They decreed by public ordinance and vote that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year: For They decreed by public ordinance and vote, Good News Bible has “Everyone agreed” (similarly Contemporary English Version), but this rendering misses the point. Everyone not only agreed, they did something about it. They took an official measure to make the festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple a permanent annual observance. This annual Jewish festival, which lasts for eight days, is called Hanukkah. An alternative model for this verse is:

• They voted and made it official that the entire Jewish nation should celebrate this festival every year at the same time.

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.