1. Makkabeler 2

¹O günlerde, Yeruşalim'den çıkıp Modin'e yerleşmiş olan, Şimon oğlu Yuhanna oğlu, Yoyarib soyundan kâhin Mattathias harekete geçti.

²Onun beş oğlu vardı: Gaddis lakaplı Yuhanna,

³Thassi lakaplı Şimon,

⁴Makabi lakaplı Yahuda,

⁵Havran lakaplı Elazar ve Apphus lakaplı Yonatan.

⁶Yahuda'da ve Yeruşalim'de işlenen kutsala saygısızlıkları gördüğünde,

⁷şöyle haykırdı: "Eyvahlar olsun bana! Halkımın ve kutsal kentin yıkımını izlemek, tapınak yabancıların ve kutsal yer düşmanların eline teslim edilmişken orada çaresizce oturmak için mi doğdum?

⁸Onun tapınağı, tüm onurunu ve görkemini yitirmiş bir adam gibi oldu.

⁹Tapınağın kutsal kapları sürgüne götürüldü, bebekleri sokaklarda katledildi, gençleri düşman kılıcıyla can verdi.

¹⁰Hangi ulus onun krallığından pay alıp topraklarını miras edinmedi ve ganimetlerini yağmalamadı?

¹¹Sahip olduğu tüm o estetik düzen ve süs elinden alındı; özgür bir kadınken köleliğe mahkum oldu.

¹²İşte, kutsal yerlerimiz, güzelliğimiz ve görkemimiz viraneye döndü; uluslar buraları kirletti.

¹³Artık yaşamamızın ne anlamı var?"

¹⁴Bunun üzerine Mattathias ve oğulları giysilerini yırttılar, çul kuşanıp derin bir acıyla yas tuttular.

¹⁵Kralın dinden dönmeyi zorla dayatan memurları, pagan kurbanları sundurmak amacıyla Modin kentine geldiler.

¹⁶İsrail'den birçok işbirlikçi onlara katıldı; Mattathias ve oğulları ise ayrı bir yerde toplandılar.

¹⁷Kralın memurları Mattathias'a seslenerek şöyle dediler: "Sen bu kentte saygın, büyük bir öndersin; oğulların ve kardeşlerinle güçlü bir desteğe sahipsin.

¹⁸Şimdi ilk önce sen öne çık ve kralın buyruğunu yerine getir; tıpkı bütün ulusların, Yahuda adamlarının ve Yeruşalim'de kalanların yaptığı gibi. Böylece sen ve ailen kralın resmi dostları arasına kabul edileceksiniz; sen ve oğulların gümüşle, altınla ve pek çok değerli armağanla onurlandırılacaksınız."

¹⁹Mattathias yüksek bir sesle yanıt verdi: "Kralın egemenliği altındaki bütün uluslar onu dinlese, her biri atalarının ibadetinden dönüp onun buyruklarına uymayı seçse bile,

²⁰ben, oğullarım ve kardeşlerim atalarımızın antlaşmasına sadık kalarak yaşayacağız.

²¹Yasa'yı ve buyrukları terk etmek bizden tamamen uzak olsun!

²²İbadetimizden sağa ya da sola sapmak için kralın dayattığı sözlere asla kulak asmayacağız."

²³O, bu sözleri söylemeyi bitirir bitirmez, herkesin gözü önünde işbirlikçi bir Yahudi, kralın buyruğu uyarınca Modin'deki sunakta kurban sunmak için öne çıktı.

²⁴Mattathias bunu görünce kutsal bir gayretle doldu, en derin duyguları sarsıldı ve haklı bir öfkeyle ileri atılarak adamı sunağın üzerinde boğazladı.

²⁵O sırada kurban sunmaya zorlayan kralın memurunu da öldürdü ve pagan sunağını yerle bir etti.

²⁶Tıpkı Pinehas'ın Salu oğlu Zimri'ye yaptığı gibi, Tanrı'nın Yasası için kutsal bir gayret gösterdi.

