11 Jerusalem—once glorious—has lost its beautyand is now a slave.
12 The holy temple was our prideand our joy,until foreigners ruined itwith their filthy idols.
13 We'd be better off dead!
14 Mattathias and his five sons cried bitterly; they tore their clothes and put on sackcloth to show their sorrow.
15 The king's officials were trying to force everyone to break the Law of Moses by offering pagan sacrifices. And one day the officials went to the town of Modein,
16 where many of the people came out to meet them, including Mattathias and his sons.
17 The officials said to Mattathias:You're an important and honored leader in this town, and your relatives will follow your example.