And Alexander heard of it and came against him in battle: What Alexander heard about was the events of verses 12-13. The pronoun it refers to these events. Since verse 14 speaks about something else, the first clause of this verse needs to be clarified. Good News Bible says it well with “But when he heard what Ptolemy had done” (similarly Contemporary English Version). New English Bible takes another approach, but it also works: “But when he heard the news.” Came against him in battle cannot be translated to refer to an actual battle, since the next sentence speaks about Ptolemy’s preparation for battle. This clause may be rendered “prepared to meet him in battle” or “moved his army to attack him.”

Ptolemy marched out and met him with a strong force, and put him to flight: The battle took place in the plains to the northeast of Antioch. Put him to flight does not say exactly the same thing as “Alexander fled” in the next verse. This clause speaks of Ptolemy defeating Alexander’s army and turning them back. The next verse speaks of Alexander’s personal action. Good News Bible has “won a decisive victory.” An alternative model for this whole sentence is “Ptolemy led a large number of soldiers to attack Alexander’s army and forced them to retreat.”

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.