After these things may be expressed as “After Judas defeated him [Timothy].”

Timothy gathered another army may be rendered “Timothy gathered together some more soldiers.”

And encamped opposite Raphon: And encamped may be expressed as “and they set up their tents.” Raphon was another town in Gilead, in the general vicinity of those mentioned in verse 26. Opposite Raphon means “near the town of Raphon” (Contemporary English Version).

On the other side of the stream refers to Timothy being on the opposite side of a stream from Judas. Instead of the stream, Good News Bible has “a river” because this river has not been mentioned before in the narrative. The Greek word for stream (literally “winter-flowing”) indicates a seasonal watercourse. Since the rededication of the Temple (1Macc 4.52) took place in winter, the stream had water in it at this time (see verse 40). Stream is probably a better rendering than “river” (Good News Bible), since it suggests a smaller body of water. Revised English Bible says “wadi,” which is the technical name for a seasonal watercourse. This whole phrase may be rendered “across a stream from Judas’ army.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• After Judas defeated him, he [Timothy] gathered together some more soldiers and they camped [or, set up their tents] near the town of Raphon, which was located on the other side of a stream from Judas’ army.

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.