Then Jonathan and the men with him leaped into the Jordan: Then is probably a better connector than “So” (Good News Bible). When Bacchides escaped behind his soldiers, this probably gave the Jews a brief opportunity to make their own escape.

And swam across to the other side: Translators should make it clear to which side of the Jordan the Jews swam. We are following our solution in verse 34 in suggesting that they went toward the west bank.

And the enemy did not cross the Jordan to attack them: The Jordan may be rendered simply “the river.” For the whole clause we may say “but the Syrian soldiers did not follow them across the river.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Then Jonathan and his men jumped into the Jordan River and swam to the west shore to escape. The enemy [or, Syrian soldiers] did not follow them across the river.

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.