Antiquities of the Jews — Book 12, Chapter 6

1. Now at this time there was one whose name was Mattathias, who dwelt
at Modin, the son of John, the son of Simeon, the son of Asamoneus, a
priest of the order of Joarib, and a citizen of Jerusalem. He had five
sons; John, who was called Gaddis, and Simon, who was called Matthes,
and Judas, who was called Maccabeus, 19 and Eleazar, who was called
Auran, and Jonathan, who was called Apphus. Now this Mattathias lamented
to his children the sad state of their affairs, and the ravage made in
the city, and the plundering of the temple, and the calamities the
multitude were under; and he told them that it was better for them to
die for the laws of their country, than to live so ingloriously as they
then did.

2. But when those that were appointed by the king were come to Modin,
that they might compel the Jews to do what they were commanded, and to
enjoin those that were there to offer sacrifice, as the king had
commanded, they desired that Mattathias, a person of the greatest
character among them, both on other accounts, and particularly on
account of such a numerous and so deserving a family of children, would
begin the sacrifice, because his fellow citizens would follow his
example, and because such a procedure would make him honored by the
king. But Mattathias said he would not do it; and that if all the other
nations would obey the commands of Antiochus, either out of fear, or to
please him, yet would not he nor his sons leave the religious worship of
their country. But as soon as he had ended his speech, there came one of
the Jews into the midst of them, and sacrificed, as Antiochus had
commanded. At which Mattathias had great indignation, and ran upon him
violently, with his sons, who had swords with them, and slew both the
man himself that sacrificed, and Apelles the king's general, who
compelled them to sacrifice, with a few of his soldiers. He also
overthrew the idol altar, and cried out, "If," said he, "any one be
zealous for the laws of his country, and for the worship of God, let him
follow me." And when he had said this, he made haste into the desert
with his sons, and left all his substance in the village. Many others
did the same also, and fled with their children and wives into the
desert, and dwelt in caves. But when the king's generals heard this,
they took all the forces they then had in the citadel at Jerusalem, and
pursued the Jews into the desert; and when they had overtaken them, they
in the first place endeavored to persuade them to repent, and to choose
what was most for their advantage, and not put them to the necessity of
using them according to the law of war. But when they would not comply
with their persuasions, but continued to be of a different mind, they
fought against them on the sabbath day, and they burnt them as they were
in the caves, without resistance, and without so much as stopping up the
entrances of the caves. And they avoided to defend themselves on that
day, because they were not willing to break in upon the honor they owed
the sabbath, even in such distresses; for our law requires that we rest
upon that day. There were about a thousand, with their wives and
children, who were smothered and died in these caves; but many of those
that escaped joined themselves to Mattathias, and appointed him to be
their ruler, who taught them to fight, even on the sabbath day; and told
them that unless they would do so, they would become their own enemies,
by observing the law [so rigorously], while their adversaries would
still assault them on this day, and they would not then defend
themselves, and that nothing could then hinder but they must all perish
without fighting. This speech persuaded them. And this rule continues
among us to this day, that if there be a necessity, we may fight on
sabbath days. So Mattathias got a great army about him, and overthrew
their idol altars, and slew those that broke the laws, even all that he
could get under his power; for many of them were dispersed among the
nations round about them for fear of him. He also commanded that those
boys which were not yet circumcised should be circumcised now; and he
drove those away that were appointed to hinder such their circumcision.

3. But when he had ruled one year, and was fallen into a distemper, he
called for his sons, and set them round about him, and said, "O my sons,
I am going the way of all the earth; and I recommend to you my
resolution, and beseech you not to be negligent in keeping it, but to be
mindful of the desires of him who begat you, and brought you up, and to
preserve the customs of your country, and to recover your ancient form
of government, which is in danger of being overturned, and not to be
carried away with those that, either by their own inclination, or out of
necessity, betray it, but to become such sons as are worthy of me; to be
above all force and necessity, and so to dispose your souls, as to be
ready, when it shall be necessary, to die for your laws; as sensible of
this, by just reasoning, that if God see that you are so disposed he
will not overlook you, but will have a great value for your virtue, and
will restore to you again what you have lost, and will return to you
that freedom in which you shall live quietly, and enjoy your own
customs. Your bodies are mortal, and subject to fate; but they receive a
sort of immortality, by the remembrance of what actions they have done.
And I would have you so in love with this immortality, that you may
pursue after glory, and that, when you have undergone the greatest
difficulties, you may not scruple, for such things, to lose your lives.
I exhort you, especially, to agree one with another; and in what
excellency any one of you exceeds another, to yield to him so far, and
by that means to reap the advantage of every one's own virtues. Do you
then esteem Simon as your father, because he is a man of extraordinary
prudence, and be governed by him in what counsels be gives you. Take
Maccabeus for the general of your army, because of his courage and
strength, for he will avenge your nation, and will bring vengeance on
your enemies. Admit among you the righteous and religious, and augment
their power."

4. When Mattathias had thus discoursed to his sons, and had prayed to
God to be their assistant, and to recover to the people their former
constitution, he died a little afterward, and was buried at Modin; all
the people making great lamentation for him. Whereupon his son Judas
took upon him the administration of public affairs, in the hundred forty
and sixth year; and thus, by the ready assistance of his brethren, and
of others, Judas cast their enemies out of the country, and put those of
their own country to death who had transgressed its laws, and purified
the land of all the pollutions that were in it.