"Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey King Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments: I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers. God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God: We will not hearken to the words of King Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice and transgress the commandments of our law, to go another way. Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king’s commandment. And Mathathias saw, and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar: Moreover the man whom King Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar, and showed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri, the son of Salomi. And Mathathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one that has zeal for the law, and maintains the testament, let him follow me. So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city."
- Maccabees 2:19 - 26
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