Sabbaths, let us fight against him: & we will not all die, as our brethren died in secret places.
42 Then was there gathered to them the synagogue of the Assideans strong of force out of Israel, every voluntary in the law:
43 and all that fled from the evils, were added to them, and were made a strength to them.
44 And they gathered an army, & struck the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation: & the rest fled to the nations to escape.
45 And Mathathias went round about, & his friends, and they destroyed the altars:
46 & they circumcised the uncircumcised children, as many as they found in the coasts of Israel: and in strength.
47 And they persecuted the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:
48 and they obtained the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings: and they gave not the horn to the sinner.
49 And the days of Mathathias approached to die, & he said to his sons: Now is pride strengthened, & chastisement, & the time of subversion, & the wrath of indignation:
50 Now therefore o my sons, be ye emulators of the law, & give your lives for the testament of your fathers.
51 And remember the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations, & you shall receive great glory, and an eternal name.
52 Abraham was he not in tentation found faithful, and it was reputed to him unto justice? 1
note
53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, & he was made Lord of Ægypt.
54 Phinees our father, fervent in the zeal of God, received the testament of an everlasting Priesthood.
55 Jesus whilst he accomplished the word, was made the Duke in Israel.
56 Caleb whilst he testifieth in the Church, received an inheritance.
57 David in his mercy obtained the seat of the kingdom for ever.
58 Elias whilst he zealeth the zeal of the law, was received into heaven.
59 Ananias and Azarias & Misael believing, were delivered out of the flame.
60 Daniel in his simplicity was delivered out of the lions' mouth.
61 And so think ye through generation & generation: that all that hope in him, are not weakened.
62 And of the words of the sinful man be not afraid: because his glory is dung, and worm:
63 today he is extolled, and tomorrow he shall not be found: because he is turned into his earth, & his cogitation is perished.
64 You therefore my sons take courage, and do manfully in the law: because in it you shall be glorious.
65 And behold Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of counsel: hear ye him always, and he shall be a father to you.
66 And Judas Machabeus valiant of strength from his youth, let him be to you the prince of warfare, and he shall manage the battle of the people.
67 And you shall bring to you all the doers of the law: and revenge ye the revenge of your people.
68 Repay retribution to the Gentiles, & attend to the precept of the law.
69 And he blessed them, and was laid to his fathers.
70 And he died the hundredth & six and fortieth year, and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel lamented him with great lamentation.