Now Gorgias took five thousand infantry and a thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night: Infantry are foot soldiers. For cavalry see 1Macc 1.17. Picked means “most experienced” (Good News Bible) or “best” (Contemporary English Version). See 1Macc 2.38 for a discussion on methods for writing numerals. The word division is not used in a technical military sense to refer to troops of a certain strength. It is a detachment, separating from the main force at Emmaus (1Macc 3.38-40), going on a special mission, to attempt to surprise the Jews with a night attack. Good News Bible translates in such a way that there is no need to express this word at all. Moved out by night may be rendered as “left camp by night” (Good News Bible) or “moved out of their camp near Emmaus at night.” It is possible to move the phrase by night to the beginning of the verse as follows:

• During the night, Gorgias took 5,000 [or, five thousand] foot soldiers and 1,000 [or, a thousand] of his most experienced [or, best] cavalry [or, soldiers on horseback] and left his camp near Emmaus….

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.