He directed those who were doing the work to build the walls and encircle Mount Zion with squared stones for better fortification; and they did so: Those who were doing the work may be rendered “the workers” or “the builders” (Good News Bible). The walls refers to the walls around Jerusalem as well as Mount Zion. Encircle Mount Zion means “all around Mount Zion.” Squared stones are stones that have been shaped (cut) so that they have flat surfaces (as opposed to unhewn stones of which the altar was made; see 1Macc 4.47). It does not mean that the stones have sides of equal length. A stronger wall can be built of stones laid with flat surfaces against each other than could be made of unworked stones piled on top of one another. The Greek texts of Rahlfs and Kappler read “stones four feet long” instead of “squared stones.” There are two other readings in the manuscripts, but either can mean “squared stones,” and most scholars and versions accept that “squared stones” is meant. An American Translation is an exception with “four-foot stones.” Good News Bible seems to omit the Greek phrase rendered for better fortification (literally “for strength”), but it may be expressing it in “the protecting wall.” This phrase explains why squared stones were used. Contemporary English Version includes it by saying “to build strong walls.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• He gave orders for the men building the city walls and the walls around Mount Zion to use squared stones [or, stones with even/flat surfaces], since these would make the walls stronger. They did so.

• On Jonathan’s orders, the men working on the walls around Jerusalem and Mount Zion used squared stones in order to strengthen the walls.

• Jonathan ordered the workers to use squared stones to restore [or, rebuild] the city walls and the walls around Mount Zion, since this would make them stronger. They did as he ordered.

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.