In the one hundred and seventy-fourth year Antiochus set out and invaded the land of his fathers: The one hundred and seventy-fourth year corresponds to 138 b.c. (see the comments on 1Macc 1.10). Since verse 1 tells us that Antiochus was on the Greek islands, this can be incorporated here by rendering this clause as “In the year 174 of the Syrian Kingdom, Antiochus sailed from [or, left] the Greek islands and invaded the land his ancestors had ruled.”

All the troops rallied to him, so that there were few with Trypho: All the troops rallied to him is an overstatement, since some of Trypho’s soldiers did not desert to Antiochus, but remained with him. Good News Bible is more precise with “Most of the soldiers came over to his side,” but it is even better to say “Most of Trypho’s soldiers came over to his side.” There were few with Trypho may be rendered “there were very few left with Trypho” (Good News Bible) or “only a few soldiers remained with Trypho.”

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.