It will be helpful to begin a new paragraph here (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).

So Athenobius the friend of the king came to Jerusalem: The message from Antiochus that begins in verse 28 and ends with verse 31 has not yet been delivered to Simon. The connector So or “When” (Good News Bible) will be suitable to begin this passage, describing Athenobius’ arrival in Jerusalem in response to the king’s mission. Good News Bible omits the friend of the king here, since he was identified as such in verse 28. However, the repetition of it underscores the importance of the occasion, so we prefer to see it included. An alternative model for this clause is “Athenobius, the Friend of the King, then went [or, came] to Jerusalem.”

And when he saw the splendor of Simon: The splendor of Simon does not refer to Simon’s person, but to his surroundings, to all the fine objects that were all around him as he went about his duties, in the Temple or in his headquarters (13.52). Good News Bible says “the splendor of Simon’s court,” which is technically correct. For the whole clause we may say “and when he saw Simon’s splendid surroundings,” “and when he saw Simon’s great wealth,” or even “… all the expensive things that Simon owned.”

And the sideboard with its gold and silver plate: The Greek word for sideboard refers to a piece of furniture, probably some sort of large table or even cupboard, used in a dining room to hold plates and eating utensils. Tedesche says “cabinet.” The Greek words rendered gold and silver plate refer to any kind of eating utensils plated with gold and silver (compare 1Macc 11.58). (Revised Standard Version uses plate here not to refer to “plates” as objects one eats from, but to a method of applying gold and silver to any object.)

And his great magnificence essentially repeats the splendor of Simon and can be combined with it (see the model below).

He was amazed does not quite convey the right idea; there was an element of surprise as well as awe involved. Athenobius did not expect to see anything like this; he was dealing with a more powerful man than he thought.

He reported to him the words of the king may be rendered “Then Athenobius told Simon what the king had said” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When Athenobius, the Friend of the King, came to Jerusalem, and saw all the splendid and magnificent things that Simon owned, such as the cabinet full of gold and silver tableware, he was astounded. Then he told Simon what the king had said.

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.