Now that he had foiled the plot: This clause refers to the Egyptians not only winning the battle, but also to frustrating Antiochus’ goal of taking over Egyptian territory. The pronoun he refers to Ptolemy Philopator. So we may render this clause as “After Philopator had succeeded in ruining Antiochus’ plans [or, ambitions].”

Ptolemy decided to visit the neighboring cities and encourage them: As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, Ptolemy is not named in the text, but he is clearly meant, and should be named, if not in the preceding clause, then certainly here. Neighboring cities is well expressed in Contemporary English Version as “nearby cities.” Encourage them indicates that Philopator made this trip to assure himself of the loyalty of these cities. By visiting the people of these cities, he would assure them that he stood ready to protect them from attack (encourage in this sense), but he would also gain their support. We suggest the following model for the last half of this verse: “he decided to visit the nearby cities and assure them [or, the citizens] of his support [or, that he would support them].”

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.

You, O King, when you had created the boundless and immeasurable earth … : Addressing God (or a person) simply as “King” is awkward in English; this is why Revised Standard Version says O King and Contemporary English Version has “Our King.” Some languages will have even more elegant ways of addressing royalty. A possible model for the beginning of this verse is “When you, our King, created this huge world that is too big to measure….”

Chose this city and sanctified this place for your name: The idea here is that God created the whole earth, huge as it is, but out of all that space, he chose Jerusalem, this one spot, for the Temple where he would be worshiped. He could have chosen any place, but in fact Jerusalem was his choice. This place refers specifically to the Temple (see 3 Macc 1.9). For your name is a way of saying that God would be worshiped there.

Though you have no need of anything: God did not have any need for a temple to be built, but he wanted it done (compare Acts 17.25; 2 Macc 14.35-36).

A possible model for the first half of this verse is:

• “You, our King, created this huge world that is too big to measure. But even though you did not need anything, you chose this city [Jerusalem] as your own, and made this Temple a sacred [or, taboo] place where we would worship you.

And when you had glorified it by your magnificent manifestation refers to 2 Chr 5.11-14, where God filled the Temple with his glory after it was completed. God’s appearance was the magnificent manifestation (or “epiphany” as the Revised Standard Version footnote has it—another word for “appearance”) in the Temple. God glorified it—gave the Temple its real magnificence—by accepting it as the place where he would be worshiped. So we may render this clause as “You made it magnificent when you appeared here in your glory.”

You made it a firm foundation for the glory of your great and honored name means God established the Temple as the place for worshiping him.

A possible model for this verse is:

• “O God, our King, after you had created this enormous earth, you chose, out of all its vast area, this city. You did not need anything, not even a Temple, but you made this Temple a holy [or, sacred/taboo] place where we could worship you. You made it magnificent by appearing here in your glory. You established it firmly as the place where we would praise you and give you honor.

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.

The Greeks in the city … : We cannot be certain who the writer means by The Greeks in the city, since before this verse as well as later (see 3 Macc 4.1), he emphasizes hostility to the Jews. The reference here has to be to some group of Greeks who realized that the widespread rumors about the Jews were false, and were willing to try to do something to help them. Scholars think that they were a higher social class among the Greeks. Contemporary English Version (and apparently Revised Standard Version) depicts this verse as a mob scene, a particular event. It is not necessary to read the passage this way. We suggest beginning the verse with “Some of the Greeks in the city of Alexandria….”

Though wronged in no way may be rendered “even though the Jews had not hurt people in any way.”

When they saw an unexpected tumult: The word unexpected refers to the “surprise” of these Greeks. Tumult can refer to a riot, but also to a general disturbance. These Greeks were surprised to discover that such hostility existed against the Jews. We may render this clause as “were surprised at how angry people were becoming at the Jews.”

And the crowds that suddenly were forming may be translated “and how they were unexpectedly gathering together in large crowds.” Hostility to the Jews had reached the point where angry people would gather in groups, but the author does not necessarily say that mobs formed around a group of Jews at a particular time. These Greeks who wish them no harm are still able to give the Jews some encouragement, and this suggests that they still had opportunity to talk with them. Further, nothing happens. We believe then, that it is best not to describe this in translation as a single event in which a number of Jews were threatened.

