And became king in his place, putting on the crown of Asia: Asia is used here, as in 1Macc 8.6, to refer to the Syrian Empire. For this clause Good News Bible has “and took over his kingdom in Syria,” which does not quite say what has to be said. The point is that Trypho made himself king (compare 1Macc 12.39). For practical purposes he had already taken over the kingdom since he sponsored the boy king (see 1Macc 11.54). It is better to say “and took his crown and made himself the king of Syria.”

And he brought great calamity upon the land: Does the land refer to the Syrian Empire or the land of Israel? Most scholars take it as the former (as does Good News Bible), but we rather think the author is speaking of the damage Trypho did in Israel while trying to establish his kingship; the following verses support that understanding. Our author probably did not even care what kind of trouble Trypho caused Syria as king. Like Revised Standard Version, translators can leave the question undecided by saying “He caused the country a great deal of trouble,” but we prefer to say “He caused our country a great deal of trouble” (compare 1Macc 7.22). New English Bible provides a striking model that also leaves the question undecided: “This was a disaster for the country.”

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.