Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 10:38

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible have a paragraph break here, which we recommend.

As for the three districts that have been added to Judea from the country of Samaria: See verse 30. The tense of the Greek verb rendered have been added indicates a past action. As we have interpreted it, the action of annexing this territory was taken in verse 30, although translators could continue to use the present tense here by saying “The three districts of Samaria that I am adding to Judea from Samaria.”

Let them be so annexed to Judea that they are considered to be under one ruler and obey no other authority but the high priest: Again, King Demetrius passes an opportunity to name Jonathan. He cannot grant legitimacy to Alexander’s act of appointing Jonathan as High Priest. He prefers to pretend not to know about that. Good News Bible expresses this last half of the verse well and with the appropriate legal tone. Other possibilities are “are to be considered part of Judea itself; they will be under the authority of the High Priest alone” and “you will consider to be part of Judea itself. The High Priest will control them.”

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.

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