Part 609 (1/2)

2:32. And forthwith they went out towards them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.

2:33. And they said to them: Do you still resist? come forth, and do according to the edict of king Antiochus, and you shall live.

2:34. And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we obey the king's edict, to profane the sabbath day.

2:35. And they made haste to give them battle.

2:36. But they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,

2:37. Saying: Let us all die in our innocency: and heaven and earth shall be witnesses for us, that you put us to death wrongfully.

2:38. So 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.

2:39. And Mathathias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly.

2:40. 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.

2:41. 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.

2:42. Then was a.s.sembled to them the congregation of the a.s.sideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law.

The a.s.sideans... A set of men that led a religious life; and were zealous for the law and wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d.

2:43. And all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.

2:44. 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.

2:45. And Mathathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars:

2:46. And they circ.u.mcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncirc.u.mcised: and they did valiantly.

2:47. And they pursued after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:

2:48. 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 yielded not the horn, etc... That is, they suffered not the power of Antiochus, that man of sin, to abolish the law and religion of G.o.d.

2:49. Now the days drew near that Mathathias should die, and he said to his sons: Now hath pride and chastis.e.m.e.nt gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

2:50. Now, therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

2:51. 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.

2:52. Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice?

2:53. Joseph, in the time of his distress, kept the commandment, and he was made lord of Egypt.

2:54. Phinees, our father, by being fervent in the zeal of G.o.d, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

2:55. Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word, was made ruler in Israel.