Heroes of Israel / Text of the Hero Stories with Notes and Questions for Young Students

by Theodore Gerald Soares

THE STORY

§96. The Tyrant and the Heroes (I Macc. 1:41-50, 54-57; 2:1-7, 14, 15, 17-25, 27, 28, 44, 45, 48-50, 64-66, 70)

A. THE TYRANNY OF ANTIOCHUS

Antiochus, king of Syria, who had rule over many peoples and over the Jews, wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and that each should forsake his own laws. And all the nations agreed according to the word of the king, and many of Israel consented to his worship, and sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the sabbath. And the king sent letters by the hand of messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land, and should profane the sabbaths and feasts, and pollute the sanctuary; that they should build altars, and temples for idols, and should sacrifice swine's flesh and unclean beasts. And whosoever shall not do according to the word of the king, he shall die.

And they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah they built idol altars. And they rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, and set them on fire. And wheresoever was found with any a book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king's sentence delivered him to death.

B. THE OLD HERO AND HIS FIVE SONS

In those days rose up Mattathias the priest, who dwelt at Modin. And he had five sons, John, Simon, Judas who was called Maccabæus (the Hammerer), Eleazar, Jonathan. And he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem, and he said. "Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see the destruction of my people and of the holy city? Wherefore should we live any longer?"

And Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned exceedingly.

And the king's officers came into the city Modin to sacrifice. And they spake to Mattathias saying, "Thou art a ruler and an honorable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren; now therefore come thou first and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and thou and thy house shall be in the number of the king's Friends, and thou and thy sons shall be honored with silver and gold and many gifts."

And Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, "If all the nations that are in the king's dominion hearken unto him, to fall away each one from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to follow his commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. We will not hearken to the king's words, to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left."

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. And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was kindled, and he showed forth his wrath, and ran and slew him upon the altar. And the king's officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and pulled down the altar. And he cried with a loud voice, "Whosoever is zealous for the law, let him come forth after me."

And Mattathias and his sons fled into the mountains, and they mustered a host and smote sinners in their anger, and they went round about, and pulled down the altars, and they rescued the law out of the hand of the Gentiles.

And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said unto his sons, "My children, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers. Be strong and show yourselves men in behalf of the law; for therein shall ye obtain glory. And, behold, Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of counsel; give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you. And Judas Maccabæus, he hath been strong and mighty from his youth: he shall be your captain, and shall fight the battle of the people."

And he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. And all Israel made great lamentation for him.

§97. The Great Deliverance (I Macc. 3:1, 2, 13, 15-23, 25, 34, 35; 4:14, 25, 28, 34, 36-40, 42, 43, 47, 48, 53-56, 58; 9:20-22)

A. THE VICTORIES OF JUDAS

And his son Judas, who was called Maccabæus, rose up in his stead. And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that clave unto his father. And they fought with gladness the battle of Israel.

And Seron, the commander of the host of Syria, heard that Judas had gathered a congregation of faithful men with him, and of such as went out to war. And he went up with a mighty army of the ungodly to take vengeance on the children of Israel.

And Judas went forth to meet him with a small company. But when they saw the army coming to meet them they said unto Judas, "What? shall we be able, being a small company, to fight against so great and strong a multitude? And we for our part are faint, having tasted no food this day."

And Judas said, "It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with heaven it is all one to save by many or by few: for victory in battle standeth not in the multitude of a host; but strength is from heaven. They come to destroy us and our wives and our children: but we fight for our lives and our laws. Be ye not afraid of them."

Now when he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and Seron and his army were discomfited before him.

And the fear of Judas and his brethren, and the dread of them, began to fall upon the nations round about them. And king Antiochus gave Lysias half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge to destroy the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem. And Lysias chose three mighty men; and with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horse, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it. And Judas joined battle, and the Gentiles were discomfited. And Israel had a great deliverance that day.

And the next year Lysias gathered together sixty thousand chosen footmen, and five thousand horse. And Judas met them with ten thousand men. And they joined battle; and there fell of the army of Lysias about five thousand men.

B. THE TEMPLE CLEANSED

Judas and his brethren said, "Behold, our enemies are discomfited; let us go up to cleanse the holy place and to dedicate it afresh."

And all the army was gathered together, and they went up unto mount Zion. And they saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and the altar profaned and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the court as in a forest, and the priests' chambers pulled down. And they rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and put ashes upon their heads, and fell on their faces to the ground, and cried toward heaven.

Then Judas chose blameless priests, and they cleansed the holy place. And they built a new altar after the fashion of the former; and they built the holy place, and the inner parts of the house; and they hallowed the courts.

C. THE OLD WORSHIP RESTORED

And they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made. At what time and on what day the Gentiles had profaned it, even on that day was it dedicated afresh, with songs and harps and lutes, and with cymbals. And all the people fell upon their faces, and worshipped, and gave praise unto heaven, which had given them good success. And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. And there was exceeding great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.

D. THE DEATH OF JUDAS

And when Judas died all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said, "How is the mighty fallen, the Savior of Israel!"

And the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were exceeding many.