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1In those days Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest in the line of Joarib, had left Jerusalem to make his home in the town of Modein.
2He had five sons: John, who was known as Gaddi;
3Simon, who was called Thassi;
4Judas, who was called Maccabeus;
5Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.[#2:4-5 The surnames of Mattathias’s sons mean, respectively, “fortunate,” “burning,” “the hammerer” (or possibly “designated by Yahweh”), “awake,” and “favorite.”]
6When Mattathias saw the sacrilegious acts done in Judea and Jerusalem,[#2:6 Greek in Judah.]
7he said,
“How terrible that I was born to see this,
the destruction of my people,
the ruin of the holy city!
How terrible to stand by while Jerusalem is given to enemies,
while the sanctuary is handed over to foreigners.
8Her Temple is like a man who has lost his honor;
9the glorious vessels have been carried into exile.
Her infants have been murdered in the streets,
and her young men have been killed by the enemy’s sword.
10What nation has not taken its share of her realm?
What nation has not plundered her?
11All her ornaments have been taken away.
No longer free, she has become a slave.
12Look at our sanctuary and see how our beauty
and our glory are laid waste.
They have been defiled by the Gentiles.
13What is left to live for?”
14To show their grief, Mattathias and his sons tore their clothing, dressed themselves in sackcloth, and mourned deeply.
15Officers of the king arrived in Modein to force the people to abandon Judaism and to offer pagan sacrifices.
16Many of the Israelites went along with these men, but Mattathias and his sons refused to go near the pagan altar.
17In response, the king’s officers said to Mattathias, “You are an honored leader and an important man in this town. Your sons and brothers follow you.
18Therefore, be the first in your town to obey the king’s command, just as all the Gentiles and the people of Judea and those living in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be counted among the king’s favored leaders and be made rich with gold, silver, and many gifts.”[#2:18 Greek of Judah.]
19But Mattathias loudly replied, “Even if every nation in the kingdom obeys the king, yielding to his decrees and forsaking their own ancestral religion,
20I and my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors.
21Heaven forbid that we should abandon the law of Moses and the commandments!
22We will never obey the orders of the king, nor will we stray from our religion—either to the right or to the left.”
23As he finished speaking, a certain Jew came forward to offer sacrifices on the pagan altar in the town of Modein, according to the king’s regulations.
24When Mattathias saw this, he burned with passion. Then driven by righteous fury, he ran at the man and slaughtered him on the altar.
25At the same time, he killed the officer the king had sent to enforce the pagan sacrifices, and he pulled down the altar.
26In his zeal for the law of Moses, he showed the spirit Phinehas had shown against Zimri son of Salu.
27Mattathias then went through the town, shouting loudly, “Everyone who is zealous for the law of Moses and wants to obey the covenant, follow me!”
28Then he and his sons escaped into the hills, leaving behind everything they owned.
29Many who were committed to righteousness and justice retreated into the wilderness and lived there
30with their children, their wives, and their livestock because their troubles had become so difficult to bear.
31The king’s officers and soldiers in Jerusalem, in the City of David, heard about these Jews who had defied the king’s commands and gone into hiding in the wilderness.
32Soldiers were sent after them, and when they found them, they set up camp across from them and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath.
33But first the soldiers said to them, “Enough of this! Come forward and obey the king’s command, and you will live.”
34But the Jews replied, “We will not come forward, nor will we desecrate the Sabbath by obeying the king’s orders.”
35Without hesitation the soldiers attacked,
36but the Jews offered no resistance, refusing to throw stones at them or even to barricade their hideouts.
37They said, “Let us all die in innocence. Heaven and earth will witness to the fact that you are killing us unjustly.”
38So the foreigners attacked them on the Sabbath, and they were killed, together with their wives, their children, and their livestock. A thousand people died that day.
39When Mattathias and his friends heard this news, they mourned deeply.
40They said to one another, “If we all do as our fellow Israelites have done and refuse to fight the Gentiles for our lives and beliefs, they will quickly wipe us off the face of the earth.”
41So that day they decided, “If anyone attacks us on the Sabbath day, we will fight them. We will not die in our hiding places as our fellow Israelites did.”
42They were joined at that time by a group of Hasideans, strong Israelite warriors who were deeply committed to the law of Moses.[#2:42 This Jewish group, whose name means “The Devout,” strongly supported the law of Moses and opposed foreign influence. They later split into two groups, the Pharisees and the Essenes.]
43And all those who fled from persecution joined them, giving them added support.
44They formed an organized army and in their anger killed guilty and ungodly Jews. The survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.
45Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the pagan altars,
46and they forcibly circumcised any boys in the hill country of Israel who had not been circumcised.
47They hunted down the arrogant and were successful in their fight.
48They rescued the law of Moses from the control of the Gentiles and their kings, and they never gave in to those who were guilty.
49As the time of Mattathias’ death drew near, he said to his sons, “Pride and scorn have become rampant; it is a time of violence and fury.
50Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law of Moses and give your lives for the covenant of your ancestors.
51If you remember the deeds our ancestors did for each of their generations, you will receive great honor and everlasting fame.
52Wasn’t Abraham found faithful when he was tested? And wasn’t he declared to be righteous?
53Joseph kept the law through trying times, and he became master over Egypt.
54As a reward for his zeal, our ancestor Phinehas was granted a covenant that his descendants would be priests for all time.
55For fulfilling his duty, Joshua became a judge in Israel.
56For giving a positive report to the people, Caleb received an inheritance in the land.
57For showing mercy, David received the promise that his descendants would rule for all time.
58Because of his zeal for the law of Moses, Elijah was taken up into heaven.
59Because they had faith, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were rescued from the flames.[#2:59 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were the original Hebrew names of Shadrach, Abednego, and Meshach.]
60Because he was innocent, Daniel was delivered from the lions’ jaws.
61“Take notice how, in every generation, all who trust in God are strong.[#2:61 Greek in him.]
62Do not fear the threats of sinners, for their glory will turn to dung and worms.
63Today they are exalted, but tomorrow they cannot be found, because they will return to dust, and their planning will come to nothing.
64Therefore, my sons, be courageous and strong in keeping the law of Moses, for by obeying it you will gain glory.
65“Your brother Simon is a wise man, so listen to him always, for he will take my place.[#2:65 Greek Simeon, a variant name for Simon.]
66Let Judas Maccabeus, who has always been valiant and strong, be the leader of your army and direct the war against the Gentiles.
67Gather together all who observe the law of Moses, and avenge the wrong of your people.
68Pay back the Gentiles in full, and always obey the law of Moses.”
69Mattathias blessed his sons, and then he died
70in the one hundred forty-sixth year of Greek rule. He was buried in the tomb of his ancestors in Modein, and all Israel mourned deeply for him.[#2:70 The 146th year of Greek rule was 166 b.c.]