When he heard it may be rendered “When Lysias heard that his troops had lost the battle” (Good News Bible) or “… that Judas’ soldiers had defeated his [Lysias’] army.”

He was perplexed and discouraged: The words perplexed and discouraged do not seem to be quite appropriate in this context. Lysias was certainly surprised, even “shocked” (Good News Bible), that his expedition had failed in its mission. It would be fair to say that he was also “greatly disappointed,” but not discouraged. A possible model for this whole clause is “he was shocked and greatly disappointed.”

For things had not happened to Israel as he had intended may be expressed as “because his army had not defeated [or, failed to wipe out] the Jews as he had intended [or, planned].”

Nor had they turned out as the king had commanded him may be rendered “and as King Antiochus had ordered him to do.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• He was astounded at the news. He had a plan to defeat the Jews, just as the king had ordered, but the plan had not worked. He was shocked and greatly disappointed [or, frustrated].

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.