He engaged in many battles with them and they were crushed before him; he struck them down: It must be made clear in translation that the pronouns he and him refer to Judas, while the pronouns they and them refer to Timothy and his soldiers; for example, the verse may be rendered:

• Judas had to fight Timothy and his men many times before he completely destroyed them.

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.

We recommend that translators begin a new paragraph here (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).

Now as Judas and his army drew near to the stream of water: It is not necessary to keep both stream and water, since a stream by definition has water. However, the author needed to specify that this seasonal stream did have water at the time. For drew near to the stream of water, Good News Bible says “came closer to the water.” It would be a little better to say “came near to the stream.” Contemporary English Version has “took up their positions near the stream.”

Timothy said to the officers of his forces: In English the officers of his forces may be rendered simply “his officers” (Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible), since officers, in a military context, are by definition commanders of forces.

If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to resist him, for he will surely defeat us: Compare 1~Sam 14.8-9. Timothy is probably reasoning that in the battle to come, the advantage will lie with the offense and the defenders will be at a disadvantage. If he crosses over to us first may be expressed as “If Judas crosses the stream to attack us.” It is of course understood that if Timothy crosses the stream, he attacks first. We will not be able to resist him may be expressed as “we will not be able to repel [or, turn back] his soldiers” or even “we will not be able to fight his soldiers.” New Jerusalem Bible translates he will surely defeat us more accurately by saying “he will have a great advantage over us” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Abel).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• As Judas and his soldiers came close to the stream, Timothy said to his officers, “He will have a big advantage over us if he crosses the stream to attack us [first]. We won’t be able to turn back [or, repel] his soldiers.

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.

And they withstood him in battle: Good News Bible says “and they drew up their troops to resist him,” which seems to indicate that an actual battle never took place; we believe this is wrong. New Jerusalem Bible offers a much better translation, saying “They resisted him by force of arms.” Contemporary English Version is also good with “and fought hard against him.”

So he fled: Fled is better translated “withdrew” (Good News Bible) or “retreated.”

And in great grief departed from there to return to Babylon: Great grief is not the right choice of words. “Great frustration” (Good News Bible), “terribly frustrated” (Contemporary English Version), or even “bitter disappointment” (New English Bible) is better. Good News Bible is probably correct by referring to the country of “Babylonia,” rather than the city of Babylon. The text has not said that Antiochus was in Babylonia before, nor does it say here that he reached it (see the next verse, where it says he was still in Persia), so a good model for the last half of this verse is “So in great disappointment he withdrew [or, retreated] toward Babylonia” or “So he began retreating, very gloomily, toward Babylonia” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible).

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• and fought hard against him and his soldiers. So in great frustration [or, disappointment] he began to retreat toward Babylonia.

• … Feeling terribly frustrated, he began to retreat toward Babylonia.

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.

The rest of the horsemen were stationed on either side, on the two flanks of the army is literally “And the rest of the horsemen he stationed….” But who is “he”? Good News Bible and New English Bible say it is “Lysias” but Lysias has not been named in connection with this action. He was last mentioned in verse 17, but he is surely included among the men mentioned in verse 28, and may well have been in charge. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Abel read “The king,” although it is hard to imagine a child devising this strategy. The passive voice is a good solution to this problem, but those translators who are forced to use the active may say “Lysias [or, The king] placed the rest of his cavalry … ” or “The remainder of the cavalry the commander posted…” (Goldstein).

Here is the picture of the Syrian army’s battle formation: a long line of battle was formed. There were many infantry units, with 32 elephants placed at intervals within the line, each one surrounded by cavalry. According to the author’s figures (see verses 30 and 35), 16,000 cavalrymen were stationed with the elephants in the line. That left 4,000 others to guard the two ends (flanks or sides) of the line.

To harass the enemy: The cavalry stationed at the ends of the battle line had two functions. One was to harass the enemy. The Greek word used here can be rendered a number of ways. An American Translation translates “threatening the enemy.” The cavalry troops on the flanks were to keep the enemy off balance, to be a constant threat or distraction to the main force of the opposing army. So to harass the enemy or “harassing the enemy” (Good News Bible) is a good translation. Contemporary English Version says “to attack the Jewish forces whenever they could,” which is also possible.

