idol / idols

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. ) and in Cherokee “imaginary gods” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16).

In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.” Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)

See also worthless idols.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 13:47

The focus is again on Simon, so translators may begin a new paragraph here (so Good News Bible).

So Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting against them: Good News Bible has “So Simon came to terms with them and ended the fighting.” Another possible model is “So Simon agreed with their request and had his soldiers stop fighting against them.”

But he expelled them from the city: Simon did not kill the inhabitants (compare Judas’ action in 1Macc 5.28, 35), but did force the people out of the city. He could not afford to have such a strong concentration of resistance to his rule. He had done this earlier at Joppa (1Macc 13.11), and so had Jonathan at Bethzur (1Macc 11.66). Good News Bible‘s model is a good one here, but Simon himself would not enter the town until all the idols had been removed (see below). So we may also say “But he ordered every person to leave the town.”

And cleansed the houses in which the idols were: The text does not say that there were idols in every house. The houses in which idols were found were cleansed, but not destroyed (compare the fate of Azotus under Judas and Jonathan; see 1Macc 5.68 and 10.84). The cleansing might have consisted only of removing the idols; there was not necessarily any ritual cleansing ceremony involved. For idols see the comments on 1Macc 1.43. An alternative model for this clause is “and he ordered his men to take all the idols out of the houses where they were kept.”

And then entered it with hymns and praise: Simon, as High Priest, could not enter the city while it was still ritually unclean. Simon himself did not enter the city until after the people had left and the idols had been removed. It would be good for translation to make this clear. Literally, the Greek text says that Simon did the singing, not his men, but we may assume that everyone joined in (so Good News Bible). For the last half of this verse we may say “He forced the people to leave the town, and he had his men remove all the idols from the houses where they were found. Then he and his men entered the city singing hymns and songs of praise” or “… Then he and his men entered the city singing hymns and songs praising the One in Heaven.”

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.