Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers.

I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors.

All his brothers and all who had joined his father helped him; they gladly fought for Israel.

Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror fell on the nations all around them.

Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the king had commanded to do to the people to cause their final destruction.

Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple

Then Judas and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.”

Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.

and sent to Judas and his brothers letters that said, “The nations around us have gathered together to destroy us.

Thus the people suffered a great rout because, thinking to do a brave deed, they did not listen to Judas and his brothers.

The man Judas and his brothers were greatly honored in all Israel and among all the nations, wherever their name was heard.

Success at Hebron and Philistia

Then Judas and his brothers went out and fought the descendants of Esau in the land to the south. He struck Hebron and its villages and tore down its strongholds and burned its towers on all sides.

They brought to the king this accusation against the people: “Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your Friends and have driven us out of our land.

So they marched away and came with a large force into the land of Judah, and he sent messengers to Judas and his brothers with peaceable but treacherous words.

So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large force and treacherously sent to Judas and his brothers this peaceable message,

“Judas, who is also called Maccabeus, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, so that we may be enrolled as your allies and friends.”

They looked out and saw a tumultuous procession with a great amount of baggage, and the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons.

for he will remember all the wrongs that we did to him and to his brothers and his nation.”

Now King Alexander heard of all the promises that Demetrius had sent to Jonathan, and he heard of the battles that Jonathan and his brothers had fought, of the brave deeds that they had done, and of the troubles that they had endured.

“The high priest Jonathan, the council of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people to their brothers the Spartans, greetings.

Already in time past a letter was sent to the high priest Onias from Arius, who was king among you, stating that you are our brothers, as the appended copy shows.

We therefore remember you constantly on every occasion, both at our festivals and on other appropriate days, at the sacrifices that we offer and in our prayers, as it is right and proper to remember brothers.

It has been found in writing concerning the Spartans and the Jews that they are brothers and are of the family of Abraham.

he encouraged them, saying to them, “You yourselves know what great things my brothers and I and the house of my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary; you know also the wars and the difficulties that my brothers and I have seen.

By reason of this all my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel, and I alone am left.

And now, far be it from me to spare my life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers.