Moreover, I understand how the princes along the borders and the neighbors to my kingdom keep watching for opportunities and waiting to see what will happen: Not only would naming a successor in advance guard against unrest at home, but it would provide some protection against invasion by neighboring countries. Their leaders might hear that the Seleucid king had died and invade, thinking that the kingdom might be weak at the time, without a king securely in place. Moreover may be rendered “Also” (Good News Bible) or “Not only that.” The princes along the borders and the neighbors to my kingdom refer to the same people—the rulers of the countries on the borders of the Seleucid Empire. These phrases may be combined by saying “the rulers of the countries along the borders of my kingdom” or “the leaders of the countries along our borders” (similarly Contemporary English Version). For keep watching for opportunities and waiting to see what will happen, Good News Bible‘s model is a little difficult. Contemporary English Version is better with “are watching and waiting for a chance to take over our kingdom.” An alternative model for this whole sentence is “Not only that, but I know that the rulers of all the kingdoms on our borders are constantly watching for a chance to take advantage of any weakness on our part [or, to take over our kingdom].”

So I have appointed my son Antiochus to be king, whom I have often entrusted and commended to most of you when I hastened off to the upper provinces: The connector So may be rendered “That is why” (Good News Bible) or “For these reasons” (Contemporary English Version). My son Antiochus refers to the son who would become Antiochus~V. At the time of his appointment as king he was still too young to rule, and someone also had to be appointed to rule for him until he grew older (see 1Macc 3.32-33; 6.14-15). For whom I have often entrusted and commended to most of you, Good News Bible‘s model is helpful. The Greek verb translated hastened off refers primarily to being away, but it implies a hurried departure. An alternative model for this whole sentence is “For these reasons I am naming my son Antiochus as the next king. I have often [or, more than once] entrusted him to your care and recommended him to most of you when I had urgent business in the east.”

And I have written to him what is written here: Good News Bible expresses this sentence more accurately. Antiochus refers to a letter that follows, but that letter is not included as part of 2Maccabees. The problem of referring to another letter that does not appear may be solved by saying “I am writing him a separate letter to let him know this.”

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.