e from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to
follow his commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk
in the covenant of our fathers. Heaven forbid that we should forsake
the law and the ordinances. We will not hearken to the king's words,
to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left."

And when he had ceased speaking these words, there came a Jew in the
sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according
to the king's commandment. And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was
kindled, and he was hot with indignation, and ran, and slew him upon
the altar. And the king's officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he
killed at that time, and pulled down the altar. And Mattathias cried
out in the city with a loud voice, saying, "Whosoever is zealous for
the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him come forth after me."

And he and his sons fled into the mountains, and forsook all that they
had in the city.

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IV.

_How a Thousand Jews Were Slaughtered Because They Would Not Fight on
the Sabbath Day_.

Then many that sought after justice and judgment, went out into the
wilderness, to dwell there, they, and their sons, and their wives, and
their cattle; because evils were multiplied upon them. And it was told
the king's officers, and the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city
of David, that certain men, who had broken the king's commandment,
were gone out into the secret places in the wilderness; and many
pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against
them, and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day.

And they said unto them, "Come forth, and do according to the word of
the king, and ye shall live."

And they said, "We will not come forth, neither will we do the word of
the king, to profane the Sabbath day."

And they hasted to give them battle. And they answered them not,
neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
saying, "Let us all die in our innocency: heaven and earth witness
over us, that ye put us to death without trial."

And they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died,
they and their wives and their children, and their cattle, to the
number of a thousand souls.

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V.

_How Mattathias Died, and Bequeathed the Task of Freeing Israel to His
Sons_.

And Mattathias and his friends knew it, and they mourned over them
exceedingly. And one s