When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: Eleazar died from being beaten or whipped (either is possible) as he was stretched out on some instrument of torture. Translators should check that the translation here accords well with their translation of “rack” in verses 19 and 28. Good News Bible expresses the meaning here well. Eleazar had been beaten or whipped, and was just about to die when he groaned and spoke again. It will be useful to insert Eleazar’s name here, and in some languages this sentence will need to be in the active voice by saying “When they had beaten Eleazar until he was almost dead, he groaned and said” or “They beat Eleazar until he was almost dead. Then he groaned and said.”

It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death: It is typical of ancient Jewish and Christian stories of martyrs that they give elaborate, formal-sounding speeches when they are just about to die. If translators feel that their translation somehow does not fit the circumstances, it may be that they are being faithful to the author, who had other ideas about what is appropriate. The author is not trying to reproduce what Eleazar actually said as he was tortured to death; he is trying to teach us, the readers, what we should learn from the man’s suffering. The Lord in his holy knowledge means the Lord possesses all knowledge. New Jerusalem Bible says “The Lord whose knowledge is holy.” It may be easier to express this phrase as a complete sentence by saying “The Lord’s knowledge is holy.” However, some translators will find this concept difficult, for holy in relation to God means “belonging to him.” If so, Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model, saying “The Lord God knows everything!” I might have been saved from death does not mean “the Lord could have saved me from dying,” but rather “I could have chosen not to die.”

I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him: These clauses present a contrast between body and soul. Languages that have equivalents to these concepts may use them here, but another option is to render in my soul I simply as “I” (see the model below).

Good News Bible presents a good model for this verse. Another possibility is:

• When they had beaten Eleazar until he was almost dead, he groaned and said, “The Lord’s knowledge is holy [or, The Lord knows everything], and [or, so] he knows that I could have chosen to live [or, avoided death]. This beating is torture to my body, but because I honor [or, fear] the Lord, I am glad to suffer [it].”

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.