And they gave orders to inscribe this decree upon bronze tablets, to put them up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary: The pronoun they refers to “the great assembly” (verse 28) that issued the decree. They gave orders is translated by Good News Bible as “It was decided.” However, in languages that do not have the passive voice, we may say “the members of the great assembly decided.” For bronze tablets, see the comments on 1Macc 8.22. Nothing is said here about mounting these metal plates on columns (see verse 27), only that the decree was to be posted where people could easily see it (a conspicuous place). The precincts of the sanctuary refers to the area around the Temple, but not to the Temple itself (compare verse 27; see also the comments on 1Macc 10.43).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• And so the members of the assembly [or, the Great Assembly] ordered that someone [or, they] inscribe [or, write] this proclamation on bronze tablets, and set them up in a prominent place [or, a place where everyone could see them] in the Temple area.

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.