He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering: Man by man may be rendered “from all his soldiers.” For the value of the “drachma,” see the comments on 2Macc 4.19. For two thousand drachmas of silver, Contemporary English Version has “two thousand silver coins,” which we recommend. A sin offering was a sacrifice made to bring about God’s forgiveness of sin (see the comments on 2Macc 2.11). The money was sent to Jerusalem because the sacrifice had to be made by the priests on the altar in front of the Temple. This whole sentence may be rendered “He also asked every soldier to give some money to provide for a sacrifice for these men’s sins. They collected two thousand silver coins and sent them to Jerusalem.”

In doing this he acted very well and honorably may be expressed as “This was an honorable and appropriate thing for Judas to do” or “Judas did this generous and honorable thing” (Contemporary English Version).

Taking account of the resurrection: Judas did this to ensure that his fallen soldiers would participate in the resurrection from the dead, and not be kept from it by their sin. So we may say “because he believed that God would raise these men to life [or, that the dead would be raised].”

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.