Revised Standard Version does not start a new paragraph at this point, but Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version do. The Handbook suggests that translators follow Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version.

So the battle began may be rendered “So they all began fighting” or “So the Jewish soldiers began fighting the Syrians.”

And Jonathan stretched out his hand to strike Bacchides, but he eluded him and went to the rear: Good News Bible interprets this to mean that Jonathan and his men tried to kill Bacchides. This is easily possible, but we prefer to think that the author is thinking only of Jonathan here, face to face with Bacchides. The text is not clear whether Bacchides escaped after a close encounter (as Good News Bible pictures it), or whether the attempt to kill him was simply unsuccessful. We prefer the former interpretation, since it is more dramatic.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• So the battle began [or, they all began fighting]. [At one point] Jonathan almost succeeded in killing Bacchides, but Bacchides escaped and went to the rear of his army [or, behind his soldiers].

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.