27
And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, "Whosoever is zealous for the law and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me!"
28
So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.
29
Then many who sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness to dwell there,
30
both they and their children and their wives and their cattle, because afflictions increased sorely upon them.
31
Now when it was told the king's servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem in the City of David, that certain men who had broken the king's commandment had gone down into the secret places in the wilderness,
32
a great number pursued after them and, having overtaken them, they encamped against them and made war against them on the Sabbath day.
33
And they said unto them, "Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice. Come forth and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live."
34
But they said, "We will not come forth, neither will we do the king's commandment to profane the Sabbath day."
35
So then they engaged them in battle with all speed.
36
However they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them nor shut up the places where they lay hidden,
37
but said, "Let us all die in our innocency. Heaven and earth shall testify for us that you put us to death wrongfully."