9. But Eleazar endured the pain, ignored the agony, and put up with the suffering.
10. Like an honorable athlete in the games, the old man defeated his torturers while they were beating him up.
11. His face dripping with sweat and gasping for breath, he amazed even the torturers with his courage.
12. Some members of the king’s staff were moved by Eleazar’s situation, partly out of pity for his old age,
13. partly because of their previous relationship with him, and partly out of admiration for his endurance. These people came to him and said,
14. "Eleazar, why are you throwing your life away so thoughtlessly in the midst of these torments?
15. We will set some cooked meat in front of you. Save yourself by pretending that it is pork and eat it."
16. Eleazar screamed out as if this advice were even more painful than the whips:
17. "May we who are Abraham’s children never think so wickedly that we would pretend to act this inappropriately because we are cowards!