1 Maccabees 2:1-14

Common English Bible

Mattathias and his sons

2 In those days a priest from Joarib’s family named Mattathias, the son of John and grandson of Simeon, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. ²He had five sons: John, who had the surname Gaddi; ³Simon, called Thassi; ⁴Judas, called Maccabeus; ⁵Eleazar, called Avaran; and Jonathan, called Apphus.

⁶Mattathias saw the offensive actions against God that were taking place in Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷He said:

“Horrible! Why was I born to see this—
    the ruin of my people,
    the ruin of the holy city?
        Why was I born to live there when it was given over to the enemy,
            and when the sanctuary
            was given over to strangers?
⁸Her temple has become
like a person stripped of honor.
⁹    Her glorious equipment
    has been taken away into exile.
        Her babies have been killed
        in her streets,
        her young people
        by the enemy’s sword.
¹⁰Is there a nation that hasn’t
taken away some part of her majesty
    and seized upon her loot?
¹¹All her adornment has been taken away.
    She is no longer free,
    but is instead a slave.
¹²Look! Our holy place, our beauty,
    and our glory have all been destroyed.
    The Gentiles have trampled them.
¹³        Why should we live any longer?”