²⁷Sonra Mattathias kentte yüksek sesle haykırdı: "Yasa için kutsal gayret duyan ve antlaşmayı ayakta tutan herkes arkamdan gelsin!"

²⁸Kendisi ve oğulları, kentte sahip oldukları her şeyi bırakıp dağlara kaçtılar.

²⁹O zaman doğruluk ve adalet arayan birçok kişi, orada yaşamak üzere çöle indi;

³⁰kendileri, oğulları, karıları ve hayvanları da onlarla birlikteydi, çünkü üzerlerindeki zulüm ve felaketler dayanılmaz ölçüde ağırlaşmıştı.

³¹Kralın adamlarına ve Yeruşalim'deki Davut Kenti'nde bulunan askeri garnizona, kralın buyruğunu çiğneyen bazı adamların çöldeki gizli sığınaklara indiği bildirildi.

³²Bunun üzerine birçok asker onların peşine düştü, onlara yetişip karşılarında ordugah kurdular ve Şabat gününde onlara karşı savaş düzeni aldılar.

³³Onlara şöyle dediler: "Şimdiye kadar yaptığınız direniş yetsin! Dışarı çıkın ve kralın buyruğuna boyun eğin, böylece yaşarsınız."

³⁴Ama onlar, "Dışarı çıkmayacağız ve Şabat gününü kirletmek için kralın buyruğunu yerine getirmeyeceğiz" dediler.

³⁵Bunun üzerine düşman askerleri onlara karşı savaşı hemen başlattı.

³⁶Onlar ise ne askeri bir karşılık verdiler, ne üzerlerine tek bir taş attılar, ne de gizli sığınaklarının girişlerini kapattılar.

³⁷Şöyle diyorlardı: "Hepimiz Tanrı'ya olan masumiyetimiz içinde ölelim; gök ve yer bizim için tanıktır ki bizi haksız yere katlediyorsunuz."

³⁸Şabat gününde onlara karşı savaşa giriştiler; kendileri, karıları, çocukları ve hayvanları öldü, ölenlerin sayısı bin kişiyi buldu.

³⁹Mattathias ve dostları bunu öğrenince, katledilen kardeşleri için derin ve şiddetli bir yas tuttular.

⁴⁰Birbirlerine şöyle dediler: "Eğer hepimiz kardeşlerimizin yaptığı gibi pasif kalır, canlarımız ve yasalarımız için uluslara karşı savaşmazsak, bizi yeryüzünden çok çabuk yok edecekler."

⁴¹O gün tarihi bir karar alıp şöyle dediler: "Şabat gününde bize karşı savaşmaya gelen her kim olursa olsun, onunla aktif olarak savaşacağız; böylece gizli sığınaklarda katledilen kardeşlerimiz gibi hepimiz çaresizce ölmeyeceğiz."

⁴²O zaman onlara Hasidilerin topluluğu katıldı; bunlar İsrail'in yiğit savaşçılarıydı ve hepsi kendilerini gönüllü olarak Yasa'ya adamıştı.

⁴³Zulümden kaçan herkes de onlara katılarak direnişe güç ve destek verdi.

⁴⁴Böylece askeri bir güç oluşturdular; öfkeleriyle günahkarları, gazaplarıyla yasa tanımaz adamları cezalandırdılar. Geriye kalan işbirlikçiler ise kurtulmak için pagan ulusların yanına kaçtı.

⁴⁵Mattathias ve dostları tüm bölgeyi dolaşarak pagan sunaklarını yıktılar.

⁴⁶İsrail sınırları içinde buldukları sünnetsiz çocukları zor kullanarak sünnet ettiler.

⁴⁷Kibirli Selefkos yöneticilerinin peşine düştüler ve başlattıkları kutsal mücadele başarıyla ilerledi.

⁴⁸Yasa'yı ulusların ve kralların elinden kurtardılar ve günahkarın egemenlik kurmasına izin vermediler.

⁴⁹Mattathias'ın ölüm günü yaklaştığında oğullarına şöyle dedi: "Şimdi kibir, aşağılama, yıkım zamanı ve gazap öfkesi egemen oldu.

