And when he pursued them with chariots and a mass of troops: The chariot was an open vehicle with two or four wheels, used in war or for traveling. It was harnessed to and drawn by two or four horses. The war chariot, which is in view here, was manned by a driver and usually another soldier. From its platform the soldier could shoot arrows, throw projectiles, or engage in sword combat. A possible descriptive phrase for chariots is “horse-drawn war carts.”

You overwhelmed him in the depths of the sea refers to the water flooding over the Egyptian army. See Exo 14.28-29. The pronoun him refers to the Egyptian king and his army, so Contemporary English Version uses the pronoun “them.” Contemporary English Version renders the sea as “the Red Sea,” but translators may say “the sea,” thus avoiding the problem of using a name to identify it.

But carried through safely those who had put their confidence in you: God allowed the Israelites, who trusted in him, to cross the sea safely.

The Ruler over the whole creation refers to God as master over all he has created (compare 3 Macc 2.2).

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• When he went after [or, pursued] your people with his chariots and his huge army, you made him and his soldiers drown in the sea. But your people put their trust in you, the Ruler of the whole creation, and you took them safely across to the other side of the sea.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.