So he invaded Egypt: Again Good News Bible omits the connector So, but both Revised Standard Version and Contemporary English Version keep it because Antiochus’ invasion of Egypt is the logical result of his decision to become the king of that country. He invaded Egypt may be connected with the verb “engaged” in verse 18 as “He landed in Egypt … 18~and attacked….”

With a strong force may be rendered “with a powerful army” (similarly Good News Bible) or “with a huge number of soldiers.”

With chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet: A chariot was a two-wheeled war vehicle (cart) normally pulled by two horses. Chariots in some languages is rendered “war carts pulled by horses” or “horse-drawn war carts.” Elephants trained in India were used in war by the Seleucid kings. African elephants trained by Indian trainers were used by the Ptolemies. They were usually used as a screen to protect cavalry, but occasionally were used to lead an attack (see 1Macc 6.32-47). A treaty that Antiochus’ father, Antiochus~III, had signed with Rome in 190 b.c. forbad the Seleucids from using war elephants or a big navy. By using both here, Antiochus was betting that Rome would not attempt to stop him. There is a textual problem with the words and cavalry. This phrase is omitted in some Greek manuscripts. Kappler omits it from his Greek text, but Rahlfs includes it. The New American Bible (New American Bible), Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Abel, and Goldstein omit the phrase. New Jerusalem Bible includes it in parentheses. This question cannot be decided with confidence; translators may include it or omit it as they see fit, with no textual note required. It is known from history that Antiochus’ army almost certainly included cavalry, but that does not mean that the author actually recorded it. Cavalry may be rendered “horses with riders,” “soldiers riding on horses,” or even “horse soldiers.” A large fleet means a large group of ships. Here this phrase may be rendered “a large number of warships.”

A model for this verse that follows Good News Bible‘s restructuring is:

• So he invaded Egypt with a large group of warships and a huge army, including chariots, elephants, and cavalry.

Another possible model is:

• So he gathered a large group of … and invaded the land of Egypt.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.