41 King Antiokos (Antiochus) wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that each should forsake his own laws. All the nations agreed according to the king’s word. 43 Many of Yisrael consented to his worship, sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the Sabbath. 44 The king sent letters by the hand of messengers to Yerushalem and the cities of Yehudah, that they should follow laws strange to the land, 45 and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts, 46 and pollute the sanctuary and those who were holy; 47 that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean animals; 48 and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation; 49 so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. 50 Anyone who doesn’t do according to the king’s word, he’ll die. 51 According to all these words wrote he to his whole kingdom. He appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Yehudah to sacrifice, city by city. 52 From the people were gathered together to them many, everyone who’d forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land. 53 They made Yisrael (Israel) to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had.

54 On the fifteenth day of Kislev, in[fn] the one hundred and forty fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation on the altar,[fn] and in the cities of Yehudah (Judah) on every side they built idol altars.[fn] 55 At the doors of the houses and in the streets they burnt incense. 56 They tore the books of the law which they found in pieces and set them on fire. 57 Anyone who was found with any a book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king’s sentence delivered him to death. 58 Thus did they in their might to Yisrael, to those who were found month by month in the cities. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of the month they sacrificed on the idol altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60 They[fn] put to death women who’d circumcised their children, according to the commandment. 61 They hung their babies around their necks, and their houses, and those who’d circumcised them. 62 Many in Yisrael were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things. 63 They[fn] chose to die, that they might not be defiled with the food, and that they might not profane the holy covenant; and they died. 64 Very great anger came on Yisrael.