Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/402

 The king  ordered  the  Holy  Books  to  be  tom  and  burnt;  he profaned  the  Temple,  and  forbade  the  observance  of  the  divine laws under  the  penalty  of  death.

Unhappily, many  of  the  Jews,  yielding  to  a guilty  fear, obeyed the  king’s  order;  but  many  more  refused  to  comply  with the impious  mandate,  and  chose  to  die  rather  than  violate  the holy precept  of  God. Among these  was  an  old  man  named Eleazar, ninety-nine  years  of  age,  who  was  renowned  as  a doctor of the  law.

When Eleazar  refused  to  eat  swine’s  flesh,  the  use  of  which was forbidden  by  the  law  of  Moses,  they  opened  his  mouth  by force  to  compel  him  to  eat. But he  still  refused,  and  declared that he  would  undergo  any  torment  that might be  inflicted  on  him,  rather  than  stain his soul  with  sin  by  a violation  of  the  commandment of  God. Then some  of  those  who stood by,  pitying  the  good  old  man,  advised him to  eat  of  other  meat  which  was  not  forbidden, so  as  to  feign  compliance  with  the king’s command.



Eleazar replied: “It  does  not  become  our age to  dissemble .”  He  then  explained  to these  false  friends  that  even  if  he  made  a mere  show  of  complying  with  the  king’s  orders in this  matter,  the  young  men  of  his  nation might be  tempted  to  follow  his  example,  saying:  “The  aged Eleazar has  become  a pagan,  why  may  not  we  do  the  same?” Moreover, he  exclaimed:  “Though  for  the  present  time  I should be delivered  from  the  punishment  of  men,  yet  should  I not  escape the hand  of  the  Almighty,  neither  alive  nor  dead.”

Having thus  spoken,  the  holy  old  man  was  dragged  to  the place of  execution,  where  he  suffered  a glorious  death. In the