What is this that we have done?: This is not so much a question as an expression of Demetrius’ frustration that his flattery of Jonathan had failed. Good News Bible combines this question with part of the next sentence, saying “How did we manage to let Alexander get ahead of us?” This is a helpful model. Other possible renderings are “How did this happen?” and “How [or, Why] did we let this happen?” This rhetorical question may also be expressed as a strong statement by saying “We should not have let this happen!” The plural pronouns we and us in this verse do not refer to the king only, but also to his advisers.

Alexander has gotten ahead of us in forming a friendship with the Jews to strengthen himself: Good News Bible offers a good model here. Another possibility is “Alexander’s agreement with the Jews has made him more powerful than us.”

Verses 22 and 23 may be combined as follows:

• When Demetrius heard that Alexander had strengthened his position by forming an alliance with the Jews, he was terribly upset. “He’s gotten ahead of us!” he said. “How did we let this happen?”

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.