With orders to kill Judas and scatter his men, and to set up Alcimus as high priest of the greatest temple: Scatter his men means Nicanor had to make sure that after Judas’ death, the followers of Judas were no longer together as a unit, but were split up so that they no longer presented a threat. Nicanor had to disperse them. The greatest temple is the Temple in Jerusalem. Good News Bible adds “in all the world” because the greatest temple does not sound complete in English. We may also say “the world’s greatest temple” or “the greatest of all temples.” New English Bible, Revised English Bible, and New American Bible say simply “the great temple,” which solves the problem in another way. Some translators may find Revised Standard Version‘s model satisfactory.

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.