In those days may be rendered “At that [or, this] time,” “During that time” (Good News Bible), “About this time” (Contemporary English Version), or “While the people of Israel were suffering.”

Mattathias the son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein: Mattathias’ grandfather Simeon is the man from whom the Hasmonean family got its name. The priestly family of Joarib is mentioned in 1~Chr 9.10; 24.7; Neh 11.10; 12.6, 19. Good News Bible, which ordinarily spells proper names the way Revised Standard Version does, here spells the name Joarib as “Jehoiarib” to make it agree with the spelling of the name in 1~Chr 9.10; 24.7 (although it is not consistent with the spelling in Nehemiah, which has “Joiarib”). The difference in spelling here is a result of 1Maccabees being preserved in Greek rather than Hebrew. Translators would do right to make this name agree with the spelling they have used in 1~Chronicles. Modein (modern-day Modiin) was a village in the hill country of Palestine, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. The Greek text of this verse is ambiguous, and does not necessarily say that Mattathias moved from Jerusalem to Modein at this time, or even that he himself had ever lived in Jerusalem. It can be understood as New English Bible takes it: “At this time a certain Mattathias, son of John, son of Symeon, appeared on the scene. He was a priest of the Joarib family from Jerusalem, who had settled at Modin.” In verses 17-28 Mattathias appears to be a longtime and highly respected resident of Modein, not a newcomer. Nor does it seem that a man who has the courage to start a rebellion would have been one to move out of Jerusalem to escape trouble there. Further, in 1Macc 13.25 Modein is described as the home of Simon Maccabeus’ ancestors, not simply of his father. We prefer following New English Bible‘s translation, and saying something like this:

• At this time [or, While the people of Israel were suffering] a man named Mattathias enters the story. He was a priest of the Joarib family from Jerusalem, who had settled at Modein. His father’s name was John, and his grandfather’s name was Simon.

Such an approach also has the advantage of placing all the family information together. Here, the names of his father and grandfather, and, in the next verse, the names of his sons, are placed together.

The interpretation of this verse is related to a textual problem in verse 7, and the translation here in verse 1 must be consistent with the solution that we adopt to that problem. See also 1Macc 14.29.

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.