Translators may begin a new paragraph at this point (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).

After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing a thousand minas: The gold shield was intended as a gift to show good will and appreciation, sent by Simon’s new government in Judea, as a way of indicating that it wished to continue its standing relationship with the Romans. With a large gold shield may be expressed as “with the gift of a large gold shield” or “with a large gold shield as a gift.” The “mina” was used as a unit of weight or money. As a weight it was very close to the English pound (454 grams), so a thousand minas is equivalent to “almost a thousand pounds” (Contemporary English Version) or about 454 kilograms. Some think a value must be intended here rather than a weight, but the Greek does say weighing, and there seems to be no grounds on which to omit that word.

To confirm the alliance with the Romans may be expressed as “to make certain that the Romans were still their allies” (Contemporary English Version). This final clause may be moved near the beginning of the verse as follows:

• Later, Simon sent Numenius to Rome to make certain that the Romans were still their allies. Numenius took a large gold shield that weighed almost a thousand pounds as a gift to the Romans.

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.