After the party had been going on for some time may be rendered “When they had all been eating and drinking [wine] for some time [or, quite a long time],” “When the party was well underway,” or even “Some time later” (Contemporary English Version).

The king summoned Hermon and with sharp threats demanded to know why the Jews had been allowed to remain alive through the present day: When Philopator first woke up, he was told what had happened, but by this time he was probably drunk enough not to remember, so he called Hermon and demanded to know why the Jews were still alive. The phrase with sharp threats may be placed at the end of the verse by rendering it “and he threatened him [Hermon] sharply.” In some languages it will be necessary to say what the threats were as follows: “He said to Hermon, ‘I am going to punish you severely for disobeying me.’ ”

Here are alternative models for this verse:

• When the party was well under way, the king called Hermon. He demanded to know why the Jews had not been killed that day, and threatened the man sharply.

• When everyone had drunk a lot of wine, the king called Hermon, and said to him “Why haven’t you killed all the Jews today? [or, Why are all the Jews still alive today?] I am going to punish you severely for disobeying me!”

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.

Not only this, but may be rendered “In spite of this” or “Nevertheless” (Anderson, Hadas).

When they considered the help which they had received before from heaven refers to the two previous times that God had rescued them from the elephants. From heaven means “from God.”

They prostrated themselves with one accord on the ground: Prostrated themselves … on the ground refers to lying face down on the ground in prayer. With one accord implies that everyone did it.

Removing the babies from their breasts simply explains how the nursing mothers could lie flat on the ground; it does not mean all of the Jews were nursing children, as Revised Standard Version seems to imply.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• But still, when they thought how God had rescued [or, helped] them before [or, had already saved them twice], they lay down flat on the ground to pray. Mothers laid their nursing babies aside.

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.

Accordingly those disgracefully treated and near to death, or rather, who stood at its gates … : The demonstrative pronoun those refers to the Jews. Disgracefully treated may be rendered “who had been treated in a disgraceful manner.” Death is literally “Hades” (see the comments on 3 Macc 5.42). Stood at its gates may be translated “were about to die” or “had almost been killed.” Many languages will have suitable idioms describing this situation. For example, English has the idiom “had one foot in the grave,” which Anderson uses in his translation. Another English idiom says “came within a hair of dying.” We may begin this verse with “So these same people [or, Jews] who had been treated in a disgraceful manner and had almost been killed….”

Arranged for a banquet of deliverance instead of a bitter and lamentable death: Here the subject is the Jews. This phrase may be rendered “arranged a feast to celebrate their rescue from dying in a sad and horrible way” or “arranged for a feast to celebrate how God had rescued them from….”

And full of joy they apportioned to celebrants the place which had been prepared for their destruction and burial: Full of joy may be rendered “The Jews were joyful.” The Greek word translated celebrants (klisia), along with the verb rendered apportioned, means the Jews broke up into smaller groups for the festivities (compare the use of the word klisia in Luke 9.14). So they apportioned to celebrants may be translated “Now, however, they divided into groups to enjoy a feast.” We suggest reordering the clauses in this verse, making “The Jews were joyful” the initial clause. This clause can be followed by “They had been treated shamefully and had almost been killed. Now, however, they divided into groups to enjoy a feast. Instead of dying in a sad and horrible way, they would celebrate being rescued….” The place which had been prepared for their destruction and burial presents a problem, since we have not been told earlier anything about a place being prepared to bury the Jews. Probably the two terms destruction (literally “fall”) and burial mean exactly the same thing. Indeed, verse 34 suggests that the king’s officials intended the bodies of the dead Jews to be left in the open as food for birds.

Any translation of this verse involves a lot of guessing, especially the order of the various elements. Here are two approaches:

• The Jews were very joyful. They had been treated shamefully and had almost been killed. Now, however, they divided into groups to enjoy a feast. Instead of dying in a sad and horrible manner, they would now celebrate being rescued, and do it in the area where the king intended for them to meet their end [or, die] and be buried.

