And whoever takes refuge at the temple in Jerusalem, or in any of its precincts, because he owes money to the king or has any debt: And whoever takes refuge may be rendered “If anyone takes refuge [or, hides].” Any of its precincts may be translated “any area around the Temple” or “any area that belongs to it” (Good News Bible). Because he owes money to the king or has any debt may be expressed as “because he owes money to me or someone else.” In the Old Testament the Temple altar—not the whole Temple area—provided a place of refuge for people accused of unintentionally killing of others (see Exo 21.13-14), not for debtors. Offering refuge for debtors was an extension of Greek custom to the Temple.

Let him be released is not clear. It probably does not mean release from the debt itself, but from the attempts of creditors to seize the debtor or to take his property. Good News Bible moves in the right direction with “may not be arrested.” In languages that do not have the passive voice, translators may say “my officers may not arrest him.”

And receive back all his property in my kingdom may be rendered “and any property he owns in my kingdom will be returned to him” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• If anyone takes refuge [or, hides] in the Jerusalem Temple or in the area around it because he owes money to me or someone else, he may not be arrested [or, my officers may not arrest him]. And any property he owns in my kingdom will be returned to him.

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.