⁵⁰Şimdi, çocuklarım, Yasa için kutsal bir gayret duyun ve atalarımızın antlaşması uğruna canlarınızı feda edin.

⁵¹Atalarımızın kendi kuşaklarında sergiledikleri iman eylemlerini hatırlayın; böylece büyük bir yücelik ve sonsuz bir ad kazanacaksınız.

⁵²İbrahim denendiğinde sadık bulunmadı mı ve bu ona doğruluk sayılmadı mı?

⁵³Yusuf, sıkıntı zamanında ahlaki buyruğu korudu ve Mısır'ın efendisi oldu.

⁵⁴Atamız Pinehas, gösterdiği büyük kutsal gayret sayesinde sonsuz kâhinlik antlaşmasını aldı.

⁵⁵Yeşu, buyruğu yerine getirdiği için İsrail'de önder ve yargıç oldu.

⁵⁶Caleb, topluluk önünde sadakatle tanıklık ettiği için topraktan miras aldı.

⁵⁷Davut, Tanrı'ya olan sadakati ve merhameti sayesinde sonsuzluklar boyunca krallık tahtının varisi oldu.

⁵⁸İlyas, Yasa için büyük bir kutsal gayret duyduğundan göğe alındı.

⁵⁹Hananya, Azarya ve Mişael iman ettikleri için alevlerin içinden kurtuldular.

⁶⁰Daniel, masumiyeti ve dürüstlüğü sayesinde aslanların ağzından kurtarıldı.

⁶¹Böylece kuşaktan kuşağa idrak edin ki, O'na umut bağlayanların hiçbiri asla sarsılmayacaktır.

⁶²Günahkar ve kibirli bir adamın tehdit dolu sözlerinden korkmayın, çünkü onun görkemi nihayetinde gübreye ve solucanlara yem olacaktır.

⁶³Bugün kendini yüceltir, ama yarın bulunamaz; çünkü toprağına geri dönmüştür ve tüm tasarıları yok olup gitmiştir.

⁶⁴Sizler ise çocuklarım, güçlü olun ve Yasa uğruna erkekçe durun; çünkü onun sayesinde yüceltileceksiniz.

⁶⁵İşte kardeşiniz Şimon, onun bilge bir danışman olduğunu biliyorum; her zaman onu dinleyin, o size baba olacaktır.

⁶⁶Gençliğinden beri güçlü ve yiğit olan Yahuda Makabi ise ordunuzun komutanı olacak ve halkların savaşını yürütecektir.

⁶⁷Yasa'yı uygulayan herkesi yanınıza toplayın ve halkınızın öcünü alın.

⁶⁸Uluslara hak ettikleri karşılığı verin ve Yasa'nın buyruklarına sıkı sıkıya dikkat edin."

⁶⁹Sonra onları kutsadı ve atalarına kavuştu.

⁷⁰Yüz kırk altıncı yılda öldü. Oğulları onu Modin'de, atalarının mezarlarına gömdüler ve bütün İsrail onun için büyük bir yas tuttu.

¹ΕΝ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀνέστη Ματταθίας υἱὸς ᾿Ιωάννου τοῦ Συμεὼν ἱερεὺς τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ιωαρὶβ ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Μωδεΐν.

²καὶ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ πέντε, ᾿Ιωάννης ὁ καλούμενος Γαδδίς,

³Σίμων ὁ καλούμενος Θασσί,

⁴᾿Ιούδας ὁ καλούμενος Μακκαβαῖος,

⁵᾿Ελεάζαρ ὁ καλούμενος Αὐαράν, ᾿Ιωνάθαν ὁ καλούμενος ᾿Απφοῦς.

