20. yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.
21. Heaven forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.
22. We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left.
23. And when he had left 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.
24. And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was kindled, and his reins trembled, and he showed forth his wrath according to judgement, and ran, and killed him upon the altar.
25. And the king’s officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and pulled down the altar.
26. And he was zealous for the law, even as Phinehas did to Zimri the son of Salu.
27. And Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous for the law, and maintains the covenant, let him come forth after me.
28. And he and his sons fled into the mountains, and forsook all that they had in the city.
29. Then many that sought after justice and judgement went down into the wilderness, to dwell there,
30. they, and their sons, and their wives, and their cattle; because evils were multiplied upon them.
31. 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 down into the secret places in the wilderness;