So now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to carry terror and trembling before us: For So now, Good News Bible has “Now once again,” which is a good way to begin this sentence, since Judas wants God to repeat what he did to the army of Sennacherib (see the previous verse). Sovereign translates yet another Greek term meaning “Lord.” Sovereign of the heavens may be rendered “ruler of heaven,” “great ruler of heaven,” or “absolute ruler of heaven.” For good angel, see the comments on 2Macc 11.6. To carry terror and trembling before us means that God’s messenger (angel) will make the enemy tremble in terror at the prospect of fighting the Jewish army. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Now, great ruler of Heaven, please send a good angel to make our enemies tremble with fear.

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.