The Scroll of Antiochus

And it came to pass in the days of Antiochus, king of Yavan. He was a mighty and powerful king, potent in his realm, and all the kings obeyed him. He conquered many countries, and powerful kings he bound in fetters; he destroyed their castles, burned their palaces with fire, and bound their inhabitants in fetters. [ . . . ]

In the seventy-third year of his reign, which was the year two hundred and thirteen after the building of the house of God, he determined to go up to Jerusalem. He spoke to his councilors and said: Do you not know the nation of the Jews who live among us? They do not worship our God, nor do they observe our laws; they neglect the ordinances of the king in order to fulfill their laws [see Esther 3:8]. They also hope for the day of the destruction of the kings and rulers, and say, “When will our king reign over us, when we shall rule over sea and land, and all the world will be delivered into our hand? It is not for the greatness of the kingdom to leave these upon the face of the earth. Now let us rise and march against them, and let us abolish the covenant that has been made with them to observe sabbath, new moon, and circumcision” [see 1 Maccabees 1:44–50]. And this word was pleasing in the eyes of his councilors and in the eyes of his army.

In that hour, King Antiochus rose, and sent Nikanor his second, with a great army and large multitude, and he came to the town of Jerusalem. There he made a great slaughter and placed an idol in the sanctuary on that spot where God had said to his servants the prophets, “There I will rest my shekhinah [divine presence] forever.” At that time, they slaughtered a swine and brought its blood to the hall of the sanctuary. And when Yoḥanan, the son of Matityah, heard of this thing, he felt sorely grieved, and he was filled with anger and wrath, and his countenance was changed, and he meditated in his heart what to do. Yoḥanan made himself a sword two spans long and one span in breadth, and he girded it under his clothing [see Judges 3:16]. And he went up to Jerusalem and stood in the gate of the town. And he called to the porters and guards, saying, “I am Yoḥanan son of Matityah, the high priest of the Jews. I have now come to appear before Nikanor.” The porters and guards went up and said to Nikanor, “The high priest of the Jews is standing at the gate.” And he said to them, “Let him come in.” Then Yoḥanan was brought before Nikanor.

Nikanor answered and said, “You are one of the rebels who revolt against the king and do not desire the peace of his kingdom.” Yoḥanan answered and said, “I have now come before you to do what you wish.” Nikanor answered and said, “If you desire to fulfill my wishes, take a swine, sacrifice it to the idol, and take its blood into the hall of the sanctuary, and I will array you in the royal apparel, and I will cause you to ride on the king’s horse, and you shall be as one of the king’s beloved [see Daniel 3:22].” When he heard that word, Yoḥanan replied and said, “My lord, I am afraid lest the children of Israel might hear that I have done so, and they would kill me with stones. Let therefore all [that stand] before you go out, so that they should not make it known to the children of Israel.” Then Nikanor let every man go out who stood before him.

At that time, Yoḥanan, son of Matityah, lifted his eyes to heaven, and offered his prayer to the Master of the universe, and said, “My God, and the God of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not deliver me into the hands of this uncircumcised, lest he kill me and go and offer praises in the temple of Dagon, his false god, and say, ‘My idol has delivered him into my hand.’” At that time, he walked up to [Nikanor] three steps and thrust his sword into his heart and cast his corpse into the hall of the sanctuary. [ . . . ]

And Matityah went out that day with his sons and fought the heathen. And the Lord of Heavens delivered into their hands all the mighty of the heathen, and they made a great slaughter among them, all who drew the sword or held a bow, and the captains and governors, and none escaped. And those who remained fled to the sea provinces. [ . . . ] Thereupon the children of Israel went up to the sanctuary and built the gates and cleansed the sanctuary from the slain and from the pollution [see 1 Maccabees 4:50]. And they sought after pure olive oil in order to light the lamps, and they did not find anything but one bottle, sealed with the seal of the high priest, from the times of the prophet Samuel. In it was sufficient for the lighting of one day; but the Lord of Heavens, who caused his name to dwell there, gave a blessing therein, and they lit with it for eight days [see 1 Maccabees 4:59].

Therefore the Hasmoneans ordained and enjoined upon them and the children of Israel to make it known to the children of Israel that they should keep those eight days with mirth and gladness, similar to the days of festivals prescribed in the Law [see 2 Maccabees 1:9], to light lamps on them, so as to make it known to those that may come after them, that their God had wrought salvation for them from heaven. On those days they are not to mourn, nor to wail, nor to ordain any fast; only one who has previously made a vow must pay it. But the Hasmonean and his sons and brothers did not decree that on them work or worship should cease.