⁶καὶ εἶδε τὰς βλασφημίας τὰς γινομένας ἐν ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ

⁷καὶ εἶπεν· οἴμοι, ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐγεννήθην ἰδεῖν τὸ σύντριμμα τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ τὸ σύντριμμα τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἁγίας καὶ καθίσαι ἐκεῖ ἐν τῷ δοθῆναι αὐτὴν ἐν χειρὶ ἐχθρῶν καὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν χειρὶ ἀλλοτρίων;

⁸ἐγένετο ὁ ναὸς αὐτῆς ὡς ἀνὴρ ἄδοξος,

⁹τὰ σκεύη τῆς δόξης αὐτῆς αἰχμάλωτα ἀπήχθη, ἀπεκτάνθη τὰ νήπια αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις, οἱ νεανίσκοι αὐτῆς ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἐχθροῦ.

¹⁰ποῖον ἔθνος οὐκ ἐκληρονόμησε βασιλείαν αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἐκράτησε τῶν σκύλων αὐτῆς;

¹¹πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῆς ἀφῃρέθη, ἀντὶ ἐλευθέρας ἐγένετο εἰς δούλην.

¹²καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ καλλονὴ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν ἠρημώθη, καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν αὐτὰ τὰ ἔθνη.

¹³ἱνατί ἡμῖν ἔτι ζῆν;

¹⁴καὶ διέρρηξε Ματταθίας καὶ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους καὶ ἐπένθησαν σφόδρα.

¹⁵Καὶ ἦλθον οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως οἱ καταναγκάζοντες τὴν ἀποστασίαν εἰς Μωδεΐν τὴν πόλιν, ἵνα θυσιάσωσι.

¹⁶καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς αὐτοὺς προσῆλθον· καὶ Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ συνήχθησαν.

¹⁷καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπον τῷ Ματταθίᾳ λέγοντες· ἄρχων καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ μέγας εἶ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ καὶ ἐστηριγμένος ἐν υἱοῖς καὶ ἀδελφοῖς·

¹⁸νῦν οὖν πρόσελθε πρῶτος καὶ ποίησον τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ὡς ἐποίησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ᾿Ιούδα καὶ οἱ καταλειφθέντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἔσῃ σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου δοξασθήσεσθε ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀποστολαῖς πολλαῖς.

¹⁹καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ματταθίας καὶ εἶπε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· εἰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούουσιν αὐτοῦ, ἀποστῆναι ἕκαστος ἀπὸ λατρείας πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾑρετίσαντο ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ,

²⁰ἀλλ᾿ ἐγὼ καὶ οἱ υἱοί μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου πορευσόμεθα ἐν διαθήκῃ πατέρων ἡμῶν.

²¹ἵλεως ἡμῖν καταλιπεῖν νόμον καὶ δικαιώματα·

²²τῶν λόγων τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ ἀκουσόμεθα τοῦ παρελθεῖν τὴν λατρείαν ἡμῶν δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν.

²³καὶ ὡς ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους, προσῆλθεν ἀνὴρ ᾿Ιουδαῖος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων, θυσιᾶσαι ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ τοῦ ἐν Μωδεΐν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως.

²⁴καὶ εἶδε Ματταθίας καὶ ἐζήλωσε, καὶ ἐτρόμησαν οἱ νεφροὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκε θυμὸν κατὰ τὸ κρίμα καὶ δραμὼν ἔσφαξεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν·

²⁵καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν ἀναγκάζοντα θύειν ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὸν βωμὸν καθεῖλε.

²⁶καὶ ἐζήλωσε τῷ νόμῳ, καθὼς ἐποίησε Φινεὲς τῷ Ζαμβρὶ υἱῷ Σαλώμ.

²⁷καὶ ἀνέκραξε Ματταθίας ἐν τῇ πόλει φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων· πᾶς ὁ ζηλῶν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ ἱστῶν διαθήκην ἐξελθέτω ὀπίσω μου.

²⁸καὶ ἔφυγον αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὄρη καὶ ἐγκατέλιπον ὅσα εἶχον ἐν τῇ πόλει.

²⁹Τότε κατέβησαν πολλοὶ ζητοῦντες δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα εἰς τὴν ἔρημον καθίσαι ἐκεῖ,

³⁰αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐπληθύνθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τὰ κακά.

