Men gathered to them and praised them may be expressed as “People would crowd around them to praise them.”

Alternative models for verses 63-64 are:

• 63~Wherever [the names of] the noble Judas and his brothers were known, Israelites and Gentiles alike would speak of them with great respect. 64~People would crowd around them to praise them.

• 63~All the Israelites and Gentiles who heard about this brave [or, noble] man Judas and his brothers highly respected them. 64~People would crowd around them to praise them.

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.