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;
32. and many pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against them, and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day.
33. And they said to them, Thus far. Come forth, and do according to the word of the king, and you⌃ shall live.
34. And they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the word of the king, to profane the Sabbath day.
35. And they hasted to give them battle.
36. And they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
37. saying, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth witness over us, that you⌃ put us to death without trial.
38. And they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died, they and their wives and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand souls.