1 Not long after this, the sovereign sent an old man of Athĕnai to compel the Yahuḏim to depart from the Laws of their fathers and not to live after the Laws of Elohim,
2 and to also pollute the Hĕyḵal in Yerushalayim, and to call it the temple of Zeus Olympics; and the one in Gerizim: of Zeus the defender of foreigners, as those that dwelt in the place desired.
3 The coming of this trouble was very grievous to the people,
4 for the Hĕyḵal was filled with loose behaviour and revelry by the gentiles, who played with whores and went aside with women within the borders of the qodesh places, and besides that, brought in objects that were not right.
5 The altar was also filled with abominations which the Law forbids,
6 neither was it allowed for a man to guard Shabbath days or ancient feasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Yahuḏi.
7 And every month in the day of the sovereign’s birth they were taken under bitter constraint to eat of the offerings; and when the fast of Dionusos was kept, the Yahuḏim were compelled to go in the procession of Dionusos carrying ivy.
8 And a decree went out to the neighbouring cities of the gentiles by the word of Ptolemaeus, against the Yahuḏim, that they should observe the same practice and be partakers of their offerings,
9 and whoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the gentiles should be put to death. Then one could see the present misery;
10 for there were two women brought who had circumcised their children, whom when they had openly led round about the city – the infants hanging at their breasts – they threw them down from the wall.
11 And others that had run together into caves nearby to guard the Shabbath day secretly, being discovered by Philippos, were all burned together, for they would not for conscience defend themselves in honour of the most qodesh day.
12 Now I plead to those that read this book, that they do not be discouraged because of these calamities, but that they consider these punishments not to be for destruction, but for a disciplining of our nation.
13 For it is a sign of His great goodness, when evil-doers are not given any length of time, but promptly punished.
14 For He does not deal with us as with other nations whom 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 patiently awaits to punish, till they have come to the fulness of their sins,
15 lest having come to the height of sin, He should take vengeance on us afterwards,
16 and therefore He never withdraws His kindness from us. And though He punishes with adversity, yet He never forsakes His people.
17 But let this that we have spoken be for a warning to us; and now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.
18 Eli’ezer, one of the principal scribes, an aged man and of a well-favoured presence, was forced to open his mouth, and to eat pig’s flesh.
19 But he, choosing rather to die with honour than to live stained with such an abomination, spat it out, and went to the torture of his own accord,
20 as is necessary for those to go that stand firm against such matters that are not Lawful to be tasted even for love of life.
21 But those who were in charge of that wicked feast, took aside the man because of the old acquaintance they had with him, and urged him to bring flesh of his own provision, such as was Lawful for him to use, and make as if he ate of the flesh taken from the offering commanded by the sovereign;
22 that in doing so he might be delivered from death, and find favour with them for the old friendship.
23 But he began to consider wisely, as was befit for his years and the excellency of his old age and the honour of his head on which grey had come, and his most upright Torah from childhood, or rather the qodesh Law made and given by Elohim. Therefore he answered accordingly, and requested they immediately send him to the grave.
24 “For it is not proper for our age,” he said, “in any way to pretend, whereby many young ones might think that Eli’ezer, being ninety years old, had now gone to a strange religion.
25 “And so they, through my hypocrisy and desire to live a little time and a moment longer should be deceived by me and I bring a stain on my old age and make it abominable.
26 “For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men, yet I would not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead.
27 “Therefore now, bravely exchanging this life, I will show myself such a one as befits my age,
28 and leave a notable example to those who are young; to die willingly and courageously for the esteemed and qodesh Laws.” And when he had said these words, he immediately went to the torture,
29 those leading him changing the kindness they bore him a little before into hatred, because they supposed the previous words came from a desperate being.
30 And when he was ready to die with stripes, he groaned and said, “It is known to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who has the qodesh wisdom, that whereas I might have been delivered from death, I now endure severe pains in body by being beaten, but in spirit I am well content to suffer these, because I revere Him!”
31 And so the man died, leaving his death as an example of a noble courage, and a remembrance of strength, not only to young men, but to all his nation.