Jericho

The name that is transliterated in English as “Jericho” means “city of the moon,” “a fragrant place.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that alludes to the walls of Jericho coming tumbling down (see Joshua 6:20). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Jericho” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Jericho,” the second parts refer to “town” (source )

See also The Fall of Jericho.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jericho .

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 16:14

Now Simon was visiting the cities of the country and attending to their needs: Good News Bible clarifies the narrative by bringing Mattathias and Judas forward from later in the verse, saying “Simon, together with his sons Mattathias and Judas, was visiting….” This is the first mention of Mattathias in the book. The cities of the country may be rendered “the various towns in Judea.” And attending to their needs may be expressed as “trying to help the people with whatever they needed.”

And he went down to Jericho with Mattathias and Judas his sons, in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat: The one hundred and seventy-seventh year of the Syrian Kingdom corresponds to 134 b.c. (see the comments on 1Macc 1.10). Shebat was the eleventh month in the Jewish calendar, from mid-January to mid-February. For this last half of the verse Good News Bible has “They arrived in Jericho in the month of Shebat, the eleventh month, in the year 177.” This is effective; it serves notice to the reader that something important is about to happen. Only important events are given dates in this book.

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.