When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, and rushed in against Simon in the banquet hall, and they killed him and his two sons and some of his servants: Good News Bible renders Ptolemy and his men rose up as “Ptolemy and his men came out of hiding.” However, Ptolemy himself was presumably not hiding, so he did not come out of hiding. Only his men mentioned in verse 15 did. It would be better to leave rose up implied; it reflects a Hebrew idiom that introduces the beginning of an action. Weapons refers to “swords” (Good News Bible) in this context. Although Simon and his sons are explicitly mentioned twice in this verse, it is possible to have only one explicit reference as follows:

• When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men took their swords and attacked [Simon and his sons]. They killed them there in the banquet hall, and some of their servants as well.

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.