And we considered that we should not rule the nations inhabiting Coele-Syria and Phoenicia by the power of the spear … : Coele-Syria was an administrative unit of the Seleucid Syrian Empire consisting of most of its territory along the Mediterranean Sea (compare 1 Macc 10.69). “Greater Syria” (Contemporary English Version) is a possible translation, and so is “Southwest Syria.” Coele-Syria included the Jewish territory in Palestine. Phoenicia was a coastal territory north of Palestine and south of Syria. Sidon and Tyre were its principal cities. It consisted of what is now the modern state of Lebanon. Contemporary English Version combines Coele-Syria and Phoenicia into “Greater Syria,” but it is better to keep them as separate regions.

By saying we should not rule … by the power of the spear but should cherish them with clemency and greater benevolence, Philopator claims that although he had conquered this territory, he would not rule it by force, but would treat the people there well. It takes him a long time to say this, but that is what he means. He is explaining to his army how very kind, how very merciful he is; the readers of course know otherwise. The pronoun we refers to the king, and unless an audience would understand it that way, it should be translated “I.” By the power of the spear is a figurative expression meaning “by military force.” The Greek word for clemency means lenience, not being inclined to inflict punishment. The word for benevolence refers to showing people goodwill and kindness. Philopator uses this word several times in his letter.

Gladly treating them well: This clause has the same meaning as the previous one and may be rendered “I was happy to show them great kindness.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• I determined that I would not use force to rule Greater Syria and Phoenicia, but rather treat the people there well. I was happy to show them great kindness.

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.

After he had threatened them severely, charging that they had been bribed to contrive a means of escape: The king did not believe the scribes. He thought they had been bribed, that they had taken money from the Jews to allow them to escape punishment. Again direct speech may be used, for example, “The king did not believe the scribes, so he threatened to punish them. He said, ‘You have accepted bribes from the Jews so that they can escape.’ ”

He was clearly convinced about the matter: This clause leads into verse 20 and should be closely connected with that verse. A model here that does this is “But after he had threatened the scribes, he finally became convinced that they were telling the truth 20 when….”

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.

But at these words he was filled with an overpowering wrath may be expressed as “But when the king heard these words, he was furious [or, his heart/liver became very hot].”

Because by the providence of God his whole mind had been deranged in regard to these matters: For God’s providence, see the comments on 3 Macc 4.21. God had caused Philopator to forget his orders for the Jews to be killed, and he was angry with everyone for daring to make such plans. We may render this clause as “It was God’s will that he completely forgot all about these things” or “because God had made him forget everything” (Contemporary English Version).

And with a threatening look he said can be rendered with a colorful verb, such as “glare” or “scowl.” This clause may be translated “He looked at the men with anger in his eyes, and said.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When the king heard these words, he was furious. (It was God’s will that he completely forgot all about these things.) He glared at the men with anger in his eyes, and said….

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.

Let not the vain-minded praise their vanities at the destruction of your beloved people: There is a play on the Greek words for vain-minded and vanities, which Revised Standard Version tries to reflect. But the meaning will be clearer if we say that their vanities refers to the gods worshiped by the Gentiles. So we may render this clause as “Please don’t allow these worthless people to praise their worthless gods for the death of the people you love.”

Saying, ‘Not even their god has rescued them’: Eleazar points out to God that if he allows Philopator to be the agent of God’s punishment, he will be able to boast that he killed the Jews and their god was not strong enough to save them.

Here are alternative models for this verse:

• Please don’t allow these worthless people to praise their worthless gods for the death of [or, for killing] the people you love. They will say, ‘Not even their God could save them.’

• … They will say that you, our God, were not able to save us.

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.

We ourselves and our children are faring well: Compare 3 Macc 3.13. The pronouns We and our refer to Philopator himself. Our children probably refers to the people he ruled: the Egyptian people. He himself may have had no children at this time. This clause may be rendered “I and the Egyptian people are well [or, in good health].”

The great God guiding our affairs according to our desire: Contemporary English Version begins this clause with the conjunction “because,” indicating that the king and his people are well because of what God has done. We recommend that translators add such a connector. This clause may be translated “because the great God is our guide [or, guides us], and this makes us grateful [or, happy].”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• I and my people, the Egyptians, are well, because the great God is our guide [or, is guiding us], for which we are grateful.

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.

And he inquired why, when he entered every other temple, no one there had stopped him: As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Greek phrase for when he entered every other temple can be understood to mean “when he entered the outer area of the Temple.” In this case, he would be asking why, since they allowed him to come this far, he could not go all the way and go inside. Hadas translates the verse in this way. But the grammar of the text definitely favors the interpretation in Revised Standard Version, and we think a footnote is unnecessary. If a translator has translated the quotation in verse 12 as direct speech, it may be continued here, as in Contemporary English Version, which may serve as a model: “No one has ever refused to let me enter a temple before.” Another possible model for this verse is:

• “Why?” he asked. “No one has ever refused to let me enter a temple anywhere else.”

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.

But because you graciously bestowed your glory upon your people Israel is literally “But since you took pleasure in your glory among your people Israel.” This clause may be rendered “Yet you kindly let your glory stay with your people, the Israelites.”

You sanctified this place: God made the Temple fit for himself to be worshiped there. Sanctified is the opposite of “defilement” and “profanation” in the next verse that refer to making the Temple unfit for worship. So we may render this clause as “and so made this Temple a place fit to worship you.”

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.

He proposed to inflict public disgrace upon the Jewish community may be rendered “He determined to disgrace the Jews publicly [or, in front of everyone].” As the first Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Jewish community is literally “the nation” in the Greek text. However, in this context the author refers only to the Jews in Egypt.

And he set up a stone on the tower in the courtyard with this inscription: The connector and is better rendered “so” (see the model below). As the second Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Greek word for stone is literally “stele,” which by definition is a stone set up for a certain purpose and bearing an inscription. The courtyard is surely the courtyard of the royal palace. Contemporary English Version has “the courtyard of the Jewish place of worship,” but a Jewish place of worship in Egypt would have been a synagogue, and there would have been many of them. They probably would not have had courtyards, nor towers. On the other hand, public notices were often posted on the walls of the palace. On the tower does not mean on top of the tower, only somewhere on the structure where it could be read. A tower was a tall structure with a lookout at the top.

We suggest this model for the verse:

• Philopator was determined to disgrace [or, humiliate] the Jews. So he set up a stone at the tower in the palace courtyard. On the stone was written this notice:….

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.