Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him: New English Bible translates “His language was friendly, but full of guile. For, once he had gained the city’s confidence.” A model for this part of the verse that continues the one for the previous verse is “and deceived the people with friendly speeches [or, words].” “Deceived the people” covers both Deceitfully and they believed him.

But he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel: Good News Bible provides a helpful model here, and so does Revised English Bible with “[then] he launched a sudden and savage attack. Many of the Israelites were killed.” However, if these renderings will sound to readers like the Mysian general did all the fighting, translators may say “Then suddenly the general and his soldiers attacked the city savagely [or, with great ferocity/cruelty], and killed many Israelite people.”

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.