While being themselves protected by the phalanxes: The other function of the cavalry posted on the flanks was to protect the infantry units from attack from the side. This latter function is not clear in the Greek text, and seems to have been misunderstood by the scribes. The phalanxes (that is, infantry units) could not have offered protection to the exposed cavalry on the flanks, as is said in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible. It was the cavalry that offered protection to the infantry. We believe that translators should follow Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Abel, and Goldstein in making an adjustment here. For the last two clauses of this verse Goldstein reads “to intimidate the enemy and protect his own phalanxes.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• The commander placed the rest of his cavalry [or, horse soldiers] on the two ends of the line, to harass [or, threaten] the enemy and at the same time protect his own groups of soldiers.

• Those cavalry [or, horse soldiers] who were not protecting the elephants, took positions on the two sides of the army, so that they could distract [or, threaten/harass] the enemy while protecting* their own foot soldiers.
* Probable text protecting; Greek being protected by.

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.

Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible insert a paragraph break here, which is appropriate.

So the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’s friends, governor of the province Beyond the River: The connector So is not necessary (so Good News Bible). A better way to begin this verse is “Demetrius did as they requested and chose….” For the king’s friends, see the comments on 1Macc 2.18. The River is the Euphrates. Beyond the River is a name that was used during the days of the Persian Empire for one of its provinces. It refers to the territory west of the Euphrates River all the way to the border of Egypt. In fact, it is the territory that Antiochus~IV entrusted to Lysias (see 1Macc 3.32). Good News Bible calls it “Greater Syria.” The simplest approach might be to render the province Beyond the River as “the western part of the kingdom” or more specifically, “the region of his kingdom between Egypt and the Euphrates River.”

He was a great man in the kingdom and was faithful to the king: Good News Bible has a good model here, and so does Contemporary English Version with “Bacchides was a powerful and loyal official.”

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.

And Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men: The connector And is better translated “Meanwhile” (Good News Bible) or “While he [Nicanor] was doing this.” Adasa was a village between Beth Horon and Jerusalem, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Jerusalem.

Then Judas prayed and said: The verbs prayed and said refer to the same thing, so Good News Bible translates simply “prayed.” The author of 1Maccabees never refers directly to God, which creates a problem in the next verse, where Good News Bible inserts “Lord.” Translators who are following the author in avoiding direct references to God might render this clause as “There Judas prayed to Heaven [or, the One in Heaven].”

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.

And this is a copy of the letter which they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets: This verse must indicate that the following verses, 23-32, are the words of the treaty between Rome and the Jews. Good News Bible does this by beginning with “and what follows is….” New English Bible is similar with “and the following is a copy…,” and so is New Jerusalem Bible with “Here is a copy of….” The bronze tablets were flat pieces of polished bronze on which the letter was inscribed with a stylus. The letter which they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets may be rendered “They replied by writing a letter on bronze tablets” or “… by inscribing a letter on sheets of bronze [or, pieces of the metal bronze].”

And sent to Jerusalem to remain with them there as a memorial of peace and alliance: Contemporary English Version has a helpful model, saying “They sent the letter to Jerusalem, to serve as a reminder that Rome was a friend and ally.”

Alternative models for verses 21 and 22 are:

• 21 The senators accepted the proposal, 22 and wrote a reply to it. They inscribed their reply on bronze tablets [or, sheets of bronze], and sent them to Jerusalem to remain there as a record of the treaty of alliance [between the two peoples]. Here is what they wrote to Jerusalem:….

• 21 The senators liked what Eupolemus and Jason said. 22 So they replied by inscribing a letter on sheets of bronze. They sent this letter to Jerusalem to remain there and remind the Jews that Rome was a friend and ally. The letter said:….

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.

The story of Judas is over. This verse makes a summary statement that his other deeds are too many to write down, so Good News Bible begins a new paragraph here.

Now the rest of the acts of Judas may be expressed as “The other deeds of Judas” (Good News Bible) or “The other things that Judas did.”

And his wars: Good News Bible says “his battles.” In English the word “war” is usually reserved to refer to a long period in which enemies fight many individual “battles.” Judas fought many “battles,” but was engaged in only one “war.” In a number of languages “his battles” will require a verbal expression; for example, “the many times he fought his enemies.”

And the brave deeds that he did may be rendered “the times he showed his bravery.”

And his greatness: Good News Bible has “and his great accomplishments,” and Contemporary English Version says “and he did many other important things.”

Have not been recorded, for they were very many may be expressed as “were so many that they cannot all be written down.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Judas was a great man, a brave man, and the whole story of the war [or, battles] he fought has not been told here. There is just too much to tell.

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.