1 In those days arose Mathathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and he abode in the mountain of Modin.
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Phinees [Phinehas] our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. 2:54
1 In those days arose Mathathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and he abode in the mountain of Modin.
Mathathias had five sons:
2 And he had five sons: John who was surnamed Gaddis:
John Gaddis,
3 And Simon, who was surnamed Thasi:
Simon Thasi,
4 And Judas, who was called Machabeus:
Judas Machabeus,
5 And Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus.
Eleazar Abaron, and Jonathan Apphus.
6 These saw the evils that were done in the people of Juda, and in Jerusalem.
They saw the evil that had been done in Israel.
7 And Mathathias said: Woe is me, wherefore was I born to see the ruin of my people, and the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it is given into the hands of the enemies?
Matthathias said,
Woe is me!
8 The holy places are come into the hands of strangers: her temple is become as a man without honour.
9 The vessels of her glory are carried away captive: her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by the sword of the enemies.
10 What nation hath not inherited her kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?
11 All her ornaments are taken away. She that was free is made a slave.
12 And behold our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our glory is laid waste, and the Gentiles have defiled them.
13 To what end then should we live any longer?
Why should we live any longer?
14 And Mathathias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth, and made great lamentation.
Mathathias and his sons tore their clothes, and covered themselves in haircloth.
15 And they that were sent from king Antiochus came thither, to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to sacrifice, and to burn incense, and to depart from the law of God.
16 And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them: but Mathathias and his sons stood firm.
They refused to sacrifice and burn incense to other gods.
17 And they that were sent from Antiochus, answering, said to Mathathias: Thou art a ruler, and an honourable, and great man in this city, and adorned with sons, and brethren.
18 Therefore come thou first, and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Juda, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and thou, and thy sons, shall be in the number of the king's friends, and enriched with gold, and silver, and many presents.
19 Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments:
20 I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
21 God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God:
22 We will not hearken to the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice, and transgress the commandments of our law, to go another way.
23 Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment.
When Mathathias saw a Jew sacrifice to idols on the altar,
24 And Mathathias saw and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar:
he killed him on the altar. [1]
25Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar.
He also killed an officer of of King Antiochus.
26And shewed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri the son of Salomi.
He showed that his zeal was like that of Phinees [Phinehas]. [2]
27 And Mathathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one that hath zeal for the law, and maintaineth the testament, let him follow me.
Then Mathathias cried out,
Whoever is zealous, follow me.
28 So he, and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city.
He and his sons fled to the mountains.
29 Then many that sought after judgment, and justice, went down into the desert:
Many others went to the desert with their wives and children.
30 And they abode there, they and their children, and their wives, and their cattle: because afflictions increased upon them.
31 And it was told to the king's men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem in the city of David, that certain men who had broken the king's commandment, were gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many were gone after them.
Antiochus's men heard about it and went after them,
32 And forthwith they went out towards them, and made war against them on the sabbath day,
making war with them on the Sabbath day.
33 And they said to them: Do you still resist? come forth, and do according to the edict of king Antiochus, and you shall live.
They said to them, "Obey the king, and you will live."
34 And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we obey the king's edict, to profane the sabbath day.
But they said, "We won't profane the Sabbath day."
35 And they made haste to give them battle.
36 But they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
When the king's men attacked, they didn't try to defend themselves, saying,
37 Saying: Let us all die in our innocency: and heaven and earth shall be witnesses for us, that you put us to death wrongfully.
Let us die in our innocence.
38So they gave them battle on the sabbath: and they were slain with their wives, and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.
And 1000 men, women, and children were killed.
39 And Mathathias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly.
40 And every man said to his neighbour: If we shall all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives, and our justifications: they will now quickly root us out of the earth.
41 And they determined in that day, saying: Whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the sabbath day, we will fight against him: and we will not all die, as our brethren that were slain in the secret places.
Mathathias and his friends agree to fight on the Sabbath day, if they are attacked on that day.
42 Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law.
43 And all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.
44 And they gathered an army, and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation: and the rest fled to the nations for safety.
They gathered an army, and killed the sinners and wicked men, [3]
45And Mathathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars:
threw down the altars,
46And they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised: and they did valiantly.
and circumcised all the uncircumcised children they could find in Israel.
47 And they pursued after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:
48 And they recovered the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings: and they yielded not the horn to the sinner.
They didn't yield the horn to the sinner.
49 Now the days drew near that Mathathias should die, and he said to his sons: Now hath pride and chastisement gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
When Mathathias was about to die, he said to his sons,
50 Now therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
Be zealous and willing to die.
51 And call to remembrance the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations: and you shall receive great glory, and an everlasting name.
52Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice?
Wasn't Abraham faithful in temptation? [4]
53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and he was made lord of Egypt.
54Phinees our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
Phinees [Phinehas] received the priesthood for being zealous. [2]
55Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word, was made ruler in Israel.
Jesus [Joshua] was made ruler in Israel.
56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the congregation, received an inheritance.
57David by his mercy obtained the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
David became king by his mercy. [5]
58 Elias, while he was full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
Elias [Elijah] was taken up into heaven.
59 Ananias and Azarias and Misael by believing, were delivered out of the flame.
Ananias and Azarias and Misael weren't burned because of their faith. [6]
60 Daniel in his innocency was delivered out of the mouth of the lions.
Daniel was saved from the lions.
61 And thus consider through all generations: that none that trust in him fail in strength.
62 And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung, and worms:
The glory of sinful men is dung and worms.
63 Today he is lifted up, and tomorrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his earth; and his thought is come to nothing.
When people die they no longer exist. [7]
64 You therefore, my sons, take courage, and behave manfully in the law: for by it you shall be glorious.
65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel: give ear to him always, and he shall be a father to you.
Your brother Simon will be a father to you.
66 And Judas Machabeus who is valiant and strong from his youth up, let him be the leader of your army, and he shall manage the war of the people.
Judas Machabeus will lead your army.
67 And you shall take to you all that observe the law: and revenge ye the wrong of your people.
Revenge the wrong that was done to your people.
68Render to the Gentiles their reward, and take heed to the precepts of the law.
Give the Gentiles their reward.
69 And he blessed them, and was joined to his fathers.
Then he blessed them and died in the 146th year (166 BC)
70 And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year: and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning.
Phineas [Phinehas] was the guy who murdered Zimri and Cozbi while they were having sex in Numbers 25:6-14, and thus became one of God's special heroes.
Drunk With Blood: Mathathias and his friends slay the wicked sinners, circumcise the the uncircumcised, and yield not the horn to the sinner
God tempted Abraham by telling him to kill his son Isaac. And Abraham passed the test by being willing to do it. (Genesis 22)
It would be hard to find anyone less merciful than David.
See the story in Daniel 3:8-27.