That they had torn down the abomination which he had erected upon the altar in Jerusalem: For abomination (Good News Bible “Awful Horror,” Contemporary English Version “Horrible Thing”), see the comments on “desolating sacrilege” at 1Macc 1.54. Good News Bible has a helpful model for this sentence, but translators may also use direct speech as Contemporary English Version does with “The Jews have always despised the ‘Horrible Thing’ you placed on their altar in Jerusalem. Now they have torn it down.”

And that they had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls as before: This reports on the action of 1Macc 4.60. An alternative model is “They had once again built high walls around their Temple.”

And also Beth-zur, his city: See 1Macc 4.61. Good News Bible‘s long translation of this short phrase introduces an idea that is not in either this verse or 4.61. It is never said that Judas captured the city. Goldstein, who reads “their town” rather than his city, understands the Jewish offense here not to be taking the city, which they already held, but fortifying it against attack. We find this argument compelling (compare verse 26), and recommend following it. The reading “their town” is found in a significant group of Greek manuscripts. If translators follow this reading, an alternative model for the whole phrase is “and they did the same to [or, they also fortified] the Judean town of Bethzur.”

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.