But he, upon receiving the report may be rendered “But when the king heard Hermon’s words.”

And being struck by the unusual invitation to come out may be expressed as “he didn’t understand what he was talking about.”

Since he had been completely overcome by incomprehension: This clause repeats what has already been said in the previous clause. God caused Philopator to forget about his orders to destroy the Jews, so the king was confused when Hermon told him that everything was ready and invited him to come to the stadium. The translator should not reveal in this verse that God caused Philopator to forget; this will come out in the next verse.

Inquired what the matter was for which this had been so zealously completed for him: The model below suggests simplifying the verse by using direct speech here as follows:

• But Philopator did not understand at all what Hermon was talking about. He asked, “Why should I go to the stadium [or, race track]? What is ready?”

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.