But King Ptolemy died three days later, and his troops in the strongholds were killed by the inhabitants of the strongholds: Ptolemy had been fatally wounded in the battle mentioned in verse 15. Good News Bible has “Two days later” instead of three days later. The Greek is literally “on the third day,” and the difference in translation reflects a difference in ways of counting. Let us assume (although it is not really clear) that the author means three days after Ptolemy saw Alexander’s head. If the day when he saw the head is day one, Ptolemy died on day three, which Good News Bible (also New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) translates as “Two days later.” If we start counting the day after Ptolemy saw the head, then three days later is correct. There is no way to be certain about this, and translators may choose either option. We believe Good News Bible is correct. The strongholds refers to the coastal cities where Ptolemy had left troops stationed as he marched north (see verses 3 and 8). When news arrived that Ptolemy was dead, the local people overpowered the Egyptian troops. Good News Bible says “the fortresses,” which is good. Another possibility is “the coastal cities.” For languages that do not have the passive voice, Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model for the last clause of this verse, saying “and the people in his fortresses killed the soldiers he had stationed there.”

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.