• The Jews were very joyful. The Gentiles had treated them shamefully and had almost killed them. Now, however, they divided into groups to enjoy a feast. Instead of dying in a sad and horrible manner, they would celebrate how God had rescued them. They would do this in the area where the king had planned to kill and bury 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.

Blessed be the Deliverer of Israel through all times! Amen: The language has been ornate throughout much of this book, but this closing praise to God is short and effectively simple by contrast. Many church traditions have borrowed a form of Amen, and if that is the case, translators may wish to use it here. Otherwise, if the receptor culture has an expression indicating formal assent to a statement, that expression may be used here. Possible models for this verse are:

• Praise to God forever! He is Israel’s deliverer [or, protector/savior]! Amen.

• Eternal praise to God, Israel’s savior! Amen.

• God is the protector of Israel! Praise him forever! Let it be so!

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.

Even after the law had been read to him, he did not cease to maintain that he ought to enter, saying: The passage read is probably from Lev 16, certainly including verse 2. Even after the law had been read to him may be translated “Even after they had read the Law to him.” He did not cease to maintain that he ought to enter may be rendered “he kept insisting, ‘I want to go into this building.’ ”

“Even if those men are deprived of this honor, I ought not to be”: Those men may refer specifically to the priests mentioned in verse 11, but in fact it includes everyone. One may translate this brief quotation as direct discourse, as in Revised Standard Version and Contemporary English Version, but also as indirect speech (see the second model below).

Here are two possible models of this verse:

• They read to him from their Law, but even then the king continued to claim that he had the right to enter the building. He said, “I have the right to go in there, even if no one else is allowed.”

• They read to him from their Law. But Philopator still claimed that since he was king, he had the right to enter the building, even if no one else was allowed.

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.

For your dwelling, the heaven of heavens, is unapproachable by man: The connector For may be omitted and replaced by something like “We know” (Contemporary English Version). The heaven of heavens is a superlative expression referring to God’s dwelling place in heaven. Contemporary English Version says “the highest heavens.” Man includes both men and women, so it is better rendered “human beings.” This verse leads into the next verse: Since human beings on earth cannot approach God in heaven (verse 15), God made the Temple available so that people could approach him there (verse 16). So a possible model here is:

• Your home is in the highest heaven, and no human being can reach you there.

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 our expedition took place in Asia, as you yourselves know refers to a military campaign waged somewhere in southwestern Asia. Most probably it is a reference to the action described briefly in 3 Macc 1.1-5.

It was brought to conclusion, according to plan means the fighting in Asia was successful, as they intended it to be.

By the gods’ deliberate alliance with us in battle: Ptolemy attributes his success to the help of the Greek gods.

Here are models for this verse:

• In fact, you know [or, You are aware, of course,] that the fighting in Asia was successful just as we planned, because the gods were definitely helping us.

• You know, of course, that the fighting in Asia was successful, just as we planned, because the gods certainly helped us in battle [or, were certainly on our side].

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.

Although most of them were still in the country, some still residing in their homes, and some at the place: There is a textual problem here. Many Greek manuscripts read “according to custom” or “on the way” instead of at the place. “On the way” makes much more sense, and is followed by Contemporary English Version, Anderson, Emmet, and Hadas. We recommend this reading, so a possible model for the first two clause of this verse is “Boats were still arriving with Jews in them, and many of them were still in their own homes in the countryside.”

The task was impossible for all the generals in Egypt means all of Egypt’s military forces would be unable to round up all the Jews.

Here is one possible model for this verse:

• Many Jews were still on the way to Alexandria, and some were still living in their own homes in the countryside. Not even all the generals in the army could round them all up [or, arrest them all].

Many translators will find verses 17-18 easier to approach as Contemporary English Version has done, reporting the words of the scribes as direct speech. This alternate model, based on Contemporary English Version, may be tried:

• 17 But when the forty days were over, the scribes went to the king and told him, “There are too many Jews for us to register. 18 Boats are still arriving with Jews on them, and many of them are still in their own homes in the countryside. Not even all the generals in Egypt could round up [or, arrest] all these Jews.”

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.