1 Maccabees 2:1–28

In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of ^aSimeon, a priest of the sons of ^bJoarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in ^cModin. ²And he had five sons, ^dJoannan, called Caddis: ³Simon, called Thassi: ^4eJudas, who was called Maccabeus: ^5eeEleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, ^fwhose 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 ^gmisery of my people, and of ^hthe 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 ⁱwithout glory. ^9kHer glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, ^lher infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy. ¹⁰What nation hath not ^mhad a part in her kingdom, and gotten of her spoils? ¹¹ⁿAll her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave. ¹²And behold, our ^osanctuary, even ^pour beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and ^qthe Gentiles have profaned it. ¹³To what end therefore shall we live any longer? ¹⁴Then Mattathias and his sons ^rrent their clothes, and ^rsput on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

¹⁵In the mean while ^tthe king’s officers, such as compelled the people to ^urevolt, came into the city ^cModin, to make them sacrifice. ¹⁶And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together. ¹⁷Then answered ^tthe king’s officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and ^vstrengthened with sons and brethren: ¹⁸now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like ^was all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thine house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many ^xrewards. ¹⁹Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under ^ythe king’s dominion obey him, and ^ufall away every one from the ^zreligion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments: ^20ayet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. ^21bGod forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances. ^22cWe will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our ^dreligion, ^eeither 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 ^fModin, according to the king’s commandment. ²⁴Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and ^ghis reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger ^haccording 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 ⁱPhinees 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 ^jhe and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.