2 And to pollute also the temple in Jeru
salem, and to call irthe temple of Jupiter
Olympius ; and that in Garizim, of Jupi
ter the Defender of strangers, t| as they did
desire that dwelt in the place.
3 The coming in of this mischief was fore and grievous to the people :
4 For the temple was filled with fiot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful.
5 The altar also was filled with profane things, which the law forbiddeth.
6 Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient feasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Jew.
7 And in the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews Were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.
8 Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the f heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemee, against the Jews, that they should observe the same fashions, and be partakers of their sa crifices :
9 And whoso would not conform them selves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery.
10 For b there were two women brought, who had circumcised their children ; whom when they had openly led round about the city, the babes hanging at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall.
11 And others, that had run together in to caves near by, to keep the sabbath day secretly, being discovered to Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the ho nour of the most sacred day.
12 Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged for these calamities, but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.
13 For it is a token of his great good ness, when wicked doers are not suffered any long time, but forthwith punished.
14 For not as with other nations, whom the Lord patiently forbeareth to punish, till they be come to the fulness of their sins, so dealeth he with us,
15 Lest that, being come to the height of sin, afterwards he mould take vengeance
16 And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us : and though he punish with adversity, yet doth he never forsake his people.
17 But let this that we have spoken be cir. 16; for a warning unto us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in few words.
18 Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a wellfavoured coun tenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eat swine's flesh.'
19 But he, choosing rather to die glori ously, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to c the torment,
20 As it behoved them to come, that are resolute to stand out against such things, as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted.
21 But they that had the charge of that wicked feast, for the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, be sought him to bring flesh of his own pro vision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king;
22 That in so doing he might be deliver ed from death, and for the old friendstiip with them find favour.
23 But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age, and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honour of his gray head, whereunto he was come, and his most honest education from a child, or rather the holy law made and given by God : therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightways to send him to the grave.
24 For it becometh not our age, said he> in any wife to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore years old and ten, were now gone to a strange religion ;
25 And so they through mine hypocrisy, and desire to live a little time and a mo ment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain to mine old age, and make it abominable.
26 For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men : yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead.
27 Wherefore now, manfully changing this life, I will shew myself such an one mine age requireth,
28 And leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and courageously for the honourable and holy laws.