³¹καὶ ἀνηγγέλη τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, αἵ ἦσαν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ πόλει Δαυίδ, ὅτι κατέβησαν ἄνδρες, οἵτινες διασκέδασαν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τοὺς κρύφους ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

³²καὶ ἔδραμον ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πολλοὶ καὶ καταλαβόντες αὐτοὺς παρενέβαλον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ συνεστήσαντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλεμον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων

³³καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς· ἕως τοῦ νῦν ἱκανόν· ἐξέλθετε καὶ ποιήσατε κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ζήσεσθε.

³⁴καὶ εἶπον· οὐκ ἐξελευσόμεθα οὐδὲ ποιήσομεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ βεβηλῶσαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν σαββάτων.

³⁵καὶ ἐτάχυναν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πόλεμον.

³⁶καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ λίθον ἐνετίναξαν αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲ ἐνέφραξαν τοὺς κρύφους

³⁷λέγοντες· ἀποθάνωμεν πάντες ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι ἡμῶν· μαρτυρεῖ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ ὅτι ἀκρίτως ἀπόλλυτε ἡμᾶς.

³⁸καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ τοῖς σάββασι, καὶ ἀπέθανον αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν ἕως χιλίων ψυχῶν ἀνθρώπων.

³⁹Καὶ ἔγνω Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπένθησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἕως σφόδρα.

⁴⁰καὶ εἶπεν ἀνὴρ τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν πάντες ποιήσωμεν ὡς οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἐποίησαν, καὶ μὴ πολεμήσωμεν πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν δικαιωμάτων ἡμῶν, νῦν τάχιον ἡμᾶς ἐξολοθρεύσουσιν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.

⁴¹καὶ ἐβουλεύσαντο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγοντες· πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἐὰν ἔλθῃ πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰς πόλεμον τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων, πολεμήσωμεν κατέναντι αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν πάντες καθὼς ἀπέθανον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς κρύφοις.

⁴²τότε συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς συναγωγὴ ῾Ασιδαίων, ἰσχυροὶ δυνάμει ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραήλ, πᾶς ὁ ἑκουσιαζόμενος τῷ νόμῳ·

⁴³καὶ πάντες οἱ φυγαδεύοντες ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν προσετέθησαν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτοῖς εἰς στήριγμα.

⁴⁴καὶ συνεστήσαντο δύναμιν καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτῶν καὶ ἄνδρας ἀνόμους ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν· καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ ἔθνη σωθῆναι.

⁴⁵καὶ ἐκύκλωσε Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ καθεῖλον τοὺς βωμοὺς

⁴⁶καὶ περιέτεμον τὰ παιδάρια τὰ ἀπερίτμητα, ὅσα εὗρον ἐν ὁρίοις ᾿Ισραήλ, ἐν ἰσχύϊ

⁴⁷καὶ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ κατευωδώθη τὸ ἔργον ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν.

⁴⁸καὶ ἀντελάβοντο τοῦ νόμου ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν βασιλέων καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκαν κέρας τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.

⁴⁹Καὶ ἤγγισαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Ματταθίου ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ εἶπε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ· νῦν ἐστηρίχθη ὑπερηφανία καὶ ἐλεγμὸς καὶ καιρὸς καταστροφῆς καὶ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ.

⁵⁰καὶ νῦν, τέκνα, ζηλώσατε τῷ νόμῳ καὶ δότε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ διαθήκης πατέρων ἡμῶν.

⁵¹μνήσθητε τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἐποίησαν ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ δέξασθε δόξαν μεγάλην καὶ ὄνομα αἰώνιον.

⁵²῾Αβραὰμ οὐχὶ ἐν πειρασμῷ εὑρέθη πιστός, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην;

⁵³᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξεν ἐντολὴν καὶ ἐγένετο κύριος Αἰγύπτου.

⁵⁴Φινεὲς ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον ἔλαβε διαθήκην ἱερωσύνης αἰωνίας.

