35 They stored in the fortress the weapons, the food, and everything they had stolen from Jerusalem. And they became a great threat.
36 The soldiers in the fortressattacked the templeand never stopped doinghorrible things to Israel.
37 They killed innocent peopleall around the temple,and they made it unfitas a place of worship.
38 Everyone ran from Jerusalem.Their own city becamea foreign country to them,and strangers moved in.
39 The temple was barrenjust like a desert,and its festivals and Sabbathsbecame times of sorrowand of shame.Jerusalem had lost all respect.
40 Shame and sorrow replacedits former glory and pride.
41-42 Antiochus wanted everyone in his kingdom to follow the same customs. So he made a law that said, “You must give up the traditions of your ancestors.”