Septuagint (Greek Old Testament)

he said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?

Her temple is become as a man without glory.

Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

What nation hath not had a part in [her] kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?

All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she has become a bondslave.

And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.

To what end therefore shall we live any longer?

Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

In the mean while the king's officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.

And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.

Then answered the king's officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:

now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king's commandment, like as all the nations have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king's friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards.

Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:

yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.

God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.

We will not hearken to the king's words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king's commandment.

Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar.

Also the king's commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.

Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God, like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.

And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.

So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.

Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:

both they and their children, and their wives, and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.

Now when it was told the king's servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king's commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness,

they pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.

And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live.

But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king's commandment, to profane the sabbath day.

So then they gave them the battle with all speed.

Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;

but said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth shall testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.

So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people.

Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.

And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.

At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him: neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places.

Then came there unto him a company of Assideans, who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.

Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.

So they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour.

Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:

and what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.

They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.

So they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.

Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.

Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?

Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and was made lord of Egypt;

Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.

Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.

David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.

Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.

Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.

And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.

Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.

To day he shall be lifted up, and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing.

Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant, and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.

And, behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.

As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people.

Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.

Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.

Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.

And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.

So he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.

In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.

For he pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.

Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.

He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.

Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:

so that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.

Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.

Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.

Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.

Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;

he said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king's commandment.

So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.

And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:

who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude [and] so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?

Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with [the God of] heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company;

for the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host; but strength cometh from heaven.

They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:

but we fight for our lives and our laws.

Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.

Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leaped suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host were overthrown before him.

And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.

Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:

insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.

Now when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, [even] a very strong army.

He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them.

Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;

he feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.

Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.

So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt:

and to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.

Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and Jerusalem;

[to wit], that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;

and that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.