29 At that time many who were seeking righteousness and judgement went down to the wilderness to abide there, they and their sons, and their wives, and their cattle; 30 for misfortunes ufell hardlyu upon them. 31 And it was reported to the king’s officers and to the troops that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that men who had set at nought the king’s commandx had gone down into hiding-places in the wilderness. 32 And many ran after them, and having overtaken them, ythey encamped against them, andy set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day. 33 And they said unto them: ‘zLet it suffice nowz; come forth, and do according to the command of the king, and ye shall live.’ 34 And they answered, ‘We will not come forth, nor will we do according to the command of the king, and thereby profane the Sabbath day. 35 Thereupon they immediately attacked them. 36 But they answered them not, 37 nor did they cast a stone at them, nor even block up their hiding-places, saying, ‘Let us all die in our innocency; Heaven and earth bear us witness that ye destroy us wrongfully’a. 38 And they attacked them on the Sabbath; and they died, they and their wives, and their children, and their cattle, about a thousand souls.

2:39–48. Mattathias, supported by the Chasidim, continues the war with success.