ed, and
his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running
upon him he slew him upon the altar:

2:25. Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them
to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar,

2:26. And shewed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri, the son of
Salomi.

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.

2:28. So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they
had in the city.

2:29. Then many that sought after judgment, and justice, went down into
the desert,

2:30. And they abode there, they and their children, and their wives,
and their cattle: because afflictions increased upon them.

2:31. 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.

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 assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the