⁵⁵᾿Ιησοῦς ἐν τῷ πληρῶσαι λόγον ἐγένετο κριτὴς ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁵⁶Χάλεβ ἐν τῷ ἐπιμαρτύρασθαι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἔλαβε γῆς κληρονομίαν.

⁵⁷Δαυὶδ ἐν τῷ ἐλέῳ αὐτοῦ ἐκληρονόμησε θρόνον βασιλείας εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος.

⁵⁸᾿Ηλίας ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον νόμου ἀνελήφθη ἕως εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.

⁵⁹᾿Ανανίας, ᾿Αζαρίας, Μισαήλ, πιστεύσαντες ἐσώθησαν ἐκ φλογός.

⁶⁰Δανιὴλ ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτοῦ ἐρρύσθη ἐκ στόματος λεόντων.

⁶¹καὶ οὕτως ἐννοήθητε κατὰ γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν, ὅτι πάντες οἱ ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀσθενήσουσι.

⁶²καὶ ἀπὸ λόγων ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ φοβηθῆτε, ὅτι ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ εἰς κοπρίαν καὶ εἰς σκώληκας·

⁶³σήμερον ἐπαρθήσεται καὶ αὔριον οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ, ὅτι ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπώλετο.

⁶⁴καὶ ὑμεῖς τέκνα ἰσχύσατε καὶ ἀνδρίζεσθε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ δοξασθήσεσθε.

⁶⁵καὶ ἰδοὺ Συμεὼν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν, οἶδα ὅτι ἀνὴρ βουλῆς ἐστιν, αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς πατέρα.

⁶⁶καὶ ᾿Ιούδας Μακκαβαῖος ἰσχυρὸς δυνάμει ἐκ νεότητος αὐτοῦ, οὗτος ὑμῖν ἔσται ἄρχων στρατιᾶς καὶ πολεμήσει πόλεμον λαῶν.

⁶⁷καὶ ὑμεῖς προσάξατε πρὸς ὑμᾶς πάντας τοὺς ποιητὰς τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐκδικήσατε ἐκδίκησιν τοῦ λαοῦ ὑμῶν.

⁶⁸ἀνταπόδοτε ἀνταπόδομα τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ προσέχετε εἰς τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ νόμου.

⁶⁹καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς, καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ.

⁷⁰καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει, καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τάφοις πατέρων αὐτῶν ἐν Μωδεΐν, καὶ ἐκόψαντο αὐτὸν πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ κοπετὸν μέγαν.

¹In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.

²And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:

³Simon; called Thassi:

⁴Judas, who was called Maccabeus:

⁵Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.

⁶And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,

⁷He 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?

⁸Her temple is become as a man without glory.

⁹Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

¹⁰What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?

¹¹All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.

¹²And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.

¹³To what end therefore shall we live any longer?

¹⁴Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

¹⁵In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.

¹⁶And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.

¹⁷Then 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:

¹⁸Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like as all the heathen 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.

¹⁹Then 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:

²⁰Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.

²¹God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.

²²We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

²³Now 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.

²⁴Which 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.

²⁵Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.

²⁶Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.

²⁷And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.

²⁸So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.

²⁹Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:

³⁰Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.

³¹Now 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,

³²They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.

³³And 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.

³⁴But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king’s commandment, to profane the sabbath day.

³⁵So then they gave them the battle with all speed.

³⁶Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;

³⁷But said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.

³⁸So 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.

³⁹Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.

⁴⁰And 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.

⁴¹At 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.

⁴²Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.

⁴³Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.

⁴⁴So 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.

⁴⁵Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:

⁴⁶And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.

⁴⁷They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.

⁴⁸So 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.

⁴⁹Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

⁵⁰Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

⁵¹Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.

⁵²Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?

⁵³Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt.

⁵⁴Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

⁵⁵Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.

⁵⁶Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.

⁵⁷David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

⁵⁸Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.

⁵⁹Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.

⁶⁰Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.

⁶¹And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.

⁶²Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.

⁶³To 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.

⁶⁴Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.

⁶⁵And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.

⁶⁶As 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.

⁶⁷Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.

⁶⁸Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

⁶⁹So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

⁷⁰And 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.