Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea: Fathers refers to all the ancestors, male and female. The Red Sea is the body of water between Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. Whatever body of water is referred to in the story of crossing the sea in Exo 14, here it clearly refers to what we call the Red Sea today. The whole clause may be rendered “Remember how Heaven [or, the One in Heaven] rescued our ancestors at the Red Sea.” This model follows the author by referring to God indirectly.

When Pharaoh with his forces pursued them: Translators should render Pharaoh in the same way as they have done in Exodus. Good News Bible does it by saying “the king of Egypt.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• Remember how Heaven [or, the One in Heaven] rescued our ancestors at the Red Sea when the king of Egypt and his soldiers were pursuing [or, chasing] them.

• Remember when the king of Egypt and his soldiers pursued our ancestors at the Red Sea, and Heaven [or, the One in Heaven] rescued them.

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.