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chapter 6
1
But
not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews
to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:
2 And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and
to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Gazarim of Jupiter
Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.
3 And very bad was this invasion of evils and grievous
to all.
4 For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of
the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of
their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.
5 The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which
were forbidden by the laws.
6 And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn
days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be
a Jew.
7 But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's
birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they wore
compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.
8 And there went out a decree into the neighbouring
cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also
should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:
9 And whosoever would not conform themselves to the
ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.
10 For two women were accused to have circumcised their
children: whom, when they had openly led about through the city with the
infants hanging at their breasts, they threw down headlong from the walls.
11 And others that had met together in caves that were
near, and were keeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip,
were burnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with
their hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.
12 Now I beseech those that shall read this book, that
they be not shocked at these calamities, but that they consider the things that
happened, not as being for the destruction, but for the correction of our
nation.
13 For it is a token of great goodness when sinners are
not suffered to go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently
punished.
14 For, not as with other nations (whom the Lord
patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish
them in the fulness of their sins:)
15 Doth he also deal with us, so as to suffer our sins
to come to their height, and then take vengeance on us.
16 And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from
us: but though he chastise his people with adversity, he forsaketh them not.
17 But let this suffice in a few words for a warning to
the readers. And now we must come to the narration.
18 Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man
advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth
to eat swine's flesh.
19 But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a
hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment.
20 And considering in what manner he was come to ii;,
patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of
life.
21 But they that stood by, being moved with wicked
pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired
that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might
make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the
sacrifice:
22 That by so doing he might be delivered from death:
and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this
courtesy.
23 But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and
his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life
and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the
ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent
into the other world.
24 For it doth not become our age, said he, to
dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of
fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:
25 And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a
little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, end hereby I should
bring a stain and a curse upon my old age.
26 For though, for the present time, I should be
delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the
Almighty neither alive nor dead.
27 Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I
shall shew myself worthy of my old age:
28 And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young
men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the
most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried
to execution.
29 And they that led him, and had been a little before
more mild, were changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they
thought were uttered out of arrogancy.
30 But when he was now ready to die with the stripes,
he groaned, and said: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest
manifestly that whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grevious
pains in body: but in soul am well content to suffer these things be- cause I
fear thee.
31 Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young
men, but also to the whole nation, the memory of his death for an example of
virtue and fortitude.
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