In those days Simon encamped against Gazara and surrounded it with troops: The actual reference in In those days is not quite clear; this action may have taken place before Demetrius’ letter. We suggest saying “About that time” (New Jerusalem Bible). As the Revised Standard Version footnote on Gazara indicates, all Greek manuscripts read “Gaza” rather than Gazara, but this cannot be right. Everyone agrees that Josephus’ account is correct, involving Gazara. Translators should use “Gazara” or “Gezer” (Good News Bible), but no footnote is necessary. An alternative model for this sentence is “About that time Simon took his troops to Gezer and surrounded the city.”

He made a siege engine, brought it up to the city, and battered and captured one tower: The Greek word for siege engine (literally “city-taker”) differs from the one rendered “siege towers” in 1Macc 6.20, 51. Goldstein renders it “movable tower.” It probably refers to a movable tower that had a battering ram attached to it. A battering ram was a heavy log suspended by chains or cords. It could be swung back and forth with increasing force until it broke through a defensive wall or gate. The men operating it were sheltered by an upper platform, where other soldiers shot arrows and threw spears at the defenders on the walls. Brought it up to the city means Simon’s men pushed it up to the city wall; the movable tower had wheels on it. The men battered their way through the wall of one of the city towers with the battering ram. For tower see the comments on 1Macc 1.33. We suggest the following model for this sentence: “His army made a large tower on wheels that had a battering ram and they it pushed up to the town wall. They used it to batter their way [or, break] through one of the towers, and captured it.”

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.