He encamped before Joppa may be expressed as “The two brothers and their soldiers set up their tents outside the city of Joppa.” Joppa (modern Jaffa) was a city on the Mediterranean coast, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) north of Apollonius’ camp at Jamnia. Capturing Joppa would mean that Jonathan, moving against Apollonius to the south, would be safe from an attack from the rear. Apollonius could not be reinforced or resupplied by land or by sea, since Joppa was the port where warships would arrive.

But the men of the city closed its gates, for Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa: The men of the city refers to the citizens of Joppa, who were Phoenician. The Syrian troops stationed there probably ordered the gates closed. Gates are not mentioned specifically here or in the next verse. Closed its gates is literally “shut it [the city],” but this would of course be done by barring the city gates (see the comments on 1Macc 9.50).

So they fought against it: Translators should follow Good News Bible by placing this clause at the end of verse 75, not at the beginning of verse 76 as Revised Standard Version has it. Good News Bible says simply “but Jonathan attacked,” which is a good translation.

And the men of the city became afraid and opened the gates, and Jonathan gained possession of Joppa: The people of Joppa were probably more afraid of Jonathan’s army than of Apollonius’ much smaller detachment of soldiers. Opened the gates is literally “opened.” The city gates are implied here (see the comments above). Good News Bible has a very good model for verse 76.

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.