And some men of Joppa did so ungodly a deed as this: Joppa was a city on the Mediterranean coast of Palestine, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. It may help the reader understand the story more clearly if Joppa is identified here as a seaport. This clause will make a good opening for the story if it is translated as a separate sentence as in Good News Bible, which has “About this time, the people of Joppa did a cruel thing to the Jews of their city.” New English Bible translates “I must now describe an atrocity committed by the inhabitants of Joppa.” This is also a good model, although it would be helpful to identify the Jews as being the victims; for example, “I must now describe how the inhabitants of Joppa committed an atrocity [or, a cruel deed] against the Jews of that city.”

They invited the Jews who lived among them to embark, with their wives and children, on boats which they had provided: The Jews who lived among them may be rendered “the local Jews.” To embark means to get on a boat. Good News Bible says “to go sailing,” which is good. For their wives and children, Good News Bible has simply “their families,” which is adequate.

As though there were no ill will to the Jews: Apparently this was supposed to be a pleasure trip, just for the fun of it. Contemporary English Version has a helpful model here, saying “They pretended to be on good terms with them.”

For this verse Good News Bible has a good model by rearranging it. See also the model below that combines verses 3 and 4.

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.