1 Maccabees 1:54-2:30

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁵⁴ Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year,^[a] they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah, ⁵⁵ and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶ The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. ⁵⁷ Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death. ⁵⁸ They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after month in the cities. ⁵⁹ And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering. ⁶⁰ According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, ⁶¹ and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.

⁶² But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. ⁶³ They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. ⁶⁴ And very great wrath came upon Israel.

Mattathias and His Sons

2 In those days Mattathi′as the son of John, son of Sim′eon, a priest of the sons of Jo′arib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Mo′de-in. ² He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, ³ Simon called Thassi, ⁴ Judas called Maccabe′us, ⁵ Elea′zar called Av′aran, and Jonathan called Apphus. ⁶ He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, ⁷ and said,

¹⁴ And Mattathi′as and his sons rent their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.

Pagan Worship Refused

¹⁵ Then the king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Mo′de-in to make them offer sacrifice. ¹⁶ Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathi′as and his sons were assembled. ¹⁷ Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathi′as as follows: “You are a leader, honored and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers. ¹⁸ Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.”

¹⁹ But Mattathi′as answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, ²⁰ yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. ²¹ Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. ²² We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”

²³ When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Mo′de-in, according to the king’s command. ²⁴ When Mattathi′as saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar. ²⁵ At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. ²⁶ Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phin′ehas did against Zimri the son of Salu.

²⁷ Then Mattathi′as cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” ²⁸ And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city.

²⁹ Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to dwell there, ³⁰ they, their sons, their wives, and their cattle, because evils pressed heavily upon them.