And all the additional funds which the government officials have not paid as they did in the first years: It had been the custom, ever since the return of the Jews from exile, for the governing authorities to finance Temple operations. This had apparently been discontinued in 167 b.c., when Antiochus~IV desecrated the Temple. Demetrius appears to be promising to begin paying this money again. More than this is difficult to say. Good News Bible interprets additional funds to refer to the “arrears” (New English Bible), the money that would have been paid since 167 had payments been made regularly; in other words, what was owed the Temple from past years. Goldstein takes the phrase to refer to any surplus funds that the imperial treasury might happen to have in the future. Most scholars agree with Good News Bible, and this is the interpretation we recommend. There is a textual problem here (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). Some manuscripts and Kappler’s Greek text have “nations” instead of years, but years (so Rahlfs’ Greek text) is surely correct, and we recommend no footnote. Contemporary English Version has a simple and concise model for the first half of this verse: “For the past few years my officials have failed to send you the extra money that they should have sent.”

They shall give from now on for the service of the temple: It is not clear what is meant by the service of the temple (literally “the works of the house”). Dancy takes it to refer to the services of worship held in the Temple. New American Bible expresses this sense with “the services of the temple.” Goldstein argues that this phrase refers to the physical upkeep of the Temple structure. New Jerusalem Bible reflects this sense with “work on the Temple.” New English Bible is ambiguous by saying “the needs of the temple.” Since the next verse provides for the personal income of the priests (the Temple payroll), this verse probably refer to the maintenance of the building, but it seems to make verse 44 unnecessary. We are willing to leave the matter unspecified.

The terminology, the background, and the intent of this verse are all unclear, but we offer the following alternative model:

• My treasury officials will from now on contribute each year to the needs of the Temple, as used to be the custom, and money that we withheld in recent years will be repaid to you.

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.