Were not strong enough to help them, for they lived under tyranny may be rendered “because they were ruled by the same cruel leaders, they had no power to do anything” (Contemporary English Version).

They did try to console them: Console means “to encourage.” So we may say “All they could do was encourage the Jews.”

Being grieved at the situation may be rendered “because they were upset at what was happening to them.”

And expected that matters would change: Though some of the Greeks were friendly to the Jews, they were unable in this situation to do much other than encourage them, and tell them that things would get better.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Some of the Greeks in the city of Alexandria, however, were surprised at how angry people were becoming at the Jews, and how they would gather together in angry [or, hostile] groups. They knew that the Jews had not hurt them in any way, but they were afraid of their cruel ruler. They were upset at what was happening to the Jews, but all they could do was encourage the Jews, and tell them that things would surely get better.

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.

When these men had been brought to the place called Schedia, and the voyage was concluded as the king had decreed: These men refers to the Jewish captives. The Greek does not specify men; both men and women are in view. Schedia was a harbor area about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Alexandria. We may render these two clauses as “As King Philopator had commanded, the soldiers brought the Jews by boat to Schedia outside of Alexandria, and docked there” or “The boats brought the Jews to Schedia outside of Alexandria, and docked there, as King Philopator had commanded.”

He commanded that they should be enclosed in the hippodrome which had been built with a monstrous perimeter wall in front of the city: The pronoun he refers to the king. A hippodrome is a place used for horse racing. The Greek word here may be rendered “large stadium” (Contemporary English Version); horse racing does not have to be mentioned. This stadium was just outside Alexandria on the east side. In front of the city simply means “just outside the city.” No wall is literally mentioned in the Greek text, and should not be mentioned, since the rest of the verse seems to imply that the Jewish prisoners could be seen from the road as people went in and out of the city. The Greek simply says that the race track was round and very large. Here is an alternative model for this clause: “The king then ordered that the Jews be confined in the huge race track in front of the city.”

And which was well suited to make them an obvious spectacle to all coming back into the city and to those from the city going out into the country: This clause indicates that the place where the captive Jews were confined was at a point where people going into and out of the city could see them. Anderson translates it as “eminently suitable for making the captives a public example to all who came down to the city and to those who left the city for a sojourn in the country.” We may also say “Here anyone going into Alexandria or coming out of that city would see them [or, could not help but see them].” Revised Standard Version‘s footnote here is unnecessary.

So that they could neither communicate with the king’s forces: Apparently the Jews were put in a place where they could not communicate with the king through any of his representatives, specifically the army.

Nor in any way claim to be inside the circuit of the city: The Greek text here is difficult to understand. Some manuscripts place the phrase in any way in the previous clause, before nor (so Hanhart), and some place it after nor (so Rahlfs). We suggest going with the former reading. Claim to be inside the circuit of the city renders two Greek words, whose meaning is simply not clear. The Revised Standard Version footnote gives the alternative rendering “claim protection of the walls.” These two words most likely mean the captives could not claim any exemptions or privileges allowed Jews inside the city of Alexandria, since they were confined outside of it. In verses 12-13 we learn that the king became so enraged at the city’s Jews that he decided to wipe them out also.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• As King Philopator had commanded, the soldiers brought the Jews by boat to Schedia just outside of Alexandria, and docked there. The king then ordered that they confine the Jews in the huge race track that was just outside the city. Here anyone going into the city or coming out of it could not help but see them. The Jews could not convey any message at all to the king’s soldiers, and could not claim the legal rights of Jews living in the city.*
* claim the legal rights of Jews living in the city: Greek unclear.

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.

Then, as soon as the cock had crowed in the early morning: The cock, or rooster, crows early in the morning. Contemporary English Version translates this clause as “Early the next morning, just after the roosters started crowing,” which is a good model. Roosters should be mentioned since it adds a touch of color to the story, with the sound of the roosters being a signal that the day of danger had begun.

