We recommend that translators begin a new paragraph here, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible.

Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right: We are not told if Judas had ever met Bacchides when Bacchides was in Judea earlier (1Macc 7.8-20). But in the battle Judas evidently could tell who the commander was, and noticed that he, along with the strongest part of his army, were on the right side (this would have been Judas’ left as he faced them). Good News Bible‘s model may be adjusted slightly by saying “When Judas saw that Bacchides and his best soldiers were on the right of the Syrian phalanx [or, group of foot soldiers].”

Then all the stouthearted men went with him: All the stouthearted men refers to all of Judas’ soldiers. For this clause Good News Bible has “all his bravest men joined him,” which implies that only the bravest soldiers went with Judas. However, the 800 soldiers left out of the original 3,000 were all very brave. New English Bible has a better model, saying “all his stout-hearted men rallied to him.” But the text also indicates that Judas began to attack the side of the Syrian phalanx where Bacchides was, so alternative models for this verse are:

• When Judas saw that Bacchides and his best soldiers were on the right of the Syrian army, he and his brave soldiers immediately attacked them.

• As he was fighting the Syrians, Judas noticed that Bacchides and his best soldiers were on the right. So he and his brave troops attacked 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.