1 Maccabees 1:46-64

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁴⁶ to defile the sanctuary and the holy ones, ⁴⁷ to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals,^{(A) 48} and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane ⁴⁹ so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰ He added,^[a] “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”^(B)

⁵¹ In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town.^{(C) 52} Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; ⁵³ they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.^(D)

⁵⁴ Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah^{(E) 55} and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶ The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. ⁵⁷ Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant or anyone who adhered to the law was condemned to death by decree of the king. ⁵⁸ They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. ⁵⁹ On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering.^{(F) 60} According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised^{(G) 61} and their families and those who circumcised them, and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.

⁶² But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. ⁶³ They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant, and they did die.^{(H) 64} Very great wrath came upon Israel.