Hermon, having equipped the beasts, began to move them along in the great colonnade: It is not clear what having equipped the beasts refers to; the Greek verb here means “to arm, prepare for battle,” but the elephants did not need weapons (see verse 45, where a different verb for “equipped” is used). Contemporary English Version supposes that this clause refers to giving the elephants the frankincense and wine again. This is possible, but a strange verb has been used to indicate this. Anderson seems to imagine the animals being covered with some kind of ceremonial material by saying “set the beasts in all their paraphernalia,” and Hadas is similar with “accoutered the beasts.” Emmet translates “harnessed the beasts.” We suggest saying “got the elephants ready.” The great colonnade is a structure involving a row of columns. This is evidently something through which the elephants would have to pass to enter the stadium where the Jews were being held. The adjective great suggests that it was a well-known place.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Early the next morning, after the roosters had begun crowing, Hermon got the elephants ready and started moving them along through the rows of great columns toward the stadium [or, race track].

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.

Pharaoh with his abundance of chariots, the former ruler of this Egypt … : See 3 Macc 2.6-7. The reference here is to the Pharaoh, or king of Egypt, in the time of Moses, in the book of Exodus. Pharaoh is the grammatical direct object of the verb destroyed in the main clause later in this verse. Through verse 6, the author uses this same pattern. The direct object of the main verb appears in the first of a series of dependent clauses. Then the main verb is found in the final clause—the main clause. In a number of languages this is a very common style. In fact, in some languages it is part of the grammar. Chariots were wheeled vehicles pulled by horses and used in warfare (see the comments on 3 Macc 2.7). The expression this Egypt sounds strange in English, since in English it implies that there was more than one Egypt. The following model for the beginning of this verse avoids this problem: “A long time ago, Pharaoh ruled [or, was king] here in Egypt, and he had many chariots in his army….”

Exalted with lawless insolence and boastful tongue describes how Pharaoh dealt with Moses in their face-to-face encounters in Exodus. Exalted renders a Greek participle describing Pharaoh. Translators may render this description of him as a separate sentence by saying “He boasted [boastful tongue] that he was a great man [exalted], and was very insolent [lawless insolence]” or even “He proudly [or, insolently] boasted that he was a great man.”

You destroyed together with his arrogant army by drowning them in the sea: As noted above, the direct object of destroyed is Pharaoh, but destroyed may be combined with drowning by saying “You drowned him in the sea along with his arrogant army [or, soldiers].”

Manifesting the light of your mercy upon the nation of Israel: This clause uses the image of light to refer to God’s mercy. Contemporary English Version removes this image by saying “You showed the greatness of your mercy for the people of Israel,” which some languages may find helpful. The following model for this verse keeps the image:

• “A long time ago, Pharaoh was ruler here in Egypt, and he had many chariots in his army. He proudly [or, insolently] boasted that he was a great man. You drowned him in the sea, along with his arrogant army. As if you were shining a light on the people of Israel, you showed them your mercy.

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.

The Jews decided to make the celebration of their rescue a permanent occasion, to be held publicly. The implication is that it would be an annual festival. We recommend that translators break up this verse into smaller sentences.

And when they had ordained a public rite for these things in their whole community and for their descendants … : Contemporary English Version indicates that what the Jews did in this verse came after their celebration, by beginning with “After the Jews had finished celebrating….” We suggest that translators follow this model. They had ordained a public rite for these things may be rendered “they decided that this celebration should become a public holiday.” In their whole community may be translated “for their whole community.”

They instituted the observance of the aforesaid days as a festival, not for drinking and gluttony, but because of the deliverance that had come to them through God: The first half of this sentence repeats information in the first part of the verse. We may shorten it by beginning with “They decided that this festival would not be a time for….” Drinking and gluttony may be rendered “to get drunk and eat too much.” But because of the deliverance that had come to them through God may be expressed as “but to remember how God had saved [or, rescued] them.” This final sentence adds that the celebration of the event should never be an occasion for eating or drinking too much, but be held simply to remember the way God had saved them.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• They decided that this celebration would become an annual holiday for their whole community and for their descendants. It was not to be a time to get drunk and eat too much, but to remember how God had saved [or, rescued] them.

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.