At dawn they looked up, and behold: At dawn may be rendered “When the sun was rising” or even “early the next morning” (Contemporary English Version). They looked up, and behold translates the Greek literally; it may be rendered “Judas and his men could make out/discern [or, were able to see].”

A large company, that could not be counted: Good News Bible combines large with that could not be counted, saying “a vast army.” Contemporary English Version has “More Gentiles than could be counted,” which implies a huge army. Translators may say “a huge group of soldiers, more than they could count” or even “more Gentile soldiers than could be counted.”

Carrying ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold: Ladders were used to climb the city walls. Engines of war renders a general Greek term for heavy military equipment of a mechanical nature. Good News Bible breaks it down into specific items used in ancient warfare: “siege platforms” and “battering rams.” Siege platforms were elevated platforms mounted on wheels that could be rolled up near the walls, allowing soldiers to shoot arrows or throw spears on the defenders. There is a description of the use of one in 1Macc 13.43-44. The specific Greek word for the siege platform is not used here, but it appears in 1Macc 6.20 and 51. Battering rams were heavy logs hung by chains from a roof. Protected by the roof, soldiers could swing the weight of the log back and forth against city gates until they gave way. In cultures where such siege weapons are unknown, engines of war to capture the stronghold may be rendered “weapons to break through the walls of the fortress.” This rendering would imply capturing the fortress.

And attacking the Jews within is literally “and they were attacking them” (so Revised Standard Version footnote). Revised Standard Version adjusts this clause for clarity. In many languages it will be helpful to put this clause at the beginning of the verse as in the model below.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• At the first light of day [or, As the sun was rising] Judas and his men could see that a huge group of Gentile soldiers was attacking the Jews in the fort. They were bringing up ladders and battering rams [or, weapons to break through the walls] in an attempt to capture the city.

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.