They also brought the garments of the priesthood: The garments of the priesthood probably refers to “the clothes of the priests” (Contemporary English Version) rather than just “the priests’ robes” (Good News Bible). There would be both outer and inner garments (see Exo 28.4-42). These clothes could be worn only in the Temple, but the Temple was in disrepair and polluted by a pagan altar; thus the people ask in verse 50, “What shall we do with these?”

And the first fruits and the tithes: The people also brought the first fruits and the tithes to Mizpah, which always went to the Temple before. So the people also wonder what to do with these things. Contemporary English Version makes it clear that these things are “a tenth of their crops [tithes] and the best part of their harvest [first fruits].”

And they stirred up the Nazirites who had completed their days means they also brought in the Nazirites who had completed their vows. Nazirites were people who took a special vow to separate themselves for the service of God, ordinarily for a limited period of time. They did not cut their hair or drink any alcohol during their time of separation. Here that time was over (completed their days). The laws dealing with the Nazirites are given in Num 6. In this situation the Nazirites have completed their vows and it is time to end them by cutting their hair and burning it on the altar with their sacrifices (Num 6.18). But this could only be done in the Temple, so they ask in verse 50, “Where shall we take them?”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• They also brought the clothes for the priests, a tenth of their crops, and the best part of their harvest. And then they brought in the Nazirites who had completed what they had vowed to do.

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.