They came into Idumea may be rendered “He then led all these soldiers to Idumea.” Lysias’s plan was to avoid the mountainous country with its dangerous passes. He thought he could deal with Judas’ untrained fighters in the open battlefield on the plains of Idumea.

And encamped at Beth-zur may be expressed as “and they set up their tents near the town of Bethzur” or “where he set up camp near the town of Beth-Zur” (Contemporary English Version). Beth-zur was a Judean town on the border with Idumea (see verse 61). It was about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) southeast of Emmaus, about 28 kilometers (17.5 miles) southwest of Jerusalem.

And Judas met them with ten thousand men may be expressed as “Judas and 10,000 [or, ten thousand] soldiers marched out to fight Lysias’ army [or, the Syrians].”

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.