Anonymous (Septuagint) · a new plain-English translation from the original language
1| In those days Mattathias, the son of John, grandson of Simeon, one of the priests descended from Joarib, rose up from Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
2| He had five sons: John, called Gaddis,
3| Simon, called Thassis,
4| Judas, called Maccabeus,
5| Eleazar, called Avaran, and Jonathan, called Apphus.
6| He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,
7| and he said, "Alas! Why was I born to see this — the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit here while it is given into the hand of enemies, the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?
8| Her temple has become like a man without honor;
9| the vessels of her glory have been carried off as spoils; her infants have been killed in her streets, her young men by the sword of the enemy.
10| What nation has not inherited her kingdoms and seized her plunder?
11| All her adornment has been stripped away; where once she was free, now she wears the yoke of a slave.
12| And behold, our holy things, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste, and the nations have profaned them.
13| Why should we go on living?"
14| Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.
15| Now the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them sacrifice.
16| Many from Israel came over to them, but Mattathias and his sons drew together.
17| The king's officers answered and said to Mattathias, "You are a ruler, honored and great in this city, and you are supported by sons and brothers.
18| Now come forward first and carry out the king's command, as all the nations have done, and the rulers of Judah, and those who remain in Jerusalem. Then you and your house will be among the king's friends, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts."
19| Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice, "Even if all the nations within the king's realm obey him, each abandoning the worship of his fathers, and have chosen to follow his commands,
20| yet 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 its ordinances.
22| We will not listen to the king's word, to turn aside from our worship to the right or to the left."
23| Just as he finished speaking these words, a Jewish man came forward in the sight of all, to offer sacrifice on the altar at Modein according to the king's command.
24| When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal, and his heart trembled, and his wrath rose up as was fitting, and he ran and slaughtered him upon the altar.
25| He also killed the king's man who was forcing them to sacrifice, at that very time, and tore down the altar,
26| for he was zealous for the law, just as Phinehas had done against Zimri son of Salu.
27| Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and stands by the covenant come out after me!"
28| And together with his sons he escaped to the hills, abandoning everything they owned in the city.
29| Then many who sought righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to settle there,
30| they and their sons and their wives and their livestock, because troubles pressed hard upon them.
31| And it was reported to the king's men and to the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that men who had broken the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.
32| Many ran after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against them and drew up for battle against them on the sabbath day.
33| And they said to them, "Enough of this — come out and do as the king commands, and you will live."
34| But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do as the king commands, to profane the sabbath day."
35| So the others hastened to attack them.
36| But they did not answer them, nor did they hurl a stone at them, nor block up their hiding places,
37| saying, "Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth bear witness for us that you are destroying us without a trial."
38| So the attackers launched their assault on that sabbath day, and the hidden ones perished — men, wives, children, and livestock alike — some thousand souls in all.
39| When Mattathias and his friends learned of this, they mourned for them greatly.
40| And each said to his neighbor, "If we all do as our brothers have done, and do not fight against the nations for our lives and our ordinances, they will soon wipe us off the earth."
41| So they decided on that day, saying, "Whoever comes against us to fight on the sabbath day, let us fight against him, so that we do not all die as our brothers died in the hiding places."
42| Then the company of the Hasideans joined them, mighty warriors of Israel, everyone who devoted himself willingly to the law.
43| And all who fled from these troubles joined them and became a support to them.
44| They organized a force and struck down sinners in their anger and lawless men in their wrath, and the rest fled to the nations to save themselves.
45| Mattathias and his sons made the rounds and tore down the altars,
46| and forcibly circumcised the uncircumcised boys whom they found within the borders of Israel.
47| They pursued the sons of arrogance, and the work prospered in their hands.
48| They rescued the law from the hand of the nations and from the hand of the kings, and they did not let the sinner gain the upper hand.
49| Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons, "Arrogance and reproach now hold sway, a time of ruin and furious wrath.
50| And now, children, burn with zeal for the law, and offer up your very lives on behalf of the covenant handed down from our fathers.
51| Remember the deeds our fathers did in their generations, and receive great glory and an everlasting name.
52| Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was counted to him as righteousness?
53| Joseph, during his season of hardship, held fast to the commandment, and rose to become master of Egypt.
54| Phinehas our father, because he was zealous with zeal, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
55| Joshua, for fulfilling the word, became a judge in Israel.
56| Caleb, for testifying before the assembly, received a portion of land as an inheritance.
57| David, for his loyalty, inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
58| Elijah, for burning with zeal for the law, was carried up to heaven.
59| Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, by believing, were saved from the flame.
60| Daniel, in his innocence, was rescued from the mouth of lions.
61| And so consider, generation after generation, that none who hope in him will fail in strength.
62| Do not be afraid of what a sinful man says, for his splendor ends in filth and maggots.
63| Today he will be exalted, and tomorrow he will not be found, because he has returned to his dust, and his scheming has come to nothing.
64| So you, children, be strong and act like men for your law, for by it you will be honored.
65| And behold, Simeon your brother — I know he is a man of counsel; listen to him always, he will be a father to you.
66| And Judas Maccabeus, mighty in strength from his youth, he will be your commander of the army and will fight the war of the peoples.
67| You shall gather to yourselves all who observe the law, and take vengeance for the wrong done to your people.
68| Pay back the nations in full, and hold fast to the commands of the law."
69| Then he pronounced a blessing over them and passed away to join his ancestors.
70| He died in the year one hundred forty-six, and his sons laid him to rest in the family tomb at Modein, while all Israel wept over him with deep mourning.