21. Those in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside, because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring his own provisions that he could legitimately eat, and only to pretend to eat the sacrificial meat prescribed by the king.
22. Thus he would escape death, and be treated kindly because of his old friendship with them.
23. But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood. Above all loyal to the holy laws given by God, he swiftly declared, “Send me to Hades!”
24. “At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many of the young would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.
25. If I dissemble to gain a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring defilement and dishonor on my old age.
26. Even if, for the time being, I avoid human punishment, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hand of the Almighty.
27. Therefore, by bravely giving up life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
28. and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.”He spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
29. Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness.